Donnachiara, Taurasi

2 hour decant (though tasted during that phase too). Opened a bit but never enough. A little vegetal. No better with food than without. 84 first night. Second night big surprise. opened up quite a bit. still slightly vegetal on the finish. probably best with food. 90 average of 2 nights is 87.

barolo of the south. Excellent QPR deep long legged red

Opened to breathe for 3h. Dark and brooding in the glass. Aromatic nose of cedar, oak, alcohol, minerals. The palate is all about black fruit (mostly blackberries, some ripe plum), lots of graphite, mineral, alcohol (only 13.5%), and cottony tannins to boot. This is a big wine, great with hearty beef stew. No rush to drink these, although they seem to be softening slowly over time. I can wait a year or so before trying again.

This 2009 Taurasi DOCG wine is ruby red in color, displaying medium legs and no bottle sediment. Produced from 100% Aglianico grape variety. A medium to full bodied wine with delicate bouquets of blackberry, cherry and plum. The wine has smooth texture. The wine has low acidity and finishes long. Best when bottle opened about 1 hour before tasting/drinking. Enjoyed with aged Gouda cheese but also excellent with steak and heavy pasta sauces. Recommended!

Opened to breathe for 1h; slow ox. Dark red with long legs. Massive nose: graphite, asphalt, oak, red fruit buried down below. Full bodied and smooth, even in its youth, but just a mountain of mineral, cherries, blackberries, oak, lush tannins, and a faint acid finish. Impressive complexity: an excellent find. Definitely one to cellar and see how it improves. Pumped down overnight. Holding up nicely on day 2. Plenty of fruit and slate.

Blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries, and cocoa powder on the nose. There are some bright berries, a little chocolate, and something a litter bitter on the finish. Some spice, too. Very good. Too bad it's so hard to fine.

Excellent wine. Really interested in getting more and letting it age longer. This is a huge juicy/chewy wine yet still has a bit of a rustic character.

Tuesday Night Double Blind <$30 (Bin 75) : Dark core with reddish violet rim; almost raisin on the nose, dark red and dark fruit, violets, almost chocolate; juicy on the palate, pretty, ripe, some leather, Italian, tannins are there but in check; good.

Good wine. Dark plum. Nice dark red. Full body.

This wine is awesome. Perfectly balanced. Fruit, mineral, earth rich. Drink it now. Medium to full body. Characterful, delicious. Special.

See: Med+ brick-ruby, slight garnet hues. Smell: Med+ concentration of aromas, with layering and depth. Notes of leaf litter, raw meat, baking spice and curry powder are dominant, with mineral, sour cherry, desiccated black fruit, and charred herbs in the background. Taste: M+ body. Tannins = m-/medium, they are firm and fine, but also very elegant and polished. The acidity is medium, which creates a suppleness at the core. The finish is long and tapers gently, with some tension and …