The Barolo / Barbaresco / Nebbiolo thread

[Con J]

I notice a lot of Barolo & Barbaresco wines being drunk young / on release.

I'm interested in what people's attitudes / plans are for ageing:
- Do you love them young and drink happily on fruit that stands up to the tannins?
- Not buying into the idea the wines close down - if necessary a vigorous / long decant opens it up?
- Buying by the case or half case and sampling one now as a benchmark for seeing how they age?
- Sampling young with the plan to buy in larger amounts for something that appeals
- Plan to cellar, but struggling to keep your hands off them?
- Cellaring, but the odd bottle gets opened early and then play it by ear?
- Long term cellaring - for 2-3 decades before thinking about opening?
- Anything else?

I'm probably closest to "Cellaring, but the odd bottle gets opened early and then play it by ear"

I buy for long term cellaring 20+ years. I usually buy 2’s and singles per vintage so don’t sample any young.

The occasional bottle gets opened at 10+ years when I need one to fit a theme for an offline.

Cheers Con.

[Mivvy]

I generally buy and drink younger wines to try before buying. Sometimes this is not always possible though. Otherwise look to cellar for ~10-15 before drinking depending on vintage.

Some base wines (Massolino, Burlotto, Brovia, Produttori) I'll pretty much go for young. No need to wait.

[michel]

I generally buy and drink younger wines to try before buying. Sometimes this is not always possible though. Otherwise look to cellar for ~10-15 before drinking depending on vintage.

Some base wines (Massolino, Burlotto, Brovia, Produttori) I'll pretty much go for young. No need to wait.

2008 Brovia are outstanding now

[JamieBahrain]

I generally buy and drink younger wines to try before buying. Sometimes this is not always possible though. Otherwise look to cellar for ~10-15 before drinking depending on vintage.

Some base wines (Massolino, Burlotto, Brovia, Produttori) I'll pretty much go for young. No need to wait.

2008 Brovia are outstanding now

Funny. I'm nervously decanting a 2006 Brovia Rocche Barolo now ( 12 hrs ). Awaiting the jibes from an old world drinking friend tonight, who took a swipe at me for vetoing a six pack of 2006 Grange at our annual dinner on the grounds of infanticide, yet I drink Barolo so young !

I'm fortunate to drink a lot of old and mature Barolo but sustaining the "nebbilo hit" necessitates the odd young 'en. I back loaded 2006 Brovia so happy to take a hit on Rocche.

[JamieBahrain]

Beautiful old nebbiolo from what would have been a pretty wild Roero back in the sixties. Typically old nebbiolo aromatics but with excellent fruit density and the acidity slashes with a tertiary persistence.



The 1971 Prunotto nebbiolo riserva a little tired though pleasant drinking.




Old Oderro with good provenance always delivers ! This was WOTN. Beautiful old Barolo.




Hanging in there.



Cavalotto's 1971 Bricco Boschis still had fresh red fruits and licorice. Lovely ! Would have been great to decant for a few hours.



Decadent, modern style, fruit rich and small barrique characteristics in this magnum of 2007 San Rocco from Azelia.

[Ian S]

Do I detect Grandi Bottiglie of Torino cling film wrapping around the labels?

Interesting comments on the Nebbiolo d'Alba wines, an area where I've never taken a punt on older wines, mainly through ignorance of what to expect.

I've got a 1974 vintage of the Cavallotto, which I'm itching to open.

[michel]

2008 Brovia is shining with tar rose petals and a spherical kinda Galloni palate
2010 Tuscany's first 100% merlot ? Honestly this is more primary than primary- great stuffing-retry in 10 years
2002 Montfortino this has the touch of God that strikes your heart- open & dip in over hours...

[JamieBahrain]

Yes, that 2002 Monfortino is magnificent. Be hard to share these bottles in the future.

I have the 2001 'l'Apparita on the tasting bench be interesting to see how the style ages.

[JamieBahrain]

Brovia Barolo Rocche 2006- Rocche di Castiglione so as not to be confused with another famous vineyard over the road at La Morra. 2006 I'm backfilling where I can, and drinking them now is with some trepidation ! This was opened 7am, decanted, re-poured into the bottle late arvo' and served at 7pm.

Rocche is always aromatically magnificent and tonight was no different with perfumed strawberry-potpurri, cranberry, darker fruit nuances, hay and the obligatory choice menthol lift. Razor fine and long, a supreme sceptered Barolo elegance that commands a decade to draw and build from a its current youthful, sheltered and shy fruit standing.

95pts+

[michel]

Yes, that 2002 Monfortino is magnificent. Be hard to share these bottles in the future.

I have the 2001 'l'Apparita on the tasting bench be interesting to see how the style ages.

Be interesting if the l'Apparita is open for business...

[winetastic]

I notice a lot of Barolo & Barbaresco wines being drunk young / on release.

I'm interested in what people's attitudes / plans are for ageing:
- Do you love them young and drink happily on fruit that stands up to the tannins?
- Not buying into the idea the wines close down - if necessary a vigorous / long decant opens it up?
- Buying by the case or half case and sampling one now as a benchmark for seeing how they age?
- Sampling young with the plan to buy in larger amounts for something that appeals
- Plan to cellar, but struggling to keep your hands off them?
- Cellaring, but the odd bottle gets opened early and then play it by ear?
- Long term cellaring - for 2-3 decades before thinking about opening?
- Anything else?

I'm probably closest to "Cellaring, but the odd bottle gets opened early and then play it by ear"

I only bought my first Barolo on release from the 2006 vintage, so none are ready to drink in my cellar, thus I tend to drink a lot of young Nebbiolo.

It is also problematic to source older Nebbiolo at auction.

There is also an element of exploration for me - trying many different producers to see what I prefer.

[JamieBahrain]

Paitin Barbaresco Serra 2012- I stayed with the Paitins on my first trip to the region and I didn't realize at the time, but they had some pull in getting me into hard to get, perhaps impossible to visit cellars at the time. Over breakfast I produced a list of wineries I wouldn't mind trying, and next thing I know I'm tasting with Bruno Giacosa at 9am! Anyways, always feel indebted somewhat, great to get a case of this wine as the house Barbaresco, replacing depleted stocks of Olek Bondonio's great effort of 2011.

Pretty vineyards in Neive, Serraboella produces good wines from Paitin, Sori Paitin, and Cigliuti Serraboella. Consumed over three days, the wine starts out explosively floral, though fine boned and structured and by the end, fills out with still beautiful aromatics of chocolate-tar, redskins and minerals, medium fill and a long carry, completing with warmth and flavor persistence of the nose. Very pleased with this wine.

92pts+

[JamieBahrain]

Mid-week quaffing takes me to Monforte d' Alba a bit of late. Lesser vintages a well priced at the moment and since their approachability is excellent, they make for excellent drinking. These two consumed over a string of school nights together brining cheer to the dreary work week.

Giovanni Manzone Castelletto Barolo 2007- Shows the warm vintage with sweet, licorice dark fruits complemented with the typical shades of nebbiolo red fruits. Throughout the wine there's a menthol driven austerity which showed a little harsh at times when coordinating with the quartzite minerality within the wine's traditional and muscular style. Best glasses toward day three and four, where aeration drew out floral and herbal complexity, mint/hay complemented menthol, more generous fruit evolved on the palate and the structure softened.

Noting the cork I'm sure there are better bottles about too!

89pts+


Giovanni Manzone Gramolere Barolo 2009- Immediately inviting with plush fruit and an advanced fleshiness for Monforte Barolo. Smokey, with a ripe cherry note I'd normally pick up in docletto, joining tar-prune-chocolate and an occasional cola like richness across the mouth. By day four it's like a Barolo on fast-forward; earthier leather notes presenting. Never the less rather enjoyable in its peculiarity and not a deterrent in drinking well priced 2009 Piedmont.

90pts

[Gary W]

Opened three older wines. All shipped from Piedmont stored since release and shipped refrigerated.

1970 Terre del Barolo Barolo Riserva - very cloudy and stinky. Lots of anus and dirty flavours. Drinkable, but put down the sink.
1970 Enrico Serafino Barolo - porty and soupy. down the sink. Should have been better, but old bottles and all that.
1969 Giacomo Damilano Barolo - lovely, still fresh, red fruits and spice with bottle age. Almost like an old claret in some respects.

So the 1969 was quite the surprise, and maybe the less ripe vintage stood it in good stead.

[michel]

Opened three older wines. All shipped from Piedmont stored since release and shipped refrigerated.

1970 Terre del Barolo Barolo Riserva - very cloudy and stinky. Lots of anus and dirty flavours. Drinkable, but put down the sink.
1970 Enrico Serafino Barolo - porty and soupy. down the sink. Should have been better, but old bottles and all that.
1969 Giacomo Damilano Barolo - lovely, still fresh, red fruits and spice with bottle age. Almost like an old claret in some respects.

So the 1969 was quite the surprise, and maybe the less ripe vintage stood it in good stead.

In my lifetime I hope to never use the word anus in a tasting note!

[winetastic]

Opened three older wines. All shipped from Piedmont stored since release and shipped refrigerated.

1970 Terre del Barolo Barolo Riserva - very cloudy and stinky. Lots of anus and dirty flavours. Drinkable, but put down the sink.
1970 Enrico Serafino Barolo - porty and soupy. down the sink. Should have been better, but old bottles and all that.
1969 Giacomo Damilano Barolo - lovely, still fresh, red fruits and spice with bottle age. Almost like an old claret in some respects.

So the 1969 was quite the surprise, and maybe the less ripe vintage stood it in good stead.

Shame about the success rate, always fun to hear about mature Barolos regardless.

[Gary W]

Opened three older wines. All shipped from Piedmont stored since release and shipped refrigerated.

1970 Terre del Barolo Barolo Riserva - very cloudy and stinky. Lots of anus and dirty flavours. Drinkable, but put down the sink.
1970 Enrico Serafino Barolo - porty and soupy. down the sink. Should have been better, but old bottles and all that.
1969 Giacomo Damilano Barolo - lovely, still fresh, red fruits and spice with bottle age. Almost like an old claret in some respects.

So the 1969 was quite the surprise, and maybe the less ripe vintage stood it in good stead.

Shame about the success rate, always fun to hear about mature Barolos regardless.

The importer is going to replace the two iffy ones with some other old bottles. Good people. Anus.

[JamieBahrain]

With the very old Barolo, it is worth a punt to decant for a few hours, even a day, and see what may happen. Sometimes they can transform. I think a lot of very old Barolo can be poured down the sink prematurely.

[Gary W]

With the very old Barolo, it is worth a punt to decant for a few hours, even a day, and see what may happen. Sometimes they can transform. I think a lot of very old Barolo can be poured down the sink prematurely.

Yes. They went down the sink next day: still fucked.

[JamieBahrain]

What a shame. The wine group I'm in has a hiatus on old Barolo dinners due an appalling failure rate of 60's and 70's wines. I think its a knee-jerk reaction, but certainly, retail, there's a lot of garbage on the market- storage and quality. Gaja cellar releases are incredible if you know an importer- infernot bottlings.

[Gary W]

These purchased as a whole cellar from Barolo - a wine shop or restaurant - I forget which. Batting 2 from 4 from this batch, so pretty good. The ex-cellar Fontanafredda wines are terrific. 61 and 67 superb in the past few years.

[JamieBahrain]

Brezza Sarmassa Vigna Bricco Riserva 2009 en magnum- I organized a Cannubi versus Sarmassa lunch at Brezza's restaurant a few years ago, which looked great on paper but fell away somewhat in preparation. Warm restaurant, without air-conditioning and the concept of putting your wine in the fridge for 15 minutes, measures the same sacrilege locally, as milk in your coffee after breakfast ! Shame. It's all in the preparation and I often wonder how, with all the ceremony you see in a Piedmontese sommelier rinsing glasses with a splash Barolo, how elemental yet critical techniques are missed.

Sarmassa ( across the road literally from Barolo proper and Cannubi ) can produce wonderful wines though there are a number of micro-climates and slopes affecting quality. Brezza' riserva is from an area where the snow melts first and has a good aspect being from a higher part of the Cru.

Consumed over two days, with the first showing plush and inviting fruit of the vintage and with extended aeration, slow cooked meats were required to tame the structure and fill the palate austerity. Pure cherry essence notes poke from within classic darker notes; fennel, light Alpine menthol and minerals are in the play too. Structurally long and fine-boned, silty tannins draw out the long finish, with shy fruit evenly throughout, mirroring the aromatics and offering the typical numerous vinous experiences in one bottle - when consuming youthful Barolo over a number of days.

An on again, off again producer according to the local "conosceres", often making great wine in crap vintages and vicky-verka! Anyways, infanticide to some, but for me I needed to look at this wine to consider a further purchase as there's a bit of it in magnum at good prices in the UK that can fill out my regular orders.

93pts+

[winetastic]

Just purchased at auction a wild shot in the dark:
Deltetto Barbaresco 1974, 720ml bottle

They don't even make a Barbaresco anymore as far as I can tell and are more known for their sparkling wine, but what the hell.

[Ian S]

A northern Piemonte regional blend - 70% Nebbiolo 20% Vespolina and 10% Croatina (IIRC the latter sometimes called Bonarda). Very much to my taste:

• 2008 Proprietà Sperino Uvaggio - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Coste della Sesia (21/01/2017)
  Showing some maturity in the colour, with a narrow band of brown/orange at the rim, and a claret-red core of pleasingly medium hue (no 'super-prestige' dense wine here).
  
  The nose leads with cherry / cherry menthol but nicely showcasing the floral side of the dominant nebbiolo. Good complexity with tar/caramel/toffee a touch of herb supporting, but still mostly in the background.
  
  The palate shows the cherry fruit much more dominant, and there is a lovely freshness without the acidity being in any way spiky. Decent length to the finish, but like the palate overall this isn't big/intense.
  
  True to the regional style, and a good example for someone looking to dip a toe into the region.
  

[winetastic]

Bunch of new purchases:

x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo Brunate
x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
x2 2010 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
x1 2004 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis San Giuseppe
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo

[Ian S]

Bunch of new purchases:

x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo Brunate
x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
x2 2010 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
x1 2004 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis San Giuseppe
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo

[JamieBahrain]

Bunch of new purchases:

x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo Brunate
x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
x2 2010 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
x1 2004 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis San Giuseppe
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo

Those two riserva Cavallotto's will be tempting ! Drinking soon or for the long haul?

[JamieBahrain]

Aldo Conterno was this week's quaffing. The corks indicated less than ideal storage, so senescence may be accelerated so I won't rate them beyond a few comments.




Il Favot Langhe Nebbiolo 1998- I recall this is the son's project, using young vines replanted in their various Cru Barolo sites about Monforte. Plenty of new oak in evidence and hard and dry on day one. Excellent on day two where dark mint fruits and spices integrate toward a luscious and smooth palate experience and the acidity livens up the oak support.

The dolcetto was great. Often dismissed as a peasant wine it can be made into a pretty long living experience. The barbera too, showed it's class, powerful and soaking up the barrique, never the less, very tertiary and development suggesting a less than ideal storage.

Skullduggery erupted in the USA after Aldo's passing a few years ago, a European distributor dumped stock at crazy prices and there were accusations of heat affected wines. All vigorously defended by USA merchants but these got me thinking- I'll pass on older Conternos on offer from where I got these in Hog Kong.

[winetastic]

Bunch of new purchases:

x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo Brunate
x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
x2 2010 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
x1 2004 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis San Giuseppe
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo

Those two riserva Cavallotto's will be tempting ! Drinking soon or for the long haul?

Bought them to drink soon - never had a Cavallotto, it would seem the time will soon be upon us.

[Ozzie W]

Bunch of new purchases:

x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo Brunate
x3 2012 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
x2 2010 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
x1 2004 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis San Giuseppe
x1 2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo

Those two riserva Cavallotto's will be tempting ! Drinking soon or for the long haul?

Bought them to drink soon - never had a Cavallotto, it would seem the time will soon be upon us.

Never had one before either. I bought one of the 2005's from the same auction. Phew! We almost bid against each other.