Our “Bordeaux group” met at Il Corso last night for Tuscan night. While we gathered:
The 2008 Pierre Péters “lès Chétillons” Blan c de Blancs is a baby but a tasty baby. Chalk, ciabatta, and citrus peel ov er clean apple fruit. A-
2015 Isole E Olena Collezione Privata Tuscan Chardonnay, some sweet fruit and new oak but good acidic backbone. N ot buttery or heavy. Style reminds me a bit of Montelena. BOn to the reds. The 1999 Fontodi Flaccianello was unfortunately immediately flagged as corked, too bad as I always liked this wine
I started with fried gnocchi with a black truffle sauce
1990 Ruffino Ducale Oro Chianti Classico Riserva Some black plum fruit, leather, dirt, hint of merde. A bit thin in midpalat e. B/B-1990 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Some barnyard but lovely black cherry and leather, well balanced, ready. B+
1981 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino Red fruit, sandalwood, mushrooms. Elegant and balanced, mature but not tire d. A-1981 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva. Initial nose was VA and maderized to me, but perked up a bit. Credible show ing for almost 40 but tired. B-/C+
My main was a skirt steak special, with red wine sauce and potatoes
1978 Antinori Tignanello I liked more than some others. On the far end of maturity but this had inte rest in a rather feminine/lighter style. Crushed red berries, coffee, and e arth, with a funky edge. B+/B.1997 Antinori Tignanello Corked
2006 Antonori Tignanello Pretty tight, but nice wine underneath. Black cherrry, cassis, coffee, and just a little vanilla, but mostly just lurking. ???2006 Montevertine Pergole Torte A bit tight, mid-bodied, cherry and herbs, an exotic spicy note. Good lengt h. Happy to have mag of this (I think last Montevertine purchase before I s tarted boycotting). A-/B+
2008 Montevertine Pergole Torte A little bigger and more open, black cherry with an almost eucalyptus herb note. Long and tasty. B+1997 Antinori Solaia Currant and coffee, structured, long. Others liked more than I did. B
1999 Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco Red and black cherry, mocha and earth. Modern but civilized. B+/A-2008 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Millecento Huge fruit, big tannin, unrecognizable at Sangiovese to me. Impressive wine that is just totally not in my style. Bottle very impressive for its weigh t if that is your kind of thing. C+
2009 Fontodi Flaccianello Big, powerful, balanced, young. B+2010 Tenuta Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio al Vento. Big, tannic, but more recognizably Sangiovese, in a midmodern style. B+/B
Fun night, fun group, and Il Corso did great job with service.
WOTN voting ‘81 Biondi Santi 20 pts ‘97 Solaia 17
1999 Sammarco 12 ‘08 Pergole Torte 10 05 Tig 5 pts 90 Constanti 2