Three Barolo traditionalists: G. Rinaldi, B. Mascarello, Cappellano

First Italian dinner for the year thanks to Anthony D'Anna from Boccaccio Cellars/Mondo Imports. This time the focus was on three producers that are widely seen as stalwarts of traditional Barolo production. Rare at the best of times, these wines are incredibly hard to find in Australia, so massive thanks to Anthony for sourcing these treats.

Overall I found the Rinaldi wines had great tannins management (langhe Nebbiolo aside), beautiful mouth feel on the Barolo wines. The Mascarello wines all seemed to be a bit brighter, more focus on fruit (relative to Rinaldi/Cappellano), and very approachable. My favourites were the Cappellano wines though, particularly the Piè Franco pair, so pure, and plain delicious.

All wines either slow ox'd or decanted approx. 7 hours before the dinner. No detailed notes take, more general impressions.

• 2011 Saracco Moscato d'Autunno 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Asti

  Very fresh, white flowers, floral. Love the sweetness and acid balance, cleans up very nicely. Sherbet on the finish, lovely.

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• 2010 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Freisa 84 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Wow, wild. Earthy, funky, but still very bright fruited. Light to medium body, but with serious tannins too. Hard to wrap my head around this one.

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• 2008 Cappellano Barbera d'Alba Gabutti 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

  Enjoyed this a lot, sticking with the theme it's a very traditional style. Red fruit, cherry, leather, herbs, complex. Thought the tannins needed some time to integrate, had super length.

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• 2010 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

  Perhaps it was the company it kept tonight, but this was another of the Mascarello wines that looked very bright with a strong fruit focus. Raspberry and licorice, even a little sweet, high acid. Super young really.

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• 2010 Giuseppe Rinaldi Nebbiolo Langhe 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Nose is closed tight, and it's not giving up much more on the palate. Serious tannins at this young age too. With time you get a peek at some decent fruit, and it's definitely a good wine, just not sure if it has the stuffing to last until the tannins soften.

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• 2010 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Beautiful expressive nose of flowers and earth, red fruit. Again a very bright and high toned wine from Mascarello, very well balanced though. Ripe fruit, impressive length. Surprised at the attention to fruit purity. Stylistically this sticks out tonight, but a good wine none the less.

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• 1998 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This bottle is ready to go, drinking well now. Some suggestions that this has advanced prematurely, and while I can see that, there is no way it's going to fall over any time soon. Hints of orange peel on the nose, along with cherries and leather, spice. Silky tannins, great mouth feel in all the Rinaldi wines actually.

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• 2000 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Step up with this wine. Big, bold and beautiful. Hugely aromatic and inviting, but taking no prisoners on the palate. Desnse and very well structured, set for the long haul. Again lovely mouth feel, pick of the Rinaldi wines tonight.

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• 2004 Cappellano Barolo Pie Franco Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Beautiful nose of tar and roses, perfectly capturing the essence of Barolo. Very young, but so well balanced, it is drinking well today. A classic, and my wine of the night.

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• 2006 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Incredibly fresh, silky tannins, proves very approachable for such a young wine. Could use a bit more length on the finish which hopefully will build with time.

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• 2005 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Quite a big wine in the context of others on the night, serious tannins that are just starting to become approachable. Great fruit that is quite ripe, perhaps even a little warmth on the finish. Big length.

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• 2005 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Quite tight initially, perhaps some VA lift. Quite a monster on the palate though, serious tannins and waves of flavour. A young wine that needs a few more years yet, but all signs are good. Again, beautiful mouth feel with these Rinaldi wines. Seductive.

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• 2007 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  From magnum. Another wine that despite its size and youth is quite approachable. Strong typical Barolo profile, cherry and raspberry, tar, violets. Aromatically this is a stunner. A big wine though, will live for many years.

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• 2007 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This is large, ripe, and approachable, seemingly a trait of 2007. Showed very well tonight without standing out. Very long and refined finish.

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• 2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  From magnum. The format probably exacerbated the problem, but this showed incredibly youthful, like barrel sample youth. Lovely fruit profile, flowers and red fruit, not hugely complex at this stage. Good solid structure, will be fine in 10+ years.

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• 2008 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Shock and horror, this was just a baby. In saying that it was much more open on the nose than the '07 next to it. Seems a bit bigger on the palate too, riper. Not hugely complex either, but no doubting the quality here, revisit many years down the track.

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• 2006 Cappellano Barolo Pie Franco Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  These Piè Franco wines from Cappellano showed super well tonight. Love the style, very open and expressive nose, serious structure with perfectly judged ripeness. To me this and the '04 scream Nebbiolo. Great acidity on this too, very fresh. A long pleasant journey ahead.

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• NV Cappellano Barolo Chinato 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo Chinato

  Only the second Barolo Chinato I've encountered, but a very good one. Herbs and spices leap from the glass, takes over the room. Lovely full fruit and herbs on the palate, with good sense of weight, not heavy or cloying. Perfect end to this meal.

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