Sydney Spring offline, Nebbiolo, Barbera & Italian whites

[Bobthebuilder]

Wine wise, thinking:
Borgogno Barolo Riserva 2001
Vietti Barbera Scarrone 2011

Very nice (thumbs up!)

[Gary W]

Pop me on the reserve list anyway.
I'd bring a Barolo from the 60s or early 70s and an Italian white. You can stick your Barbera

[Bobthebuilder]

Hi Gary,
Your on as first reserve and it's highly unlikely you won't make the night, there are always dropouts, usually at least 2 or 3

[Hacker]

Hi Nick, can I play the 'honorary Italian' card again and bring a champers? I also have a few 2004 Brunellos but not sure if that fits the theme as it is Sangiovese.
Have we nailed a date as yet?

[Bobthebuilder]

Hi Hacker,
Your champagne is always welcome and great incentive to get people there on time, for those who know the standard of your usual contributions
Brunello is fine too, what would be good is if someone else could bring one too so we could pair it for a flight
Date - OK, last calls for preference, its either Thursday 29th September or Friday 30th September.
Looking back over the posts in this thread its pretty even Steven with those voicing a preference.
So last calls on date preference tonight, if it doesn't weigh in either direction by tomorrow morning I'm doing eeny meeny miny mo

[Hacker]

Slight preference for Thursday. Friday is usually family/friends, and would ruin Saturday morning!

[TiggerK]

Yeah given the choice Thursday is usually my pref, feeling a touch seedy is ideally a Friday thing, hang in there distracted enough by work to not feel anything.

[Bobthebuilder]

I'm leaning towards Thursday too, even though I prefer Friday generally
You guys got about 12 hrs left to D day, so speak now or forever hold your peace

[JamieBahrain]

Sorry to miss this one. I'm in Oz the week before for the Bulldog prelim final…… would have brought along an amazing aged Timorasso from the best producer in Piedmont an aged Barbera from Voerzio or Braida and an adolescent Cappellano. And who's bringing the Barolo Chinato?

But why not do a big one next year? I have to come to Sydney for tax reasons and a Piedmont dinner would top it off. I could bring wines down the group wanted to source from Europe or just go with the flow.

[Bobthebuilder]

Thursday night it is
Jamie, would have been great if you could have made it, there always a next time though.
Next time you know your going to be in Sydney for enough time maybe initiate the offline, and if you need any help with the venue organisation I'm more than happy to assist. Your knowledge of Italian wines is very much appreciated here so I'm sure the list would fill up very quickly!

[winetastic]

Are we confirmed for this in 2 weeks?

[Polymer]

I think this is still on.

Nic - ufo said he's not coming to this so probably best to scratch him off (although double check with him I guess).

[rooman]

i have realised that we have chosen a date during the middle of the school holidays. For some this is an irrelevant consideration for others a major headache. Personally I had hoped to take the kids away. Is it too late to move it forward a week to avoid the holidays?

[Polymer]

I think it is too late to change the date...

Mark - write these things down .

[Ian S]

I think it is too late to change the date...

Mark - write these things down .

Or think before having kids

[Bobthebuilder]

Hey guys,
Sorry, been a bit busy so haven't been online much
Everything is still on and dates unchanged, sorry Mark!
Kev - ufo hasn't posted since his first post, have you spoken to him since?
Gary - looks highly likely you are in either way so put it down in your diary
I'll update the OP once I get some feedback from ufo and confirmation from Mark that he can't make it

[Polymer]

Nic - Yes..he told me he wasn't coming.

[rooman]

At the moment assume I am still on. We haven't made any plans yet for the school holidays

[mse]

Hello Bob,

I am also interested in this tasting, can you please put my name on the royal waiting list? Thanks.

Michael

[Bobthebuilder]

Pop me on the reserve list anyway.
I'd bring a Barolo from the 60s or early 70s and an Italian white. You can stick your Barbera

OK Gary you're in
mse your first reserve on the bench

[Gary W]

can't make it sorry. Wife will be overseas, and because it's school holidays, my two babysitters are away.

[Krusty]

Hi Nic, am afraid school hols rules me out as well.

[tarija]

Apologies Bobthebuilder, was really looking forward to this however baby duties have ruled me out for next week.

Annoyed as I had lined up some older bottles of Produttori del Barbaresco for this.

[winetastic]

Couple of questions: What is the start time and does anyone with more experience than I have any decanting advice for the 2001 Borgogno Barolo Riserva?

I have had it standing upright since Friday and was planning to double decant Thursday morning and leave in the bottle with the cork out all day - have seen this as the advice for mature Barolo but is that the right thing to do with one that is middle aged such as this?

[Red Smurf]

Hey Winetastic,

Borgogno isn't really middle aged at 15 years. This is still a youngster! Been lucky enough to open a lot of Borgogno from 40's to 90's and they are traditional and take a long while to come around. 80's would be more middle aged.
All vintages have varied to open up and although this sounds weird, the older ones took longer to open up than the younger ones. Some 50's ones took 4hrs to come out of their slumber.
My personal opinion is they need to come off their sediment fairly early but I would open early and taste just like any other wine and see what it's like. An 01 isn't going to fall over but you may like it how it is and just audoze it all day. If it's tight, I would get it off the sediment and double decant as you said.
The problem with traditional Barolo is that the tannin kicks in mid palate and bulldozes everything in its site so the wine seems harsh right through the progression. You have to try to tame this to give it back flavour in the mid to end palate again.

[Bobthebuilder]

Original post updated
Mark are you coming?

[Bobthebuilder]

Hi Guys,
Start time 6.15pm.
rooman, Mark, calling Mark, are you coming!?!?

[mse]

Hello Bob,

Sorry for such late notice, I am afraid I cannot make it to this one too. I hope you guys enjoy the night.

[rooman]

Hi Guys,
Start time 6.15pm.
rooman, Mark, calling Mark, are you coming!?!?

Apologies but we have fled Sydney with the family during school holidays. I've tried to work a way to return to Sydney under cover of dark but there seems there is no way I can attend without using endless brownie points. So sorry.

Mark

[TiggerK]

Hey all, In bob's absence, we're all on for tonight I assume....

Finalised date: Thursday, 29th September, 6.15pm

Finalised venue: Love Supreme, Oxford St, Paddington (opposite the Barracks)

Attendees:

1) bobthebuilder
2) barbthebuilder
3) TiggerK
4) Dingozegan
5) Polymer
6) Hacker
7) winetastic
winetastic +1

I'll have a white and a red.