TN: Tuscany, Campania, Dordogne
Dave and Mary Kate graced us with their presence at dinner table last
night, Betsy decided to make Bolognese sauce, long a Dave fave.
Cooking/apertif wine was the 2009 Richard Bergerac Sec. Clean, crisp,
a little bit of grass. No apparent oak, nice but nothing that screams
buy again (though at $10 certainly acceptable value). B-
With the pasta/ragu, Betsy also made broccoli and a "butter bean bagna
cauda" salad. I wanted Italian red, and brought up the 1997
Mastrobernardino Radici Taurasi. Some VA, cherries, a bit pruney. Big,
still a bit of rough tannin on the backend. Wait, why am I drinking
this? C+
Replacement was the 2002 Montevertine. A bit too chilly, I decanted
and it gradually warmed up. Dried cherry, saddle leather, violets, a
bit of herb. This seems mature, midbodied, not a great Montevertine
but excellent for vintage. Probably at its best after couple hours in
decanter, last glass was falling apart a bit. B+/B
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.*
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