Jay Kline

9.2

It’s been a few years since my last experience with the 2019 “Vigna Santa Lucia” and I had a hankering soooo, I pulled the cork. I enjoyed this bottle over the course of several days. Looking back on my notes, I feel as though there’s been a shift in fruit profile.

I enjoyed this bottle over the course of four days. It was tightly wound the first two days and, to my palate, I thought it was best on Day 3 and 4. The fruit was dark and tart: Montmorency cherry and black plum, purple flowers and earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium- tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium and the texture is soft. It started off as merely good Barbera d’Alba and it ended up becoming an emotional wine; bringing me back to the glass again and again. Drink now through 2034. 4840 bottles produced. — 9 days ago

Jody Scharf

9.2

enjoyable, effortless, silky...flows nicely — 5 months ago

Mark S.

9.0

sweet red flower. Spicy. Acidic. Dry. Plum. Tannin. Elio Altare Barbera d’Alba 23 @4972, AD, 250210,88
Deep cherry red still with violet. Vanilla. Rose, blueberry. Cherry Clove nutmeg. Fe blood. Leather. Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M+++ Tannin M unexpectedly Soft Bitterness M Body M Finish M 14.5% Elegant Balanced Concentrated. Elio Altare Barbera d’Alba 23 @4972,AD, 250215-260308 — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured, Cappellano’s Barbera d’Alba “Classico” is actually sourced fruit from Roero. The 2021 pours a deep purple color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity and moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with mostly blue and black fruits, some purple flowers, and after an hour of air, a Maillard reaction character that gives a rather remarkable note of freshly burnt, buttered toast. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. A lovely Barbera that benefits from air but it should be stated that this is a very different wine from the “Vigna Gabutti” which, to my palate, is one of the greatest Barbera’s on the planet. Drink now with some patience and through 2031. — 2 years ago

Mark S.

8.9

Garnet at edge. Aged, balanced spiciness. Complexity. Gianni Gagliardo La Matta Superiore Barbera d’Alba 2013 @2850, X ST CN, 240422 — 2 years 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. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened prior to dinner, no formal notes. This was served alongside a lovely pasta and meatball dish and the table was over the moon with the pairing. The 2018 Barbera d’Alba delivers a lovely mix of dark and red fruits that came across a bit rounder and richer than I expected and it was absolutely lovely! It brings classic structure that is matched with an almost silky texture. Lovely now and should remain so for several years to come. Grazie Tim! — 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Sperss is arguably Gaja’s most famous wine from Barolo. All of the fruit comes from Serralunga d’Alba, predominately the Marenca MGA with a little bit of Rivette. The 1996 Sperss was somewhat controversial as it became the first vintage (in a string of 17 vintages) that Gaja decided to blend in a small amount of co-fermented Barbera. This move required them to label the wine “Langhe Nebbiolo” instead of Barolo.

Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service, enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1996 pours a deep garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with faint staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with notes of Morello cherry, tar, truffle, licorice, dried flowers, gravelly earth and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long. This came across remarkably young. Drink now with patience through 2066. — a month ago

Edo Wachters

9.3

The Mascarello ‘Scudetto’ Barbera d’Alba is dark and substantial, where cherries come out first on the palate followed by some chocolate and very soft tannines. Makes you want to go back for another sip. Really nice. — 8 months ago

Shreya Murthy

9.6

bold dry a little spicy but still guzzle worthy. this is a review for the barbera d’alba — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Served to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine appears a deep garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with ripe bramble fruits: a mix of blackberries and raspberries with Morello cherry, roses, tar, talcum powder, dried herbs, and gravelly soil. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and delicious. Alcohol is medium+. Initial conclusions: this could be Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir or Grenache from Italy or France. Because of the high tannin and talcum powder/tar/roses combo (and the utter lack of staining), my final conclusion is: Nebbiolo; from Italy; from Piemonte; Barolo…from Monforte d’Alba. I chose 2016 because it shows good great balance of structure and fruit. Ooooof…that was too close.

“La Villa” is Fratelli Seghesio’s most precious wine and until now, I can only ever recall drinking their Barolo “classico” and Barbera d’Alba and only on a few occasions. Believe it or not, “La Villa” is the oldest, single MGA bottling from any producer in Castelletto. The name “La Villa” is an old name for an area within Castelletto when it was once a commune all to itself. The distinguishing feature of “La Villa” is the eponymous ridge that runs perpendicular with Collaretto and Vigna Rionda to the east, across the stream of Talloria di Castiglione. The vines facing south are dedicated to their Nebbiolo while the vines facing north are predominately Barbera and Dolcetto. A very tasty Barolo. Drink now through 2035. — 2 years ago

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. — 3 years 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 — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with very faint staining of the tears and no signs of sediment or gas. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and some tart and dried red fruits: Morello cherry, dried orange peel, roses, tar, dried green herbs, talcum powder, dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and so is the alcohol. Powerful and delicious.

Initial conclusions: this could be Nebbiolo, Sangiovese or possibly a Grenache blend from Italy or France. But if I’m trusting me notes here, this has gotta be Nebbiolo so that’s what I’m calling. Final conclusion: this is Nebbiolo from Italy, Piemonte, Barolo, and for the hell of it, I’m going to call Serralunga d’Alba…from a producer like Massolino, 2021. Ha! Vietti!! And I don’t hate my call because Castiglione Falletto is right next door. Tasty stuff, of course. Drink now with patience and through 2051. — 2 months ago

Mark S.

8.9

Deep ruby red with violet. Fe, rose, raspberry, blueberry. Vanilla. Clove. Herbal. Matured Plum. Animal flavor. Complexity. 2nd day, it is stabilized. Elegant and good concentration. Fruitiness M Sweetness M Acidity M++ Tannin M++ Bitterness M Body M Finish M 14% Sorelle de Nicola Feyles Barbera D’Alba 19 @4356, AD, 250921-260125 — a year ago

Maddie Fromell

9.1

Better than the D’alba — 2 years ago

Mark Rosse

9.3

Fantastic Barbera d’Alba! — 2 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.6

Now that’s Barbera d’Alba Superiore in excelsior! Liquid black plums and some tar on the nose. Inhale deeply and you get some Asian spices on the fringes.
That palate…oh my. Liquid velvet. Dark as midnight. Plums, licorice, nice acidity,
deep, long, long, finish. Some minerals on the end.
Wowza!
Possibly better than her Barolo. Gulp.
Thanks@FassSelections — 2 years 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 — 3 years 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!
— 4 years ago