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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 45 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by jerhardt on 11/17/2022: '55/'61/'67 plus '61 Fontanafreda poured single blind. The stylistic consistency of the Mascarellos was amazing, from the pale, nearly translucent color down the the way the sediment was formed in large sheets. All of the wines showed propersly and for the most part were delicious. The '67 was the least impressive and clearly on the backside of maturity. Not madeirized, but it had a crystalline candied sweetness, almost like a tawny port. Interesting, but not up to the standard of the others, which were all impressive in their own way. The '61 drank the biggest and youngest (in a relative sense), but still ephemeral and elegant. The '55 was consistent with prior bottles; elegant, complex, and very alive for a 60+ year old wine. The Fontanafreda split the difference between the two, and was a massive over-performer. Three fantastic wines that were a treat to drink. (1417 views) | | | Tasted by Sagan99 on 8/5/2022 & rated 90 points: Drinking my age with this one! '61 was a great year, and this experience was great 61 years later!
Drinking this wine at it's peak, is at least a decade or two past prime. But, I needed a wine to confirm long term storage conditions, and thus I wanted to test this wine, to see if it could make my 61 birthday.
Looks like we made it!
The cork was totally intact, and only bottle side 50% of it wet. No remnants of any kind of debris or decay. Fabulous! Though, here in Alberta, humidity is about perfect for storage. About 70%
Nebiollo
13.5 %abv when bottled
At 3 hours - Wow! What changes!
The wine remains as at opening,(below) with some remarkable changes !
The wine was clear with pale intensity. But the brightness of the garnet had " popped. It was much more intense red, within the tawny rim, which had shrunk ever so slightly.
Nose - now, red berries could be discerned, however faintly, with secondary and tertiary notes mentioned earlier.
Palate - similarly, in the palate there was a restoration of sorts in the primary red fruits, plums, berries, but only vaguely. The tertiary remained.The tannins showed themselves more, giving me a thought that this wine has maybe a few more years in it's agedness.
Conclusions- this wines best years are behind it.... And those years were more than a decade ago! Likely more.
But, this was an interesting experiment to see what can happen to a a certain grape"s juice when cellared properly and patience maintained.
It also shows that, patience in collecting wine, leads to corks being popped later than it should have been.
And, being a newbie to this CellerTracker community will reduce the opportunities for that to happen.
This time, it was purposeful. Others in my past, was neglect and pride of knowing more. It's been an expensive mistake, and not in a financial sense, but in a sense of missing out on drinking some of the world's greatest wines!
The lesson... Pop the cork, in a reasonable and measured time, before it's too late.
At opening-
Intensity is pale with a garnet centre and tawny rim+.
Nose is light, earthiness, dried fruit, wet leaves, with a hint of caramel, milk chocolate and licorice.
Palate aligns with the nose, showing aged fruit, nothing primary at this age.
Dry. High tangy acid, medium tannin, medium alcohol, medium/full body, 30+ second finish
Very good quality for a 61 year old wine, though it's drinking window is a furlong or ten over due!
But, there's still tannins resolving, and alcohol, but also a little reduction or oxidation as well.
It's hard to give this an overall grade when I've never had this experience before.
But, I guess that in itself is what this is all about.
So, I'll give it a 90, though I did a tasting of far better, " in there moment" wines last night.
*** This 90 points reflects the fact that this can still be consumed after 61 years! It's remarkable.
(But, if I were to rate the wine as is, with the flaws I've levered on the wine, it should be higher.
If I taste it now, with how it actually tastes, with all it's flaws, it would be lower.)
PS- Drink the Rainbow!
PSS- with this sample, the Rainbow ends at some point. So test...and drink often!
Pop the cork! (1627 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 6/19/2022 & rated 97 points: Medium red color with a 10mm bricked margin. PNP, drank a glass plus over an hour plus. Revelatory, stunning, lightning in a bottle. Wow, what a perfume; watching this evolve in the glass was sheer joy. The purity of the red berry fruit is staggering, gorgeous bright strawberry, fine leather, iron, blood, fine tobacco, rose petals. The palate is so harmonious and elegant, medium bodied, wild strawberry, rose water, red cherry, leather, dried spices, still fresh with tangy acids and such satiny soft tannins. This was probably the best Barolo I've experienced; an unexpected treat and a birth year bottle for several of us. Brought the last sips home for my wife to finish and it was still singing. Good to see this aging so wonderfully at 60 plus years...there are no great wines, only great bottles and this was surely one. (1885 views) | | | Tasted by chablis28 on 6/15/2022 & rated 95 points: This put an exclamation point on a lovely evening outside at Martina in Minneapolis! I tried to research this wine a bit more and can't find any details on it. The label is in mint condition and nothing about the btl itself screams 61yrs of resting in a cellar. That is, except the depth & range of flavors & aromas here. The wine's color is still a near release deep, almost opaque, ruby vs. the more typical translucent crimson rose' color of most Barolos of this age? It would be fun to know more about how these btls are produced, stored & packaged. I didn't see its cork so I don't know if was a crumbly cigar like stub typical of very old btls or a recently corked wine? That all aside this is a wonderful Barolo by any measure and terrific value to boot. 95+ (1890 views) | | | Tasted by HotelHarrington on 5/1/2022: Very funky on the nose. Very tertiary. After some time in glass, the funk blew off a bit and revealed some more fruit character that was still hanging around. But ultimately I think this wine’s best years are behind it. (1771 views) | | | Tasted by PhillyVine2112 on 7/6/2021 & rated 90 points: This was a really interesting wine to experience. It was a serious stinker on opening. Poured out a glass and let the rest stay in the bottle for about 3 hours. Decanted it from there about 20 min before dinner. No one would confuse this for a young wine. Stewed fruit, forest floor, cigar wrappers, along with less enjoyably soy and mushroom aromas. The wine had plenty of acidity and left and amazingly still some tannins. I found when drinking this wine, which definitely needed food, that it would have moments when it would pull itself together and the pieces would come into balance. Then a few minutes later the aged flavors like soy and mushroom would dominate again. I definitely would recommend sampling over time, but if you happen to catch it in a nice window, don't be afraid to enjoy it while it lasts. (1727 views) | | | Tasted by asteff on 2/28/2021 & rated 92 points: Really delicious. Had rose petals almost to the point of smelling like a bubble gum cigar on the nose. Delicate futile profile, beautiful acidity. Very nice all around. (2081 views) | | | Tasted by diegopia on 1/21/2021 & rated 90 points: Not sure how to rate a 59 year old wine! Opened and decanted the bottle 2 hours before dinner (pappardelle with home made deer ragout). The wine was still ruby colored. The legs were medium and there obviously was heavy sediment in the bottle. Tannins were still present and pleasant. Some leather, slightly moldy, dark fruit bouquet pretty much gone, a bit of black pepper. Having said that, it was a perfectly drinkable wine with some low acidity left. Had last glass 24 hours later and it was even more morbid and round. The wine finished medium. (2074 views) | | | Tasted by schwank on 12/26/2020: This showed quite nicely with a prime rib roast, and paired particularly well with a foie gras torchon. Palate and nose were a bit decoupled, with the nose showing a bit muted from age, but the wine showed nice density on the palate. Very nice bottle that gave us a pleasurable drink over two hours. (2199 views) | | | Tasted by Mtpisgah on 8/15/2020: Stood for a short bit. Decanted and avoided most of the sediment, including the huge blob at the bottom.
Two hours in the nose was like a paladin’s butt. The palate was ok though, but not great. Another hour it had picked up steam and was striking forward like a stallion. Paired well with its brethren lamb kabobs.
Drink up if you have it but give it three hours in a decanter. Have some heavy meat to go along with it ( lamb, bison, horse) and you will be satisfied. (2567 views) | | | Tasted by aagrawal on 1/24/2020 & rated 90 points: Stood up undisturbed for 6+ months. Decanted with a very light ruby color, almost like a dark rose; aromatic, initially funky but blows off in 10 minutes, floral, forest mulch, some red cherry and slight spice, slight soy; palate is light bodied, sour cherry, high acid, balanced alcohol, fully integrated tannin, a bit light and acidic at first but already starting to fill out over the first 30 minutes; short-medium finish. A very nice mature Barolo, showing classic aged Nebbiolo character and a friendly elegance and integrated tannins, though with some limited complexity. A nice experience, but I paid a bit much for it. Would be reasonable <$100. 90
2 hours: Put on a bit of weight but largely similar.
8 hours air: not that different from 2 hours. (3025 views) | | | Tasted by popesign on 1/18/2020 & rated 86 points: Surprisingly well preserved (59 years!) with both nice fruit and acid as well as the hint of fine tanines. Would probably have gotten even better grades if we had drunk it 5-6 years ago. We drank it during a tasting session and then for dinner. Grilled lamb fillet with red wine sauce and Hasselback potaoes. (2202 views) | | | Tasted by ieatprawnsss on 2/7/2019 & rated 91 points: Decanted to give some air and avoid the considerable sediment buildup over the decades. In the glass a very light tawny colour all the way through. Nose is funky to begin but after it blows off, exudes full on tertiary flavors with soy being the dominant flavor note. As it sat, little hints of fruit peaked out. On the palate, surprising acidity with fully integrated tannins and a lingering finish. Very enjoyable drinking but more interesting to me as an educational experience of an old old bottle as compared to something to be desired on a regular basis. Does not have much further to go, time wise, so drink up. (3075 views) | | | Tasted by R.H. on 12/22/2018: ludens cherry cough drop. a surprising amount of (tangy) fruit. good, not great. (2912 views) | | | Tasted by jerhardt on 11/20/2018: Light bodied, clean, and elegant. Mature, but not going anywhere. Moderately complex and a bit shy; this bottle could have used more than the one hour decant it received. Very good. (2749 views) | | | Tasted by redwiner on 10/16/2018 & rated 90 points: Great bottle considering its age. Slightly past its prime, but a good wine none the less. (2207 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 11/10/2017: A beautiful bottle of wine at peak maturity. Ethereal with all sorts of savoury nuance. There's teak, moss, leather, spice and iron. It has vinous sweetness and a palate that is pure silk. Structural elements have all but folded into the wine and there are no hard edges. Length is fantastic. (3355 views) | | | Tasted by sharonandroland on 4/24/2016 & rated 88 points: rather chemical and some geranium (4875 views) | | | Tasted by Nicholas81 on 2/16/2016: The nose had an extremely strong soy and umami aromas.There were subtle underlying aromas of dried fruits and light flowers. The palate still had lively acidity and light, subtle nuances of dried fruits, plums and raisin. The finish was slightly short, dissipating very soon. The entry of the palate till the finish was quite seamless. The bottle had a 4.5cm ullage. It's amazing to think that a bottle can survive for 55 years and still have some semblance of fruit and acidity. (4920 views) | | | Tasted by 83AJ on 3/14/2015 & rated 72 points: Wow. This was terrible. Sorry RWC your wine was NG (6243 views) | | | Tasted by havarhar on 2/21/2015 & rated 92 points: Overraskende kort kork. Ut i en del og i god stand.
Ekstremt lys og gjennomsiktig rød og lys organge farge. Ser nesten ut som en rose-vin.
Overraskende mye lukt. Fruktig, blomster og etter hvert litt røyk.
Overrasker også på smak med å være frisk og fruktig. Godt integrert syrlighet. Ikke så fyldig, men silkeaktig og elegant i munnen. Smaksrik. Lang ettersmak. Merkbare tanniner, men silkemyke og elegante.
En av de aller beste gamle viner jeg har drukket. En meget interessant og god vin. (5615 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 9/12/2014: Cloudy light red. Rose, dried cherry nose with significant touch of VA. Lighter weight, high acidity which never quite completely folds in, some tar, tart red fruit. The acidity has kept this wine going for over 5 decades, but at the same time, it shortens the finish and keeps it from being a truly distinguished old Nebbiolo. Interesting and certainly good. (5423 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 6/23/2014 & rated 93 points: Chicago Wine Flock...Gary Opening Well Aged Barolo (Ada Street - Chicago IL): Open and decanted several hours before serving. Third bottle I've had from the same case we purchased several years ago. Mature red cherry aromas with anise and rose petal. Red cherry with spice flavors along with plenty of earthy meatiness at finish. Long and very elegant. (4566 views) | | | Tasted by mdefreitas on 12/15/2013 & rated 93 points: Pre-Holiday Dinner @ Home: This was drinking quite nicely. Dried roses, violets and leather. The structure was smooth and silky. Light bodied, filigree and delicious. (4602 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 12/15/2013 & rated 94 points: Absolutely superb; sweet red fruits and florality coming together seamlessly with more savoury tarry, smoky and gravelly elements. With air the fruit becomes sappier and richer while still retaining a remarkable sense of freshness. A beautiful, elegant wine that seems to be at peak now. (3666 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2021, Issue #94, Recently-Tasted Italian Wines Summer 2021
(Barolo- Fontanafredda (Barolo)) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Gary Walsh
The WINEFRONT (1/29/2015)
(Fontanafredda Barolo) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jan/Feb 2008, Issue #13, Recently Tasted Italian Red Wines: Outstanding Options Abound
(Fontanafredda Barolo) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (12/22/2011)
(Fontanafredda Barolo) Bricked medium brown red color with pale meniscus; mature, nutty, dried cherry, raspberry nose; tasty, mature, poised, raspberry, tart cherry, dried cherry palate; long finish (decanted for 3+ hours) 94 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of View From the Cellar and The WINEFRONT and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Fontanafredda Producer Website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)NebbioloNebbiolo is a red grape indigenous to the Piedmont region of Italy in the Northwest. The grape can also be found in other parts of the world, though they are not as respected.
Nebbiolo is often considered the "king of red wines," as it is the grape of the famed wines of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, and Roero DOCG. It is known for high tannins and acidity, but with a distinct finesse. When grown on clay, Nebbiolo can be very powerful, tannic, and require long aging periods to reach its full potential. When grown on sand, the grape exhibits a more approachable body with more elegant fruit and less tannins, but still has high aging potential.
"Nebbiolo" is named for the Italian word, "nebbia", which means "fog", in Italian and rightfully so since there is generally a lot of fog in the foothills of Piedmont during harvest.
Nebbiolo is a late-ripening variety that does best in a continental climate that boasts moderate summers and long autumns. In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is normally harvested in October.
More links:
Varietal character (Appellation America) | Nebbiolo on CellarTrackerItaly Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorPiedmont Vignaioli Piemontesi (Italian only)
On weinlagen-infoLanghe Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Roero | Union of Producers of Albese Wines (Albeisa)BaroloRegional History:
The wines of Piedmont are noted as far back as Pliny's Natural History. Due to geographic and political isolation, Piedmont was without a natural port for most of its history, which made exportation treacherous and expensive. This left the Piedmontese with little incentive to expand production. Sixteenth-century records show a mere 14% of the Bassa Langa under vine -- most of that low-lying and farmed polyculturally. In the nineteenth century the Marchesa Falletti, a frenchwoman by birth, brought eonologist Louis Oudart from Champagne to create the first dry wines in Piemonte. Along with work in experimental vineyards at Castello Grinzane conducted by Camilo Cavour -- later Conte di Cavour, leader of the Risorgimento and first Prime Minister of Italy -- this was the birth of modern wine in the Piedmont. At the heart of the region and her reputation are Alba and the Langhe Hills. This series of weathered outcroppings south of the Tanaro River is of maritime origin and composed mainly of limestone, sand and clay, known as terra bianca. In these soils -located mainly around the towns of Barolo and Barbaresco -- the ancient allobrogica, now Nebbiolo, achieves its renowned fineness and power.
map of Barolo DOCG
An interesting thread on Traditional vs. Modern Barolo producers:
https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106291 |
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