Jim wrote:

>
> 4. One Red with Food
>
> With a meltingly tender cut of beef garnished (and absolutely perfumed)
> with truffle.
>
> *1995 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche - Italy,
> Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo*
>
> Good deep color and only the very slightest hint of orange at the edge.
> Nose immediately shows an enticing hint of blue cheese, followed by
> deep cherry and tar, with a developing deep rich note of sweet balsamic
> vinegar (but no volatility). Other than the cheese, this is entirely
> primary. Shows ten times as much on the nose as the palate, which is
> tight as hell but has tannins that are fine-grained enough never to be
> painful or too obtrusive. Behind it all there is a certain sweet rich
> smoothness that says barrique, but there is never any of the
> sassafrass/rootbeer that I get from Clerico and others. I think I'm
> learning that I'm a little more tolerant of new oak than I am of
> aggressive extraction and maceration techniques. In any case, I give
> this one a good shot to integrate and exhibit good tipicità, but it
> will take a while. Other '95s may drink early, but this one has a way
> to go. Forget about it for at least eight to ten more years.

I have some 1990 Bricco Rocche that I'll probably open soon, unless you
think that would be infanticide...

>
> 5. Two Big Wines That Don't Want Food
>
> With a good dessert that needed to be eaten in a separate room from
> these enchanting pools of flavor.
>
> *1997 Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella - Italy, Veneto,
> Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella*
>
> Deepest and darkest purple with a bit of the black of night. Sweet oak
> and vanillin are there in the beginning and will remain throughout, but
> there will also be a hundred other layers along the way. The nose and
> palate just kind of blend together into one great big textural pool of
> flavor, showing bits of coffee and chocolate and deep macerated berries
> and toasted nuts and molasses and even a bit of green underneath it
> all. Despite the 17.5% percent alcohol, I really only notice any heat
> when I look for it. I have no idea what I would ever drink this with...


Fichi al Cioccolato?

Chocolate-covered figs?