I tasted some mighty fine wines at this Gambero Rosso/Slow Food Event, and benefited from the thread about the New York tasting on the Ebob board:
http://snipurl.com/di42 Thanks so much everyone it really was a great help out here. I too feel they could do a better job with the cheeses, and a little food would have been nice.
They were just so undistinguished; a Grana Padano at a table by a purveyor was better than the cheeses catered. No uncomfortable crowds out here, at least in the afternoon. Of course I only tasted a fraction of the wines on offer, and the setting, for me, is only conducive to the most abbreviated notes. Also there were some wines I wasn't crazy about that I've not posted on.
The two white wines below were both just superlative; I really think the big action in Whites are from Alto-Adige.
Abazzia di Novacella Kerner "Praepositus" '03: akin to a fine German Riesling, with citrus and minerality, great acidity, a forward and beguiling nose.
2003 Cantina Valle Isarco "Aristos" Veltliner: I had discovered this previously. Just gorgeous, floral nose, great fruit, delicate, and spicy.
00 Giacosa Barolo Falleto
'00 Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano
In terms of Nebbiolo, nothing came close to the 2000 Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano and the 2000 Barolo Falleto.
I have had Sandrone, Altare, Aldo Conterno and Clerico Barolo and always assumed (quite wrongly) the the "older styled" "more traditional" Giacosa somehow meant a more funky wine. These two wines were exquisitely pure, and unlike some of the other Barolos, the color was quite pale, but the flavour most intense. Delicacy, finesse, quite beautiful wines.
Fontanafredda Barolo Vigna La Rosa 00 -Surprisingly, the runner up to the Giacosa, a middle weight, pretty and accessible, good fruit with that tell tale hint of autumn leaves.
Carreta Barolo Vigneto 00
Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Vigna Chiniera 00
I liked both of these wines but they represent a very different style than Giacosa; full and good fruit. I preferred the Elio Grasso
'01 Castello di Monsanto Nemo (Cabernet) Very lovely and young. with green pepper corn and black cherry fruit on the nose, dense palate.
Foradori Grenato '02- Does this appear on the West Coast? A new varietal to me, I want to go buy this. Pinot like in terms of body, raspberries, lively exuberant fruit, great acidity, and a most unusual nose.
'93 Avignonesi Vin Santo- Oh my God, thank you New York-if there was any chance I might have missed this it would have been criminal. A Vin Santo that is Golden Ambrosia- nothing "smelly" here, viscous and sweet but thrilling and divine.
Ornellaia 01: why denigrate this elegant Bordeaux styled wine, lovely refined nose, dry. Which doesn't mean I'll pay the tariff. Money is an object for me.
Masseto 01, tight as a drum, who knows the future?
Antinori Solaia 01- Again no QPR here but I like it, elegant and refined as above.
Antinori Guado al Tasso 01- my note just states that is darker and deeper than the above wine...I like this too" No apologies.
Mastroberardino 2000 Taurasi Riserva: I'm loving Aglianico and here is a traditional style, not overtly oaky.
2000 Castello Di Ama L'Apparita- Great property, amazing Merlot in a substandard vintage for Tuscany, round, plummy, varietal to a T.
2002 Montevetrano- Italian blend, hey, just beautiful, the dark school, chocolate, rich.
Arnaldo Caprai Sagrantino 25 anni 01- As usual a nose to kill for but so unyielding on the palate, at least in this setting. A decanted 98 recently left me remembering the nose still (Ah), but I'd love to taste a mature bottle.
Colpetrone, 2001 Montefalco Sagrantino- I'm also falling for Sagrantino and still recall my visit to Montefalco many years ago. I loved this, deep fruit, not as cloaked as Serpice or Caprai, deep, with that little fillip of characteristic Italian bitter piece(complexing when not overdone, is this why some hate Italian wines?).