Friday was my turn to host a local tasting group, and the theme was Tuscany. I got some Italian cheeses and salamis, and made a pizza while I prepared for the arrival of my guests. I had my blind bottle ready, but opened an on-theme bottle with my pizza to share with the early arrivers. The wine was the 1988 Rocca de Montegrino "Geremia" . I think this is a 100% Sangiovese from the period when Chianti couldn't be all-Sangiovese, hence the "Red Tuscan Table Wine" label. Not quite up to the standard of a previous bottle, but a nice wine, with dark cherry fruit offset by secondary aromas of earth, leather, and cedar. Everyone liked as they arrived. B+/A_
We're a little short tonight, just five with one member in Paris and another at a going away party for a neighbor. Each participant furnished a blind bottle:
Wine 1: Some sweet oak aromas over a base of red fruit (raspberry and cherry). Decent acidity, a little short on the finish but a nice midweight wine. It's the 2002 Poggio Antico Rosso di Montalcino. B/B+
Wine 2 - More oak, this time a bit more obtrusive. OK red fruit, but there's some spiky/green tannins. My least favorite of the night, it's the 2002 Sesta Rosso di Montalcino. B-/C+
Wine 3- This is rounder, richer, and deeper than previous bottles. Just enough acidity to keep from being flabby, ripe tannins, good finish. I'm guessing 2000 Brunello or bigger CCR, but it's the 1997 Querceta Brunello di Montalcino. Never heard of producer, but nice. B+
Wine 4- Lots of spicy oak, but integrated. Deep black cherry and plum fruit, some flowers and vanilla over the fruit. I think this is a nice modern Brunello, but it's a wine I've never heard of, the 2001 Sette Ponti "Crognolo" . B+/A-
Wine 5- This is popular around table, but I'm a little disappointed (it's my wine). It seems tight and closed, and there's some hardness to the tannins. It's the 1999 La Fornace Brunello di Montalcino. A B- (shows better the following night, when it followed a bunch of Merlots).
WTF? A Tuscan tasting without one true Chianti? I go to the cellar to fix that, seems like a good time for the 1990 Monsanto "Il Poggio" Chianti Classico Riserva. Yeeehaw, this is the real deal. Earth and flowers on the nose, red and black fruit balanced by youthful acidity. Underbrush and cigarbox develop with time. Classic Classico. A-
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.