The Barolo / Barbaresco / Nebbiolo thread

[JamieBahrain]

Red. I’ll snap the glassware for a later report . Photobucket difficult with a iPhone

[swirler]

Wine of the night was between Guiseppe Rinaldi and Cavallotto,

Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe - wine of the bracket.

Yes, that Cavallotto Vigna San Giuseppe is one of the best wines I've ever had.

[Ian S]

Just out of interest what stemware is everyone using for their Nebbiolo ?

Generally Burg glasses, either Riedel or a singleton I picked up somewhere I can't recall. I've also got some huge glasses in a similar shape, but with the outward curving lip that has seemed popular in the region. The brains of the operation doesn't like them though, so they rarely make an appearance.

That said, I'd trade my riedels in for some Zaltos, not just for being a good glass, but also I prefer the shape in aesthetic terms.

[asajoseph]

I see them online with a major retailer at $115 today.

The UK IB equivalent seems to be around $75 (that's 43GBP), so factoring in shipping, WET, Duty & GST, that seems a fairly reasonable price given the protectionist tax regime over here.

That $115 is for 2009 and 2011, not 2013.

Ah yes - the 2013 is just the basic.

For 2013, the 43GBP you are quoting is ex-VAT price after going through wholesale and retail levels. Wind it back with 50% margin through two layers of supply chain and it's 19 GBP ex-cellar. Around Piedmont they are likely buying direct ex-cellar, so 37 euro at retail with VAT is around 20.5 euro ex-cellar.

20.5 euro ex-cellar (exported - doesn't attract VAT) to AUD 140-169 retail is huge, and WET 29% does not explain the full story imo.

Having said that, we all know that the supply chain gouges for some of the top wines, so it's nothing new. We should ust support the wholesalers and retailers who do the right thing by their customers. Fortunately our host here is one of the good guys!

The point is really around whether or not Australian consumers are being gouged (by anyone other than the government) relative to punters in markets where these wines are more readily available & easily accessible. In other words, is there something wrong with the 'Australian situation' in this particular case)?

An In Bond UK price for a collectible wine seems a good place to start - so add your 5% duty, 29% WET & 10% GST, and you're looking at around $115, before you even consider shipping costs (which attract the same taxes).

Those 2011s are looking like a pretty good buy...

All of that said, it's actually quite rare to turn up wines that it is more economical to buy locally, than ship internationally from the UK, provided you have the volume & can put up with the hassle yourself.

[winetastic]

Just out of interest what stemware is everyone using for their Nebbiolo ? I’m a zalto guy though some Riedel stems designed with help of Gaja a revelation . Side by side the Riedels delivering more aromatic / palate flavour profile similarity and less austerity .

My host had lunch with Roberto Conterno yesterday and he is releasing a Barolo glass with the Zalto design team

I use either the Zalto Burgundy or the Plumm Vintage REDb - the latter being more of a tulip shape.

I find that the Plumm softens the tannins somewhat and works best for younger Nebbiolo, however the Zalto has better aromatics and "detail".

Plumm are also Australian made, if that matters to you

[JamieBahrain]

I’m keen to try the Plumm.

Jury is out on the Zalto for me due the experiments with the Riedel Glass .

[JamieBahrain]

Off the grapevine or interest to some , G Conterno has expanded into Gattinara as well as a new Nebbiolo locally . They inspect every single one of their corks that are TCA guaranteed free and rejected only a handful .

[Con J]

Wine of the night was between Guiseppe Rinaldi and Cavallotto,

Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe - wine of the bracket.

Yes, that Cavallotto Vigna San Giuseppe is one of the best wines I've ever had.

I love Cavallotto but surprisingly I don't have any my cellar.

Cheers Con.

[swirler]

2010 was a great year for cavallotto, and of course, especially the San Giuseppe, but the 2014s were a disaster. Buy any 2010s you see. Avoid all 2014s!!!!

[Ian S]

Were there any Cavalotto Barolo 2014s? I know they got hit extremely hard by hail and wasn't sure if the destruction was complete or every nebbiolo grape ended up as Langhe nebbiolo (as sometimes happens, and this can *sometimes* make for some decent cheapies)

[JamieBahrain]

I tried Azelia’s 2014s last week. The only Barolo I drank after a week in Barbaresco. They were not bad . Haven’t tried the Cavallotto. One winemaker friend reckons he’s tipping out half the 2014s he had tried . Seems a lot of stuff should have been declassified !

I ordered the 2010 riservas but cancelled when I felt my broker hiked the price . This happens every time I ask for someone to source wines at the moment . Peeving me off.

[Ozzie W]

Were there any Cavalotto Barolo 2014s? I know they got hit extremely hard by hail and wasn't sure if the destruction was complete or every nebbiolo grape ended up as Langhe nebbiolo (as sometimes happens, and this can *sometimes* make for some decent cheapies)

Cavallotto decided not to make any Barolo in 2014. All the Barolo grapes went into their Langhe Nebbiolo.

[swirler]

Even their Langhe Nebbiolo is poor in 2014.

[JamieBahrain]

I was having a wine with Olek Bondonio at Verduno and he is off to Australia next month. He asked me to mention this though never delivered the details. So be on the alert for pop up restaurants next month or so in SYD & MEL. His wife is Alessandra is coming along and cooking whilst his wines are served. Should be a treat- have dined at Castello di Verduno many times and enjoyed the food immensely.

Australia seems to have a love affair with Piedmontese wines. A number of wineries this trip mentioned the market there has gone from niche to solid.

[winetastic]

Thanks for the heads up Jamie, will keep the eyes peeled for sure.

We dined at Castello di Verduno once as well, food was simple, tasty and honest.

[JamieBahrain]

They are doing some interesting things there now with local Langhe herbs.

I may have mentioned it before, I've dined with the family there a few times, and the food was 90% plant based 10% animal protein versus the Alba tourist menus that seem the other way around! Really wish I could dine more like a local on my visits. Seems a great way to live. Though longevity in many older folks attributed to the local wine.

[JamieBahrain]

Arriving home from a long summer holiday, tried a few Gaja additions.

Gaja Rossj-Bass 2016- The 5% addition of sauvignon blanc punches above its weight here, lifting ripe tropical fruits into the mix with white florals as well. The chardonnay fruit is from Serralunga and Barbaresco. Needs time to integrate. A rich, modern style of white wine for the new ages with the Gaja premium.

Gaja Dagromis Barolo 2004- Originally, a La Morra vineyard in Cerequio, but now with Serralunga fruit too, which, with the oak regime leaves the wine somewhat lost. My first bottle from 6, I'll try again soon though confidently leave the rest some time longer. The 2001 was very good. I'm not sure when Serralunga was added to the mix.

There must be method to the madness with oaking the more delicate fruit of La Morra? Gaja ain't alone.

89pts+




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[JamieBahrain]

I completed summer holidays in Barbaresco to ship back a heap of wine. I'm still getting used to the process of freight, customs, shipping security etc so the wines were mostly a years worth of quaffers- Langhe nebbiolo 2016 featuring heavily. A few snippets and impressions below. It was so hot I spent a few days on the beach in Liguria ( 1.5 hours drive ) and drank mostly modest wines. Using a cold sleeve or ice bucket to get th wines right wasn't worth the risk.

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Opened the account with a welcoming glass of Boffa Barbaresco Paje 2015 from a magnum. Showed the elegance of the Cru even in this warm year. Refined and of good length, filled with saucy red fruits.

Tried the PdB 2015 normale after this as reported above.

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Langhe nebbiolo 2016 came into its own. Bright natural acidity and fresh red fruits consistent. As well as a simple airy overtones making the wines best suited for the hot summer.


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Cascina delle Rose impressed in a warm 2015 across the two Babresco Crus. Tre Stelle, the more elegant, Rio Sordo, with complex, layered soils and marl, rich and complex, depper than the PdB's Rio Sordo Reserva which has grapes from lower down the slopes of Rio Sordo. Blue floral fruits and Christmas Cake like notes showing the warm vintage year and both Barbarescos show a probable continued openeness over their drinking windows. 2016 from barrel is exciting- complete Barbaresco where the aromas and fruit profiles meld.

Their dolcetto and barbera outstanding.

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Azelia tasting.

Neb 2016 same as above. What a great year. And on nebbiolo and its fine showing, how much it shows up Burgundy with Bourgogne being on eof the disappointments of the wine world.

Fresh red fruits, herbs and spiciness. Menthol freshness ( light ). Licorice, raspberry and fresh leather and sawdust. Great effort.

91pts

Barolo 2014- Dark tar/coal with blacker fruits throughout. Loads up on the front palate then acidity and sweet tannins.

90 pts

2014 Bricco Fiasco- Fresher raspberry/ cranberry notes with fruit on the palate in a sweet confected manner. Comfortable and even delivery. Dry soft tannins. OK no !

Modern

92pts

2014 Margheria- Dark fruits and blooda wall of upfront and powerful fruit. Acidity a little unsorted and the wine uneven. Will have a long life, not so balanced though still drinking pleasure.

Traditional

91pts+

2014 San Rocco- I find this is the Cru that powers through consistently at Azelia. SR is a Serralunga site. Pungent, crunchy dark red fruits, old engine/ motor oil like tar, full and complete. Alpine spices freshen the finsih.

93pts+

Modern

Voghera Riserva 2009- served oxidized! That said, this is a wine under the radar IMO and I'm hunting it at about $100 AUD on the international market being compelling value.

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Pierro Busso is doing great things. Winding back on the oak- though big barrels still showing some. 2013 Gallina a stunner and I drank a bottle over two nights.

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Well fed snake Rio Sordo vineyards. Harmless, though it hissed, and a pleasant change from the 15 ft King Cobras out the back of my place in Hong Kong !

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PdB Rio Sordo Riserva Barbaresco 2004- Stunning wine in its simplicity. Silky, sexy Rio Sordo texture, amply filled with moderately complex secondary evolution.

93pts

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A quick and unusual trip due the weather and the rapidly changing nature of the region. In 8 months, prices seem up in all areas and value is harder to find without connections. Probably explains a lax report due waning enthusiasm. It's a fantastic region, the very best for mine, though I fear a generational change is seeing some contrasting values to the traditional Piedmontese ways of presenting the areas bounties.

[asajoseph]

Thanks for the nice write-up Jamie.

On the subject of Barolo / Barbaresco, I was going through my bookshelf the other day & realised that I have dozens of reference books on most of France, Germany, and Australia, but nothing on Barolo – something I need to rectify.

I’ve been considering buying either the Barolo MGA book (pictured above), which I looked through while in Alba last year, or Kerin O’Keefe’s Barolo / Barbaresco book. The MGA books are spectacular, but cost a fortune over here – so I was wondering if O’Keefe’s book might be a good compromise. Any suggestions for any others?

[JamieBahrain]

O'Keefe's book is not definitive but I'd say its a great start and more educational than the MGA books initially.

There are now 3 x MGA books. The one pictured above, Vol 2 of Barolo, being the third. I get to leave them on my coffee table so peruse them over a glass a few times a week. I find it really neat and relaxing.

Considering their expense I think many would find the MGA books a little dry at the initial stages of exploring Piedmont. And are they really necessary for a novice? I just opened my wine fridge, first Piedmont wine in view is a Barbaresco from Gallina.

MGA has a paragraph and beautiful cutaway of the topography of Gallina.

What about google? Firstly sift through youtube and you can find a few interviews and snippets on Gallina.

la Spinetta website a few paragrpahs on Gallina.

Oddero a breief description and google map guidance.

Francone PDF on Gallina and a reference to Renato Ratti's famous maps ( sleuthing onward here )

And on, and on, and on.......you end up with importer blogs and more information and hints on Gallina in my example.

MGA books are great. They don't provide enough information for the novice ( like myself ) who needs to do a little more research. And we need to consider, single vineyard wines are still a very new thing and we are all learning as we go.

[JamieBahrain]

Olek Bondonio Langhe Nebbiolo 2016- Very yummy and consumed in a sitting as opposed to the two nights I was hoping for! Classic- dark and fresh Barbaresco aromatics, plenty of generous palate fruit, crunchy fruit tannins in a talcum powdered texture. Great stuff!

Olek gave this to me at cellar door as he'd sold out. I'd pre-ordered a case. He'd actually sold all the wines I'd pre-ordered except Cru Roncagliette.

[Gavin Trott]

Its wonderful, isn't it, real 'Barbaresco' from Olek.

I got a dozen BTW! :--)

Not often I can outdo you on Piemonte wines and quantities purchased!

.

[JamieBahrain]

Nice one Gavin! Keep the Burlotto 2016 for yourself too. It would seem those in the know can build a Barbaresco/Barolo quality cellar around Langhe nebbiolo in 2016!

Be careful out there. They aren't all glorious. But many are.

[JamieBahrain]

Ada Nada Barbaresco Rombone "Elisa" 2015- Couple of points here. Firstly, everyone is making Cru Barbaresco these days. Secondly, with warm and inviting vintages in Barbaresco becoming the "normal for the new millennium" ( PdB notes on the 2015 vintage ), its worth exploring less well known terroir.

Starts tight and cool toned taking a day to open and spread. Classic, warm nebbiolo amalgam of strawberries in the red spectrum and dark cherry in the black spectrum. The cool overtones persist refreshingly, with gentle mint and menthol brightening the aromatics. It's a little blocky and extracted, loaded with powdered fruit tannin and grainy oak that integrate with sweet fruited notes on the finish.

Winter nights Barbaresco!

92pts+

The Vietti was the house quaffer a few years ago and I found a few bottles at the back of the wine fridge. Improved considerably, having built simple and dark fruit muscle with a berry fruit intensity, filling out previous austerity. Dark nebbiolo aromatics are delightful- tannins persistent and dusty suggesting a few years of development ahead.

89pts

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[Ian S]

The Vietti Perbacco seems very popular in the US, but I've not tried it yet. I did pick up two bottles (of the 2013) earlier in the year though, so will try and post thoughts here when I open one. Interesting quite mixed CT comments, making it all the more intriguing to open.

[JamieBahrain]

Hi Ian,

I trawled those CT notes out of interest and I feel one lowly score a flawed bottle and a few topsy-turvy comments. Subjectivity aside, it looks pretty consistent as a modest to pleasing expression. When I quaffed most of mine, I wasn't unhappy. That said, having had a bottle with an extra two years in the cellar I'm disappointed I drank them so early. There is now good interest and I know some detest the point system but as solid a 89pointer you couldn't find - well, except 98% of red burgundy.

[JamieBahrain]

Azelia Barolo 2004 & 2005- I bought a heap of Azelia from a previous HKG importer with the view of putting on a vertical and lending toward a theory that their wines are hidden treasures of Piedmont. Sure, they messed the oak up in a vintage or two, but gosh, their older riservas are treasures and San Rocco especially, seems resilient to a little hefty oak after a decade or so. So a long story short, a few MW's in my wine group got myself a personal tour of the winery and my intentions were pretty clear, I was a fan of their wines and was putting on a first class tasting and needed a few older vintages to supplement. Now I get older vintages and wineries but I got a stupid offer for their wines at three times the price of their importer in the UK. Really awkward moments, so I thought bugger it, the tasting is off and I have 50 bottles of Azelia. As it turns out I'm delighted in having professionally cellared wines such as their 1990 Bricco Fiasco riserva.

The regular Azelia Barolo is Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba fruit, remarkably older vines near 60 years old. So the quality is here and with the ageing regime more traditional, the regular Barolo is often excellent.

Colour contrast was significant. 2004 very dark and the 2005 much lighter. I expected the 2004 to stand out though it was the 2005 that was the better wine by far. 2004 was ripe and extracted, spices, currants and dried fruits, cocoa and the tar, to new world drinkers would seem prune like, to the Barolo afficionados would perhaps talk of Serralunga dark chocolate. I will lean toward the pruniness of the wine. More likeable on the palate, where it was dark, blood and iron, with calcareous acidity offering fresh relief in a finish in sweetened fruit extract and ripe tannin.

88pts

The 2005 was a delight, open and inviting, classic potpourri red florals, black fruited notes and some oak. The fruit darkens by day two, offering a medium yet complete wine, unobtrusive creaminess in texture, pitch acidity at times but at its best, very gratifying.

92pts




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[JamieBahrain]

This week's nebbiolos a bit of a contrast.


Pecchenino Barolo Le Coste 2009- I see this rated quite highly and I found it a good expression of Barolo,though showing battle scarring of the warm 2009 vintage in darker, currant like notes. At it's best, warm aromas of berry-tart, tapering toward currants and dried fruits, balsamic minerality. Dark and full palate, very powerful ( Monforte ) with dark fruits and morello cherry. Ashen long finish with dry tannin.

90pts


Franco Fiorina Barbaresco Riserva 1980- This producer has some real treats from the 40's, 50's and 60's from Barolo made from consummate blends of the great communes. I can still taste them all !

This Barbaresco was lovely to come home to after a gruelling day. Old school Barbaresco with enough extract and intensity to drive into 2018 with ease. Tar and dark berry, wrestling sweet, doddering nebbiolo development of decay, tobacco an leather. Bracing acidity for the ages- delivers the fruit extract along a tertiary nuanced finish.

93pts

Olek Bondonio Roncagliette Barbaresco 2015-Intriguing wine for me due the vintage. Starts with a uniform minerality aromatically, pomegranate and sour cherry break through, leather and pepper come later prior freshening red roses/ rose hip tea. Full and lavish on the palate reflecting the hot growing season, its still fresh and expansive, lots of mingling Barbaresco strawberry/raspberry notes prior the sandstorm of Roncagliette tannin.

I don't think the wine will ever close or shut down in traditional fashion. Nor do I think it will be stale and overly tar/prune like some 2011's. I think the wine will always show well, fruit fading long before the tannin.

93pts



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[winetastic]

Burlotto Langhe Nebbiolo 2015
No proper notes but this left me with a wonderful impression the other night. Understated, refined and having more depth than one would expect from a Langhe Nebbiolo. Very traditional, would buy again.

[JamieBahrain]

Following up from winetastic's Langhe nebbiolo a couple of beauties too. Burlotto Langhe nebbiolo 2016 ( not tried 15 ) is worth hunting incidentally. Very good wine. When I chose it at a restaurant in Neive, the sommelier was impressed, said I knew my wines, picking it ahead of the youthful B&B on the list.

Langhe nebbiolo has come a long way and still has some to go. It the basis of my opinion as to the upswing potential of the region and why Piedmont is giving Burgundy a hiding at the elemental level. These wines enter at the same price and less as Bourgogne Rouge ( swill often ) yet can now deliver an expression and experience of the grape and region.

In a line or less, three Langhe nebbiolos opened on a Sunday and consumed over the week.

Vajra is high toned and flows with energy and immediate interest and complexity as if its the upcoming youth of BdV. 92

Cascina delle Rose is the veritable baby Barbaresco, cool and elegant, lady-like Tre Stelle fruit, needing aeration or time to express the blue marl. 92+

Mauro Veglio Angelo is fresh and explosive aromatically, delightful red fruits and La Morra like, with Monforte fruit and deft oak support build muscle. 91





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