TN: Casa de Gilbo

CASA DE GILBO - Boston (4/9/2014)

Birthday celebration to celebrate buddy’s b-day in Mass! Wines were initially served single blind but were very easy to identify and the blind tasting format quickly deteriorated.


  • 2006 Vietti Barolo Rocche - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Decanted for 3 hours and consumed over the following 6.
    For me, the nose here was about as good as it gets. An outrageously complex floral, effeminate yet deep bouquet includes notes of red currant, orange peel and an almost endless and indescribable fresh, herbal yet bright complexity. “Show stopping” was written in my notes. My buddy had “majestic”.
    The palate, up front, was totally silky, fresh and full of the complexity of the nose with dense but silky tannins taking over on the middle. This wine was showed it’s youth on the finish, with the tannins taking over and the fresh notes echoing. This wine begs for time, but was stunning tonight. If you have 6 or more bottles, I say drink one now with an all day decant. If you only one or two, wait 5 years at a minimum. Once the palate settles down and integrates a bit this, for my taste, could be potentially perfect. WOTN - 97+. (97 pts.)

  • 2007 Contrade di Taurasi (Cantine Lonardo) Taurasi Le Coste - Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
    Decanted 6 hours, consumed over the course of six hours following. It began showing its best at 10 hours in the decanter and was absolutely mind boggling for the last glass, after 12 hours in the decanter.

At 10-12 hours: The nose was off the charts. Displaying a bacon charred herbal smokey minty fresh cherry complexity that was stunning. The palate may have been the most balanced and fantastic of the bunch with a rich yet fresh mouth feel and an almost endless complexity. For the finish, the bacon mint, herbal cherry tar notes gave way to silky yet very present tannins that held strong throughout the delicious and densely fresh finish. What was interesting here was the interplay between the fresh minty cherry and the herbal/bacon/tar finish. It was insanely complex and the flavors were head spinning. This was only a hair behind the Rocche. If you drink now, decant all day or at MINIMUM 6 hours. Or wait 5-10 years. Either way you are in for a treat - 96+. (96 pts.)

  • 2007 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    Decanted 6 hours, consumed the six hours following.
    The nose was full of blueberry, graphite, garrigue, licorice and black tea. It was stellar and evolved gracefully over the course of the night. The palate, on the other hand was a dark brooding cauldron of future awesome. While the parts were all there now, this wine is a decade away at least from reaching full potential. Notes of graphite, fig paste, dark berries, tar and licorice sailed through the long finish. It was fully balanced with no signs of heat and the texture was truly something to behold with silky tannins leading the finish. 95 tonight with lots of room to grow over the next decade. (95 pts.)

  • 2006 Brancaia Il Blu Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
    Decanted 2 hours, consumed the six hours following.
    Notes of dark cherries, dark chocolate and herbaceous flowers emerged on both the nose and palate. Moderate structure on the back end, I expect this to hit is prime drinking window in the next 5 years or so. A very good wine, bordering on great. Though, it was totally overshadowed by others on this night. (91 pts.)

  • 2009 Cadence Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
    Opened 3 hours prior, consumed over the following six.
    This wine was a bit oxidized as there were some obvious issues with the seal. The cork came easily dislodged and pushed into the wine when it was opened. Despite this, it showed fairly well. If anything, it showed that if this had been in top shape it would easily held its own in the single blind format.

For this reason my score is withheld, although I will say that despite showing signs of being flawed it was easily still very drinkable and none remained at the end of the night. Which is saying something, especially in the context of the company it was in on this night.

Posted from CellarTracker