2007 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cascina Francia 15%

O

Oswaldo Costa

Oswaldo Costa
In Thor's most recent blog entry he writes, with trademark candor, that "There cannot be a wine writer alive who benefits more from the lack of an editor...or a writers audience who suffers more from that same lack." As, arguably, the second greatest beneficiary of not having an editor, in the spirit of contrition, and in honor of the three month anniversary of Cory and Thor's exchange on the death of the tasting note, I decided to adopt Thor's handy new Barbera Assessment Tool (BAT) for this second in a series of three famous-name Barberas:

Conterno.jpg
Next, last, and hopefully best: 2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba San Lorenzo
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
2007 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cascina Francia 15%In Thor's most recent blog entry he writes, with trademark candor, that "There cannot be a wine writer alive who benefits more from the lack of an editor...or a writers audience who suffers more from that same lack." As, arguably, the second greatest beneficiary of not having an editor, in the spirit of contrition, and in honor of the three month anniversary of Cory and Thor's exchange on the death of the tasting note, I decided to adopt Thor's new Barbera Assessment Tool (BAT) for this second in a series of three famous-name Barberas:

Conterno.jpg
Next, last, and hopefully best: 2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba San Lorenzo
Click to expand...

Funny, I will be trying this next week, and I read disappointment. Oh well...

In the meanwhile, the 2007 Guido Porro Barbera d'Alba Vigna S. Caterina was a very nice easy to drink wine, on the first day at least. Next up is 2007 Brovia Barbera d'Alba Sori del Drago. I'll share my impressions soon. Then I plan on the 2004 Roagna Barbera d'Alba.

Two questions:
- is there a major difference between Brovia's Sori del Drago and Brea bottlings?
- how is Mascarello's Codana? Never got to try one, and at $50 it is pushing the limits of what I consider paying for a barbera.
 
originally posted by Cristian Dezso:
- is there a major difference between Brovia's Sori del Drago and Brea bottlings?
Click to expand...
Other than vineyard, you mean?

- how is Mascarello's Codana? Never got to try one, and at $50 it is pushing the limits of what I consider paying for a barbera.
Click to expand...
I drank the 2000 in June 2003. Almost barolo intensity, earthy... on the 2nd day. (I'm sure I've had it since but that's the only note I could find quickly.)

Anyway, I've laid down a few bottles of the 2004.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Cristian Dezso:
- is there a major difference between Brovia's Sori del Drago and Brea bottlings?
Click to expand...
Other than vineyard, you mean?
Click to expand...
Yes. I understand one is coming from Ca' Mia and the other from Garblet Sue, I guess, but I was wondering if one is in the super barbera style or not. Just curious. I will probably end up trying both, for experience.

And speaking of Brovia, I have never had their dolcetto Solatio, but I am thinking of trying it. Any info on that?
 
Actually, I just remembered that I did try the 06 Codana at Mascarello in November. The bottle had been open 9 days, so I don't know how useful this is as a note, but it was terrific.

2006 Giuseppe Mascarello Barbera dAlba Codana (Castiglione Falletto) 13-14.0%
Open 9 days. 100 year old vines, southern exposure, continuation of Monprivato, only 1,000 bottles made. Elegant nose, eerily reminiscent of Vosne Romane. Extremely fine, delicious, exquisite balance.
 
originally posted by Cristian Dezso:
Yes. I understand one is coming from Ca' Mia and the other from Garblet Sue, I guess, but I was wondering if one is in the super barbera style or not. Just curious. I will probably end up trying both, for experience.
Click to expand...

The Brea is partially done in barrique, some of it new if I recall correctly. The Sori' del Drago is done in stainless steel.
 
The Codana is sui generis in my experience. Really interesting, but it's hard to generalize from it.

Also, there isn't much.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:


Next, last, and hopefully best: 2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba San Lorenzo
Click to expand...

I just drank the 2005 over a couple nights, and would put it in the top, right (interesting, traditional) box. Costs $35 in the Bay Area, but worth the coin to me.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
The bottle had been open 9 days, so I don't know how useful this is as a note, but it was terrific.
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I'd say that's useful: Many wines are kaput after 9 days, so if this wine can still be glorious....
 
Wow. I'm responsible for charts'n'graphs! Next they'll be calling me Scott Shrewbridge (there's a joke for you wine board oldsters).

is there a major difference between Brovia's Sori del Drago and Brea bottlings?
Click to expand...
Yes. Huge. The important one, for your purposes, being that the former is incredibly good and the latter sucks. Well, "sucks" in the context of Brovia, but it's still a massive disappointment. Almost syrupy, very marked by winemaking. (It's 50% INOX and 50% a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-year old barriques.) I would have liked it a lot more if it had shown up in the barbera tastings, and there are some good elements (lots of minerality, taking various forms), but it's just too smoothed over. The Sor del Drago may have been the single best barbera we tasted, out of many hundreds, while in Italy. It'd be in the middle right sector of Oswaldo's chart.

The 2007 Dolcetto Solatio was very, very, very, very, very tannic a few weeks ago, but still had a lot of life to it. I'd bet on a good future.
 
The 2007 Brovia Sor del Drago is indeed wonderful. Funny, not like a barolo yet like a barolo. I found it changing in the glass quite a bit with nice minerally (two l's?) notes, then flowery, then medicinal a bit, and then forest floor-y. Vinous and sweet yet not fruity in the mouth. This is very good!
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
2007 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cascina Francia 15%In Thor's most recent blog entry he writes, with trademark candor, that "There cannot be a wine writer alive who benefits more from the lack of an editor...or a writers audience who suffers more from that same lack." As, arguably, the second greatest beneficiary of not having an editor, in the spirit of contrition, and in honor of the three month anniversary of Cory and Thor's exchange on the death of the tasting note, I decided to adopt Thor's handy new Barbera Assessment Tool (BAT) for this second in a series of three famous-name Barberas:

Conterno.jpg
Next, last, and hopefully best: 2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba San Lorenzo
Click to expand...

OK so I finally got around and drank this. I would probably not put it in your left column but perhaps in the middle one, especially towards the end of the evening (after having opened it at noon). But it is definitely underwhelming (to say the least). This seems to be nowhere close to the complexity and ruggedness of the 2007 Brovia Sori del Drago. It has a nice elegant nose but God the palate... I hope that with age it will get better as I have a few more. But I am not sure.

Roagna next...
 
Guess what? This is starting to lose its polished mouthfeel and the acidity is becoming more biting. Strange how things can change so quickly. Still a little underwhelming, but better than it was 15 minutes ago.
 
originally posted by Cristian Dezso:
Guess what? This is starting to lose its polished mouthfeel and the acidity is becoming more biting. Strange how things can change so quickly. Still a little underwhelming, but better than it was 15 minutes ago.
Click to expand...

I had the end of the bottle yesterday after letting it sit in the fridge for a few days and it was still an overripe bruiser. The Roagna should be much more balanced. Luca makes a point of saying that his wines should never exceed 13.5%.
 
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