Chionetti Dolcetto retrospective

L

Levi Dalton

Levi Dalton
Quinto Chionetti, who was acknowledged as one of the finest Dolcetto producers and an icon of the Dogliani zone, died this past September. In November there was a tribute retrospective of the Chionetti wines, and I was in attendance. The winery began cru bottlings in the 1970s. In a sad turn in the winery history, Quinto's son and granddaughter were both killed in a car accident in 1988. After that happened, Quinto returned to take up the reigns of the winery that his son had been more involved in since the 1970s. Quinto eventually had more help from his daughter-in-law, who left her other profession to help at the winery in 1999, and from his grandson Nicola, who took over the winery in 2013. Nicola was present for the retrospective.

In the last two years the winery has made two purchases of Barolo vines (with one parcel in Bussia and another in Parussi), so there will be Chionetti Barolo released in the future.

The tasting went youngest vintage to oldest. A * means I particularly enjoyed it.

2015 San Luigi Dogliani
There is more clay in the soil of the San Luigi parcel than in Briccolero. Today the San Luigi vines are 20 years old. San Luigi is vinified in stainless and matured with no oak (in the future they may move back to concrete).
Lifted aromatics of macerated cherries and bramble, also wild strawberries. Some coffee ground hints. Turns a bit gangly and simple on the finish. I am not so into this.

2015 Briccolero Dogliani
They use a percentage of used French oak botte for the Briccolero (3000 L).
More restrained, more nuanced, and more interesting than the 2015 San Luigi. There is an older vine character here. A decent wine that misses greatness, for me.

2014 San Luigi
Mostly on the fruit up front, with plum and spicy fruit. Finish gets a little strained.

2014 Briccolero
Noticeably more developed than the 2015 Briccolero. A bit of yellow fruit on the nose. Some smokiness. More of a red fruit character on the palate.

2013 San Luigi
Simple nose and a straightforward palate. Macerated cherry and hints of cardamom. Short finish.

2013 Briccolero
Big and plump nose, with big fruit. Speaks to a warmer vintage. Hints of fine coffee grounds.

* 2011 San Luigi
Some reduction on the nose. This has a darker nose than the younger vintages do, and also deeper fruit and more serious structure. Dark cherry, as well as some fruit that is more bright. Some cooking chocolate. Clearly this is attempting serious Dolcetto status. The finish is straightforward and simple, though.

2011 Briccolero
Smells like a different animal than the younger vintages. The nose is restrained, and seems a bit bruised- possibly this is not the best bottle of this. Deep fruit and a smokey accent. The volatility here is a bit odd- again, perhaps not the best showing for this.

2010 Briccolero
Pruney. Some alcohol showing. This is moving into secondary development, and the primary fruit is receeding. Not particularly harmonious today- perhaps catching this wine at an odd moment, with the alcohol showing. This does show more integration with some air. Perhaps this just needs a little more bottle age to get through this phase.

2008 Briccolero
Said to have been a difficult year.
Has the darker fruit of the 2011, also with some red fruit. This was a hand carry from Italy, and may not be showing well- there is a milky character here that is distracting, and the nose is somewhat off.

2003 Briccolero
The winery irrigated in 2003, the only year that they have done so.
Evolved and meaty. Aspects of twigs. Oxidative notes on the nose and on the palate. There is some level of freshness here, but the wine is not super appealing at the moment.

2005 San Luigi and 2004 San Luigi
Both corked, unfortunately.

* 1998 Briccolero
A good wine that is showing well, if a bit soft. In the zone for drinking now. The nose is nuanced, complex, and developed. A hint of sweetness on the mid-palate that is appealing. A very appealing mix of mint and sage on the finish.

* 1996 San Luigi
Soft, but appealing. I can imagine this might have been better drunk a couple of years ago, but it is still good. Mostly on the red fruit, not with the dark or compact notes that Briccolero can show at times. The fruit that it has is refined and red in tone. A bit of mint and sage. This is not a wine of gravitas, and it is soft, but it is also very appealing as a pleasant drink.

Overall this tasting was a bit of a mixed bag, but from those 1990s vintages I did come away with some idea of the kinds of wines that made Chionetti famous. And there was more reinforcement for the idea that I have that well done Dolcetto can evolve nicely with 15 or so years in the bottle. I have had examples from other wineries as well that have proved the point for me.
 
Interesting report, thanks for sharing Levi.

I bought 2004 and 2005 Briccolero and found them relatively enjoyable, initially. I didn't care for how they developed over time, however.

Last bottle of '04 was drunk in 2011 and showed a strong graphite/pencil lead character. The fruit had mostly receded yet there were still some tannins present. The wine had lasted, yes. Was the place it had gone particularly interesting, no.

Since this experiment I've drunk dolcetto wines young, and have enjoyed bottles from Roagna, Bartolo Mascarello, Cavallotto, Cascina Luisin and Burlotto. I don't see many examples from Dogliani in my market, other than Chionetti.
 
originally posted by slaton:
Interesting report, thanks for sharing Levi.

I bought 2004 and 2005 Briccolero and found them relatively enjoyable, initially. I didn't care for how they developed over time, however.

Last bottle of '04 was drunk in 2011 and showed a strong graphite/pencil lead character. The fruit had mostly receded yet there were still some tannins present. The wine had lasted, yes. Was the place it had gone particularly interesting, no.

Since this experiment I've drunk dolcetto wines young, and have enjoyed bottles from Roagna, Bartolo Mascarello, Cavallotto, Cascina Luisin and Burlotto. I don't see many examples from Dogliani in my market, other than Chionetti.
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No San Fereolo where you are?

I have had good experiences with aged San Fereolo and aged Roddolo, as well as aged Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto, among others.
 
I'm in San Francisco. A quick look at WS didn't turn up any recent vintages of San Fereolo or Roddolo available in CA.
 
originally posted by slaton:
I'm in San Francisco. A quick look at WS didn't turn up any recent vintages of San Fereolo or Roddolo available in CA.
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Roddolo, sure. Probably not. But San Fereolo is a Rosenthal wine now, so I am surprised that you can't find it.
 
Thanks for the report, Levi. I've had some delicious 1999 Briccolero (in 2012-13) and some good 1996 Briccolero (and B. Mascarello) that remained austere but did give more after a day open.
 
Levi,

Is Beppe Ca'viola still the enologist at Chionetti?

I've never found Dolcetto to gain anything to replace the fruit notes that it loses with age, but your notes suggest I shouldn't give up entirely.
 
Mark,

Dolcetto is an odd bird, in the sense that the best examples are deeply colored and often somewhat tannic, but it isn't known for aging. I don't think most Dolcetto producers think of their wine as ageworthy, and I wouldn't use ageworthiness as an indicator of quality.
 
originally posted by Oliver McCrum:
Mark,

Dolcetto is an odd bird, in the sense that the best examples are deeply colored and often somewhat tannic, but it isn't known for aging. I don't think most Dolcetto producers think of their wine as ageworthy, and I wouldn't use ageworthiness as an indicator of quality.
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This is a bit of blinkered view, and frankly untrue. If you speak with Flavio Roddolo or Nicoletta Bocca, they don't have any problem saying that Dolcetto can age. In fact, they regularly make wines that prove the case. Of course, not everyone has the same level of commitment to the grape, and not all versions can age. Bocca specifically says it has to do with soil type, and makes bottlings based on that.
 
Well, it might be blinkered, but it's not untrue. I said that most Dolcetto producers don't think of their variety as ageworthy; you've named two who do think that, although I've never been fortunate enough to taste the proof. I imagine there are a few others, but not by any means most.

I have never seen Dolcetto served aged in Dogliani, or the Langhe generally. In fact I once asked the woman at the restaurant in the heart of Dogliani called Albero Fiorito why she didn't list vintages after the names of the 25 or so Dogliani Dolcettos they had, and she looked at me like an idiot and said 'because they're all from the most recent vintage.' I imagine there are exceptions here too; I saw a list of old Moscato d'Asti on a list once. À chacun son goût.

I don't want people underestimating the variety because it doesn't age well. I love Dolcetto, I drink a ton of it, I spend a month a year in the Dogliani appellation practically immersed in it, I just don't find it ages.
 
originally posted by Oliver McCrum:
Well, it might be blinkered, but it's not untrue. I said that most Dolcetto producers don't think of their variety as ageworthy; you've named two who do think that, although I've never been fortunate enough to taste the proof. I imagine there are a few others, but not by any means most.

I have never seen Dolcetto served aged in Dogliani, or the Langhe generally. In fact I once asked the woman at the restaurant in the heart of Dogliani called Albero Fiorito why she didn't list vintages after the names of the 25 or so Dogliani Dolcettos they had, and she looked at me like an idiot and said 'because they're all from the most recent vintage.' I imagine there are exceptions here too; I saw a list of old Moscato d'Asti on a list once. À chacun son goût.

I don't want people underestimating the variety because it doesn't age well. I love Dolcetto, I drink a ton of it, I spend a month a year in the Dogliani appellation practically immersed in it, I just don't find it ages.
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Well Oliver, the next time you are in Dogliani, perhaps stop into San Fereolo and try Nicoletta Bocca's wines and then tell me what you think. Honestly, if you are telling me that you haven't tried San Fereolo, Roddolo, or Giacosa Dolcetto, that is like telling me that you have never had Lapierre, Foillard, or Clos de la Roilette, but you are sure that Beaujolais doesn't age. Also, it is somewhat astounding to me that you spend a month out of the year in Dogliani, yet have never tasted a San Fereolo Dolcetto. I mean, it isn't a secret.
 
Levi, I never said I hadn't tried them. I've tried them, I just don't like them as much as you do. You are enormously knowledgable about Italian wine, but that doesn't mean anyone who disagrees with you is a know-nothing idiot. You do yourself no credit by acting like that's the case.
 
originally posted by Oliver McCrum:
Levi, I never said I hadn't tried them. I've tried them, I just don't like them as much as you do. You are enormously knowledgable about Italian wine, but that doesn't mean anyone who disagrees with you is a no-nothing idiot. You do yourself no credit by acting like that's the case.
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Oliver, honestly, I am perplexed. You say "I've never been fortunate enough to taste the proof." Are you saying that you have had older Flavio Roddolo, like the 2001 for instance, or that you have had a San Fereolo "San Fereolo" that is ten years or more from harvest, or a Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto from the 1990s, say the 1994 vintage for instance, and found that the wine hadn't evolved pretty well if not terrifically well? Or what are you saying, exactly? I ask because you are going to extravagant lengths to show your expertise, saying how much time you spend in Dogliani each year and how much Dolcetto you drink, even accusing me of mistreating you, but you aren't addressing the question. Are you telling me that San Fereolo "San Fereolo" isn't capable of aging well? Have you had it?
 
In December, 2014, we opened a bottle of 1991 Bartolo Mascarello Dolcetto d’Alba (dai vigneti Monrobiolo, Rué, Giardino) that was alive and kicking, fruit still dominant over the acids, though a hint of oxidation suggested that it was past its prime.
 
Levi - what's your opinion of Marcarini's old-vine (as in century old) dolcetto Boschi di Berri?

Not to begrudge your epiphany moment, I find most older dolcetto underwhelms, as if there was something there once that is not there now.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
Levi - what's your opinion of Marcarini's old-vine (as in century old) dolcetto Boschi di Berri?
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I have been underwhelmed with that wine.

And Mark, it isn't "epiphany moment," it is several many. I have visited Roddolo twice, I have tasted with Nicoletta Bocca, I have had older Giacosa Dolcetto more than once. I have been to Brovia many times, and I have had Solatio with many years of age.

It is surprising to me that on the one hand, you have multiple producers who hold back and don't release their Dolcetto for six, seven, eight years, presumably because the wine is better cellared and it isn't ready for consumption yet, and on the other hand you have the collected wisdom shown in this thread. I guess you guys know better than they do.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Oliver McCrum:
Levi, I never said I hadn't tried them. I've tried them, I just don't like them as much as you do. You are enormously knowledgable about Italian wine, but that doesn't mean anyone who disagrees with you is a no-nothing idiot. You do yourself no credit by acting like that's the case.
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Oliver, honestly, I am perplexed. You say "I've never been fortunate enough to taste the proof." Are you saying that you have had older Flavio Roddolo, like the 2001 for instance, or that you have had a San Fereolo "San Fereolo" that is ten years or more from harvest, or a Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto from the 1990s, say the 1994 vintage for instance, and found that the wine hadn't evolved pretty well if not terrifically well? Or what are you saying, exactly? I ask because you are going to extravagant lengths to show your expertise, saying how much time you spend in Dogliani each year and how much Dolcetto you drink, even accusing me of mistreating you, but you aren't addressing the question. Are you telling me that San Fereolo "San Fereolo" isn't capable of aging well? Have you had it?
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Levi, you needn't be perplexed, I've said the same thing repeatedly, and I think my point is clear, even if you disagree with it. You shouldn't assume that the only reason I might possibly disagree with you is ignorance, though.

I have had a number of 8 or 10 year old Dolcettos from great producers, including 'San Fereolo,' and I have always found them less attractive than they are when younger. They develop a dry, kind of tarry quality that I don't like. It's nothing against the wine, in my view. And it's certainly nothing against the memory of Quinto Chionetti, who was a great man, and a great grower.
 
originally posted by Oliver McCrum:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Oliver McCrum:
Levi, I never said I hadn't tried them. I've tried them, I just don't like them as much as you do. You are enormously knowledgable about Italian wine, but that doesn't mean anyone who disagrees with you is a no-nothing idiot. You do yourself no credit by acting like that's the case.
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Oliver, honestly, I am perplexed. You say "I've never been fortunate enough to taste the proof." Are you saying that you have had older Flavio Roddolo, like the 2001 for instance, or that you have had a San Fereolo "San Fereolo" that is ten years or more from harvest, or a Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto from the 1990s, say the 1994 vintage for instance, and found that the wine hadn't evolved pretty well if not terrifically well? Or what are you saying, exactly? I ask because you are going to extravagant lengths to show your expertise, saying how much time you spend in Dogliani each year and how much Dolcetto you drink, even accusing me of mistreating you, but you aren't addressing the question. Are you telling me that San Fereolo "San Fereolo" isn't capable of aging well? Have you had it?
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Levi, you needn't be perplexed, I've said the same thing repeatedly, and I think my point is clear, even if you disagree with it. You shouldn't assume that the only reason I might possibly disagree with you is ignorance, though.

I have had a number of 8 or 10 year old Dolcettos from great producers, including 'San Fereolo,' and I have always found them less attractive than they are when younger. They develop a dry, kind of tarry quality that I don't like. It's nothing against the wine, in my view. And it's certainly nothing against the memory of Quinto Chionetti, who was a great man, and a great grower.
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So again, I would like to ask you specifically, because you have not answered the question, actually, although you imply that you have: Have you had the San Fereolo "San Fereolo" Dolcetto which is one of multiple Dolcetto that San Fereolo produces? In other words, have you had one of the wines that the producer intends to be drunk with age, and dedicates parcels to with that purpose? The wine that the producer says need to be given the time because of the nature of the soil type and the wines that are given? Because San Fereolo makes other Dolcetto, some of which are intended to be drunk younger, and you haven't clarified which you have tried, or for instance, given us a vintage that we might know which wine you were speaking of. You'll notice that I have given here in this thread several specific examples. I have found when you are trying to back up an opinion, citing specific wines is helpful.

But then I guess I shouldn't expect an importer to appreciate the wines of another importer.
 
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