Cecilia Monte
Serracapelli Barbaresco Nebbiolo
Barbaresco, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
Popped and poured, enjoyed over several days. Consistent throughout. The 2013 “Serracapelli” pours deep garnet with transparent core, medium+ viscosity no staining of the tears. Some sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with soaring aromatics; explosive notes of Rainier cherry, roses, pomegranate, Grape Nuts, star anise, talcum powder, old wood, new leather, alpine herbs. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and grippy with almost waxy texture. Fresh, balanced, and super compelling. Lovely stuff. Drink now and through 2033 easy. Thanks for the assist @Lyle Fass
Popped and poured, enjoyed over several days. Consistent throughout. The 2013 “Serracapelli” pours deep garnet with transparent core, medium+ viscosity no staining of the tears. Some sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with soaring aromatics; explosive notes of Rainier cherry, roses, pomegranate, Grape Nuts, star anise, talcum powder, old wood, new leather, alpine herbs. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and grippy with almost waxy texture. Fresh, balanced, and super compelling. Lovely stuff. Drink now and through 2033 easy. Thanks for the assist @Lyle Fass
May 29th, 2024
Super expressive nose of chestnut, mid season cherries that are ripe and super juicy. Some tar, some florals and terrific lift. Intense and deep nose. Palate is so perfect. Juicy and compact with perfect balance and stunning Nebbiolo sweetness. Velvety and sweet tannins. Long. Drinking so well now. Lots of spices in the midpalate and the finish. Incredible tannins.
Super expressive nose of chestnut, mid season cherries that are ripe and super juicy. Some tar, some florals and terrific lift. Intense and deep nose. Palate is so perfect. Juicy and compact with perfect balance and stunning Nebbiolo sweetness. Velvety and sweet tannins. Long. Drinking so well now. Lots of spices in the midpalate and the finish. Incredible tannins.
Feb 15th, 2024Nose is spice and dried leaves. Deep mid season cherry but also holding back. Palate is elegant and concentrated with exquisite fruit but is super closed out of the gates. Powdery tannins and great balance. Needs air. With air the nose is becoming more expressive and has an ethereal cherry flower thing going on. Real clarity here
Nose is spice and dried leaves. Deep mid season cherry but also holding back. Palate is elegant and concentrated with exquisite fruit but is super closed out of the gates. Powdery tannins and great balance. Needs air. With air the nose is becoming more expressive and has an ethereal cherry flower thing going on. Real clarity here
Dec 29th, 2023Beautiful and haunting nose. Unreal cherry definition and such complexity and vividness. This nose is a superstar. Candied peppermint. Spice. So sweet but so mineral. Very very elite. Jolly rancher but best jolly rancher I’ve ever smelled. Sick. 9.7 nose. Some tar/tobacco and truffle add to the allure. Ripe but so clear. Just stunning. Palate is ripe and juicy with great concentration and sappy sappy red cherry fruit backed by high acidity. But the 15% shows. I think that this will integrate more with air. 9.7 nose and 9.2 palate right now. But I’m sure things will change. I’ll be back.
Beautiful and haunting nose. Unreal cherry definition and such complexity and vividness. This nose is a superstar. Candied peppermint. Spice. So sweet but so mineral. Very very elite. Jolly rancher but best jolly rancher I’ve ever smelled. Sick. 9.7 nose. Some tar/tobacco and truffle add to the allure. Ripe but so clear. Just stunning. Palate is ripe and juicy with great concentration and sappy sappy red cherry fruit backed by high acidity. But the 15% shows. I think that this will integrate more with air. 9.7 nose and 9.2 palate right now. But I’m sure things will change. I’ll be back.
Nov 9th, 2021Stunning ethereal aromatics right out of the gates. Divine cherry of the gods. Intermingled with spice. So much minerality of the stoney kind. Just ethereal and elite aromas. Airy and gorgeous. 9.5 on the aromas. Terrific, balanced and textured wine with the most low key concentration ever. Cherries are all early season and even some sour cherry. Tangy. Amazing mouthfeel. What a nose as this opens up. So juicy. Like mega juicy with such awesome purity. Firm tannins and a very long and pure finish. Really gets to all areas of the palate. As it airs I’ll be back. As classic as it gets but also has a wonderful polish to it.
Stunning ethereal aromatics right out of the gates. Divine cherry of the gods. Intermingled with spice. So much minerality of the stoney kind. Just ethereal and elite aromas. Airy and gorgeous. 9.5 on the aromas. Terrific, balanced and textured wine with the most low key concentration ever. Cherries are all early season and even some sour cherry. Tangy. Amazing mouthfeel. What a nose as this opens up. So juicy. Like mega juicy with such awesome purity. Firm tannins and a very long and pure finish. Really gets to all areas of the palate. As it airs I’ll be back. As classic as it gets but also has a wonderful polish to it.
Sep 1st, 2020
Another ‘14 Barbaresco (this one I got from Garagiste in 2018) that exhibits scorchy notes on the nose and bitter tannins on the palate, though it’s got more ripe fruit pulling in the opposite direction than the others I’ve had. Nose was initially tight, then a while later the ripe fruit and rose notes came out, but ultimately then scorchy notes pushed them out of the way. In the mouth, there’s a nice initial presence of ripe, pure cherry fruit. Then the grainy, bitterish tannins take over. It’s nice with my steak pizzaiola, but on its own it’s a little challenging. Maybe time will help drop some of the tannin, but my experience is that scorchy ones sometimes don’t want to not be scorchy.
Another ‘14 Barbaresco (this one I got from Garagiste in 2018) that exhibits scorchy notes on the nose and bitter tannins on the palate, though it’s got more ripe fruit pulling in the opposite direction than the others I’ve had. Nose was initially tight, then a while later the ripe fruit and rose notes came out, but ultimately then scorchy notes pushed them out of the way. In the mouth, there’s a nice initial presence of ripe, pure cherry fruit. Then the grainy, bitterish tannins take over. It’s nice with my steak pizzaiola, but on its own it’s a little challenging. Maybe time will help drop some of the tannin, but my experience is that scorchy ones sometimes don’t want to not be scorchy.
1 person found it helpfulMay 31st, 2021
This was very nice. Deeply earthy and leathery but still with very good dark fruit. Excellent acid to keep it fresh and well integrated tannin.
This was very nice. Deeply earthy and leathery but still with very good dark fruit. Excellent acid to keep it fresh and well integrated tannin.
1 person found it helpfulMar 28th, 2017
Nose: dark lilacs. Penetrating.
Palate: deep midseason cherries. Great grip. Sweet spice.
A remarkable job in a vintage the critics loved but was actually quite challenging (heat). The opposite of 18.
Fass selections
Nose: dark lilacs. Penetrating.
Palate: deep midseason cherries. Great grip. Sweet spice.
A remarkable job in a vintage the critics loved but was actually quite challenging (heat). The opposite of 18.
Fass selections
Wow. Great effort In a challenging year (according To the all knowing critics).
Nose is lilac juice and cherry flower. Deep and gorgeous. Something xtra. As this opens even more deep and penetrating. Just a gorgeous attack on the front of the nose. Truly elite aromatics. Tickles the nostrils. This hard to describe integrated perfection. Intoxicating.
Palate is so silky. Elegant early season cherries. A hint of so elegant spice. Sweet cherry licorice. Wow. Just wow. So juicy. So elegant.
Still so fresh. This can go 10+ years.
Not even her top wine.
If you taste this wine you will NEVER EVER believe critic vintage bashing again. Great wines can be made in any year. These blanket statements on vintages are bullshit.
Fass Selections
Wow. Great effort In a challenging year (according To the all knowing critics).
Nose is lilac juice and cherry flower. Deep and gorgeous. Something xtra. As this opens even more deep and penetrating. Just a gorgeous attack on the front of the nose. Truly elite aromatics. Tickles the nostrils. This hard to describe integrated perfection. Intoxicating.
Palate is so silky. Elegant early season cherries. A hint of so elegant spice. Sweet cherry licorice. Wow. Just wow. So juicy. So elegant.
Still so fresh. This can go 10+ years.
Not even her top wine.
If you taste this wine you will NEVER EVER believe critic vintage bashing again. Great wines can be made in any year. These blanket statements on vintages are bullshit.
Fass Selections
