Cesare Bussolo
Santa Lucia Barbera d'Alba
Alba, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
Always a joy. No formal notes at an event.
Always a joy. No formal notes at an event.
Sep 30th, 2023
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.
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.
Jul 9th, 2023In the zone. So delicious, spicey and grapey.
In the zone. So delicious, spicey and grapey.
Jun 24th, 2023In the zone now. First wine in eight days due to the flu. Thankful no COVID-19. Nose is spicey, ebullient and ripe. Juicy nose if possible. Mega Barbera fruit but also a Cornas like granitic tension. Wonderful deep and big berries. Palate is fresh and elegant with lovey linearity and freshness. Gotten more nimble as it ages. Very sappy and pure. Opulent but only just so. Great acids, balance and freshness. So so pure. Excellent showing.
In the zone now. First wine in eight days due to the flu. Thankful no COVID-19. Nose is spicey, ebullient and ripe. Juicy nose if possible. Mega Barbera fruit but also a Cornas like granitic tension. Wonderful deep and big berries. Palate is fresh and elegant with lovey linearity and freshness. Gotten more nimble as it ages. Very sappy and pure. Opulent but only just so. Great acids, balance and freshness. So so pure. Excellent showing.
Apr 29th, 2022Outrageous Barbera. Violets and intense minerality. Black plum. Raspberry. So so floral. Wow minerals. Exuberant. So elegant and juicy. Concentrated but never heavy. Weight of a feather and so juicy with intense mineral backbone. Really has a wonderful structure and depth and bathes the palate with minerals. Complex. Give this 3-4 years.
Outrageous Barbera. Violets and intense minerality. Black plum. Raspberry. So so floral. Wow minerals. Exuberant. So elegant and juicy. Concentrated but never heavy. Weight of a feather and so juicy with intense mineral backbone. Really has a wonderful structure and depth and bathes the palate with minerals. Complex. Give this 3-4 years.
Nov 26th, 2020
Delicious barbera. Blackberry, mulberry, tart cherry, earth, floral too- lovely balanced acidity. High alcohol but balanced overall
Delicious barbera. Blackberry, mulberry, tart cherry, earth, floral too- lovely balanced acidity. High alcohol but balanced overall
1 person found it helpfulOct 23rd, 2021
Serious barbera...blackberry/sour cherry on the back end, mossy, herbal, lush palate, velvety. Big, but balanced. Lovely.
Serious barbera...blackberry/sour cherry on the back end, mossy, herbal, lush palate, velvety. Big, but balanced. Lovely.
1 person found it helpfulFeb 4th, 2021
Nose is barbera on steroids. That fresh dark cherry blackberry fruit. Some elegant cough syrup. Assaults the nostrils. Just leaps at you. Complex. As this opens on day 2 nose is insane.
Palate is incredibly dense. Fresh wild Blackberry fruit. Wild young cherries. Intense balancing acidity. Almost tart. Silky tanins. A hint of herbals. Really intense. On day 2 more chocolatey. Dark but fresh blackberries. Delicious.
Long finish.
This will be a 9.4 or 9.5 in 2-3 years. I’d drink with a 2 hour decant now.
Bought from fass selections
Nose is barbera on steroids. That fresh dark cherry blackberry fruit. Some elegant cough syrup. Assaults the nostrils. Just leaps at you. Complex. As this opens on day 2 nose is insane.
Palate is incredibly dense. Fresh wild Blackberry fruit. Wild young cherries. Intense balancing acidity. Almost tart. Silky tanins. A hint of herbals. Really intense. On day 2 more chocolatey. Dark but fresh blackberries. Delicious.
Long finish.
This will be a 9.4 or 9.5 in 2-3 years. I’d drink with a 2 hour decant now.
Bought from fass selections
Sick nose. Red berry fruit. Loads of it. Sense of deepness and richness. Some spice and saline notes as well. Palate is juicy, complex and has terrific freshness and so much minerality. Wow what’s this? A mineral driven Barbera? Yes it is. Great cut and juiciness with some good berry fruit but this has st Joseph like fresh minerals that are just delightful. Terrific depth and structure. Even seems a bit young, as does most very serious Barbera which this is. Long persistent finish of black and red berry fruit and beautiful minerals and substantial tannins. Really really long. after air the nose really gets going. Super complex gamey, earthy and mineral notes. Man it’s like if old school Cornas (mineral style like cuchet/Fauterie) mated with very serious Barbera. As this airs more fruit comes out but it never sheds its mineral core. This is terrific. Great power and depth. This will age for at least 10-13 years. Will be back more as it airs.
Sick nose. Red berry fruit. Loads of it. Sense of deepness and richness. Some spice and saline notes as well. Palate is juicy, complex and has terrific freshness and so much minerality. Wow what’s this? A mineral driven Barbera? Yes it is. Great cut and juiciness with some good berry fruit but this has st Joseph like fresh minerals that are just delightful. Terrific depth and structure. Even seems a bit young, as does most very serious Barbera which this is. Long persistent finish of black and red berry fruit and beautiful minerals and substantial tannins. Really really long. after air the nose really gets going. Super complex gamey, earthy and mineral notes. Man it’s like if old school Cornas (mineral style like cuchet/Fauterie) mated with very serious Barbera. As this airs more fruit comes out but it never sheds its mineral core. This is terrific. Great power and depth. This will age for at least 10-13 years. Will be back more as it airs.
1 person found it helpfulMay 26th, 2020
Robe noire
Nez sur la prune et olive noire
Bouche ample mais restant fraîche
Finale mûre mais fraîche
Robe noire
Nez sur la prune et olive noire
Bouche ample mais restant fraîche
Finale mûre mais fraîche