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Impressions October 2020, Part II
- Thread starter VLM
- Start date
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
I think these are useful summaries: Coste Della Sesia, Colline Novaresi
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
I think these are useful summaries: Coste Della Sesia, Colline Novaresi
That is helpful. Colline Novarasi clearly is allowed to make and label a Barbera. But I went to the source and read the actual DOC rule for Coste della Sesia. Under the rules you are allowed up to 15% of other non-aromatic Piedmontese grape varieties in its DOC reds; therefore Barbera would be allowed in blending, but not as a stand-alone DOC wine. However, one could certainly make a non-DOC Barbera in Alto Piemonte. Other DOC Alto wines, say Lessona, only allow 15% of Uva Rara or Vespolina, so it would appear there that Barbera would not be allowed in blending.
originally posted by VLM:
...I wish more folks would grow Barbera in the Alto.
Well, Oltrepo Pavesse, it's nudging in that direction.
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by VLM:
...I wish more folks would grow Barbera in the Alto.
Well, Oltrepo Pavesse, it's nudging in that direction.
The Oltrepò Pavese is about 1½ hrs southeast of the area in question but the climate is quite different and so are the soils.
Mark Anisman
Mark Anisman
"2015 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Vigna Francia - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (10/9/2020)
What is immediately obvious is that this is meant to be "Impressive Wine". Dark and chewy with deep berry fruit and some savory notes. It just lacks a bit of nuance and soul. I think that my palate has become a bit jaded where I really want to see some personality in most wines. I think an earlier me or other folks would rate this wine higher but it leaves me a bit cold"
my sediments exactly. i stopped buying after the 2010 version when i was sure of the change in style. the wine now is rather simple. although i have resisted the gravitational pull experienced by Jeff.
i have long appreciated the counterpoint of mountain and non-piedmont derived nebbiolo. i know this is heresy, but the mountain nebbiolos always sat best at a buffet arranged with them in mind. but it was a hard recruitment job to get this nebbiolo version to California.
What is immediately obvious is that this is meant to be "Impressive Wine". Dark and chewy with deep berry fruit and some savory notes. It just lacks a bit of nuance and soul. I think that my palate has become a bit jaded where I really want to see some personality in most wines. I think an earlier me or other folks would rate this wine higher but it leaves me a bit cold"
my sediments exactly. i stopped buying after the 2010 version when i was sure of the change in style. the wine now is rather simple. although i have resisted the gravitational pull experienced by Jeff.
i have long appreciated the counterpoint of mountain and non-piedmont derived nebbiolo. i know this is heresy, but the mountain nebbiolos always sat best at a buffet arranged with them in mind. but it was a hard recruitment job to get this nebbiolo version to California.
originally posted by Mark Anisman:
i have long appreciated the counterpoint of mountain and non-piedmont derived nebbiolo. i know this is heresy, but the mountain nebbiolos always sat best at a buffet arranged with them in mind. but it was a hard recruitment job to get this nebbiolo version to California.
I'm guessing you could be a tad less cryptic if you put your mind to it. What counterpoint? By non-piedmont I'm assuming Lombardia. Mountain nebbioli - at least in this century - don't need "a buffet arranged with them in mind."
I've no idea how old you are but I'm wondering if you drank mountain nebbiolo in the 1970s and 80s. Then you needed some serious wild boar or funky mutton stew, but now? nahhh.
Mark Anisman
Mark Anisman
alto piemonte is a different nebbiolo expression for me. my personal venn diagram would show a significant overlap in foods that the all nebbioli go well with, but some foods i would prefer the Bramaterra and others i would prefer the Villero.
but i surmise you don't find much of a distinction anymore, and i certainly can appreciate that.
began with ferrando pretty much in the 90's and found ArPePe and Franchino in the 00's. so i am not well versed in the wild and wooly
i am presently watching Counterpart starring JK Simmons. Hard not to be cryptic.I apologize and hope to be reading "The End of Everything" by Katie Mack, which will be a quick cure of current proclivities.
but i surmise you don't find much of a distinction anymore, and i certainly can appreciate that.
began with ferrando pretty much in the 90's and found ArPePe and Franchino in the 00's. so i am not well versed in the wild and wooly
i am presently watching Counterpart starring JK Simmons. Hard not to be cryptic.I apologize and hope to be reading "The End of Everything" by Katie Mack, which will be a quick cure of current proclivities.
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by VLM:
2016 Azienda Agricola Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsa - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (10/8/2020)... This really is my jam. (92 points)
Thanks for this note. I'm actually on my way to pick up some of this wine (along with the 2015 and 2016 Riservas).
Great! I look forward to getting your impressions on them. Obviously, I've really enjoyed them.
So far I've opened the first bottle of each of the three wines and the 2016 CC Riserva is a clear favorite. Deeper than the 2016 CC and with firmer suaver stonier fruit than the 2015 CC Riserva. All three were delicious and I will be happy to open more of each. But I'm most looking forward to the next taste of that 2016 Riserva.
Not sure they quite make it to the status of 'really my jam', but that is rarefied subjective company! (And these are early days)
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by VLM:
2016 Azienda Agricola Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsa - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (10/8/2020)... This really is my jam. (92 points)
Thanks for this note. I'm actually on my way to pick up some of this wine (along with the 2015 and 2016 Riservas).
Great! I look forward to getting your impressions on them. Obviously, I've really enjoyed them.
So far I've opened the first bottle of each of the three wines and the 2016 CC Riserva is a clear favorite. Deeper than the 2016 CC and with firmer suaver stonier fruit than the 2015 CC Riserva. All three were delicious and I will be happy to open more of each. But I'm most looking forward to the next taste of that 2016 Riserva.
Not sure they quite make it to the status of 'really my jam', but that is rarefied subjective company! (And these are early days)
That's about how I would rank order them. I know vintage generalizations are an aberration to some, but 2016 in Chianti seems to be quite special. I'm going deep (for me) with an eye towards drinking for years.
Maybe because we're more carnivores or just some kind of basic animal instinct, Caparsa really works for me. I'm sure I wrote somewhere that it's the Pradeaux of Chianti Classico. Noble rusticity and a stark kind of beauty.
originally posted by VLM:
Maybe because we're more carnivores or just some kind of basic animal instinct, Caparsa really works for me.
Yes, I was wondering about that. Meat probably helps with those tannins. But still nothing too fierce for me. Overall a very nice expression.