From the Cellar

A Couple of Italian Icons

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Category: Uncorked Tonight

(February 7, 2021) ... On this night I got into the way-back machine and I opened a pair of Italian icons - one from the car world and the other from the wine world.

First I started with a Lamborghini (the only one I am sure to ever own or afford) then a single vineyard Banfi wine.

Lamborghini 2000 Campoleone (Umbria) - Easily 20 years old and still showing a liveliness and pep. Nice dark fruit and smoky notes, and it's really spicy on the finish; that continues right through to the finish where is develops a spicy-mocha-like linger. It's still quite alive and well, sure there are elements of dried cherry and dried fruit languishing in there, but they add to the enjoyment of this wine.

Banfi 1998 Poggio Alle Mure - Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany) - Stepping back 2 year and we have this Banfi single vineyard Brunello. In the glass is has a really closed off nose that gives away nothing that is to be found on the palate. once there it's fresh leather, coffee bean, cedar and cinnamon and then even develops some mocha ... this is really tasty stuff and it comes across younger than the Lamborghini.

Mitolo and Breca (Australia / Spain)

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Category: Uncorked Tonight

(February 5, 2021) ... A double does of reds from fairly hot regions.

Mitolo 2008 Jester Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale - This turns out to be a well-balanced bottle of entry-level Cabernet from Australia, I will admit it is under screwcap, so I rarely worry about these wines being oxidized or tainted in any way (I've had one that was off but it was a cap that was poorly "installed"). It starts off with notes of eucalyptus and dark fruit; with time it becomes spicy-cherry with some blackberry notes. As it stays open notes of sweet strawberry jam begin to emerge. Smooth and silky plus a little balsamic and just enough acidity to keep it from being too jammy and over-the-top. Pretty impressed with this wine.

Breca 2010 - This one takes a little longer to resolve itself: starts oaky and smoky with coffee bean notes and then there's a smoked-vanilla bean component that keeps showing up. There is also plenty of oak throughout with a long finish that really is just like drinking liquid cedar and oak ... but as it opens it gathers some momentum and more character and it ends up being a deep mocha flavoured wine. Look, this one is not horrible, because I kept going back to the glass for another taste - so it's got something going for it - it's just not my favourite on this night.