Was sorting through the cold storage and decided to grab a handful of wines I suspected were entering my preferred drinking window.
2007 Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino - I was honestly expecting a much more delicate expression of Brunello, even knowing the vintage profile. But this was delicious and not particularly subtle - a full, black fruit/cocoa powder/leather combo with a more modern style. While there was unmistakable Tuscan flavors - cured meats, sour cherry, orange peel - the overall feeling of the wine was mid-aged Bordeaux varieties. Was too much wine for home-made pizza so we enjoyed it as a cocktail. The 2nd half of the bottle was strong enough on Day 2 to pair with steak frites and it was right at home there. I’d buy more of this.
2007 Muller-Catoir In Dem Breumel GG Riesling - I’m almost done with a six-pack of this stuff and I am still way too early. There’s a lot of pleasure here, with cinnamon-dusted pear, peach skin, oily texture and a strident, chalky acidity. The M-C GG’s in those years really reminded me of fine Alsatian dry Riesling, more golden-tinged and about texture/minerality opulence. More recent examples are almost angrily austere and structured. I wonder what to expect of these down the road. I don’t know if I’d be interested enough to buy more, but I’ll hang on to the last few for another 4-5 years.
2008 Argiolas Turriga, Sardinia - Primarily Cannonau, this is a house favorite wine and I’ve enjoyed vintages up to 20 years of age. The best vintages of this wine (to my taste) have a touch of green character which makes them more multi-dimensional, and this was a really interesting example. Plenty of black plum and black cherry concentrate with a better-than-average silkiness to the texture. There’s a light eucalyptus note that provides a cool macchia-like aromatic and just a bit of tang on the palate and I was reminded of some bush-vine Barossa wines. I’d buy more of this.