Barbaresco, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a slightly hazy garnet color with a translucent core and some rim variation; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears and light signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous, with notes of ripe and desiccated red fruit: Morello cherry, dried roses, tar, tobacco, leather, gravelly earth, and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose where the fruit showed quite a bit of power. The finish is long. Alcohol is elevated but calling it medium+. This is delicious.
Initial conclusion: this could be Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Granache or Pinot Noir from Italy, France or Spain. Because the tannins were absolutely ripping, and there was no staining, I was leaning Nebbiolo. Additionally, the secondary characteristics along with a strong core of fruit had me thinking this was close to 30 years old from a solar vintage. So I called Nebbiolo, from Italy, from Piemonte, Barolo from a traditional-leaning producer, 1997. Well, I can’t get too upset with my call! Really tasty stuff. Drink now through 2032.
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a slightly hazy garnet color with a translucent core and some rim variation; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears and light signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous, with notes of ripe and desiccated red fruit: Morello cherry, dried roses, tar, tobacco, leather, gravelly earth, and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose where the fruit showed quite a bit of power. The finish is long. Alcohol is elevated but calling it medium+. This is delicious.
Initial conclusion: this could be Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Granache or Pinot Noir from Italy, France or Spain. Because the tannins were absolutely ripping, and there was no staining, I was leaning Nebbiolo. Additionally, the secondary characteristics along with a strong core of fruit had me thinking this was close to 30 years old from a solar vintage. So I called Nebbiolo, from Italy, from Piemonte, Barolo from a traditional-leaning producer, 1997. Well, I can’t get too upset with my call! Really tasty stuff. Drink now through 2032.
