Mixed Bag Tasting

Borgogno Giacomo Borgogne & Figli Barolo Classico Riserva
Color: Orangish Brick
Nose: Stong sweet tobacco, tar, hints of birch and dandelion backed up with a hefty helping of spearmint, raw ground walnut with hints of saffron, blueberries, and mint jelly
Flavor: Gripping tannins, tabacco and dirt at first which yield to strong flavors of shitakes on the mid-palate and finishes off with bitter orange peel, burnt nuts and bitter greens (but in a delicious way).
Notes: I had this with a bit taste of Caseifico dell'Alta Langa Robiola Bosina cheese which paired beautifully and turned the bitter aftertaste into an almost caramel like explosion.
Rating: 92 points
$65

St. Supery Vineyards Virtu, 2003 White Wine Blend (68% Sauvignon Blanc, 38% Semillon)
Color: Very light golden
Nose: Opening with grassy notes, wet stones, and hints of Asian pear it opens into star fruit, orange zest, very strong Spanish olive oil, topped off with hints of mushroom, butter cream, and an undertone of bitter mint.
Flavor: Cucumber, strong cedar, llight roasted coffee beans with a lengthy dry finish of wildflower honey.
Rating: 89 points

Vietti Roero Arneis, 2006
Color: Light straw
Nose: Lemon or lime zest, brined olives, vanilla, hints of melon, under ripe peach, pear
Taste: Raw Italian cow's milk cheese, a bit of fishiness, some durian and grapefruit on the finish.
Rating: 86 points
$?

Tikal Patriota
Appearance: Inky black and pure
Aroma: An overwhelming coffee scent, velvety chocolate, tobacco, plumbs, mushrooms, saffron, roasted nuts and clove
Taste: Rich, highly alcoholic, dark fruit, oak with balanced tannins. Overwhelmingly hot but pleasantly acidic with subtle tannins, finishing off with ripe plum and tobacco.
Rating: 88
$?

Casa de Santar, Vinho Tinto, Dao, 2003
Color: Medium purple
Aroma: Raisins, raspberries, figs, leather, cherries,
Taste: cherries, hints of kirsch, bits of roses, candied with hints of eyucalyptus, tastes rather unpleaseantly like cough drops.
Finish: very subtle to non existant tannins with an aftertaste of licorice and some minerals.
Rating: 84 pts.
$13

Wine: d'Arenberg Laughing Magpie, 2006 Shiraz/Viognier
Color: Dark cherry red, dense and rich
Aroma: Very new world. Led pencil, strawberries, dark roast coffee, ginger, wet forest floor, porchini, soft apples, and wet leaves
Taste: Bright rich black fruit flavors, cherries and strong dried herbs, oak, bright green apples, nutmeg and cloves
Finish: Licorice candy, tart green apple, horseradish and ginger
Rating: 87-88, just because its curious
$25