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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 109 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by jamesabdavis on 3/10/2024: Lovely, textbook Barolo.
Tar, herbs and minerality on the nose. Lovely herbal frangance, violet pastilles.
Nicely integrated, dry tannins, fresh.
Beautiful. The floral quality emerged just as we were finishing the magnum - open earlier next time! (1132 views) | | | Tasted by Robmcl920 on 2/25/2024 & rated 95 points: The '08 Gavarini is a stunning wine and starting to drink very well. I also tasted the Casa Mate a few weeks ago and while it is a great wine, the Gavarini seems a bit more approachable and as usual, I find the Gavarini to have more purity and a more attractive (to me) fruit profile.
On the nose, the Gavarini opens with a burst of fresh red roses, with the floral notes more dominant than the fruit. Sweet, pure red berry fruit, fresh mint, sweet spices, and a hint of anise round out the aromatics. On the palate, the texture of the '08 Gavarini is pure silk, with fully resolved tannins, medium in body. I found sweet red berry fruit, red floral tones, mint, and a hint of licorice and spice towards the back end. The purity of the fruit and floral tones is remarkable. There's that sense of sweetness that characterizes the finest Nebbiolo.
The '08 isn't quite as good as the '10 IMO, but it's an absolutely stunning wine. I should say this is the best bottle I have had in a while. I purchased the wine a few years after release from a handful of sources, and this bottle suggests some of the bottles (that were attractive, but a bit more muddled in the fruit expression) I've had in the past were likely not stored perfectly. (1447 views) | | | Tasted by KeithAkers on 2/14/2024 & rated 92 points: This had a bit of VA and dustiness at first, but there was a clear amount of fruit so I felt like 5+ hours of air would help. And it definitely did as the nose shows off a maturing side that is still fresh with dark red cherries, raspberries, cranberries, rose petals, crushed rocks, earth notes, tobacco leaf, roasted herbs, wild flowers, savory spices, and a touch of dried red fruits. The Full bodied feel is refined and elegant with tart, high acidity and silky, high tannins. The structure still has plenty of youth, but this is well into its journey. This is fully in the drink it if you got it category depending on how you like your Barolo. (1532 views) | | | Tasted by HeavyPourWine on 12/31/2023 & rated 93 points: NYE Vino Fest (Atlanta, GA): Tasted at the annual 2023 New Years Eve Vino Fest in Atlanta. BYOB and guests were encouraged to bring wines with years ending with a 3. No formal notes, just scores. From Mag. Brad - heavypourwine.com (1863 views) | | | Tasted by gilrbo on 12/31/2023: Opened the bottle around lunchtime and drunk over dinner with family, next to the Casa Matè of the same vintage. From memory.
This was the more elegant and accessible of the two. While the character was quite tarry, this also had red fruit and floral elements on the nose and a balanced, firm, but elegant palate. It was preferred by everyone at the table, including me, even though at the very end, when drinking the last sips after dinner, I found reasons to change my mind. (1528 views) | | | Tasted by Treblid on 12/8/2023 & rated 92 points: Real earthy flavors (1539 views) | | | Tasted by jshufelt on 11/26/2023 & rated 94 points: Decanted for 3.5 hours before service. In the glass, red/maroon at the rim with a slight hint of auburn, shading to a more saturated, youthful, dark maroon at the core. On the nose, a rose garden, with a mix of cedar and tar playing a backup role. On the palate, silky and driven by a classic mix of rose and tar atop a refreshing spine of fruit (cherries with a touch of fig), shifting to a more structured tannic finish. Approachable with the decant, but if anything, those tannins imply further upside ahead with another 5+ years in the cellar. (1704 views) | | | Tasted by the godfather on 9/7/2023: brown wine - initially some good sips then became tired and exceedingly dry on back end (2276 views) | | | Tasted by JOsgood on 9/3/2023 & rated 93 points: Really nice, showing good complexity. (2031 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 4/8/2023 & rated 92 points: Very enjoyable. We didn't give it enough air before consuming so the fruit was a bit muted. The next day's sampling was far superior. Seems to be aging nicely though. (2673 views) | | | Tasted by DK Amateur on 3/25/2023: Interesting development: Opened at 2:30 pm at 14 degrees and sort of old and murky. Positively oxydized when tasted at 5 pm at 20 degrees. Then cooled, and at 7:40 and 16 degrees in excellent shape, deep coloured, very fragrant with licorice, strawberries, minerals, and medicinal notes; and a rich mouthful with plenty of acidity and reasonable tannins with food (primarily cheese). Really good if you can get it into shape. Surely needs decanting and might be better in five or ten years. (2633 views) | | | Tasted by RichardP on 2/26/2023 & rated 94 points: This took several hours to open up, and it was better on the second day. On the nose, cherry and ether, with rose petal showing up after a few hours. On the palate, black cherry, blackberry, and notes of strawberry, tar, and earthy spices that evolved as this opened up, with moderate to strong tannins and strong acidity on the long finish. Given the need for air and the presence of some sediment, this should be decanted. This was early in its drinking window; based on other notes here there may be significant bottle variation. Based on this bottle, the Cellartracker drinking window looks a little short. (2956 views) | | | Tasted by hkbob on 1/21/2023 & rated 96 points: An excellent bottle showing complex aromatics of wild meadow berries, cherries and summer flowers, with earth, tobacco and Mediterranean herbs mixed in for good measure. Silky smooth texture across the palate but needed about 3 hours for the tannins to settle down and everything to come into balance. Darker fruit profile with advanced secondary flavours. Long, viscous finish while remaining light on its feet. This threw some chunky sediment. (2816 views) | | | Tasted by Édifice on 1/21/2023 & rated 96 points: Wow, great wine. Subtle bouquet of ripe cherries, strawberries, flowers, undergrowth, tar. Wonderful palate of ripe, crunchy berries, tar, minerals, leading to a long finish with spices. It has an intense sweetness that is well balanced with tangy, fresh elements, with some tannins giving structure. It feels relatively light but with quite some structure and pressure, a bit Burgundian. It is open on first night and similar between first and second night. Don‘t think one needs to wait, and should be drunk (as pointed out by Nostrabacchus). (2698 views) | | | Tasted by SeaWine on 1/7/2023: One of the best Barolo wines I have had in a while, and perhaps the most enjoyable. (Better, I think, than a 2013 I brought to a group tasting a few months later, though how much the extra 5 years in bottle mattered, I am not sure.) Clean, complex, with freshness and layers of flavor that seemed to unfold over time, along with interesting tertiary notes. Had over 3 days and was still excellent on Day 2, fading only slightly on day 3. Hope to share my only remaining bottle with friends who may appreciate it, too. (1904 views) | | | Tasted by Jd6725 on 11/13/2022 flawed bottle: Possibly an off bottle. Seemed a bit stewy. But I'm not sure. Could also just be bottle variation. still completely drinkable but I've had much better bottles of this. (2473 views) | | | Tasted by NostraBacchus on 8/6/2022 & rated 96 points: This was super red fruited and pure right after opening, but developped also some tertiary notes over the course of the evening. Another excellent bottle of this favorite of mine. I would start drinking this, as I am not sure it will get better from this point. (3644 views) | | | Tasted by JOsgood on 5/31/2022 flawed bottle: Seemed to be an off bottle. No fruit. (3199 views) | | | Tasted by the godfather on 5/30/2022: Unfortunately seemed tired…….ugh (3016 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 5/5/2022 & rated 94 points: Took a while to open. Decanted before dinner, but needed more time than we gave it. When it did, it lost the alcohol nose and tasted of cherries, spices, and kind of an earthy something. Light on its feet and showing no signs of being too old. Nice mouthfeel and medium long aftertaste. (3153 views) | | | Tasted by ravbik on 3/6/2022 & rated 96 points: Full bodied . In great place but still had another 20 years life . (3128 views) | | | Tasted by Thomas123 on 12/11/2021 & rated 94 points: Intense nos of rose petal and sweet cherries. Juicy and fresh in the palate, fiercely tannic suggesting this might be even better in 3-5 years but I don’t know - it is really, really good right now. Drink it with food, though. In this vintage, this one is at the level of the very best barolo producers. (3107 views) | | | Tasted by AndersHed on 3/31/2021 & rated 97 points: The mineral finish of this wine is something I never have found in a Barolo before. So good! (4088 views) | | | Tasted by NostraBacchus on 1/22/2021 & rated 96 points: Another excellent bottle of this. This is starting to be in the zone (at least from my perspective), but still requires some air. It‘s showing great aromatic complexity, structure and freshness, while just some of the tertiary aromatics are starting to come in. Lovely. (4504 views) | | | Tasted by joshabramson on 1/5/2021 & rated 95 points: I thought this was a solid value. Juicy and modern, but still light on its feet. I gave it 5-6 hours in a decanter, after which it was in a nice spot. (4175 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Barolo 2008: The Incredible Lightness of Being (Apr 2012)
(Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Vigna Chiniera) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 2011, IWC Issue #159
(Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Vigna Chiniera) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Elio Grasso Producer website
Elio Grasso had a choice. He could make powerful, unyielding wines from his beautiful estate in the hills behind Monforte, or he could emphasize balance and harmony. He chose the latter, and he meets these aims through rigid attention to the vineyards. Grasso and his family offer three single-vineyard Barolos, purer and more complex today than ever. The Vigna Chiniera and the Case Maté are made in a more traditional style while the powerful Runcot is aged for 30 months in all new barriques. Also look for their Nebbiolo from the Langhe and the Dolcetto d'Alba.
From MartinScottWines.com:
The estate vineyards and cellar, located outside the town of Monforte d’Alba, are surrounded by improbably steep vineyards on the eastern side of the Barolo appellation. The winery uses only estate grown grapes from varieties traditionally grown in the Langhe hill country near Alba. Elio works mostly in the vineyards, leaving the cellar work to his son Gianluca and wine consultant, Piero Ballario. Grasso farms Nebbiolo for the Barolo from 3 vineyards in Monforte – Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate, Gavarini Vigna Chiniera and Runcot, all with their own unique qualities. These south facing vineyards are planted on relatively loose-packed calcareous soil at elevations between 918-1,312 feet. All the grapes are vinified separately, according to the vineyard of provenance. The cellar displays an assortment of stainless steel tanks, where all the grapes are fermented, with the exception of Chardonnay, as well as 25 hectoliter Slavonian oak barrels and small 225 liter casks of French oak.Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini ChinieraFirst vintage: 1978
Aspect and height above sea level: south-facing, 350-400 metres
Soil type: moderately loose-packed, slightly sandy, limestone-based
Vine training system and planting density: Guyot-trained at 4,500 vines per hectare
Average age of productive vines: around 35 years
Harvest period and method: second 10 days of October, manual harvest
The vinification procedure for Barolo Gavarini Chiniera involves alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with daily pumping over. After completing malolactic fermentation, the wine matures in 25-hectolitre barrels of Slavonian oak. Bottling normally takes place in August. The Barolo Gavarini Chiniera then stays in the binning cellar for 8-10 months before release.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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