Chicago Italian Lovers round 3-2000 Barolos

This was the third installment of our Italian Group. This one focused on 00 barolos from the group of us. There were only 7, so we ended up having 1 Barolo per person.

• 2005 i Clivi Galea 89 Points

  Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Colli Orientali

  Nose: There is a fatness and richness to the nose with tones of melons, honeydew, butterscotch, meyer lemons, herbs, truffles, and some peaches as well. There is good complexity, but it is lacking some depth.
  
  Taste: Full bodied with medium acidity. There is a richer quality to the tones of meyer lemons, honeydew, melon rinds, peaches, truffles and some herbs. The mid-palate is slightly hollow, but the feel is very nice.
  
  Overall: This was a very interesting wine. It was hard to figure out what it was blind, but it was a very intriguing wine and enjoyable to drink.

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• 2006 Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Riserva Villa Bucci 88 Points

  Italy, Marche, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico

  Nose: Light and aromatic nose with tones of oyster shells, lemon curds, minerals, white fruits, and some custard notes as well. There is some depth that is lacking, but the nose is very nice.
  
  Taste: Light bodied with crisp medium+ acidity. There is a deftness to the tones of lemon curds, custard, white fruits, and oyster shells.
  
  Overall: This is a very interesting and enjoyable wine. There is a real nice light quality to it, though it is lacking some depth.

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• 2000 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: This was a bit tight at first, but then unraveled into rich and balanced tones of dark red cherries sweet oak, herbs, licorice, cinnamon, and some roses. There is very good depth to this, and though it shows more richness and oak, it isn't overpowering.
  
  Taste: Full bodied with chewy tannins and medium/high acidity. The structure is very much there with richer tones of dark red cherries, sweet oak, licorice, cinnamon, and roses.
  
  Overall: This is still very young. This shows it's modern roots and the vintage, but neither are too much or overdone. This still needs time to fully show itself, but it is extremely good right now.

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• 2000 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This was sadly corked.

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• 2000 G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: Very perfumed nose with red fruited tones of wild flowers, roses, violets, fresh picked strawberries, roasted herbs, tar, cherries, and some berries. This is very fragrant while showing a feminine side along with some more plush fruit.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and very good tannins. The feel is very sexy with well balanced and feminine tones of wild flowers, roses, violets, fresh picked strawberries, roasted herbs, and some red cherries.
  
  Overall: This is a very pretty wine. This had a lot of class and poise while showing nice warmth to the fruit.

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• 2000 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The palate was much thinner than I would expect and the acidity was extremely shrill. The nose also seemed off as the whole wine was a big teeter-totter. It didn't seem like a sound bottle.

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• 2000 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: Well balanced with tart tones of dark red cherries, strawberries, mint, roses, roasted herbs, and red florals. There is nice class and style to it with a richness to the tones as well.
  
  Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The feel is refined and elegant with warmer tones of dark red cherries, strawberries, roasted herbs, and red florals.
  
  Overall: This seemed like it was relatively ready to drink, but it could certainly use more time to fully show itself.

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• 2000 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: This was wound a little tight at first, but when it opened up there were perfumed and layered tones of strawberries, red cherries, red florals, roasted herbs, spice tones, and some bits of tar.
  
  Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and chewy tannins. The structure is still very youthful with well balanced and layered tones of strawberries, red cherries, red florals, roasted herbs, red berries, tar, and spices.
  
  Overall: This is a gorgeous and beautiful young barolo. This was very savory and perfumed with a lot of class to it.

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• 2000 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: Very savory and perfumed nose with tones of roasted herbs, red cherries, tar, strawberries, wild flowers, and fresh picked berries. There is very good depth to this with a real charm to it as well.
  
  Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium/high acidity and chewy tannins. This is very young on the palate with fresh and savory tones of red cherries, strawberries, wild flowers, and some fresh picked red berries.
  
  Overall: This was the only Barolo that didn't seem to fully show the vintage. It certainly showed fruit, but the fruit wasn't as warm as the other barolos. This was more fresh with nice depth and a gorgeous savoriness too.

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Sadly we had two flawed bottles, but the warmth of the vintage did generally shine through on the bottles that weren't flawed. The wines were very nice and showed well on the whole. We all agreed that this is a theme that will have to happen again in the near future.