Small off-line at a wonderful bar, 219 West. In attendance were txtaster (wine godess of 219 West), bdub of Austin, wino4ever and his better half, RedRedVine from Portland and myself.

Here's what the bar served for its Italian tasting:

2001 Benefizio Pomino Bianco (88 CWG points)
1999 Pomino Rosso - no score, didn't like this one
1999 Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina (86 CWG points)
1997 Montesodi Chianti Rufina (87 CWG points)
1997 CastelGiocondo Bruenello di Montalcino (90 CWG points and WS #8 wine of 2002)

From txtaster's cellar:

1997 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Grandi Annate Riserva (93 CWG points)
1997 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino (90 CWG points)

From my cellar:

1988 Brunello Di Montalcino Sassetti Livio (WS 86, RP 95, 91 CWG points)
1995 Luce (95 CWG points, my WOTN)
1997 Quilceda Creek (93 CWG points)
1991 Quail Ridge Reserve Cab (92 CWG points)
2000 Mettler Cab (88 CWG points, great QPR at $11)

From wine4ever's cellar:

1999 Shafer Firebrake - corked

Sorry I don't remember the rest. Wonderful night, great people, great food, and great wines. That Luce rocked!

WOTN - '97 Quilceda Creek
At this point in the evening my palate could not fully embrace the magnitude of this wine, but I recognized as truly complex and delicious. W4E 93

Other standouts:

'91 Quail Ridge Reserve CS from CWG - drinking beautifully with seamless tannins and still holding upfront california fruit. W4E 91

Also from CWG:
'88 Brunello Di Montalcino Sassetti Livio - did not blow me away maybe the fruit I look for had faded I don't know. W4E 86
'95 Luce - A very good wine but not in my top tier for this night probably due to my unsophisticated california/Aussie palate.
W4E 87
'00 Mettler Cab - A QPR highlight. Cali fruit-forward tasty drink-now wine.
W4E 88

'01 Shafer merlot brought by RRV.
Nothing to say but look at the name - what you see is what you get. W4E - 90

'98 Banfi brunello from bdub - need help on the particulars on this one, but I really liked it and could easily give 90 W4E pts.

from txtaster:
'97 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Grandi Annate Riserva*
97 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino ??

Okay - one of these I did not drink or do not remember (prolly the latter) but the one that was mostly sangiovese (I could pick out the label) was a solid W4E 91 pts.

And lastly the tasting menu wines:
'01 Benefizio Pomino Bianco great alternative to cali chards. W4E 88 pts.
'99 Pomino Rosso - CORKED - retasted later but it was too late to go back.
'99 Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina W4E 85
'97 Montesodi Chianti Rufina W4E 87
These chianti's really needed food imo.
'97 Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino - this one could have opened up more. W4E 90

My '99 Shafer Firebreak was CORKED! Thanks to Chris @ Grapevine who got me come replacement wines (no more Firebreak) I will be happy to share next time we meet. And the moral of this story is to bring back-up bottles doofus.

peace, love and wine.



funny wine quip goes here.