2018 Paolo Sordo Barbaresco: A little too tooty-fruity on the nose for me, although it is lifted. The palate is a little thin with bright, light red fruit, a hint of citrus good, and a tart acidity. Tannins already feel resolved with just a slight drying sensation on the finish.
2021 Poderi Colla Barbaresco Roncaglie: There's dark red cherry on the nose interwoven with a subtle hint of smoky tar. Classic Nebbiolo with flavors of red fruit and a subtle hint of smoky minerality. Very elegant with a light weight that hovers over the palate. Drying tannins coat the palate on the finish, but are still accessible. A very well-balanced and enjoyable wine.
2019 Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema Carema Riserva: This has a really fragrant nose of classic rose and red cherry with just a subtle lift to it. There's lots of depth with tart red fruit flavors and a gravelly, smoky minerality. Texturally quite silky with an acidity that is very refreshing and more-ish. Light on the palate, elegant, but intense, with great balance and good tension between the structure and the rich fruit. Just really well made and a great value.
2020 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione: This is very fruity and young on both the nose and the palate. This lacks the earthiness and mineral complexity I normally associate with this cuvee. Acidity is there and provides energy and a cranberry tartness to the rich fruit. Tannins are ripe and soft, but still convey a drying sensation on the finish. The wine is certainly approachable now, but it feels a little too heavy, lush, and velvety for me. A Barolo for hedonists instead of eudaimonists.
2018 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe: I'm getting more wet earth and forest on the nose here with an undertone of dark red cherry. This is subtle, elegant, but not super intense, but there's enough stuffing here to satisfy. Nice acidity and rather elegant. Tannins are grippy, but approachable, and there's a hint of spice on the finish. Not a blockbuster, but satisfying and showcases the minerality over the fruit.
2020 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo: There are red cherry aromas that are quite fruity and not particularly flora. The palate is very pure and elegant with pretty red fruit, but is, quite frankly, lacking some complexity except for a bit of earthy minerality on the finish. Acidity is decent, and the tannins are already extremely silky; I'm not getting any astringency or drying sensation at all. This is very pretty, very well-made and shaped, with a feathery lightness on the palate, but it comes across as a little soft structurally. Kind of underwhelming considering what this is.
2020 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara Vigna Molsino: An intensely mineral-forward wine with pronounced graphite and earth lying on top of a substrate of cool red fruit and herbs. Very balanced with a refreshing blast of slightly tart acidity. Lean, mean, and linear, but elegant and light on its feet. I imagine some may find this too austere, but, for me, the wine's strictness reminds me of the days of auld lang syne.
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano: Quite delicate and ethereal on the palate, but with good depth and a real sweetness to the fruit that does not feel overdone with just a hint of spice to add an interesting grace note to the finish. Aromatically beautiful, with those classic rose and tar aromas that are just a touch lifted. Tannins are quite silky and not too astringent at this point. Acidity is on point and the wine is refreshing.
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba: This wine showcased what makes Giacosa so inviting: plenty of finesse and elegance with well-managed tannins that are not too assertive or astringent. However, the red fruit came across as rather simple and uncomplicated and perhaps a touch too ripe. Not a bad wine, but a little boring and lacking the fireworks I normally expect from Giacosa.
2004 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco: Presented awkwardly with toasty oak from the barrel being the most prominent feature on the palate. The tannins from the wood came across as rather coarse, marring the dark fruit underneath it. Oh well. From magnum.
2005 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Riserva 150 Anniversario: This showed really well, with a classic Nebbiolo nose of roses and tar married with a palate that was pure and elegant, showcasing dark red fruit, savory herbs, firm acidity, and a nice tannic bite on the finish. Definitely still grippy, but that's how I like my Barolo. Yum. From magnum.
1985 Azienda Bricco Asili (Ceretto) Barbaresco Bricco Asili: Fairly brown when decanted, it does have an interesting nose of wet earth and fading red fruit, but this has gone beyond tertiary. All you get is soy sauce at this point; otherwise pretty hollowed out. As an experiment, I kept it until the next day, and the nose got better, and the palate slightly fuller and more interesting, but otherwise pretty dead.
1982 Prunotto Barolo Riserva Bussia di Monforte: This was still lively and vibrant on the palate. Perhaps a touch lactic, but it blew off, revealing slightly dried dark fruit, earthy mushroom notes married with a bit of tar and tobacco. Quite a pleasant surprise how alive this wine was despite clearly being a mature bottle of Barolo.
1971 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo: Funky and old, but still alive and kicking despite being quite tertiary and savory; like a high-class bottle of shoyu without the salt. For some folks, this was a little too out there, but I liked it and appreciated it for what it was. Nice purity, quite elegant, tannins fully resolved and silky, and good acidity with a savory, umami-laden edge. What more could you want, especially from a Barolo this old?
2021 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara: Slick, polished dark fruit with tannins that already feel very silky and good acidity to maintain nice tension on the palate. Definitely denser and more extracted than what I normally get from the Alto Piemonte. Perhaps a touch too academically-correct? This would get a good grade at the UC Davis enology school.
2019 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato: There seemed to be something off and clumsy about this bottle. It wasn't flawed, per se, but it lacked delineation and clarity of flavors. Something really weird was going on. From magnum.
2016 Rovellotti Ghemme Chioso dei Pomi: I was genuinely surprised how well this bottle showed. Elegant on the palate, beautiful red fruit, a slight touch of grip from the tannins, beautifully perfumed on the nose. Wow: this really demonstrated the potential of the Alto Piemonte and the greatness that can come from there.
2013 Vietti Barolo Brunate: This was totally shut down and was not ready for prime time. Very inexpressive. Reserving judgment.
1976 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia: Unfortunately, this was quite over the hill, but you can still feel that silky texture from the melted tannins. Quite classy and aristocratic, like Annabel Lee in fine repose in a tomb by a sounding sea. And, just as dead as a doornail otherwise.
2021 Poderi Colla Barbaresco Roncaglie: There's dark red cherry on the nose interwoven with a subtle hint of smoky tar. Classic Nebbiolo with flavors of red fruit and a subtle hint of smoky minerality. Very elegant with a light weight that hovers over the palate. Drying tannins coat the palate on the finish, but are still accessible. A very well-balanced and enjoyable wine.
2019 Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema Carema Riserva: This has a really fragrant nose of classic rose and red cherry with just a subtle lift to it. There's lots of depth with tart red fruit flavors and a gravelly, smoky minerality. Texturally quite silky with an acidity that is very refreshing and more-ish. Light on the palate, elegant, but intense, with great balance and good tension between the structure and the rich fruit. Just really well made and a great value.
2020 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione: This is very fruity and young on both the nose and the palate. This lacks the earthiness and mineral complexity I normally associate with this cuvee. Acidity is there and provides energy and a cranberry tartness to the rich fruit. Tannins are ripe and soft, but still convey a drying sensation on the finish. The wine is certainly approachable now, but it feels a little too heavy, lush, and velvety for me. A Barolo for hedonists instead of eudaimonists.
2018 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe: I'm getting more wet earth and forest on the nose here with an undertone of dark red cherry. This is subtle, elegant, but not super intense, but there's enough stuffing here to satisfy. Nice acidity and rather elegant. Tannins are grippy, but approachable, and there's a hint of spice on the finish. Not a blockbuster, but satisfying and showcases the minerality over the fruit.
2020 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo: There are red cherry aromas that are quite fruity and not particularly flora. The palate is very pure and elegant with pretty red fruit, but is, quite frankly, lacking some complexity except for a bit of earthy minerality on the finish. Acidity is decent, and the tannins are already extremely silky; I'm not getting any astringency or drying sensation at all. This is very pretty, very well-made and shaped, with a feathery lightness on the palate, but it comes across as a little soft structurally. Kind of underwhelming considering what this is.
2020 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara Vigna Molsino: An intensely mineral-forward wine with pronounced graphite and earth lying on top of a substrate of cool red fruit and herbs. Very balanced with a refreshing blast of slightly tart acidity. Lean, mean, and linear, but elegant and light on its feet. I imagine some may find this too austere, but, for me, the wine's strictness reminds me of the days of auld lang syne.
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano: Quite delicate and ethereal on the palate, but with good depth and a real sweetness to the fruit that does not feel overdone with just a hint of spice to add an interesting grace note to the finish. Aromatically beautiful, with those classic rose and tar aromas that are just a touch lifted. Tannins are quite silky and not too astringent at this point. Acidity is on point and the wine is refreshing.
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba: This wine showcased what makes Giacosa so inviting: plenty of finesse and elegance with well-managed tannins that are not too assertive or astringent. However, the red fruit came across as rather simple and uncomplicated and perhaps a touch too ripe. Not a bad wine, but a little boring and lacking the fireworks I normally expect from Giacosa.
2004 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco: Presented awkwardly with toasty oak from the barrel being the most prominent feature on the palate. The tannins from the wood came across as rather coarse, marring the dark fruit underneath it. Oh well. From magnum.
2005 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Riserva 150 Anniversario: This showed really well, with a classic Nebbiolo nose of roses and tar married with a palate that was pure and elegant, showcasing dark red fruit, savory herbs, firm acidity, and a nice tannic bite on the finish. Definitely still grippy, but that's how I like my Barolo. Yum. From magnum.
1985 Azienda Bricco Asili (Ceretto) Barbaresco Bricco Asili: Fairly brown when decanted, it does have an interesting nose of wet earth and fading red fruit, but this has gone beyond tertiary. All you get is soy sauce at this point; otherwise pretty hollowed out. As an experiment, I kept it until the next day, and the nose got better, and the palate slightly fuller and more interesting, but otherwise pretty dead.
1982 Prunotto Barolo Riserva Bussia di Monforte: This was still lively and vibrant on the palate. Perhaps a touch lactic, but it blew off, revealing slightly dried dark fruit, earthy mushroom notes married with a bit of tar and tobacco. Quite a pleasant surprise how alive this wine was despite clearly being a mature bottle of Barolo.
1971 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo: Funky and old, but still alive and kicking despite being quite tertiary and savory; like a high-class bottle of shoyu without the salt. For some folks, this was a little too out there, but I liked it and appreciated it for what it was. Nice purity, quite elegant, tannins fully resolved and silky, and good acidity with a savory, umami-laden edge. What more could you want, especially from a Barolo this old?
2021 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara: Slick, polished dark fruit with tannins that already feel very silky and good acidity to maintain nice tension on the palate. Definitely denser and more extracted than what I normally get from the Alto Piemonte. Perhaps a touch too academically-correct? This would get a good grade at the UC Davis enology school.
2019 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato: There seemed to be something off and clumsy about this bottle. It wasn't flawed, per se, but it lacked delineation and clarity of flavors. Something really weird was going on. From magnum.
2016 Rovellotti Ghemme Chioso dei Pomi: I was genuinely surprised how well this bottle showed. Elegant on the palate, beautiful red fruit, a slight touch of grip from the tannins, beautifully perfumed on the nose. Wow: this really demonstrated the potential of the Alto Piemonte and the greatness that can come from there.
2013 Vietti Barolo Brunate: This was totally shut down and was not ready for prime time. Very inexpressive. Reserving judgment.
1976 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia: Unfortunately, this was quite over the hill, but you can still feel that silky texture from the melted tannins. Quite classy and aristocratic, like Annabel Lee in fine repose in a tomb by a sounding sea. And, just as dead as a doornail otherwise.
