Barolo-Barbaresco 2001 (and perhaps older...).

The main theme was Barolo and Barbaresco 2001, although it was clear that not all of us had 2001 and had to go back one or two vintages.
We originally wanted to have some cool climate Nebbiolo too, but only I had a 2001, so we ended up with
4 Baroli
4 Barbareschi
1 cool climate Nebbiolo

We had three flights, served blind.

• 2012 Christian Zundel Chardonnay Velabona

  Switzerland, Ticino

  Light structure, very tense and mineral, with a chalky texture. Lemon zest.

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• 1999 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The oak is quite upfront, with spices and a balsamic note. Not my style, although it improves after while.
  On the palate it lacks freshness, but has elegance, though. One feels the oak here too.
  
  4 days later: the oak is now less prominent, the nose is more classic, but quite a bit less expressive. On the palate it's ripe, broad and a bit soft. Very subtle tannins, almost vanishing. No grip, not very convincing.
  5 days later: no oak anymore, and the acidity is suddenly very present.

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• 2001 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Ca'mia

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Classic Barolo nose, beautiful, elegant, floral, but with red fruit too.
  On the palate it is enveloping, full-bodied, tannic, serious and intense. Very good.
  
  Revisited one day later, but there was very little left. It was still all there, present, intense, with grip. Classic.

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• 2001 AR.PE.PE. Valtellina Superiore - Sassella Riserva Rocce Rosse

  Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore - Sassella

  More elegant and vinous, classic Nebbiolo nose, but less explosive. On the palate it is very elegant, earthy, serious, ferrous, salty. Very mineral, very good. No, even fantastic.
  
  Two days later: it changed quite a bit, it now has less body, more evidently light-footed. Complex and elegant, very mineral and earthy. I loved it very very much.

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• 2001 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Oak on the nose, but acceptable. On the palate it's very ripe, lacks freshness, heavy in fact. Not to my liking...
  
  4 days later: first I think the oak is less prominent, but then caramel comes up, and an alcoholic toasted note reminding of cognac. On the palate again it almost feels like cognac. The tannins seem to come from the oak. No good.
  5 days later: now it's all on dried fruit, licorice, nutmeg...

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• 2001 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Asili

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Medicinal nose at the beginning, but this dissipates quickly. Then it has a quieter phase, fine but not very expressive - later it improves a lot.
  Powerful palate, very strong and tannic. A beast.
  
  4 days later: another character, much more elegant, floral, but with deeper tar notes also. Very fine.
  Almost sweet as it enters the mouth, all on the fruit, but serious too. Then strong tannins show up, but without excesses. Fantastic today.

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• 2001 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Classic from the first sniff, a beautiful Barolo, with red fruit and floral notes. Intense palate, deep, dark, not at all heavy, very very good.
  
  2. day. Not much is left and the nose is much less expressive. But on the palate it's still all there, concentrated, intense, serious, without heaviness. Truly classic.

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• 1998 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì San Lorenzo

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  The color is darker than all the others, it looks very young.
  Modern nose, but the oak is less prominent than for the other modern ones. Quite enjoyable. On the palate it starts very soft, surprisingly so, but then the tannins show up and you feel the grip. Different, but fine.
  
  3 and 4 days later: the oak is slowly dissipating, and the nose shows a beautiful complexity. On the palate it shows the same pattern as on day 1: soft upon entry, and developing a strong grip towards the finish. This was the most stable and resistant to air. It didn't bulge much even after four days.

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• 2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Cranberries, earthy notes, very self-confident, a whole. It improves with time, it becomes more and more difficult to identify components in its beautiful scent. Beguiling.
  On the palate it is deceivingly light-footed, with a filigreed structure and wonderful complexity. Wotn.
  
  Second day: not much left, but it is still fantastic - lightness, but with great intensity. Immediate pleasure, but makes you think and contemplate it too.

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• 2001 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Classic nose, quite floral, with underlying red fruit.
  Tannic, dense, very intense, classic.
  
  4 days later: some oxidation on the nose, but this dissipates - anyway this is now on darker notes, not floral anymore, almost towards chocolate and locust beans. Very compact. Intense and dark notes on the palate too. Strong tannins, but not excessive, fine grained. It has substance, it's powerful and intense.
  I liked it more than the Asili on day one, but after three days, the Asili was clearly better.

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• 1999 Disznókő Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos

  Hungary, Tokaji

  Once more a great showing. Complex, sweet (not too much) and refreshing too.
  Quince jam and citrus on the palate, as it warms up in the glass a mineral, smoky note too. On the nose I still get tea leaves mainly, even some oregano, perhaps... with the sweetness of dried apricots.

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Great tasting, with fantastic wines, and a wonderful opportunity to learn about the different styles.
I concluded I did not like the modernists, Voerzio not at all, Aldo Conterno not quite, and Gaja not really, although I admired the quality.
But why interfere with the fantastic aromas of Nebbiolo with oak?!

All traditionalists showed very well, Brovia and Mascarello somewhat above the two Produttori and Giacosa on another level.
And I loved the Ar.Pe.Pe...