Falesco "Marciliano" Cabernet Umbria 2003

Deep purple/red.

Packed nose of high-quality toasted oak, Bordeaux herb and deep black fruit.

Initially round, packed palate, concentrated, tannic. Medicinal austerity, driven by acid-enhanced, plentiful tannins. Bound up and in need of several years of cellaring. This will be interesting to watch over the next decade.



Day 3 - Very impressive, but this lacks lift/freshness. No doubt this is a vintage characteristic. I'd drink over the next five years.


$50

Hacienda Monasterio Ribera del Duero 1998

Deep red, evolved rim.

Sumptuous, complex nose - earth/clay, brown sugar/oak spice, candied cherry, slow-roasted meat and a fresh herb (mint?) note.

Middle-weight in the mouth, but has nice breadth of flavor. Flavor core includes wilted herbs, iron and a custard character typical of Monasterio. Still loaded with structure, but it doesn't impede flavor flow. Tannin seems distinctly softer than a bottle a year ago.


$28

Thackrey "Orion" Rossi Vyd. St. Helena 2000

Deep purple/red.

Melded nose - mint/eucalyptus, meat/breakfast sausage, earth and vibrant blackberry. This would be an interesting ringer in a top Australian Shiraz tasting. Quite delineated, no hint of fat on the nose. Suave toasted nut and brown sugar nuances underneath from good barrels (Sirugue, 100% new).

Lively in the mouth, too. Intense attack, dominated by blackberry and eucalyptus. A bit bound up in the middle. This definitely needs air time. Interestingly, Thackrey thinks this is mostly Syrah, but others believe the vineyard is primarily Petite Sirah.


Day 3 - This hasn't developed as I thought it would. Still bound up and showing a bit of oxidation. This bottle from a retailer - will try another direct from Thackrey.

$75

Marcassin "Three Sisters" Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2002

Straw/yellow, slight haze. Hard to believe this is a 2002.

Smoke, popcorn, truffle/sulfide nose.

Luxurious sweetness (ripe fruit, not sugar) on entry, with sulfide/custard/lemon flavors coursing through caramel-enhanced finish. I also get subtle mineral and iron notes. This bottling always seems to have a sensuous textural character, with no sense of weight.

This rips it up.

$85

Haart Piesport Goldtropfchen Kabinett 2005

Straw.

White nectarine and spiced apple aromas.

Fleshy and quite sweet for a Kabinett, but the vivid, fresh flavors of nectarine, peach, apple and mango are killer. Refreshing, framing acidity kicks in from the mid-palate on. Good length.

I suppose some would ask where the mineral/rock action is, but who cares? Major bonefest.


$17

Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2005

Light yellow.

Lemon, very ripe pineapple, almond extract. Expressive, particularly for CdP white.

Dense, but middle-weight feel. Acid/mineral chew from mid-palate through the finish. Pineapple front and center, with lime and exotic fruit on the side. Subtle sulfide nuance kicks in on the finish. Something here reminds me of the Naiades Verdejo.

This has a significant percentage of Clairette, 40%, I think.


$38

Kaesler Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Deep purple/red.

Deep, expressive Cabernet "weedy" nose with chocolate and black fruit underneath. Smells like very ripe Cabernet Franc.

Round, mouthfilling, seamless. Acid tries to clamp down in the mid-palate but, fortunately, fails. Decent length and certainly not complex. But this is incredibly tasty.


$25