On Friday June 28 me and a colleague took a road trip to Southampton to attend the “Around the world in 80 sips” wine event sponsored by Bottle Notes and Sherry Lehman Wines & Spirits. We took the bullet train from Penn Station and arrived a couple of hours later and the event space was conveniently close to the train station. The event was actually two tastings, the regular tasting in the main room and the “Sherry Suite” with some very nice juice to be sampled. Of course, we made a beeline to the Sherry suite.
I started the evening with a glass of the 2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne and then a glass of the 2009 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne. Another nice white in the room was the 2010 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret white Chateauneuf du Pape. White Rhones are rare so I never miss an opportunity to try one and this one was excellent.
Chateau Montelena from Napa Valley poured a few of their wines. I started with the 2010 Chardonnay. It was light yellow with a nose of ripe melons and tropical fruit up front followed with crisp acidity. They poured a vertical of their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon starting with the current release 2009 which I thought was very tight with high acids. I had better luck with the older vintages. The 2003 was dark red to black with a nose of cherry cough drops and was silky and concentrated with a firm and dusty, balanced finish. The 2004 was my favorite and was black in color with a nose of crushed blackberries and was chewy and silky with a firm but balanced finish. The 2005 was dark red and had a nose of dried herbs and tight fruit. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars poured a couple of nice wines, the 2009 “Fay” Cabernet Sauvignon and the excellent 2009 “Cask 23” Cabernet Sauvignon.
I stopped by the Italian part of the room and tried some nice juice. The 2009 Gaja Barberesco was purple with an amber robe with a nose of cigar box, tar, truffles and red roses and was silky, firm with a nice grip at the finish.
Antinori poured a trio of some very nice wine. The 2007 Badia A Passegnano Chianti Classico Riserva is 100% Sangiovese and was dark red in the glass with a nose of rose petals and tar and was chewy and silky with notes of earth and good grip on the finish. The 2008 Guado Al Tasso, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot was black in the glass with a nose of smoky black cherry with toasted oak notes on the fruit with a firm and balanced finish. The 2009 Tignanello was black in color with a closed nose of slate and was deeply concentrated. Cerreto poured a couple of their wines, the 2007 Barolo “Brunate” and the 2008 Barberesco “Bricco Asili” which was dark amber in color with a nose of cherry tar and was silky with firm tannins on the finish. Allegrini’s 2007 “La Poja” was dark purple with a nose of red cherry and bright fruit with notes of smoke, earth and sour cherry. Altesini’s 2007 Brunello di Montelcino was dark amber in color with a nose of toasty earth and truffles, concentrated with a toasted firm finish. Out in the main room, Chateau D’Esclans poured several different rose which was made for an interesting tasting.
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