Levi Dalton
Levi Dalton
Awhile back, Greg dal Piaz was nice enough to organize and contribute the bottles for a 1980 Nebbiolo dinner. And he was nice enough to invite me. You don't hear much about the 1980 Piemonte vintage, so this was a good chance to take a look. All the wines were double decanted two to three hours ahead, served blind, and accompanied by food.
A little * next to the wine if I particularly enjoyed it.
* first wine served) A lifted, dusty nose, this smells more mature than it tastes. There is still a vibrant red fruit on the palate, intermixed with a tone of iron. More accents of rust and rebar with more air and time. Very appealing, classic.
this turns out to be- Filippo Sobrero Barolo 1980. Would presumably have been sourced from parcels of Monprivato and Villero, with perhaps other fruit as well. One of the last vintages produced by Sobrero. His Monprivato parcel was sold to Mauro Mascarello in the mid-1980s.
2) Darker and heavier than wine 1. Softer as well. Allusive of a warmer site. Bread notes on the nose. Has a quality of cupcake and chocolate nibs on the palate. Seems a bit fruity sweet, with an absence of hard tannins. Finishes with a burn of alcohol.
Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo 1980
3) Some aromas that seem old wood derived- sweaty musk, leather saddle, chicken coop type brett. Hint of iron. Some hints of reduction: this was probably not racked much after long lees contact. Red and dark fruit on the palate. Some hint of iron and green stalk: a vegetal minerality on the palate. This green element and combined with the brett make this wine more interesting than pleasurable for me.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco (Torre) 1980
* 4) Decent at first, with an aspect of bugspray on the nose that is a bit distracting. This dissipates and the wine gets better and better in the glass. A bit of the gravel note of developed Nebbiolo. A green leaf selvatica note comes up in the glass, bringing more appeal.
Cappellano Barolo 1980
This would have been 10 years into Baldo's winemaking career in Serralunga (first vintage- 1970). He would have been in his mid 30s. It would have been before he purchased the two parcels of Gabutti, which he did in the mid-1980s (the first Otin Fiorin bottling was a 1990). This would have been from fruit purchased from Serralunga sources, perhaps from Gabutti (he was buying Gabutti fruit before he bought the parcels, from 1976 says Wasserman), perhaps from Parafada, Baudana, and/or Carpegna (say a combination of Wasserman as well as Vastola).
5) A mature, leathery nose and leather follows into the beginning of the palate. The palate moves into a prune note, which is pleasant enough, with some sweetness to the fruit. Texturally a bit "easy," rather than complex. This gets better after a couple of hours, but is still soft. Very good, but I would like more textural nuance.
Bruno Giacosa "Collina Rionda" Barolo 1980
I have walked this parcel that Giacosa would have been sourcing from, and there were Pie Franco vines in it (mostly now ripped out). I often find that Pie Franco give that more soft, less textural character in the finished wine. Also that parcel is positioned in a more southerly exposure of Rionda. It all makes sense that this would have been a bit soft texturally, although that is not something I remember from Giacosa's 1993 from Rionda.
6) More mature than the previous wines. A bit faded in its development- although certainly still enjoyable if you enjoy developed Barolo. An old wine sweetness to the character. A bit dilute. This fades even more over time in the glass. A bit simple. A bit green. Some hint of red licorice inside a mostly red fruit expression. Some red hots.
Brovia "Rocche" Barolo 1980
RIP Giacinto, a gentle soul.
* 7) An amazing nose!! My favorite aromatics of this lineup. A fantastic, mature aroma. Just what you would want. Some iron character. Just a fantastic wine. The palate follows similarly to the nose- lift and grip, sour cherry. Red rust and rebar. The fruit gets sweeter with time open.
Prunotto "Cannubi Riserva" Barolo 1980
Hats off to Beppe Colla for this wine, one of the best I have ever had from Prunotto.
* 8) Notably big heft: a big, big boy. Chocolate and mushroom dust on the nose. Not a lot of grip. Very dense. This is clearly Nebbiolo, but gives almost a sensation of being ripasso in style. Big fruit. Some cakey breadcrumbs. Gets sweeter and fresher with time. Best at the end of the dinner, with significant time.
Giuseppe Rinaldi "Brunate Riserva" Barolo 1980
I recently had an 1982 of this (labelled "Brunata"), and while it was not as hefty or dense as this 1980, there was that same fruit character. I know that there is a small quantity of Barbera vines intermixed with the Nebbiolo vines in Rinaldi's Brunate parcel (something that may also have been true of the parcel of Rionda that Giacosa sourced from).
9) A much lighter color. Lots of cherry cough syrup. A straightforward nose. A bit of softness in its maturity. A sweet yam. Some blueberries. Definitely smells of Nebbiolo, though.
Vietti "Rocche" Barolo 1980
Perhaps not a profound vintage for Rocche di Castiglione, as both the Vietti and the Brovia might have been better in this lineup. Those two parcels are next to each other on the slope of Rocche.
10) Soft, supple, but refined. Coffee bean aroma. There is an aroma of refined oak use, as well as mint chocolate. Some cranberry. Big boned, structurally. A bit of a dried character.
Aldo Conterno "Colonnello - Bricco Bussia" Barolo 1980
Aldo Conterno preferred Michet to Lampia, and learning this has helped me understand the wines a bit better. Certainly the note for this wine is in keeping with Michet. This 1980 would have still seen Aldo at the helm of the winery.
* 11) Rust, chocolate (swiss miss), coffee bean, mint, and blueberry on the nose. Broad fruit on the palate. Some hints of wild herb on the palate. Starts with darker fruit and then moves to more of a red fruit expression of cherry candy and cranberry. The finish has a lift to it. A good wine that is open and ready.
Giacomo Conterno "Cascina Francia Riserva" Barolo 1980
This would have been from Giovanni's era, considerably before Roberto started assisting his father full time. This would have also been early years for Giacomo Conterno and Cascina Francia- they purchased the parcel in the mid-1970s. It is interesting to me to compare Giovanni's work with his brother Aldo's work at this point of 1980. Both took a step back in the late 1980s to some degree in terms of their winery work. This was them in their mature prime, after having taken split directions in the late 1960s.
My impression was that a 1980 Barolo, if the bottle has been stored well, can be very rewarding. I would be curious to try more examples, but you rarely find them available or even talked about.
A little * next to the wine if I particularly enjoyed it.
* first wine served) A lifted, dusty nose, this smells more mature than it tastes. There is still a vibrant red fruit on the palate, intermixed with a tone of iron. More accents of rust and rebar with more air and time. Very appealing, classic.
this turns out to be- Filippo Sobrero Barolo 1980. Would presumably have been sourced from parcels of Monprivato and Villero, with perhaps other fruit as well. One of the last vintages produced by Sobrero. His Monprivato parcel was sold to Mauro Mascarello in the mid-1980s.
2) Darker and heavier than wine 1. Softer as well. Allusive of a warmer site. Bread notes on the nose. Has a quality of cupcake and chocolate nibs on the palate. Seems a bit fruity sweet, with an absence of hard tannins. Finishes with a burn of alcohol.
Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo 1980
3) Some aromas that seem old wood derived- sweaty musk, leather saddle, chicken coop type brett. Hint of iron. Some hints of reduction: this was probably not racked much after long lees contact. Red and dark fruit on the palate. Some hint of iron and green stalk: a vegetal minerality on the palate. This green element and combined with the brett make this wine more interesting than pleasurable for me.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco (Torre) 1980
* 4) Decent at first, with an aspect of bugspray on the nose that is a bit distracting. This dissipates and the wine gets better and better in the glass. A bit of the gravel note of developed Nebbiolo. A green leaf selvatica note comes up in the glass, bringing more appeal.
Cappellano Barolo 1980
This would have been 10 years into Baldo's winemaking career in Serralunga (first vintage- 1970). He would have been in his mid 30s. It would have been before he purchased the two parcels of Gabutti, which he did in the mid-1980s (the first Otin Fiorin bottling was a 1990). This would have been from fruit purchased from Serralunga sources, perhaps from Gabutti (he was buying Gabutti fruit before he bought the parcels, from 1976 says Wasserman), perhaps from Parafada, Baudana, and/or Carpegna (say a combination of Wasserman as well as Vastola).
5) A mature, leathery nose and leather follows into the beginning of the palate. The palate moves into a prune note, which is pleasant enough, with some sweetness to the fruit. Texturally a bit "easy," rather than complex. This gets better after a couple of hours, but is still soft. Very good, but I would like more textural nuance.
Bruno Giacosa "Collina Rionda" Barolo 1980
I have walked this parcel that Giacosa would have been sourcing from, and there were Pie Franco vines in it (mostly now ripped out). I often find that Pie Franco give that more soft, less textural character in the finished wine. Also that parcel is positioned in a more southerly exposure of Rionda. It all makes sense that this would have been a bit soft texturally, although that is not something I remember from Giacosa's 1993 from Rionda.
6) More mature than the previous wines. A bit faded in its development- although certainly still enjoyable if you enjoy developed Barolo. An old wine sweetness to the character. A bit dilute. This fades even more over time in the glass. A bit simple. A bit green. Some hint of red licorice inside a mostly red fruit expression. Some red hots.
Brovia "Rocche" Barolo 1980
RIP Giacinto, a gentle soul.
* 7) An amazing nose!! My favorite aromatics of this lineup. A fantastic, mature aroma. Just what you would want. Some iron character. Just a fantastic wine. The palate follows similarly to the nose- lift and grip, sour cherry. Red rust and rebar. The fruit gets sweeter with time open.
Prunotto "Cannubi Riserva" Barolo 1980
Hats off to Beppe Colla for this wine, one of the best I have ever had from Prunotto.
* 8) Notably big heft: a big, big boy. Chocolate and mushroom dust on the nose. Not a lot of grip. Very dense. This is clearly Nebbiolo, but gives almost a sensation of being ripasso in style. Big fruit. Some cakey breadcrumbs. Gets sweeter and fresher with time. Best at the end of the dinner, with significant time.
Giuseppe Rinaldi "Brunate Riserva" Barolo 1980
I recently had an 1982 of this (labelled "Brunata"), and while it was not as hefty or dense as this 1980, there was that same fruit character. I know that there is a small quantity of Barbera vines intermixed with the Nebbiolo vines in Rinaldi's Brunate parcel (something that may also have been true of the parcel of Rionda that Giacosa sourced from).
9) A much lighter color. Lots of cherry cough syrup. A straightforward nose. A bit of softness in its maturity. A sweet yam. Some blueberries. Definitely smells of Nebbiolo, though.
Vietti "Rocche" Barolo 1980
Perhaps not a profound vintage for Rocche di Castiglione, as both the Vietti and the Brovia might have been better in this lineup. Those two parcels are next to each other on the slope of Rocche.
10) Soft, supple, but refined. Coffee bean aroma. There is an aroma of refined oak use, as well as mint chocolate. Some cranberry. Big boned, structurally. A bit of a dried character.
Aldo Conterno "Colonnello - Bricco Bussia" Barolo 1980
Aldo Conterno preferred Michet to Lampia, and learning this has helped me understand the wines a bit better. Certainly the note for this wine is in keeping with Michet. This 1980 would have still seen Aldo at the helm of the winery.
* 11) Rust, chocolate (swiss miss), coffee bean, mint, and blueberry on the nose. Broad fruit on the palate. Some hints of wild herb on the palate. Starts with darker fruit and then moves to more of a red fruit expression of cherry candy and cranberry. The finish has a lift to it. A good wine that is open and ready.
Giacomo Conterno "Cascina Francia Riserva" Barolo 1980
This would have been from Giovanni's era, considerably before Roberto started assisting his father full time. This would have also been early years for Giacomo Conterno and Cascina Francia- they purchased the parcel in the mid-1970s. It is interesting to me to compare Giovanni's work with his brother Aldo's work at this point of 1980. Both took a step back in the late 1980s to some degree in terms of their winery work. This was them in their mature prime, after having taken split directions in the late 1960s.
My impression was that a 1980 Barolo, if the bottle has been stored well, can be very rewarding. I would be curious to try more examples, but you rarely find them available or even talked about.