On Wednesday, March 4th, the Whitehouse Crawford Restaurant had another tasting of Italian wines, this one consisting of three Brunellos from Montalcino, and three Nebbiolos from Barbaresco and Barolo. These are considered the premier DOCGs of Italy, so this was a particularly special tasting. Here are my notes.

2007 Fanti Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - This is 100% Sangiovese Grosso from 20 to 30 year old vines, aged partly in French oak barriques and partly in medium capacity casks. It showed a deep garnet color and a seductive nose of semi-dried fruits - cherry, pomegranate, orange peel - with scents of crushed roses, anise, oriental perfumes. The flavors mirrored the aromatics with swee-dry fruits fanning out on the palate, underlain with bittersweet chocolate, roasted coffee beans and minerals. The back picked up a bit of glycerin ("legs") to counterpoint the roasted nuts and dryish tannins. 19+/20 points.

2007 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - From the southern part of the DOCG, this was aged for 4 years, two in Savonian oak. It displayed a brilliant medium garnet color and a sultry, smoky nose of roasted fruits - cherry, boysenberry, orange peel - with scents of dried roses, oriental incense and white pepper. The flavors were simultaneously firm and svelte, with notes of licorice, cocoa, and minerals. The back picked up touches of caramel and leather, along with toasted nuts and mocha, all leading into a complex, lingering sweet-dry finish. 19+/20 points.

2008 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - This vintage showed a bit more restraint than the 2007. It had a medium ruby color and an intriguing nose of semi-dried fruits, dried orange peel and rose petals, and wafts of white smoke. The flavors demonstratred the stylishness of a cooler year, with elegantly framed fruits that were underlain with licorice, cocoa and minerals and then continued into a focused, nutted back and a dryish finish. 19/20 points.

2006 Gaja Langhe DOC, "Costa Russi" - Costa Russi is located in Barbaresco, but because Angelo Gaja added 5% Barbera to the Nebbiolo, this was classified as Langhe Rosso. This vintage exhibited a brilliant garnet color and a seductive nose of old tree cherry, plum and orange peel, with scents of attar of rose, tobacco, cedar, anise and oriental perfumes. The exoticism continued on the palate, with semi-dried fruits, intermixed with licorice, cocoa, Langhe earth and minerals. The back picked up touches of dried orange peel, leather and toffee, followed by a lingering finish that shows the restraint of a slightly cooler year. 19+/20 points.

2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo DOCG - The entire harvest was co-fermented in cement tanks, and this is an example of the traditional style of Barolo. It displayed a deep garnet color and aromas of dried roses, orange peel, road tar and dried fruits, with whiffs of burnt brambles. The flavors showed distinct Nebbiolo character, with a sense of rusticity, intemixed with dried licorice, cocoa, coffee grounds and Langhe earth. These sensations continued on the back with recurring tar and burnt toast on the lingering finish. 18/20 or 19/20 points, depending on one's stylistic preference.

2008 Aldo Conterno Barolo DOCG, "Bussia Cicala" - Cicala is a 40-45 year old vineyard in Monforte d'Alba. Conterno combines modern and traditional methods in his winemaking. This showed a brilliant garnet color and a perfumed nose of wild raspberry, cherry, plum and cassis, with scents of black roses, fennel, tobacco and violets. The authoritative flavors reflected the iron rich terroir, and embodied notes of roasted nuts, dried orange peel and leather, followed by a long, dry finish. A second bottle of this wine, however, had a dirty "off" nose, that was completely different. 19.5/20 points for the first bottle, 17.5 points for the second.

Thanks, again, to Whitehouse Crawford manager, Jenna Bicknell, for putting this fabulous tasting on.