The Auswine Forum

JamieBahrain wrote: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+

Ozzie W wrote:

winetastic wrote:

JamieBahrain wrote:

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.

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

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

rooman wrote:

JamieBahrain wrote: 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

rooman wrote:

JamieBahrain wrote: 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

JamieBahrain wrote: 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+

winetastic wrote: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.

Dragzworthy wrote:There's an EP type thing for Piedmont wine?

shauno wrote: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 wrote:Give me a shout if you need any travel advice.

Gavin Trott wrote:
Albino Rocca Barbarescos