Very mature, and definitely showing lots of mushroom characteristics. The fruit here is very clearly browning and while there are other flavours here, this is far too dominated by the browning notes. Nonetheless, the concentration and complexity are good, but I think it's time to drink this up.
Having had this in close proximity to the 2008 Comtes, it's very stark how different these wines are. The Comtes is an excellent wine, to be sure and tastes very Comtes, but somehow the Dom has a bit more freshness from its acidity. If forced to choose, I would probably give a slight nod to the Dom, but it's a pretty marginal one and probably more dependent on my mood that day. The actual tasting notes are consistent with my previous experiences, so I'll skip them here.
Very opulent and creamy, with a rich, bready style that is very different from the houses that I usually drink, though I do really like this wine. There is a pronounced toasty note on the nose that follows through on the palate that I find quite distinctive. Enough acidity to cut through the richer elements here though it's never going to be confused with a grower champagne. Very good now, and given the more autolytic nature of this wine, I'm not going to age mine much longer.
Served double blind. I somehow got it into my head that there were some Selosse-like elements here and couldn't let go of that impression. This is absolutely outstanding for the level, with an intense green apple streak but also some dosage so the acid doesn't just cut everything in sight.
Preternaturally youthful. I probably would have guessed this to be 10-20 years younger if this were served blind. A lovely mix of black fruit and earthy tones, with the fruit more prominent on the nose and the earth more prominent on the palate. Tannins are a hint leathery still, but this is in fantastic shape already.
The colour here is extremely pale, but there is no lack of flavour. A very small hint of soy and earth, but there are also dried fruit tones on the palate. Lovely floral elements on the nose and palate as well. Very light with fully resolved tannins.
This faded a bit in the glass but was nevertheless a very lively example of a 1967 Barolo. There's a slight hint of soy but I think it can be overlooked. The scale of this wine is very much in line with the Alessandria, but this has a lot more of the earthy/dirty tones to it.
You know what this really reminds me of? Old Dujac. Are there stems here? Is that why? This is so aromatically lifted and perfumed, and there are still wisps of red fruit that give this vibrancy on the palate. Silky texture, this is a fully resolved bottle of wine showing brilliantly.
Must be from an era where Aldo Conterno was making good wines. Herbal elements on the nose that are quite attractive, followed by a mix of mushrooms and red fruit on the palate. Good overall density but this bottle at least didn't feel like it had too much life left. But for drinking now, this was amply delicious.
I liked this much more today than a bottle in the past; that likely was just due to changing oak sensitivities on my part. This bottle, while still showing a little bit of the brown spice/oak, didn't have as much of the bitter vanillin tones as I remember it having before. However, the opulent, sweet fruit character is still here, and there is a dark purple tinge to the fruit flavours. Served next to the 1989 Sori Tildìn which I preferred slightly more for showing pretty much the same fruit character but less oak.
Served next to the Sperss; I preferred this bottle as it seemed to show a little less oak char. A slight hint of volatility on the nose at first in the form of a Sharpie marker, but it dissipates fairly quickly. Opulent, plush black fruit here, with a pronounced sweetness. While this is an excellent wine, it's not what I picture when I hear Barbaresco -- it's not a modernist style of nebbiolo, but it's not exactly traditionalist either.
#4213/14666. Next to the more exuberant 2000, this comes across as a brooding, darker wine. It is darker in complexion and has far more structure. The fruit is not as forthcoming, nor are the tannins as resolved. The potential of this wine, however, is quite apparent, and I would suspect that this wine will keep longer than the 2000, even though the 2000 is the bottle I would prefer to drink today.
#12571/14400. At the very least, this bottle is at a local maxima. It's expressive and generous, with plenty of red fruit on the nose. A little sweetness from the riper vintage gives this charm and a very easy disposition. There are still some tannins on the back end, but it's hard not to be seduced by all the expressive fruit on this wine already. I preferred this for drinking now to the 1999 alongside, though I think the 1999 has the structure needed for extended aging.
#3033/14632. A bit of a shame to be unable to make a similar comparison between 1999 and 2000 (as with the Barolo Falletto) since the 1999 was cooked, but this was surprisingly much weaker than the Barolo Falletto of the same vintage. First off there was a bit of volatile acidity on the nose, with a pronounced hit of acidity overall in this wine. There isn't the same plush fruit character either, so this feels angular on the palate.
#0207/9796. Well, it's not corked this year, but I have to admit that this bottle didn't perform up to the high standards I expect of a red label. The palate's texture comes off as a little thin and there isn't the intensity and depth of fruit that I would expect. On the other hand, this does have a good streak of acid running through it, but at the end of the day, while this is an excellent wine in vacuo, it lacks the depth and breadth that justify the riserva label.
Classic Cappellano. There are a few earthy/dirty elements on the nose and palate, but they seem to complement rather than muddy the fruit. Medium to light-bodied for a Barolo, this is showing some signs of maturity. The fruit is ample and sweet, and gives this wine a juicy quality that is quite enjoyable.
I'll admit to being a little disappointed by this bottle; I've loved the recent vintages from this house, and was hoping that these older bottles could live up to the younger ones. The nose here has a slightly weird chlorine thing that I don't love. The fruit leans towards the black side of the spectrum, with some dirty tones on the palate. This seems like it is not yet resolved, so perhaps it may well improve in the future.
I think I liked this more than the consensus, but will readily admit this was no match for the absolutely brilliant 1999. This is a very structural wine, with a stern and unyielding disposition. Lots of structure from both the acid, which is the predominant element on the palate, and the tannin, which crescendos towards the end.
An absolutely brilliant bottle from Bartolo Mascarello here -- the fruit just cannot wait to leap out of the glass. It is a mix of red and black, alongside some floral perfume elements that give this an extra expressiveness. The palate is generous and starting to finish resolving. What's interesting here is that for the 1999/2000 pairing, for Bartolo Mascarello, it's the 2000 that I find hard and tough and the 1999 opulent and open, while it was the opposite for the Giacosa Falletto.
This started out a little muddy and ornery, but seemed to loosen up after a double decant. The fruit comes more to the forefront while the dirty tones take a backseat. Young and somewhat clamped down today, I am nonetheless relieved that this bottle was not like the extremely muddy bottle (that was suspected to be from the same lot) that I tasted 1.5 years ago.
#0590/3307. Ever since acquiring a few bottles of this, I have wanted to taste it side by side with the "vanilla" Monprivato to verify that the price is justified. Based on today's showing, I think this may well be. I could smell cherries the moment I pulled the cork on this, and the intensity of the fruit just seemed to get more and more intense with air. Incredibly pure and crystalline -- there is almost nothing but red fruit on the nose and palate here. This is just fabulous stuff and really hits my nebbiolo buttons.
#11436/17556. Served next to the Ca d'Morissio of the same vintage, and the difference is very, very stark. While the Ca shows expressive red fruit, this wine feels dumb and mute right now. This feels dominated by its acid and the fruit flavours aren't as well-delineated as I would like. Perhaps this is best with more time.
#12042/15840. An absolutely glorious bottle on Monprivato. Very clean without any dirty elements, but also an autumnal tone that complements the ripe mix of red and black fruit. Lots of concentration and juiciness (still!) on the palate. There is a purity on this bottle that you just don't find often in old nebbiolo, but this bottle has it in spades.
#12478/22366. This was my least favourite of the Monprivato flight -- it showed a surprising earthiness and overall just an unwillingness to come out and play. There are a few brown tones to the fruit here, as well as fairly prickly tannins. Probably best to let this age a little more given those tannins, though I don't clearly see in what aspect this wine would improve with aging -- this doesn't display the fruity opulence of 2000 to start, so further aging will probably continue to reduce the amount of fruit remaining.
#15345/19998. Sneaky good. This was a little demure at start, but then started blossoming into showing more fruit and less of the acid/tannin structure that was apparent at the beginning. With air, those elements softened and the red fruit became more expressive.
I think at this point in the evening, I had consumed so much nebbiolo and there was so much tannin on my tongue that this actually tasted a little sweet and briochey. I have to admit that this is a better wine than the 2006; it is more shapely and feels more concentrated. This feels like a wine where the chardonnay plays a leading role; the fruit is on the white side of the spectrum and the acidity is one of the more prominent features.
1999 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses 90 Points
France, Champagne
Very mature, and definitely showing lots of mushroom characteristics. The fruit here is very clearly browning and while there are other flavours here, this is far too dominated by the browning notes. Nonetheless, the concentration and complexity are good, but I think it's time to drink this up.
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2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne 95 Points
France, Champagne
Having had this in close proximity to the 2008 Comtes, it's very stark how different these wines are. The Comtes is an excellent wine, to be sure and tastes very Comtes, but somehow the Dom has a bit more freshness from its acidity. If forced to choose, I would probably give a slight nod to the Dom, but it's a pretty marginal one and probably more dependent on my mood that day. The actual tasting notes are consistent with my previous experiences, so I'll skip them here.
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2002 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare 93 Points
France, Champagne
Very opulent and creamy, with a rich, bready style that is very different from the houses that I usually drink, though I do really like this wine. There is a pronounced toasty note on the nose that follows through on the palate that I find quite distinctive. Enough acidity to cut through the richer elements here though it's never going to be confused with a grower champagne. Very good now, and given the more autolytic nature of this wine, I'm not going to age mine much longer.
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2015 Enrico Serafino Alta Langa 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Alta Langa
Served double blind. I somehow got it into my head that there were some Selosse-like elements here and couldn't let go of that impression. This is absolutely outstanding for the level, with an intense green apple streak but also some dosage so the acid doesn't just cut everything in sight.
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1967 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Preternaturally youthful. I probably would have guessed this to be 10-20 years younger if this were served blind. A lovely mix of black fruit and earthy tones, with the fruit more prominent on the nose and the earth more prominent on the palate. Tannins are a hint leathery still, but this is in fantastic shape already.
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1967 Cappellano Barolo
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
The colour here is extremely pale, but there is no lack of flavour. A very small hint of soy and earth, but there are also dried fruit tones on the palate. Lovely floral elements on the nose and palate as well. Very light with fully resolved tannins.
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1967 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This faded a bit in the glass but was nevertheless a very lively example of a 1967 Barolo. There's a slight hint of soy but I think it can be overlooked. The scale of this wine is very much in line with the Alessandria, but this has a lot more of the earthy/dirty tones to it.
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1967 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
You know what this really reminds me of? Old Dujac. Are there stems here? Is that why? This is so aromatically lifted and perfumed, and there are still wisps of red fruit that give this vibrancy on the palate. Silky texture, this is a fully resolved bottle of wine showing brilliantly.
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1985 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia Soprana 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Must be from an era where Aldo Conterno was making good wines. Herbal elements on the nose that are quite attractive, followed by a mix of mushrooms and red fruit on the palate. Good overall density but this bottle at least didn't feel like it had too much life left. But for drinking now, this was amply delicious.
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1989 Gaja Barolo Sperss 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
I liked this much more today than a bottle in the past; that likely was just due to changing oak sensitivities on my part. This bottle, while still showing a little bit of the brown spice/oak, didn't have as much of the bitter vanillin tones as I remember it having before. However, the opulent, sweet fruit character is still here, and there is a dark purple tinge to the fruit flavours. Served next to the 1989 Sori Tildìn which I preferred slightly more for showing pretty much the same fruit character but less oak.
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1989 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Served next to the Sperss; I preferred this bottle as it seemed to show a little less oak char. A slight hint of volatility on the nose at first in the form of a Sharpie marker, but it dissipates fairly quickly. Opulent, plush black fruit here, with a pronounced sweetness. While this is an excellent wine, it's not what I picture when I hear Barbaresco -- it's not a modernist style of nebbiolo, but it's not exactly traditionalist either.
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1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#4213/14666. Next to the more exuberant 2000, this comes across as a brooding, darker wine. It is darker in complexion and has far more structure. The fruit is not as forthcoming, nor are the tannins as resolved. The potential of this wine, however, is quite apparent, and I would suspect that this wine will keep longer than the 2000, even though the 2000 is the bottle I would prefer to drink today.
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2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#12571/14400. At the very least, this bottle is at a local maxima. It's expressive and generous, with plenty of red fruit on the nose. A little sweetness from the riper vintage gives this charm and a very easy disposition. There are still some tannins on the back end, but it's hard not to be seduced by all the expressive fruit on this wine already. I preferred this for drinking now to the 1999 alongside, though I think the 1999 has the structure needed for extended aging.
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1999 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano Flawed
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
#8916/14400. Cooked/maderized.
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2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
#3033/14632. A bit of a shame to be unable to make a similar comparison between 1999 and 2000 (as with the Barolo Falletto) since the 1999 was cooked, but this was surprisingly much weaker than the Barolo Falletto of the same vintage. First off there was a bit of volatile acidity on the nose, with a pronounced hit of acidity overall in this wine. There isn't the same plush fruit character either, so this feels angular on the palate.
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2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
#0207/9796. Well, it's not corked this year, but I have to admit that this bottle didn't perform up to the high standards I expect of a red label. The palate's texture comes off as a little thin and there isn't the intensity and depth of fruit that I would expect. On the other hand, this does have a good streak of acid running through it, but at the end of the day, while this is an excellent wine in vacuo, it lacks the depth and breadth that justify the riserva label.
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2000 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti)
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Classic Cappellano. There are a few earthy/dirty elements on the nose and palate, but they seem to complement rather than muddy the fruit. Medium to light-bodied for a Barolo, this is showing some signs of maturity. The fruit is ample and sweet, and gives this wine a juicy quality that is quite enjoyable.
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2000 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
I'll admit to being a little disappointed by this bottle; I've loved the recent vintages from this house, and was hoping that these older bottles could live up to the younger ones. The nose here has a slightly weird chlorine thing that I don't love. The fruit leans towards the black side of the spectrum, with some dirty tones on the palate. This seems like it is not yet resolved, so perhaps it may well improve in the future.
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1996 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
I think I liked this more than the consensus, but will readily admit this was no match for the absolutely brilliant 1999. This is a very structural wine, with a stern and unyielding disposition. Lots of structure from both the acid, which is the predominant element on the palate, and the tannin, which crescendos towards the end.
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1999 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
An absolutely brilliant bottle from Bartolo Mascarello here -- the fruit just cannot wait to leap out of the glass. It is a mix of red and black, alongside some floral perfume elements that give this an extra expressiveness. The palate is generous and starting to finish resolving. What's interesting here is that for the 1999/2000 pairing, for Bartolo Mascarello, it's the 2000 that I find hard and tough and the 1999 opulent and open, while it was the opposite for the Giacosa Falletto.
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2000 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This started out a little muddy and ornery, but seemed to loosen up after a double decant. The fruit comes more to the forefront while the dirty tones take a backseat. Young and somewhat clamped down today, I am nonetheless relieved that this bottle was not like the extremely muddy bottle (that was suspected to be from the same lot) that I tasted 1.5 years ago.
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2008 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Ca d'Morissio Riserva Monprivato 98 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#0590/3307. Ever since acquiring a few bottles of this, I have wanted to taste it side by side with the "vanilla" Monprivato to verify that the price is justified. Based on today's showing, I think this may well be. I could smell cherries the moment I pulled the cork on this, and the intensity of the fruit just seemed to get more and more intense with air. Incredibly pure and crystalline -- there is almost nothing but red fruit on the nose and palate here. This is just fabulous stuff and really hits my nebbiolo buttons.
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2008 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#11436/17556. Served next to the Ca d'Morissio of the same vintage, and the difference is very, very stark. While the Ca shows expressive red fruit, this wine feels dumb and mute right now. This feels dominated by its acid and the fruit flavours aren't as well-delineated as I would like. Perhaps this is best with more time.
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1990 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#12042/15840. An absolutely glorious bottle on Monprivato. Very clean without any dirty elements, but also an autumnal tone that complements the ripe mix of red and black fruit. Lots of concentration and juiciness (still!) on the palate. There is a purity on this bottle that you just don't find often in old nebbiolo, but this bottle has it in spades.
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2000 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#12478/22366. This was my least favourite of the Monprivato flight -- it showed a surprising earthiness and overall just an unwillingness to come out and play. There are a few brown tones to the fruit here, as well as fairly prickly tannins. Probably best to let this age a little more given those tannins, though I don't clearly see in what aspect this wine would improve with aging -- this doesn't display the fruity opulence of 2000 to start, so further aging will probably continue to reduce the amount of fruit remaining.
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2001 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#15345/19998. Sneaky good. This was a little demure at start, but then started blossoming into showing more fruit and less of the acid/tannin structure that was apparent at the beginning. With air, those elements softened and the red fruit became more expressive.
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2004 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
I think at this point in the evening, I had consumed so much nebbiolo and there was so much tannin on my tongue that this actually tasted a little sweet and briochey. I have to admit that this is a better wine than the 2006; it is more shapely and feels more concentrated. This feels like a wine where the chardonnay plays a leading role; the fruit is on the white side of the spectrum and the acidity is one of the more prominent features.
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