The Barolo / Barbaresco / Nebbiolo thread

[Dragzworthy]

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+

Yep, I'm slightly bias as my Friend imports Brezza label into Singapore where I live but I do like their stuff quite a lot...seems to fly under the radar in terms of price point. I think the quality has stepped up at Brezza.

[winetastic]

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.

There were 6 single bottle lots of the 2001 San Giuseppe, with 1 hour remaining clearly all the bidders had lined up like gentlemen, one bid on each lot, no competition. Then some madman broke ranks and cost me $10

[shauno]

Some cheap specials on Giovanni Manzone Barolo 2011 (3 different releases) popping up - has anyone tried these and are they worth the cheap punt?

[winetastic]

Some cheap specials on Giovanni Manzone Barolo 2011 (3 different releases) popping up - has anyone tried these and are they worth the cheap punt?

According to the classification wiki thread, "lean traditional" producer:
http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106291

That would place them on better footing than the more median or 'modernist' producers given the vintage imo.

[Mivvy]

There were 6 single bottle lots of the 2001 San Giuseppe, with 1 hour remaining clearly all the bidders had lined up like gentlemen, one bid on each lot, no competition. Then some madman broke ranks and cost me $10

Great pick up - have not seen many about at auction.

[JamieBahrain]

Some cheap specials on Giovanni Manzone Barolo 2011 (3 different releases) popping up - has anyone tried these and are they worth the cheap punt?

Previous page I've some notes on Manzone. Yes, worth the punt, should get a good feel and intro' to a number of Monforte vineyards.

[rooman]

measures the same sacrilege locally, as milk in your coffee after breakfast ! Shame.

Ah yes, traps for Antipodean beginners. A long time ago, I ordered a cappuccino after dinner in Rome with twenty odd Romans. Until that moment I had been virtually invisible to most of the table throughout the evening as I spoke no Italian. Unfortunately upon hearing the word "cappuccino", to a man and women every diner fell silent and looked at me in abject horror before my host explained my incredible faux pas. As soon as my order was changed to an expresso, conversation resumed as though nothing had occurred except I was a bright shade of red

Mark

[michel]

measures the same sacrilege locally, as milk in your coffee after breakfast ! Shame.

Ah yes, traps for Antipodean beginners. A long time ago, I ordered a cappuccino after dinner in Rome with twenty odd Romans. Until that moment I had been virtually invisible to most of the table throughout the evening as I spoke no Italian. Unfortunately upon hearing the word "cappuccino", to a man and women every diner fell silent and looked at me in abject horror before my host explained my incredible faux pas. As soon as my order was changed to an expresso, conversation resumed as though nothing had occurred except I was a bright shade of red

Mark

Genuis!

[Ian S]

measures the same sacrilege locally, as milk in your coffee after breakfast ! Shame.

Ah yes, traps for Antipodean beginners. A long time ago, I ordered a cappuccino after dinner in Rome with twenty odd Romans. Until that moment I had been virtually invisible to most of the table throughout the evening as I spoke no Italian. Unfortunately upon hearing the word "cappuccino", to a man and women every diner fell silent and looked at me in abject horror before my host explained my incredible faux pas. As soon as my order was changed to an expresso, conversation resumed as though nothing had occurred except I was a bright shade of red

Mark

Oops!

FWIW although the 'not after midday' rule is often touted, it's really just a more sensible 'rule'. You have cappuccino when you want to feel full up, either from not having eaten anything substantial yet, being a while since your last meal, or perhaps in lieu of eating. So a cappuccino at 5pm for instance isn't a crime against the Italian culture. However ordering a cappuccino after a substantial meal is almost certainly so, and I suppose could be taken as a slight against the host for not providing enough food

The other common coffee mistake, is going into a bar and asking for a 'Latte'. Latte means milk, so if they take you literally you'll get a glass of milk or cup of hot *milk. Latte Macchiato = what is commonly called a Latte, whilst caffe macchiato = what is commonly called a macchiato. Literally 'muckied/stained' milk' / 'muckied/stained coffee'.

regards
Ian

* So if you drink 'Latte' normally, you might not spot the difference

[JamieBahrain]

Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco 2013- This sits alongside a smashing 2013 Vidal-Fleury Cotes du Rhone as the house winter red. Both purchased by the case. The wine is the veritable baby- Barolo, and my understanding it's nebbiolo grapes from declassified Barolo sites and replanted young vines.

As a quaffer it presents a challenge with its introduction to the 2013 vintage. It's very powerful and after a few bottles over the last week or so, best preparation is to have a glass with dinner on day one and revisit in day three. Shows lovely redskin confectionary, strawberry evolving toward integrated darker bramble and spices over the later days. Quite fearsome structurally, luminous fruit and acidity, boney-tannins and bracketed with austerity marking itself as a very serious wine for Langhe nebbiolo.

So much for a quaffer ! Six parked up the back of the cellar for next year and beyond. Interesting, a glass leftover in the bottle on day 5 was resolved, complete and pleasantly set in an exhausted expression of nebbiolo. Should be wonderful in 3 years for many more after.

91pts+

[michel]

Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco 2013- This sits alongside a smashing 2013 Vidal-Fleury Cotes du Rhone as the house winter red. Both purchased by the case. The wine is the veritable baby- Barolo, and my understanding it's nebbiolo grapes from declassified Barolo sites and replanted young vines.

As a quaffer it presents a challenge with its introduction to the 2013 vintage. It's very powerful and after a few bottles over the last week or so, best preparation is to have a glass with dinner on day one and revisit in day three. Shows lovely redskin confectionary, strawberry evolving toward integrated darker bramble and spices over the later days. Quite fearsome structurally, luminous fruit and acidity, boney-tannins and bracketed with austerity marking itself as a very serious wine for Langhe nebbiolo.

So much for a quaffer ! Six parked up the back of the cellar for next year and beyond. Interesting, a glass leftover in the bottle on day 5 was resolved, complete and pleasantly set in an exhausted expression of nebbiolo. Should be wonderful in 3 years for many more after.

91pts+

I respect this wine in any year but dont buy it anymore
It is often dumped on the liquidator websites at a ridiculously cheap price & provenance is patchy beyond belief
Good bottles are seriously enjoyable quaffers with wood fired pizza but
There is too much good wine atm

[winetastic]

Drinking Albino Rocca Barbaresco 2013 tonight.

Firstly, the better and cheaper of the Roccas, opened up quite lean and traditional with pretty rose aromatics, orange peel, fennel and a hint of bitter green herb. After 2 hours in the decanter it's more cherry fruits rather than cranberry, the acid has softened and is replaced with a refreshing mineral character. I was not overly impressed with this wine on release but it's showing both the quality of the producer and long term potential of the vintage now, buy up if you can get it under $80.

[winetastic]

Giovanni Rosso Langhe Nebbiolo 2014
Rich and dark berry fruit aromas with fennel and fresh pine needles, has some woody spice character in there as well. The palate shows some welcome medium bodied restraint, excellent acid balance which walks the line between tart cranberry and blackberry, before finishing with just a lick of fine tannin. There is just a hint of rotting leaves / wet fungus in there as well, but does not detract. An excellent result for the vintage, drinking well right now.

[Tamara8995]

Hi there all, I am new to the Auswine Forum; but familiar with "winetastic" and the posts made; whom has recommended that I begin to document my tasting notes of the wines that we have been drinking as we tend to have different interpretations of the wines. So...here I go! Please note I am new to this, please don't bite.

Giovanni Rosso Langhe Nebbiolo 2014
On the nose there is a initial whiff of dried rose and a bit of new leather; but then subtle fennel seed begins to exert itself, with just a hint of dark fruits in the back ground. It has such a wonderful mouth feel, lovely silky tannin with a bit of juicy weight. The rose comes through from both the nose and the palette on the initial taste; but the a dried cranberry and a almost a hint of eucalyptus and fresh pine finish. There is a herbaceousness to the wine as well; but one that cannot be "pinpointed". All in all a lovely quaffable wine that is definitely a drink now or hold out for 3-5 years proposition.

[Ian S]

Welcome Tamara and it is indeed good to get different 'takes' on a wine, because we often pick up subtly different elements of a wine and sometimes can fundamentally disagree - even when tasting wine that came from the same bottle.

I enjoyed reading both tasting notes on the wine.

[JamieBahrain]

I'm seeing EP type offers through BBR of Giovanni Rosso's Vigna Rionda 2014 - 800£ for a six pack which isn't too far short of Giacosa red labels on release !

[Dragzworthy]

There's an EP type thing for Piedmont wine?

[michel]

Welcome Tamara!

[winetastic]

Picked up a dozen 2010 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Langhe Rosso dei Dardi at auction for $20/each, fingers crossed they are in good shape.

[michel]

Picked up a dozen 2010 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Langhe Rosso dei Dardi at auction for $20/each, fingers crossed they are in good shape.

Good year
Good price
Good luck
Galloni has no review alas

[shauno]

I'm going to be in the UK for 5 weeks in May-June, so I've started buying some quarters online - Barolo starts at $21, Amarone for $22 and Rioja Gran Reserva for $19!

I don't expect them to be fantastic, but impressive price points!

[Ian S]

There's an EP type thing for Piedmont wine?

EP can be done for pretty much any wine.

Where this will differ from Bdx, is that you've not got the negociant layer sitting between winery and merchant. Such deals will typically be struck directly between winery and merchant (the latter on your behalf).

[Ian S]

I'm going to be in the UK for 5 weeks in May-June, so I've started buying some quarters online - Barolo starts at $21, Amarone for $22 and Rioja Gran Reserva for $19!

I don't expect them to be fantastic, but impressive price points!

Give me a shout if you need any travel advice.

[shauno]

Give me a shout if you need any travel advice.

All good - staying with inlaws (north wales) & brother-in-law (bristol) for most of the trip, except for a few days in Edinburgh & a week in Santorini for a wedding. I've already found decent wine shops in Chester & Bristol on precious trips

Can't say I've ever tried Greek wine, but I'll give it a go!

[Ian S]

Greece still a bit undiscovered in wine terms, plenty of native grapes. One to taste widely on I reckon. I'm conscious I have very little experience.

If it times with your North Wales visit, Straker Chadwick in Abergavenny are a well-regarded auction house (interesting selection and very fair buyer's premium). A real 'wine enthusiasts' auction house rather than one solely focused on the same old investment wines.

In Edinburgh, Raeburn Wines are the pick of a number of good merchants. Zubhair Mohammed has a real eye for the interesting and he has possibly the most brilliant selection of any wine shop I can think of. A shame they struggle to keep the website listing up to date, so use it as a guide to the sort of wines they stock, but not actually what will be there!
Raeburn Wines : 21/23 Comely Bank Road, Edinburgh, H4 1DS

Also useful, is the Edinburgh restaurant listing on the 'Fine wine diary' site run by Toby and Richard Bailey, plus always worth checking the nationwide wine-pages site BYO listing maintained by Tom Cannavan.

I've not been to Chester, but it sounds lovely. I really should have found a way to visit when I was working away from home in Liverpool.

[Gavin Trott]

Not really sure where to exactly post this, so will do a small post here, as its relevant, albeit a little 'commercial'

Will also post in the Hand made Wines Forum.

Must be Italian Release day, as I have before me offers on the wines of

Poderi Aldo Conterno -

Plus

Paolo Scavino

plus

Albino Rocca Barbarescos

If anyone reading this thread may be interested, let me know.

.

[winetastic]

Commercial posts most welcome in my opinion, we can't drink it if we can't buy it.

[winetastic]

As an aside, drank and enjoyed an Aussie Pinot tonight, should I go to confession?

[Ian S]

Albino Rocca Barbarescos

I'm a fan of these wines, which I enjoyed across the range when we visited, even including their whites(!) - a Piemonte DOC cortese that ignited an interest to rediscover Gavi, and a Moscato d'Asti that we stocked up on when we got back to the UK.

[Ian S]

p.s. thanks for saying Barbarescos . There is some laziness creeping in, latched onto enthusiastically by American wine forums, to break the Italian linguistic rule that Italian place names are never pluralised. It is fine to pluralise in English as you did, because we don't apply that same linguistic rule.

In Italian
Lazy = Un Barolo, due Baroli (or un Barbaresco, due Barbareschi)
Better (but clumsy) = Un Barolo, due Barolo
Better still = Una bottiglia di Barolo, due *bottiglie di Barolo (and similarly you could refer to etichetta : label & bicchiere : glass)

* the bottle is pluralised, because there are indeed many bottles!


p.s. It's your bl**dy site/forum Gavin, so a little commercial signposting is perfectly reasonable!