1996 Albert Grivault Meursault Perrieres
Begins quite nice, no oxidation, seems clean, but then a touch of mustiness develops with air. I'm enjoying this wine, it's direct and bright, and the Meursault-ness comes through with hazelnut, but there is at the same time an odd mustiness and Drew and I both question whether this wine has been damaged by TCA. If so, its not hugely corked, and I am still rather enjoying everything else in this wine, almost like I am able to compartmentalize the TCA and appreciate the other parts to this wine, and there is a lot to appreciate. I put this wine to the side and concentrate on the Chateauneuf for a few moments, but then come back to the Meursault and it's just explosive in its ripe yellow fruit, pulsing and juicy . . . and yet there is that mustiness. We decide that it's not TCA, but rather a bit of mold. After a 3am walk to Artichoke Pizza, we return to this wine and by now the moldiness has taken over completely and we can't drink it. Even at 3am, there was a 30 minute wait for pizza.
1999 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape "Reserve"
My experience with Vieille Julienne thus far has been limited to the "lowest" bottling, the $25-30 one (at least with respect to the vintages 98 through 01; I understand that the 05 "normale" is now $50+). That bottling has not impressed me thus far, and it's no wonder, given that the preferred juice goes into the "Vieilles Vignes" and this "Reserve" bottling which seems, in my experience, to have rendered the "normale" like the runt of the litter. Drew says that in '99, there was no "VV", so all the good juice went into this "Reserve". This Reserve was stunning right away after I pulled the cork. What impressed me initially was the grip, a solid structure keeping the huge mass of fruit in place, giving it both structure and defining its boundaries. Huge fruit at the fore, ripe but not overly so. Very polished, huge fruit, yet it is delineated and proportioned and not sloppy or spilling outside of its structure. Drew wants more garrigue and funk and more traditional Chateauneuf qualities, and I can appreciate what he means; this is one clean wine. It's not too spoofed or too slick, but it is polished. There is still some strong tannin here; this wine has years to further develop. A terrific showing.
The next night, I met Greg dal Piaz and Dan Tisch, along with Antonio Galloni and Jamie Wolff, for a night of Barolo. I typed these notes into my Blackberry, so apologies if they are abbreviated, but you get what you pay for; so there.
1982 Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero (bottle number 3872)
Nose of beef bullion and a touch burnt at first. Lots of fennel on the palate. The tannins are still firm but soft, giving structure and a touch of dryness, but overall the palate is quite juicy. Long finish with good sustain. The palate shows good sweetness and it's quite fresh, showing fennel, strawberry and roses. The wine gets darker in profile with air, the strawberry turning to cherry. That initial burnt aspect turns to woodsy, earthy, and smoky on the palate. Very rich, a giving palate, with huge midplate lift, quite juicy, and a long, sweet finish. A great showing.
1978 Vietti Barolo Rocche
corked
1990 Brovia Barolo Rocche
Much darker color than the Vietti that preceded it. A soft entry, with strawberry and tannins that show lots of grip but softly hug the wine. Really a great showing, round and balanced and full and clean, yet still with a touch of rusticity. Still young, but not primary, showing some secondaries. There is a touch of wood spice, and the tannins are drying, suggesting a need for further age. Also a great showing, and much, much better than a bottle I opened a year ago, which was lean and angular, this bottle is much friendlier, but still I would age this wine longer.
1988 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
Lovely. Coy entry, showing tea notes and a drier fruit profile, great length with long sustain in the mouth. The finish is particularly strong, long and sweet and detailed. The nose is also especially impressive, clean, and gains in clarity as the wine airs. Wow, is this lovely and pure. A "flirty" underlying sweetness, not overt. Nose of rose garden, flowers and earth. The last glass is very smooth, with dusty fruit, great cohesion and balance.
1958 Borgogno Barolo
I think this is my fourth time with this wine this year. The color is soft and fuzzy, like raspberry tea. The nose is surprisingly mute. The palate is not as young as the most recent bottle, neither is the color. Clearly, this '58 Borgogno is not topped off, and I am told that this is a "red cap", procured in Europe, which unlike bottles available in the US, are not topped off with younger juice. There is amazing inner sweetness to this wine, under the mushroom palate.
1971 Conterno Barolo
Amazing young, vibrant dark color, is this really 37 years old? Antonio keeps repeating "extraordinary" as he sips. The nose is effusive, with mahogany wood, forest scents, musk, Thai curry and a touch of creaminess (OK, bear with me here. You know how Indian curry smells like spicy curry, but Thai curry is made softer and sweeter by the addition of coconut milk? That's what I smell. It is an inviting, alluring scent, to me at least). The palate shows dried red fruits and dusty tannin. Long finish, juicy and pulsing with energy long after one swallows. Greg calls this "stacked". Red fruit compote, soft mouthfeel with integrated tannin. Keeps getting better in the glass. Wow, what a palate. Gains in force and intensity on the palate, the last sip showing ripe strawberry, cherry and lots of intensity.
1967 Giacosa Barbaresco
The nose is really objectionable. Greg says Oregon truffles, but I get a green element, and I think broccoli. But, there is an inner sweetness amidst all that yucky green stuff. On the palate, a bit of roundness up front, then falls off. Flat. Yuck.
Begins quite nice, no oxidation, seems clean, but then a touch of mustiness develops with air. I'm enjoying this wine, it's direct and bright, and the Meursault-ness comes through with hazelnut, but there is at the same time an odd mustiness and Drew and I both question whether this wine has been damaged by TCA. If so, its not hugely corked, and I am still rather enjoying everything else in this wine, almost like I am able to compartmentalize the TCA and appreciate the other parts to this wine, and there is a lot to appreciate. I put this wine to the side and concentrate on the Chateauneuf for a few moments, but then come back to the Meursault and it's just explosive in its ripe yellow fruit, pulsing and juicy . . . and yet there is that mustiness. We decide that it's not TCA, but rather a bit of mold. After a 3am walk to Artichoke Pizza, we return to this wine and by now the moldiness has taken over completely and we can't drink it. Even at 3am, there was a 30 minute wait for pizza.
1999 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape "Reserve"
My experience with Vieille Julienne thus far has been limited to the "lowest" bottling, the $25-30 one (at least with respect to the vintages 98 through 01; I understand that the 05 "normale" is now $50+). That bottling has not impressed me thus far, and it's no wonder, given that the preferred juice goes into the "Vieilles Vignes" and this "Reserve" bottling which seems, in my experience, to have rendered the "normale" like the runt of the litter. Drew says that in '99, there was no "VV", so all the good juice went into this "Reserve". This Reserve was stunning right away after I pulled the cork. What impressed me initially was the grip, a solid structure keeping the huge mass of fruit in place, giving it both structure and defining its boundaries. Huge fruit at the fore, ripe but not overly so. Very polished, huge fruit, yet it is delineated and proportioned and not sloppy or spilling outside of its structure. Drew wants more garrigue and funk and more traditional Chateauneuf qualities, and I can appreciate what he means; this is one clean wine. It's not too spoofed or too slick, but it is polished. There is still some strong tannin here; this wine has years to further develop. A terrific showing.
The next night, I met Greg dal Piaz and Dan Tisch, along with Antonio Galloni and Jamie Wolff, for a night of Barolo. I typed these notes into my Blackberry, so apologies if they are abbreviated, but you get what you pay for; so there.
1982 Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero (bottle number 3872)
Nose of beef bullion and a touch burnt at first. Lots of fennel on the palate. The tannins are still firm but soft, giving structure and a touch of dryness, but overall the palate is quite juicy. Long finish with good sustain. The palate shows good sweetness and it's quite fresh, showing fennel, strawberry and roses. The wine gets darker in profile with air, the strawberry turning to cherry. That initial burnt aspect turns to woodsy, earthy, and smoky on the palate. Very rich, a giving palate, with huge midplate lift, quite juicy, and a long, sweet finish. A great showing.
1978 Vietti Barolo Rocche
corked
1990 Brovia Barolo Rocche
Much darker color than the Vietti that preceded it. A soft entry, with strawberry and tannins that show lots of grip but softly hug the wine. Really a great showing, round and balanced and full and clean, yet still with a touch of rusticity. Still young, but not primary, showing some secondaries. There is a touch of wood spice, and the tannins are drying, suggesting a need for further age. Also a great showing, and much, much better than a bottle I opened a year ago, which was lean and angular, this bottle is much friendlier, but still I would age this wine longer.
1988 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
Lovely. Coy entry, showing tea notes and a drier fruit profile, great length with long sustain in the mouth. The finish is particularly strong, long and sweet and detailed. The nose is also especially impressive, clean, and gains in clarity as the wine airs. Wow, is this lovely and pure. A "flirty" underlying sweetness, not overt. Nose of rose garden, flowers and earth. The last glass is very smooth, with dusty fruit, great cohesion and balance.
1958 Borgogno Barolo
I think this is my fourth time with this wine this year. The color is soft and fuzzy, like raspberry tea. The nose is surprisingly mute. The palate is not as young as the most recent bottle, neither is the color. Clearly, this '58 Borgogno is not topped off, and I am told that this is a "red cap", procured in Europe, which unlike bottles available in the US, are not topped off with younger juice. There is amazing inner sweetness to this wine, under the mushroom palate.
1971 Conterno Barolo
Amazing young, vibrant dark color, is this really 37 years old? Antonio keeps repeating "extraordinary" as he sips. The nose is effusive, with mahogany wood, forest scents, musk, Thai curry and a touch of creaminess (OK, bear with me here. You know how Indian curry smells like spicy curry, but Thai curry is made softer and sweeter by the addition of coconut milk? That's what I smell. It is an inviting, alluring scent, to me at least). The palate shows dried red fruits and dusty tannin. Long finish, juicy and pulsing with energy long after one swallows. Greg calls this "stacked". Red fruit compote, soft mouthfeel with integrated tannin. Keeps getting better in the glass. Wow, what a palate. Gains in force and intensity on the palate, the last sip showing ripe strawberry, cherry and lots of intensity.
1967 Giacosa Barbaresco
The nose is really objectionable. Greg says Oregon truffles, but I get a green element, and I think broccoli. But, there is an inner sweetness amidst all that yucky green stuff. On the palate, a bit of roundness up front, then falls off. Flat. Yuck.