Jay Kline

9.3

Brought from my cellar to dinner at Mertz. Massolino’s “Serralunga d’Alba” is a blend of their rather remarkable vineyard holdings in some of the more revered sites in the Serralunga commune. It’s also a perfect example of the 2010 vintage which, to my palate, may turn out to be a vintage that will live 50+ years.

Poured into a decanter about 45min prior to dinner. The 2010 “Serralunga d’Alba” pours a bright garnet with a transparent core. On the nose, developing with bright pomegranate, cranberry, Morello cherry, roses, tar, dried herbs and dried earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, grippy and shows surprising elegance despite the remarkable structure. And that’s the hallmark of the 2010 vintage: there’s enough structure to support the Library of Congress and yet, there is an undeniable charm thanks to the bright fruit and pretty aromatics. Drink now with patience and enjoy through 2050+ because seriously, this has some real substance. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured, decanted for 90 minutes and then enjoyed over the next several hours. The 2019 Cesar Bussolo Barbera d’Alba “Vigna Santa Lucia” pours a bright ruby color with a near opaque core. Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is redolent of berry fruit: blackberries, blueberries, and brambles along with fresh basil, black licorice, sarsaparilla, dry earth, and some spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes on the nose with savory minerals in the long finish. Based on this experience and the fact that this hardly budged as the hours rolled by, it gives me the impression that this has a very long life ahead. Try again after 2025 and enjoy through 2035. — 10 months ago

David D

9.0

Barbera d’Alba not Barbaresco.
Great acidity, tart blackberry brambles, dried violets, pretty mineral. From Astor Wines. 04/22/23 — a year ago

Bonnie Chu

9.1

Vineyard brands tasting. $48 — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; no formal notes. The 2021 Burlotto Barbera d’Alba “Aves” is developing; redolent of impossibly dark berry fruits with some purple flowers and earthy clay-like minerals. Medium tannin and medium+ acid. High alcohol. The finish is long and has a bit of a salmiakki thing on the finish that’s really nice. This is a really good wine right now but it’s undeniably primary and I think it’s holding something back. I won’t touch another bottle for at least a few years. Drink now with patience and through 2036. — 9 months ago

Ming L

9.2

This, along with the Massolino Serralunga d’Alba bottling, are my go-to regular Barolo.

Excellent fruits and acidity as usual, the ‘19 has quite firm tannins, and will require longer cellar time than the ‘15 or ‘16 to truly shine. — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Cascina Ornato is located in the southern portion of Serralunga d’Alba, right along the ridge. The elevation is higher here and the Ornato MGA falls to the west and south from there. Ornato is nearly a monopole for Pio Cesare would it not be for a couple of parcels that are controlled by Palladino. This bottle of the 1982 was generously provided from the cellar of a good friend; it was opened and enjoyed over two days. On Day 1, half the bottle was poured into a decanter and served immediately. The color was a slightly hazy garnet with an orange rim. On the nose and the palate, the wine came across rather tired. It wasn’t dead…and it definitely wasn’t vinegar, it just was...a bit dull. Since there were other wines open that were showing very well, we let it sit. At the end of the night, we poured what was left back into the bottle and I elected to take it home; hoping that it might wake up overnight. On Day 2, the wine had transformed. The color had deepened and everything had brightened up! The nose is loaded with tar, desiccated red fruits, sweet pipe tobacco accompanied by porchini, forest floor and dried, cracked leather ball glove…like after pitching 6 innings of baseball in the middle of July (IYKYK). On the palate, the wine is dry with surprisingly vigorous structure! The tannins are more pronounced than they were the day before and there’s also great acid to give everything a buoyant lift and some youthful energy. The fruit and non-fruit notes from the nose are confirmed with an added element of red rope licorice. Somehow, this is younger today than it was yesterday. At forty years old, this bottle clearly needed time to stretch its legs. Drink now with several hours of air but remarkably well-cellared examples could last for many more years. An illuminating experience in so many ways!

Something worth noting: Pio Cesare did not begin bottling single-cru Barolo “Oranato” until 1985. Curiously, this bottle was labeled “Vino da Tavola del Piemonte”. I reached out to Pio Cesare in hopes of getting some additional information and they were very kind to share some helpful detail. It turns out this bottling was an idea from their former importer, Terlato, with grapes for this wine sourced by Cascina Ornato. It was a traditional blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera! A long time ago they had a small amount of Barbera planted there. Now, Ornato is more or less 100% Nebbiolo. The “Vino da Tavola del Piemonte” was a sort of predecessor to the “Langhe Rosso” designation since there were not many appellations back in those days. The more you know!
— a year ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured. The 2011 Barbera d’Alba pours a deep, garnet (with some purple) color with a near opaque core. Slightly hazy. No signs of particles or gas. Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous. Boysenberries , mulberries, dark cherry, braised beef (no cap), oiled leather, dried leaf tobacco, organic earth. On the palate, the wine is dry; medium tannins and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium+. Confirming the notes from the nose. This is really tasty right now. While I don’t think this is going to fall off a cliff soon, I also don’t think there is any reason to hold any longer. Drink now and enjoy while the fruits are still nicely balanced with the secondary characteristics. — 7 months ago

Carlo Maria Rossotto

8.9

Nice Barbera d’Alba from Massolino di Serralunga. Paired it with snails. Had it with Davide, mom and dad in Novello d’Alba — 9 months ago

Carlo Maria Rossotto

9.5

The first bottle of my new Barbera d’Alba from my Argantino wineyard #2 Opened it with my son Davide and my parents. Paired it with wild boar salame, carne cruda, insalata russa, agnolotti al ragù. Masterpiece from Abellonio — a year ago