CWD: Paolo Scavino Barolo 1985-2001

L

Larry Stein

Larry Stein
Last night, the tasting group tasted 8 wines. It was quite educational to see the winemaking go to the Dark Side.

Not surprisingly, the '90 Bric del Fiasc, '85 Cannubi, and '85 Bric del Fiasc were my favorites, in that order. No spoof in those. Great aromatics and complexities, as well as terrific balance. These definitely shouted Barolo.

Then you get to the wines of the late 90s-2001. The one decent modern wine was '01 Carobric. It showed decent balance, and the oak seemed to be in check. On the other hand, '98 Bric del Fiasc was a heinous mess, all oak and it could've come from anywhere. The two '97s, Carobric and Bric del Fiasc, were spoofed, but with more fruit than the '98. They still didn't taste of place. '00 Bric del Fiasc at least showed some spice and brighter (read: acid) tones, but it came off as a "so what?" wine.

It was totally worth being there to taste the older wines.
 
P. Scavino 1993 Barolo "Bric del Fiasc"

When I was first getting into the hobby, one of the organized tastings that I went to was a 90 barolo horizontal. I liked the BdF then, so when a small lot of 93s came to auction, I bought them and laid them down. (The gaps in logic are much more noticeable to me now.)

In 1999, I opened one, just to check how things were progressing. It was still quite rich but very disjointed and oaky. Having gotten a little geeky in the meanwhile, I began to regret my purchase but I also figured that more sleep can't hurt.

I opened one last night. The color is a deep red with definite bricking. Still viscous and nearly opaque. The nose is pleasing now: mulberry and black cherry and lots of secondary characteristics like mushroom and fall foliage. It reminds me of a slightly suave Cal Cab. Or, maybe, a bantam-weight Bordeaux with really solid acidity.

But it certainly does not remind me of barolo. Whatever was nebbiolo about it once is gone; whatever was BdF about it once is gone. All that is left are the (modulated) qualities that the maker selected for (ripe fruit, high alcohol, wood flavors).

Day 3: same.

Day 5: same.
 
Larry -- Get him to do a Sandrone vertical. I think the Scavinos will look moderate in comparison. Scavino has drawn back considerably in recent years; as of the last time I tasted Sandrone, still the same as the mid- to late-1990s.
 
Claude, David Russell told me the same thing about Scavino this morning. The tasting was originally going to be a Pio Cesare vertical. Ross couldn't find a couple of the vintages in time so that one is postponed to a future date.

Did you go to the 60s Barolo dinner at Acquerello on Weds? If the Magic Fairy had suddenly put 5 bills in my pocket, I would've considered going.
 
originally posted by Larry Stein:

Did you go to the 60s Barolo dinner at Acquerello on Weds? If the Magic Fairy had suddenly put 5 bills in my pocket, I would've considered going.
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Didn't go. My preference is fewer people, more of each wine.

By coincidence, though, I am going there tonight. Giancarlo's really souped up and deepened the wine list and has a lot of nice stuff now at (relatively) moderate prices, as well as some amazing stuff for the VC crowd.
 
Not surprisingly, the '90 Bric del Fiasc, '85 Cannubi, and '85 Bric del Fiasc were my favorites, in that order. No spoof in those.
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Really? I've had the BdF twice and *liked* it so much I decided to ditch my last bottle, as I really couldn't stand the oak in it. Different strokes I guess? Note that my BdF 1990 was about how Jeff described his '93. Glad it's out of my hands now.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
TN: It may be Barolo DOCG (Fall 2005)P. Scavino 1993 Barolo "Bric del Fiasc"

When I was first getting into the hobby, one of the organized tastings that I went to was a 90 barolo horizontal. I liked the BdF then, so when a small lot of 93s came to auction, I bought them and laid them down. (The gaps in logic are much more noticeable to me now.)

In 1999, I opened one, just to check how things were progressing. It was still quite rich but very disjointed and oaky. Having gotten a little geeky in the meanwhile, I began to regret my purchase but I also figured that more sleep can't hurt.

I opened one last night. The color is a deep red with definite bricking. Still viscous and nearly opaque. The nose is pleasing now: mulberry and black cherry and lots of secondary characteristics like mushroom and fall foliage. It reminds me of a slightly suave Cal Cab. Or, maybe, a bantam-weight Bordeaux with really solid acidity.

But it certainly does not remind me of barolo. Whatever was nebbiolo about it once is gone; whatever was BdF about it once is gone. All that is left are the (modulated) qualities that the maker selected for (ripe fruit, high alcohol, wood flavors).

Day 3: same.

Day 5: same.
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Thanks for this. Sigh. I bought a few of these on release based on the reviews before I knew better. Haven't had one for ages, but I did have a similar reaction to Ceretto.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
Not surprisingly, the '90 Bric del Fiasc, '85 Cannubi, and '85 Bric del Fiasc were my favorites, in that order. No spoof in those.
Click to expand...

Really? I've had the BdF twice and *liked* it so much I decided to ditch my last bottle, as I really couldn't stand the oak in it. Different strokes I guess? Note that my BdF 1990 was about how Jeff described his '93. Glad it's out of my hands now.
Click to expand...

Really. Other tasters who don't like spoofed wines thought the same as me on the '90.
 
originally posted by Cliff:
Haven't had one for ages, but I did have a similar reaction to Ceretto.
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Long ago, Ceretto was wonderful old-school. I can still vividly remember some 1978 barolo and barbaresco I acquired at auction. Clear and perfect as a visionary's eye.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Cliff:
Haven't had one for ages, but I did have a similar reaction to Ceretto.
Click to expand...
Long ago, Ceretto was wonderful old-school. I can still vividly remember some 1978 barolo and barbaresco I acquired at auction. Clear and perfect as a visionary's eye.
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...I guess on the extent of one's grasp. I have been holding one last 1989 Barbaresco Bricco Asili now for several years since my last taste of it in 2001. I was lucky to get my hands on several bottles; simple fortuity.

My notes on the '89 Bricco Asili taken in 2000-2001: Drank one in 01/00: elegant, restrained, too quiet? Nose lovely but quiet; only hint of roses. Fine tannins in mouth, some leather, muted fruit. Drank another 8/01: very nice. Muted nose & flavors. More roundness in mouth taste more interesting than the bouquet. Drank again 12/01: absolutely lovely liquid fleeting moving dark thing across a hillside like a deer. Nose richly swirling restrained musical notes; giving slowly, unfurling like touch. In mouth, caressing and red/purple like a robe; tannins even and steady and not in the way; feel them at finish in my mouth. Like sucking on delicate plum grains of sand.

I have a few 1993 Barolos and Barbaresco left from Cerretto. I will try to pry the last '89 out of my cellar soon I guess... I have so few Piemontese wines it's difficult not to fall into the trap of holding on to something that always in fact eludes the grasp.
 
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