2004 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (3/11/2009)
What a great value. I enjoyed each aspect of this wine. Earth, flowers and dried fruit on the nose. Also some toasty oak. I really loved the light pretty fruits, med/high acid and solid tannins. I am not sure what the oak treatment is but it is noticeable. I want to let my other bottles rest but I might not be able to. (91 pts.)
As a P.S., it was confirmed that this only sees only large neutral barrels so what I thought was oak is another character of the wine.
2007 Adelsheim Syrah - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (2/27/2009)
Whole cluster showing on the aromatics. Very clean. On the second night this was a bomb of black pepper plus a little cool climate funk. Fruit bursts out on the front palate followed by a slightly vacant mid palate. This is new world reminiscing with the old world. Silky and balanced. A fairly pretty wine with the right amount of edges. I need of some sleep time and may become very interesting. (91 pts.)
Cheers,
Jason