The 2019 Barolo is powerful, burly and full of character. Although not especially refined, the straight Barolo has a ton of personality. Time in the glass brings out scents to tobacco, dried herbs, lavender, cedar and menthol. I would give this a good bit of air. There's a lot going on here. This is really quite impressive in its peer group, and beyond that, too. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, November 2023)
— a year ago
Big, bold & burly.
Dark fruit with black cherry, blackberry, cassis. But also some lavender, smoky roast, toasted oak. Powerful and with good depth & purity. Fresh, too.
On the palate this packs a punch - big, juicy, chewy tannins, creamy dark fruit and loads of savoury freshness! Not shy nor particularly elegant - but this is good! Esp. with some good Fiorentina! Just give it time to breathe! — 9 months ago
Cool, savoury, quite burly.
Black currant leaf, cassis, cedar wood, a minty whiff, a gravelly undertone. Quite austere on the nose.
Quite firm on the palate, with rich, velvety yet savoury tannins. Juicy tannins, pure fruit.
Quite angular, savoury, def. better with food! — 2 years ago
One of the more accessible and expressive 05’s I’ve had in a while, Cathiard’s Vosne-esque Aux Murgers is open and giving wafting perfumed and spice laced dark berry fruit with violets, black tea and damp earth. The palate is pure silk, elegant and seductive, perhaps even belying the burly vintage typicity, with terrific persistence, balanced acids and soft tannins. An 05 that is finally ready to go! Beautiful wine. — 6 months ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over several hours. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a translucent core and a brownish rim. Medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of desiccated and stewed cherries, leather, cocoa, teriyaki, anise, sandalwood and old damp basement. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with monumental tannin and relatively modest acid. I’m placing it at medium-. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory. I don’t have a lot of experience with Gaglioppo but I can see the appeal, particularly if one wants a burly wine with relatively modest acid. Drink now. — a year ago
Chris Zitzman
This is the 2019 Burly “Simpkins Vineyard” Cab out of Coomsville (to be clear). I found this little gem (of all places) is a little beverage store in Fairview Park, Ohio called Minotti’s for a really reasonable price. And, MAN, am I glad I picked it up. I’m lucky enough to have met Hank McCrorie (“Burly”, as they called him on his college football team)- so I know the effort he makes to contend with the best out of that region. I just can’t recommend the Burly label anymore, I’m a perennial fan of whatever they produce and know that every, single, year- this stuff punches WAY above its weight class. — 3 months ago