Unreliable tasting notes

[Florida Jim]

Unreliable because they are snippets from two large tastings where little food was served, a very small amount of time was spent with each wine, stemware varied, and, the wines were only tried against each other.

But friends of mine were pouring and it was good to see them. And George, my neighbor, went with me. So the social aspect of these events was their real value.

First tasting:

2004 Correggia, Arneis: clean, bright, lightweight with an acidic finish. Try again

2003 Gini, Soave La Frosca: muddy and off variety. Nope

2003 Ramey, Chardonnay Russian River: thin, sour and over-oaked. Nope

2004 Gini, Soave: bright, varietally correct and intense. Yep.

2004 Revello, Docetto D’Alba: I thought it slightly corked but no one else did – anyway, that’s what it tasted like. Nope.

2004 Revello, Barbera D’Alba: jammy and new wave without concentration. Nope.

2003 Albino Rocca Barbera D’Alba Gelpin: Correct and well balanced with an old vine character. Yep.

2002 Calvalotto, Langhe Nebbiolo: Correct, seamless, concentrated and still exhibiting elegance that none of the previous wines could find. Yessiree bob.

2001 Scavino, Barolo: Recognizable as Barolo with no obvious manipulation or overt oak. Yep.

2002 Gutturnio, il Poggiarello: a bit musty but not unpleasantly so. Try again.

1999 Selva de’ Canonici, Montpulciano D’Abruzzo: Not bad, medium weight, reasonably resolved wine. Try again.

2003 Fattoria di Pancole, Chianti Colli Senesi: Blah and sharp. Nope.

Second tasting:

N/V Pacific Echo, Sparkling wine: very dry and out of balance. Nope.

2004 Maculan, Pino & Toi: elegant, lemony wine with more emphasis on the tocai in the blend (which I like) for $9. Yep.

2003 Prager, Riesling Steinriegel Federspiel: broad on the palate with solid character and good sustain. Pricey at $25 but good juice. Yep.

2004 Cusumano, Insolia: Pretty clean with some stoney elements and a lightweight fruit base, short finish. Still, there’s something that would bring me back. Try again.

2004 Avila, Chardonnay: Innocuous, Santa Barbara chard. that is a bit thin; but so much better than the Ramey (above) that it almost seemed palatable. Try again.

2004 Villa Giada, Barbera D’Asti I Suri: varietally correct and quite crisp; and while I recognize it for what it is, a prime example of why I’m not crazy about barbera. Nope.

2003 Dom. St. Luc, Coteaux du Tricastin: thin and vegetal grenache based beverage. Nope.

2001 Carmenet, Merlot: Has good structure and bright merlot fruit . . . and I can’t remember a time I called any merlot bright and structured. Try again.

2003 Artardi, Rioja Vinas de Grain: jammy, structured, fine tannins, well-balanced. If the jam elements subside, this could be good juice. No flaws. Try again.

Best, Jim

[ed davis]

Thanks for the notes - unreliable as you think they might be. I recently shared a bottle of the Maculun Pino & Toi (probably the 04, but I wasn't paying close attention) and we were all very impressed. As someone who is a bit tired (OK, very tired) of chardonnay, it is always nice to find a good, affordable white.