Levi Dalton
Levi Dalton
On several different occasions Luca Currado has been nice enough to pull older bottles from the Vietti cellar to share with me and others. In the process I have learned a lot, been surprised, and been in admiration of certain bottles and wines.
In most cases these were single decanted directly before service.
1999 Vietti "Scarrone - Vigne Vecchie" Barbera d'Alba:
In a good spot- a nice balance of the parts.
2001 Vietti "Rocche" Barolo:
Good, but very young. Shows some severity. Also shows a clear Rocche signature.
1998 Vietti "Brunate" Barolo:
In a special spot- ready to drink. A mature nose, that is especially appealing right now. In the zone. Nicely layered.
1975 Vietti Freisa:
The nose highlights the gravel edged, darker tone of Freisa. The palate is mature, with licorice accents and browned fruit. A bit of sweetness. Savory venison jus on the finish.
* 1988 Vietti Pelaverga:
No longer made.
Luca is not sure where the plot of Pelaverga was that this was sourced from. Exhibits a very nice nose of wild red fruit and game. Still showing clip and lift, after all this time. Really quite good, and more evidence that Pelaverga can age. A blend of deer meat and red berries. Nice mid-palate depth. The finish goes into a caramel twist. This firms up some and darkens with a double decant. Finish seems to get shorter with air.
1982 Vietti "Fioretto":
This was a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera from the Scarrone vineyard. It is no longer made.
Smells amazing. A lifted nose with a gorgeous perfume. Also nice on the palate. Mostly in the red fruit idiom, but there is some blueberry as well. Has some textural elements in a grainy way. Red fruit that is a touch sweet tinged. Exhibits noticeable acidity.
1985 Vietti Barbera d'Alba:
A very mature bottle, exhibiting dry tannins. Some gaminess. The red fruit perfume is better than the palate, which turns a little shrill. Some unexpected lemon hints on the palate. As well as game. Short finish.
1979 Vietti "Bussia" Barbera d'Alba:
This parcel has now been replanted to Nebbiolo. The parcel had been owned by Zabaldano in 1979, and is now owned by Prunotto (Antinori). Alfredo Currado rented a piece of the parcel from Zabaldano.
Lighter, not heavy. A bit of banana peel. Seems ready to drink. Some acidity exhibited, but not so much lift. Pretty seamless for a Barbera. Luca indicates this could have been aged in chestnut wood, and there are allusions to that on the palate.
1949 Vietti "Barbera e Freisa":
A blend of Barbera and Freisa.
Very fresh: in fact, shockingly fresh. Has red fruit and lift. A totally socking experience to find this wine tasting so young. Luca theorizes that this did malo in bottle over a long time period, and that this accounts for the freshness we find today.
1979 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
This was a different blend of parcels than you would find composing the Masseria today.
Lifted balsamico and twigs on the nose. Also brown sugar on the nose, in an appealing way. Brown honey on the finish.
1978 Vietti "Briacca" Barolo:
This was 100% Nebbiolo Rosé. This parcel in Castiglione Falletto (Briacca has now been absorbed into what is called Rocche) was replanted by the owner (when the son took over from his father he replanted), and this wine is no longer made by Vietti.
Not a good showing. Showing its age in an overmature way.
1979 Vietti "Briacca" Barolo:
100% Nebbiolo Rosé.
Smells great- dusty red fruit. This gets fresher and fresher as it goes, and needs significant time in the glass to show its full potential.
1904 Cantina Sociale Barolo:
This would have been made at the cooperative cellar by Luca's ancestors.
Still has some color. Shows more and more splendor with time in glass. Daffodils, sunflowers, peas. A life affirming and inspiring wine.
On another evening:
1970 Vietti "Briacca" Barolo:
100% Nebbiolo Rosé.
Soft, red fruit that freshens in the glass and shows better with food than alone. Some noticeable oxidative character.
1979 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
Second time trying this.
A mature medium weight. Oily, with some brown accents to the big red fruit I would normally associate with Neive. A bit disjointed. At the time this came from a parcel of Cottà in Neive, but the Masseria no longer comes from there today.
1985 Vietti "Villero" Barolo:
A bit soft, but the fruit is holding up well. This was from back before they purchased an additional (adjoining) parcel in Villero from Luigi Oddero.
On another evening:
1980 Vietti Barbera d'Alba:
Pretty mature, has developed secondary character. Soft nuanced nose of burnt orange. Smoky miso and soy. Bouillon cube- the nose smells of beef stock. Picks up energy on the finish. This is best in the first 15 minutes. It loses something after that.
1985 Vietti "Bussia" Barbera d'Alba:
Luca says that malo happened in bottle here.
Very well preserved. Seems younger than a 1985 would show. Vibrant, but ultimately without much underlying depth.
1968 Vietti Dolcetto:
Overmature at this point. Luca says this was done with submerged cap.
* 1982 Vietti "Fioretto": second time tasting this
This was a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera from the Scarrone vineyard. It is no longer made.
I like it even more this time. A vibrant wine. Fresh plucked mountain berries, also something of rosemary. Smokey, with burnt sage and smoked seed hints. Like Turkish spices. Red currants. Becomes more harmonious with significant air.
* 1985 Vietti Grignolino:
Vibrant. Almost seems natural wine -like. There is something on the palate that recalls the Sardinian producer Panevino for me. Seems very alive, with a long finish. Vibrant red cherry. Smokey sage note develops with time.
* 1962 Vietti Barolo:
A blend of crus.
A nice nose that is very refined. Jumps right out of the glass. Vibrant mid-palate. Juicy and youthful red fruit. You suspect that this showing has benefited from the bottle never having been moved from the original cellar.
1971 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
Artist label (not all of the 71 Barbaresco were)
A wet earth nose. A touch of volatility. Nose is in the red fruit spectrum, with a touch of red earth as well. A bit mute on the nose, except for the top notes. Clover hints, like wild clover. Silver mint on the palate. Loses something on the finish.
1979 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
Third time trying this. This showing is different.
Malty, smokey, with a mulch hint. Not as appealing as last time.
1982 Vietti "Villero" Riserva Barolo:
Good, but fresher in the mouth than on the nose. All of the interest is in the palate, but also a bit foursquare. Good persistence of length, but ultimately a little simple. This was aged in chestnut. Alfredo felt Villero needed more time in cask to show all its characteristics, thus the Riserva aging length.
1988 Vietti "Rocche" Barolo:
The first taste and smell is lights out: Awesome. And there is definitely a lot to this, but the first sip turns out to have been the best. For the remainder, this is middle weight, with an orange caramel accent and fall leaves. The limestone signature of Rocche is obvious, and clear in the wine. A wild sage character adds interest.
In most cases these were single decanted directly before service.
1999 Vietti "Scarrone - Vigne Vecchie" Barbera d'Alba:
In a good spot- a nice balance of the parts.
2001 Vietti "Rocche" Barolo:
Good, but very young. Shows some severity. Also shows a clear Rocche signature.
1998 Vietti "Brunate" Barolo:
In a special spot- ready to drink. A mature nose, that is especially appealing right now. In the zone. Nicely layered.
1975 Vietti Freisa:
The nose highlights the gravel edged, darker tone of Freisa. The palate is mature, with licorice accents and browned fruit. A bit of sweetness. Savory venison jus on the finish.
* 1988 Vietti Pelaverga:
No longer made.
Luca is not sure where the plot of Pelaverga was that this was sourced from. Exhibits a very nice nose of wild red fruit and game. Still showing clip and lift, after all this time. Really quite good, and more evidence that Pelaverga can age. A blend of deer meat and red berries. Nice mid-palate depth. The finish goes into a caramel twist. This firms up some and darkens with a double decant. Finish seems to get shorter with air.
1982 Vietti "Fioretto":
This was a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera from the Scarrone vineyard. It is no longer made.
Smells amazing. A lifted nose with a gorgeous perfume. Also nice on the palate. Mostly in the red fruit idiom, but there is some blueberry as well. Has some textural elements in a grainy way. Red fruit that is a touch sweet tinged. Exhibits noticeable acidity.
1985 Vietti Barbera d'Alba:
A very mature bottle, exhibiting dry tannins. Some gaminess. The red fruit perfume is better than the palate, which turns a little shrill. Some unexpected lemon hints on the palate. As well as game. Short finish.
1979 Vietti "Bussia" Barbera d'Alba:
This parcel has now been replanted to Nebbiolo. The parcel had been owned by Zabaldano in 1979, and is now owned by Prunotto (Antinori). Alfredo Currado rented a piece of the parcel from Zabaldano.
Lighter, not heavy. A bit of banana peel. Seems ready to drink. Some acidity exhibited, but not so much lift. Pretty seamless for a Barbera. Luca indicates this could have been aged in chestnut wood, and there are allusions to that on the palate.
1949 Vietti "Barbera e Freisa":
A blend of Barbera and Freisa.
Very fresh: in fact, shockingly fresh. Has red fruit and lift. A totally socking experience to find this wine tasting so young. Luca theorizes that this did malo in bottle over a long time period, and that this accounts for the freshness we find today.
1979 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
This was a different blend of parcels than you would find composing the Masseria today.
Lifted balsamico and twigs on the nose. Also brown sugar on the nose, in an appealing way. Brown honey on the finish.
1978 Vietti "Briacca" Barolo:
This was 100% Nebbiolo Rosé. This parcel in Castiglione Falletto (Briacca has now been absorbed into what is called Rocche) was replanted by the owner (when the son took over from his father he replanted), and this wine is no longer made by Vietti.
Not a good showing. Showing its age in an overmature way.
1979 Vietti "Briacca" Barolo:
100% Nebbiolo Rosé.
Smells great- dusty red fruit. This gets fresher and fresher as it goes, and needs significant time in the glass to show its full potential.
1904 Cantina Sociale Barolo:
This would have been made at the cooperative cellar by Luca's ancestors.
Still has some color. Shows more and more splendor with time in glass. Daffodils, sunflowers, peas. A life affirming and inspiring wine.
On another evening:
1970 Vietti "Briacca" Barolo:
100% Nebbiolo Rosé.
Soft, red fruit that freshens in the glass and shows better with food than alone. Some noticeable oxidative character.
1979 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
Second time trying this.
A mature medium weight. Oily, with some brown accents to the big red fruit I would normally associate with Neive. A bit disjointed. At the time this came from a parcel of Cottà in Neive, but the Masseria no longer comes from there today.
1985 Vietti "Villero" Barolo:
A bit soft, but the fruit is holding up well. This was from back before they purchased an additional (adjoining) parcel in Villero from Luigi Oddero.
On another evening:
1980 Vietti Barbera d'Alba:
Pretty mature, has developed secondary character. Soft nuanced nose of burnt orange. Smoky miso and soy. Bouillon cube- the nose smells of beef stock. Picks up energy on the finish. This is best in the first 15 minutes. It loses something after that.
1985 Vietti "Bussia" Barbera d'Alba:
Luca says that malo happened in bottle here.
Very well preserved. Seems younger than a 1985 would show. Vibrant, but ultimately without much underlying depth.
1968 Vietti Dolcetto:
Overmature at this point. Luca says this was done with submerged cap.
* 1982 Vietti "Fioretto": second time tasting this
This was a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera from the Scarrone vineyard. It is no longer made.
I like it even more this time. A vibrant wine. Fresh plucked mountain berries, also something of rosemary. Smokey, with burnt sage and smoked seed hints. Like Turkish spices. Red currants. Becomes more harmonious with significant air.
* 1985 Vietti Grignolino:
Vibrant. Almost seems natural wine -like. There is something on the palate that recalls the Sardinian producer Panevino for me. Seems very alive, with a long finish. Vibrant red cherry. Smokey sage note develops with time.
* 1962 Vietti Barolo:
A blend of crus.
A nice nose that is very refined. Jumps right out of the glass. Vibrant mid-palate. Juicy and youthful red fruit. You suspect that this showing has benefited from the bottle never having been moved from the original cellar.
1971 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
Artist label (not all of the 71 Barbaresco were)
A wet earth nose. A touch of volatility. Nose is in the red fruit spectrum, with a touch of red earth as well. A bit mute on the nose, except for the top notes. Clover hints, like wild clover. Silver mint on the palate. Loses something on the finish.
1979 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco:
Third time trying this. This showing is different.
Malty, smokey, with a mulch hint. Not as appealing as last time.
1982 Vietti "Villero" Riserva Barolo:
Good, but fresher in the mouth than on the nose. All of the interest is in the palate, but also a bit foursquare. Good persistence of length, but ultimately a little simple. This was aged in chestnut. Alfredo felt Villero needed more time in cask to show all its characteristics, thus the Riserva aging length.
1988 Vietti "Rocche" Barolo:
The first taste and smell is lights out: Awesome. And there is definitely a lot to this, but the first sip turns out to have been the best. For the remainder, this is middle weight, with an orange caramel accent and fall leaves. The limestone signature of Rocche is obvious, and clear in the wine. A wild sage character adds interest.