28
Jan
2021
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Category: Uncorked Tonight
(August 9, 2020) ... These days as I sit around on a Sunday my first thought in the morning turns to the evening "what I'm going to open with dinner?" Will it be something fresh or will I dive deep into the cellar and try something older? Hey, don't judge, you probably do it too these days.
Tonight I went midway with a 2010 from Italy. This Masi starts earthy and leathery and just seems like it's going to be a tough mess, but it quickly moves into spiced-plum and even spiced-blackberry; then as if not wanting me to get too comfortable with where it's at it switches again, now we have spicy dark fruit, cedar and licorice. After about an hour in and it's super smooth and lush with coffee, licorice, and spiced-plum - what a dynamite wine that was layered right from the beginning.
22
Jan
2021
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Category: Uncorked Tonight
(August 8, 2020) ... Followers of this column know that during the pandemic I have kept my brother in my bubble and so we head to his house for dinner (again). I always like taking a plethora of wines with me, the reason is I take some old and some new wine and you don't want to be stuck with bad wine (just in case) ... and not all of them make this posting. But this Cabernet Sauvignon, single vineyard from the Valle de Santa Cruz was definitely a highlight of the night. Minty, smoky, dark fruit that showed up as blackberry and cassis was silky yet still with a peppery kick. The acidity kept up it's end of the bargain helping to balance things out. As the wine sat open it got silkier and smoother that did still manage to carry with it some cedary nuances ... With more time open a switch occurred, from dark fruit to sweeter fruit as a big black cherry note swept in with a hint of mocha latte creaminess. It was the first bottle finished as everyone wanted a second glass.
