Piedmont (Piemonte)

Also referred to as the Black Label.  It is made from 100% Cortese grape.  Light golden in colo, clear and bright.  The nose is expressive with lemons, and a floral note and a bit of minerality.  Medium bodied.  Nice texture.  Great backbone of acidity.  On the palate, the lemons and  minerals come thru along with a slight almond note especially on the finish.  While this can be drunk on its own, it works better with acidity.  It worked well with a plate of pasta and mushrooms in an Aioli sauce.  Drink over the next couple of years.  

This bottle (bought on release) was allowed to breathe for 6 hours, then decanted for four more before being double decanted back into the original bottle.  It needed every bit of that as it was still a bit on the young side.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  Great nose with cherries, slight menthol, slight dark chocolate, fresh asphalt and dried flowers.  Firm tannins.  Medium to full bodied.  Great acidity and balance.  On the palate, juicy cherries with some tar and dried earth.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This needs food to really shine and it went quite well with mus

This is 100% Nebbiolo from the Piedmont in Italy.  This is a soft accessible version of Nebbiolo.  Ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries along with some mustiness, ash and mint.  Soft texture but firm tannins.  It comes alive on the palate with cherries and a hard cherry candy note along with a slight earthiness.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Very open and drinking well.  This was a hot vintage but the fruit is not raisined or under ripe.  It drinks well on its own but will be better with food.  A great choice for a weekday pasta or pizza night.  Drink over the nex

This was tasted blind among a group of Cabernet based wines.  Upon opening this was off a bit, perhaps showing some oxidation.  However, with about 30 minutes of air, it really came back strong.  Purple in color, opaque but flat.  The nose has black cherries, cedar, earthiness and dust.  Soft texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this has depth and complexity.  A bigger in style Barolo.  Black cherries and spice.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This will benefit from getting some air at this point if just to blow off bottle stink and revive a bit.  It worked great with a Portobello Quesadil

Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight asphalt, slight rose and iron.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great acidity.  On the palate, this is tight but opens in the glass.  Cherries with some asphalt and minerals.  Deep.  This is just entering its drinking window and should be there for another eight to twelve years.  Nice on its own but better with food.  A plate of truffle pasta would be perfect.  

An interesting wine made from 100% Nascetta grapes.  The grapes are macerated for six days on their skins before being fermented (off the skins).  The result is a deep golden color.  Clear and bright.  The nose is light but shows nice minerality along with a touch of lemon peel.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, the lemon peel and minerality come thru.  This won't get better so drink up.  It will be better with food.  A nice wine to go with a Quiche.  

This comes in a very attractive package with a mushroom cork and wired cage.  There is no vintage noticeable although the Lot number starts with L23.  7%abv.  Silvery/green/gold in color with a thick mousse of medium sized bubbles.  The nose has pineapple, some papaya and minerality.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is sweet.  Refreshing.  Long finish.  This is a nice wine to start an evening or a lovely way to finish a meal perhaps with some shortbread or other plain cookie.  Drink now.  

A friend turned 60 and purchased this wine to share with his friends.  This was an excellent vintage and the wines at the time were meant to age a long time often not enjoyable in their youth.  Of course, sixty years is pushing it, and then add to that questions of storage, etc., but this wine was very  enjoyable if showing some age.  The wine is pretty in the glass but bricked all the way across.  Still, it was bright and clear.  There is some volatile acidity on the nose but not a lot and it helps bring out the aromatics.  The nose is dusty with cherries, dried cherries and dried floral n

Great showing for this wine.  Light ruby with slight orange/brown near the edges.  Mostly clear and bright.  The nose is classic with cherries, slight dried cherries, roses and slight tar.  Medium to full bodied with medium tannins.  On the palate, this is complex and delicious.  Cherries, dried cherries with underlying char.  Layers of flavors that unwind in the glass.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This is close to peak at this point, but no hurry.  It should be at this level for ten or more years.  Better with food.  A perfect match for a mushroom or truffle dish.