Four great wines: Pierre Yves Colin Morey, Bruno Giacosa, Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc and Duhart Milon

Had a lovely dinner on Monday evening at a friend’s house and four people managed to go quickly through 4 bottles of wines in just a couple of hours. It was not intended as a speed contest but when the wine is that good it just dries quickly from the glass.

2012 Pierre Yves Colin-Morey Santenay 1er Cru “La Comme” was a stunning surprise for all of us. It’s the first time I’m buying and tasting this producer and for sure it won’t be the last time. In fact it just opened my appetite for discovering more of his wines. This Chardonnay from a less famous Burgundy appellation needs to spend some time in the decanter in order to reveal its exotic and exuberant aromatic profile. Rich and decadent, it exudes very intense aromas of ripe tropical fruits, yellow melon and mango, with complex shades of toast and vanilla. Again rich and highly textured in the mouth, it shows a perfect balance between sweet tropical fruit, stone minerality and vibrant acidity. Long finish, fresh with sweet fruit lingering in the aftertaste. I see lots of similarities with a great 1er Cru Puligny Montrachet. (95/100)

Second white was 2013 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc that shows good richness of citrus and tropical fruit, with vanilla and honeysuckle nose. It is more supple, with higher acidity typical for a Sauvignon Blanc, but overall a well balanced, rich and complete wine. (94/100)

2007 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco spent about 1 h 30 min in the decanter before being poured. In the Burgundy Zalto glass this wine opens up very nice and quickly. It shows a rich aromatic profile where tar, fresh raspberries and rose petals take the center stage, and as it breathes more profound aromas of savory truffles jump from the glass. Supple and very smooth for such a young Barbaresco, it is full and supple on the palate, with silky smooth tannins, sweet and pure red cherry and raspberry fruit, spices and savory cured meat. Long finish, very elegant and feminine wine. (94-95/100)

2010 Chateau Duhart Milon spent only 20 minutes in the decanter before being poured in the glass, and it is surprisingly open already. It shows sweet cassis and pencil shavings, with refreshing cedar and brett. Full bodied, strong but polished tannins, good intensity of the fruit on the palate that balances the tannin structure. Long finish. (94/100)

Degustare DAVINO (Marti 15 Octombrie 2013)

Zilele acestea Davino se pregateste de lansarea noilor vinuri rosii din recolta 2010. Ne-am gandit sa vi le oferim in premiera la degustare pentru a le putea vedea inainte sa ajunga pe rafturile magazinelor de specialitate si in restaurante. Noi am fost surprinsi inca o data de noile vinuri mai ales venind dupa exceptionalul an 2009.

O alta premiera este un vin din noua gama, Iacob, si o scurta verticala de Revelatio pentru a vedea cum evolueaza in timp acest cupaj indraznet de Sauvignon Blanc & Feteasca Alba.

Iata vinurile propuse:

• 2009 DAVINO Revelatio (Sauvignon Blanc & Feteasca Alba)
• 2011 DAVINO Revelatio (Sauvignon Blanc & Feteasca Alba)
• 2011 Iacob Rosu (Cabernet Sauvignon & Feteasca Neagra)
• 2010 DAVINO Purpura Valahica (Feteasca Neagra)
• 2010 DAVINO Domaine Ceptura Rouge (Cabernet Sauvingon, Merlot & Feteasca Neagra)
• 2010 DAVINO Flamboyant (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Feteasca Neagra)
• Surpriza: incheiem seara cu un vin care s-a asezat foarte bine de la lansare.

Ne intoarcem la locatia de inceput a degustarilor noastre, restaurantul Dada, acum proaspat renovat si parca si mai primitor.

Degustarea va avea loc marti, 15 octombrie 2013, de la ora 19:00, la Restaurantul Dada (Str. Matei Voievod nr. 94bis). Sunt 20 de locuri disponibile și fiecare costă 190 de lei, sumă care include vinurile, aperitivele și prezența noastră agreabilă.

Rezervări la +40722 141 879 (Nicușor) sau +40723 240 102 (Cosmin)
sau pe email: cosmin.grozea@gmail.com si nicusor.cazan@gmail.com

Braida @ Vinitaly 2013

This year I attended once again the biggest Italian wine fair from Verona – Vinitaly –  and for 2 days I had the chance to taste over 180 wines. This time I made a better preparation and tried to visit some of the most reputable producers. I made appointments in advance and I was very glad to see people remembering me from my last visits at the same fair and also from the visits I paid to the some of the wineries 2 years ago.

I was on SUN, on the first day of the fair, for half day and managed to spend the full day on MON tasting wines. My first meeting on MON morning was at Braida’s booth where the lovely Mrs Raffaella Bologna spent 30 minutes with me tasting together all their wines. This was a great way to start the day because Braida makes the best Barbera d’Asti and sparkling Moscato d’Asti. I was already impressed by their older vintages that I tasted in 2011 at their winery. The new wines continue on the same pace.

Just a little bit of information about how the last vintages were:

– 2012 was very hot, they lost 30% of the crop and experienced 45 Celsius degrees in the summer for several days. It was hot and difficult both for the whites and the reds.

– 2011 and 2009 were spectacular vintages, everything regarding the weather was in place at the right time. The reds have a long life ahead.

– 2010 saw a late vegetation in spring, it was a cold year with plenty of rain and considered a so and so vintage.

I tasted all their wines at the fair and could say they did a great job.

Il Fiore 2012 Langhe Bianco DOC Delicate aromas and flavors of citrus fruit with a grapefruit palate and bright acidity. (86/100)

Re di Fiori Riesling 2012 Langhe DOC  Pale yellow lemon color. Delicate and elegant nose, bright acidity, clean and mouth watering with a feather like texture and citrus palate. Medium finish with lemon preserves, lemon jam and very good acidity. (87-88/100)

Regina di Fiori Nascetta Langhe DOC Pale yellow-green color, delicate and discreet nose, a bit watery, with citrus and lemon palate. (85/100)

Asso di Fiori Chardonnay 2012 Langhe DOC Medium gold color. A completely different white. Medium plus intense nose, elegant, rich, showing beautiful aromas of honey. Rich on the palate, outstanding medium acidity, lemon jam and apricot flavors, medium finish but so fresh and well balanced. (89-90/100)

Monte Bruna Barbera d’Asti 2011 comes from 12 years old vines. Garnet color, classy nose, medium intense, showing bright red and Morello cherries aromas, chocolate, dark cherry palate. Balanced and fruity. (87-88/100)

The three most famous red Barbera’s are outstanding.

Bricco della Bigotta Barbera d’Asti 2010 Maturated in large Slavonian oak barrels. Deep garnet color. Beautiful, complex and elegant nose, very intense and generous aromas of black cherry, spices, cedar and licorice. Full bodied but supple, with a velvety and weightless texture with ripe but assertive tannins, showing layers of coffee and cocoa under ripe red fruit. Long finish, really balanced and very satisfying. 15.5% alc  (91/100)

Bricco dell’Uccelone Barbera d’Asti 2010 Maturated in small new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple color. Developed, complex and intense nose, rich aromas of dark cherry, violets, cinnamon, cloves and licorice. Full body, rich palate, initially tannins show a firm grip but getting very smooth as it aerates. This is a big wine but it is so well structured and balanced that manages to be fresh and appealing. Rich and layered flavors or ripe black cherry, licorice and spices on the palate. Long finish with drying tannins at the moment. 16% alc (92/100)

Ai Suma Barbera d’Asti 2010 A late harvest Barbera. Deep garnet-purple color. Deep and developed nose, elegant mix of different layers of truffles, bacon, smoke,  huge black cherry, cinnamon, licorice and cedar. Rich and dark chocolatey palate, really balanced, rich and smooth texture, velvety tannins and outstanding acidity that makes the wine weightless in spite of all the richness and the high alcohol. Long and intense finish, fresh, fruity and clean chocolate flavors. This is very special. 16% alc (92-93/100)

It’s impossible not to love the two famous sweet sparkling wines made by Braida: Brachetto d’Acqui 2012 has pure and intense aromas of Bulgarian roses and fresh elder flowers, sweet and fresh palate with 5.5% alc (90/100), while Vigna Senza Nome 2012 plays on the same notes of fresh elder and linden tree flowers, with very pleasant sweetness and a refreshing acidity. 5.5% alc (90-91/100)

Grappa Bricco dell’Uccellone 2009 is surprisingly hiding its 44% alc under the rich layers of vanilla, toffee and dry yellow fruits. A first time for me but so good.

Great way to start the day at the fair.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau

Recently released and available to be enjoyed just in time for the American Thanksgiving day, the Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine made of Gamay grapes, hand picked and undergoing carbonic maceration. Entire, unbroken grapes are placed in a controlled environment with no oxygen contact, while the fermentation process starts from within each grape. It is the first wine of the harvest and due to carbonic maceration, the wines show a very fruity profile with additional aromas of bananas, a low tannins presence and low alcohol. These are wines to be enjoyed over the short term for their fruity character.

2012 Joseph Drouhin  Beaujolais Nouveau

Bright ruby color. Bright red fruits, bananas, later red fruits jams and a slight dose of green coffee make up the medium intense nose. Low to medium body, watery, but fruity and lively on the palate. Short to medium finish, with a mild bitter-sweet flavor. Unpretentious but easy to drink. The nose is the strength of this wine.  12.5% alc (82/100)

Sample provided by the importer: Le Manoir. Available for 45 Ron.