Tenute di Serramarrocco "Grillo del Barone" Sicilia 2006

Bright yellow.

Nose of lemon sauce, dried apricot, cumin(?), spearmint and a woodsy/earthy quality.

Much leaner than expected in the mouth, with lemon and mineral flavors dominating. Acid/mineral chew coats the front teeth. Subtle Riesling-esque petrol note. In fact, this feels and tastes like dry, aged Riesling. No fat - taut, driving. Tanzer's "acid thrust". Lemon and sulfide finish. This just gets more interesting as it warms. Long. RFG.



$35? Gift from Sariya JB. Grillo is a Sicilian white. Never heard of it.

Fontodi, Chianti Classico 2006

Deep red.

Vinturi - savory toasted hazelnut, earth, crancherry and spice nose. Nice depth and lift. PFG.

Intensely flavored, partly a result of strongish acidity brightening everything from the get go. Mid-palate shows good stuffing, then acidity really puts the mouth into lock down. But cherry flavors re-emerge late. Needs cellar time, maybe quite a bit (5-8+ years?).


$28

De Conciliis "Donnaluna" Aglianico, Paestum IGT 2008

Purple/red.

Vinturi - deep earth/nut/oak toast and black fruit aromas.

Nice breadth in the mouth, even has some textural sweetness. Deep, ripe fruit and earth mid-palate flavors precede significant acid/tannin synergy that whacks the side teeth. Still, nothing brutal here. Nice length. Obviously could use 2-3 more years in the bottle.


$23. Good stuff.

Pelissero "Nubiola" Barbaresco 2006

Red.

Vinturi - nose of Frangelico, earth, cherry liqueur. Getting better and better as it airs. Even getting a white pepper note. Subtle, elusive and very sexy stuff.

Round and plush (particularly for Nebbiolo). Initially at least, then acid-driven tannin take over the front teeth, gums and lips. But not brutal. Flavors of strawberry and savory hazelnut. Could use some years in the cellar, or old-school slow roasted meat and potatoes.

Day 6 - Ah - tar and roses. And strawberries. RFG. Still.

$35.

Panther Creek, Shea Vyd., Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2006

Red.

Nose of oak spice/toast, black cherry coulis, pepper, savory earth/nut/meat. Even has some floral lift. Pretty oaky at the start, but rapidly becomes integrated and complex. PFG.

Round and dense, with nice mid-palate flesh. Acid/tannin/sulfide chew asserts itself in the finish, coating the front teeth. Definitely one for the cellar. I wouldn't touch a bottle of this for 3-4 years.

Interesting - after using the Vinturi, this is far more open and generous in the finish (as might be expected). Much greater initial volume as well. So decant or Vinturi if you'll be drinking this soon.


$45? Gift.

Domaine du Mas Blanc "Cosprons Levants" Collioure 2007

Purple.

Vinturi - typical salt water taffy, with deep black fruit (liqueur), pepper and earth aromas. Not particularly precise, but way deeper than any Mas Blanc I can remember.

Round, plush and deep in the mouth as well, with a note of fragrant, sawn wood added to flavors that follow the nose. Grainy acid/tannin synergy hits the front teeth fairly hard, impeding flavor flow a bit. Interestingly, there is a cinnamon character here as well... Idiosyncratic wine, as usual. Needs 3-5 more years, at least.



$25. Syrah, Mourvedre primarily.

Marcassin "Three Sisters" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2005

Light, dull red.

Sexy nose of red licorice, red cherry, savory meat/nut and herbs. Difficult to resist.

Round and mouth-filling, completely coats the mouth with red cherry and potent "red hot"/cinnamon stick flavors but with no sense of weight. Acid/cinnamon tannin edge keeps this in line, but is unobtrusive. Very refined for something so sensual - really beautiful stuff. Red hot/cinnamon flavor stuck in the mouth.


$75.