2005 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cascina Francia
"Lovely, as usual. Plenty of berry, cherry and dark plum fruit, with impressive purity and clarity, underlined by terrific, bright acidity . . . Since my last bottle (in February, 09) this wine has condensed somewhat and is less lush." I wrote these words in October 2009, and the wine is virtually identical today, except it may have condensed a bit more. The "sweet meat note" I also cited is still present, although less so. I can't think of any other Barbera I'd rather drink.
2004 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo
Amazing purity of fruit, juicy acidity, berries, cherry. Good balance. Tannins soft initially, but one can sense on the finish that this wine still needs time. Meanwhile, the midpalate is oh so nice right now.
2004 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d'Alba
Good purity. Nice aromatics. No detailed note. Drinking well.
2003 Giovanni Rosso Barolo Serralunga
Really, not bad, especially given the hot vintage. I don't get over-ripeness or raisiny fruit. It's masculine and dark, yet not spoofed. Deb notes that high alcohol (14.5%). The tannin is grippy and strong. Definitely drinkable.
2000 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Faset
In a good spot now. Plenty of dark plumy, cherry fruit, more towards the dark fruit side of the spectrum than red cherry. Good weight in the mouth and midpalate fullness, while the palate shows just a touch of softness and a slight relaxing of texture.
2000 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Ca'mia
The nose shows nuances of garden flowers, freshly dug earth and a bit of tire rubber that I often get in Syrah, along with a suggestion of dried flowers that I think will emerge more with time. The palate shows good balance and plenty of stuffing, the structure is still formidable, with the tannin dry yet sweet, with dry red tea notes. The palate is user friendly and yet there is plenty in reserve here, plenty of fruit and plenty of structure. Are people really debating whether 2000 Barolo is at peak? Not this one. Not as burly as I recall the '99 Ca' mia four or five years ago, less coarse, less powerful, more refined, but still in need of time.
2000 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo
Begins slightly tight, not tight like young, tannic Barolo tight, more as in undeveloped and showing structure, but the palate still gives way to dusty red fruit and a dusting of spices, including cinnamon and a curry note that Dave picks up. The tannins are tapered, sweet tannins, rather than the firm, unyielding tannin of young Barolo. Good sweetness on the palate, and really impressive length. The finish is long, sweet and detailed. Five years and this should really be something special. Today, it's definitely good, but has a lot of room for further improvement. Needs to broaden on the palate.
1996 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Barbaresco Sorì Paitin
Dark profile, dark cherries and forest floor notes. No excess oak, which is different than past experiences with this wine, suggesting that this wine is integrating nicely. Good grip, tannins still strong but softening, plenty of acidity. Enjoyed over three nights, with no degradation. Developing well.
1993 Roagna Barbaresco Riserva
A very good showing. Opens up rather quickly after uncorking; the wine is clearly ready. Good nose and entry of smooth red and dark fruits with touches of strawberry, hints of rust in-line with some age, some soil and sous bois notes, and touches of cinnamon amidst the fruit. The texture here is resolved, the wine is smooth in the mouth and the tannins very light. I would like this better if the midpalate had a bit more oomph, but apart from that, the wine is very enjoyable and drinking well.
1999 La Magia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Nice Brunello. Dried cherries and cocoa, great Sangio typicity of herbs and spice and leather. The tannins are soft while the acidity high and the fruit still juicy. While there is smoothness around the edges, there is still a competing ruggedness; the cocoa suggests a dusty palate, but it's more silky in texture; and all the while the fruit is really focused and still juicy and vibrant. May have been spoofed in the past, but now it's resolved and cohesive. A note of chocolate as it airs. Nice showing. Drink now or hold.
1999 Podere Loreto (Mastrojanni) Brunello di Montalcino
This wine is in an excellent place right now. Immediately upon uncorking, the palate shows granular strawberry and blackberry fruit, a long, juicy finish, and bright acidity. With some air time, it becomes even more expressive, as blood orange, leather, liquorice and light balsamic notes emerge. The tannins have softened considerably, the palate broad and giving, the mouthfeel soft and caressing. I hosted a vertical of 2001 Brunello and other Tuscan wines a few weeks prior, and this wine is more impressive and memorable than most of those 01's. If you have this in your cellar, you should check in on it.
2001 Scopetone Brunello di Montalcino
This bottle did not get opened during our 2001 Brunello and Other Tuscan tasting in January. I'm very glad that I was able to enjoy it on its own, as it may have otherwise been overshadowed by some of the bigger, more modern Sangios on the table that night. This Scopetone is not about size or volume. It showed very nice purity of dark cherry-plum fruit and light leather touches on a palate that is very well-proportioned and not over-scaled. The tannins are still there, but have been smoothed over the past 10 years, and the wine is still young and fresh, albeit slightly rounder around the edges. No degradation over night. Just terrific.
2004 Fattoria Le Pupille (Elisabetta Geppetti) Morellino di Scansano Riserva Poggio Valente
Modern in style, plummy dark fruit framed by oak. With time, the oak recedes somewhat, but this is still plump, modern and lacks sense of place and Sangio nuance. Even at a $16 closeout (less than half the going rate a few years ago), I would not buy this. Multiple bottles over the past few months with consistent results.
"Lovely, as usual. Plenty of berry, cherry and dark plum fruit, with impressive purity and clarity, underlined by terrific, bright acidity . . . Since my last bottle (in February, 09) this wine has condensed somewhat and is less lush." I wrote these words in October 2009, and the wine is virtually identical today, except it may have condensed a bit more. The "sweet meat note" I also cited is still present, although less so. I can't think of any other Barbera I'd rather drink.
2004 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo
Amazing purity of fruit, juicy acidity, berries, cherry. Good balance. Tannins soft initially, but one can sense on the finish that this wine still needs time. Meanwhile, the midpalate is oh so nice right now.
2004 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d'Alba
Good purity. Nice aromatics. No detailed note. Drinking well.
2003 Giovanni Rosso Barolo Serralunga
Really, not bad, especially given the hot vintage. I don't get over-ripeness or raisiny fruit. It's masculine and dark, yet not spoofed. Deb notes that high alcohol (14.5%). The tannin is grippy and strong. Definitely drinkable.
2000 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Faset
In a good spot now. Plenty of dark plumy, cherry fruit, more towards the dark fruit side of the spectrum than red cherry. Good weight in the mouth and midpalate fullness, while the palate shows just a touch of softness and a slight relaxing of texture.
2000 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Ca'mia
The nose shows nuances of garden flowers, freshly dug earth and a bit of tire rubber that I often get in Syrah, along with a suggestion of dried flowers that I think will emerge more with time. The palate shows good balance and plenty of stuffing, the structure is still formidable, with the tannin dry yet sweet, with dry red tea notes. The palate is user friendly and yet there is plenty in reserve here, plenty of fruit and plenty of structure. Are people really debating whether 2000 Barolo is at peak? Not this one. Not as burly as I recall the '99 Ca' mia four or five years ago, less coarse, less powerful, more refined, but still in need of time.
2000 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo
Begins slightly tight, not tight like young, tannic Barolo tight, more as in undeveloped and showing structure, but the palate still gives way to dusty red fruit and a dusting of spices, including cinnamon and a curry note that Dave picks up. The tannins are tapered, sweet tannins, rather than the firm, unyielding tannin of young Barolo. Good sweetness on the palate, and really impressive length. The finish is long, sweet and detailed. Five years and this should really be something special. Today, it's definitely good, but has a lot of room for further improvement. Needs to broaden on the palate.
1996 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Barbaresco Sorì Paitin
Dark profile, dark cherries and forest floor notes. No excess oak, which is different than past experiences with this wine, suggesting that this wine is integrating nicely. Good grip, tannins still strong but softening, plenty of acidity. Enjoyed over three nights, with no degradation. Developing well.
1993 Roagna Barbaresco Riserva
A very good showing. Opens up rather quickly after uncorking; the wine is clearly ready. Good nose and entry of smooth red and dark fruits with touches of strawberry, hints of rust in-line with some age, some soil and sous bois notes, and touches of cinnamon amidst the fruit. The texture here is resolved, the wine is smooth in the mouth and the tannins very light. I would like this better if the midpalate had a bit more oomph, but apart from that, the wine is very enjoyable and drinking well.
1999 La Magia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Nice Brunello. Dried cherries and cocoa, great Sangio typicity of herbs and spice and leather. The tannins are soft while the acidity high and the fruit still juicy. While there is smoothness around the edges, there is still a competing ruggedness; the cocoa suggests a dusty palate, but it's more silky in texture; and all the while the fruit is really focused and still juicy and vibrant. May have been spoofed in the past, but now it's resolved and cohesive. A note of chocolate as it airs. Nice showing. Drink now or hold.
1999 Podere Loreto (Mastrojanni) Brunello di Montalcino
This wine is in an excellent place right now. Immediately upon uncorking, the palate shows granular strawberry and blackberry fruit, a long, juicy finish, and bright acidity. With some air time, it becomes even more expressive, as blood orange, leather, liquorice and light balsamic notes emerge. The tannins have softened considerably, the palate broad and giving, the mouthfeel soft and caressing. I hosted a vertical of 2001 Brunello and other Tuscan wines a few weeks prior, and this wine is more impressive and memorable than most of those 01's. If you have this in your cellar, you should check in on it.
2001 Scopetone Brunello di Montalcino
This bottle did not get opened during our 2001 Brunello and Other Tuscan tasting in January. I'm very glad that I was able to enjoy it on its own, as it may have otherwise been overshadowed by some of the bigger, more modern Sangios on the table that night. This Scopetone is not about size or volume. It showed very nice purity of dark cherry-plum fruit and light leather touches on a palate that is very well-proportioned and not over-scaled. The tannins are still there, but have been smoothed over the past 10 years, and the wine is still young and fresh, albeit slightly rounder around the edges. No degradation over night. Just terrific.
2004 Fattoria Le Pupille (Elisabetta Geppetti) Morellino di Scansano Riserva Poggio Valente
Modern in style, plummy dark fruit framed by oak. With time, the oak recedes somewhat, but this is still plump, modern and lacks sense of place and Sangio nuance. Even at a $16 closeout (less than half the going rate a few years ago), I would not buy this. Multiple bottles over the past few months with consistent results.