Italian Wines @ Iron Gate

The Iron Gate is a small place shaped like a railroad apartment, and this event was packed. So I sipped two whites and made my way to the back where they were hiding the Barbaresco and Barolos. Mostly 2010s in this lineup, with a few random 2007s. Obviously all of these wines are incredibly young and need cellar time, but it was a lot of fun seeing what they offer this early on.

• 2013 Köfererhof Kerner Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler 88 Points

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler

  A lot of fun, and really unique. Smells so floral, also lychees and honey. Creamy but zesty on the palate with salt and minerals (a la Riesling), yet some white pepper (a la Gewurz). Very fresh and inviting and food friendly. Unique and interesting.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2012 Colli di Lapio Fiano di Avellino 90 Points

  Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG

  A seriously good Fiano, showing lots of flora, salty and complex fruit notes on the nose. Fleshy and good concentration on the palate, creamy but tangy, showing white peach, apricot. Lots of mineral, slate, seashells, a complex wine.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Duemiladieci 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  A bit tight on the nose, some flowers and earth. Gritty palate, tart, bright red fruit mixes with earth, flowers. A dense wine, but very pretty.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Ovello Vigneto Loreto 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Bold yet elegant on the nose and palate. Tannins can be approached, the fruit is compact and tart but complex. Love the freshness to this wine and the complex, granite, balsamic, earth and floral notes. Long and complex, needs a whole lot of time.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin 87 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Nose shows some openness, with red flowers and strawberry. Tangy and bright on the palate, a (relatively) softer approach than some of the other wines, but still plenty of grippy tannins. Strawberry and raspberry, dusted with some earth and mushroom.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Fratelli Revello Barolo 87 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Juicy and approachable, with a tart and red berry-driven approach, even some orange peel notes. Refreshing but structured enough.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Fratelli Revello Barolo Vigna Conca 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Such an exotic nose, very deep and complex. Dry and bold on the palate, yet showing some silkiness. Deep and loamy, earthy, some mushroom and tobacco coming out. Long, complex, showing some really attractive aspects and nuance, despite its young age.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Fratelli Revello Barolo Vigna Giachini 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Concentrated nose, quite big. Great concentration on the palate, deep notes of loam and earth accent the red and black currant flavors, add in some floral and graphite notes. Long finish. Needs a lot of time but a very complex and pretty wine awaits.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Fratelli Revello Barolo Vigna Conca 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dense nose, but showing lots of fruit and richness. Full and velvety on the palate, rich fruit but backed up by grilled mushroom, loam, dust and tobacco. Complex, a bit high-octane, plenty of time ahead.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Fratelli Seghesio Barolo 87 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Firm wine but showing some restraint. Raspberries and strawberries, mixed with mineral notes and hints of mushroom. Lacking the depth of some of the other Barolos in the tasting, but showing lots of attractive qualities, and I think this is generally a value-driven producer.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Fratelli Seghesio Barolo Vigneto la Villa 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Richer, very floral. Deep, firm, but accessible. Black cherries, tart currants, nice velvety feel with dusty, rocky elements. Very pretty but three years in the cellar would be a good start.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Fratelli Seghesio Barolo Vigneto la Villa 87 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  A juicy and silkier version than the 2010, very open and opulent, but not a ton of depth.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Renato Corino Barolo 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  I get some elegance here, coming out from the high acid and tannin. Strawberries and red currants dusted with earth and mushroom, an underlying minerality. Some cedar and toast.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Renato Corino Barolo Arborina 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  More floral on the nose, juicy red fruit and cedar. Obviously young, like all these wines, but showing some very attractive mushroom, granite and clay notes along with some spicy cedar.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Renato Corino Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  One of the gems of the night. Deeply aromatic. Tart and crunchy red fruit on the palate, the tannins are strong but the wine maintains some early finesse. Lots of deep minerals, spice, earth and crushed rock elements. This is gonna be gorgeous in a decade.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Paolo Conterno Barolo Riserva Ginestra

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  A massive wine, more so than most every other 2010 Barolo in the tasting. Tannins kick in right away and don't leave. Almost impenetrable. Dense currant and fig paste come out, along with lots of violets and crushed rocks, some mushroom.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Luigi Pira Barolo Serralunga 85 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Good foundation of tannins and acidity, but not a lot of complexity and quite closed. Earth and mushroom, but the fruit tastes a bit dull compared to the other 2010s.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Luigi Pira Barolo Margheria 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Good amount of depth and concentration here. Juicy red and black fruit underneath lots of earth, loam and violets. Some elegance buried deep, a bit sharp around the edges now.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  One of the standouts. Still brutally young, but approachable compared to others. Starts smooth and velvety before the tannins and acid tear in. Ends grippy. In the middle, lots of tart berries, complex mushroom and soil notes, lasting minerality. Long cellar life ahead for sure, but very impressive young.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue