White Truffle & 1971 Nebbiolo Dinner

Chez Goldberg, Greenwich Village, NYC
Tasted Thursday, December 9, 2021 by kenv with 198 views

Introduction

This was the annual white truffles and Nebbiolo of a long-standing Bordeaux group in NYC. I was fortunate that a seat opened up, and I was able to make it.

The wine theme was 1971 Barolo and Barbaresco at 50 years of age.

Photos and more details can be found on my website.

Flight 1 - Champagne with Gourmet Potato Chips (1 Note)

With chips from Mountain Sweet Berry Farm in Roscoe NY. https://www.mountainsweetberryfarm.com/.
We had Peruvian Purple, German Butterball, and Kennebec.

Flight 2 - 1971 Barbera & 1970 Barolo (3 Notes)

With slow-cooked, soft scrambled eggs with shaved white truffle.

Flight 3 - 1971 Barbaresco (4 Notes)

With homemade tajarin [made with 31 egg yolks in a kilo of flour] with white truffle-infused butter.

Flight 4 - 1971 Barolo (4 Notes)

With short ribs braised in red wine, served over polenta with roasted asparagus on the side.

  • 1971 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva 88 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Original release. Opened at 3pm, then decanted around 6pm. Tasted around 8:30pm.] Quite mature. Elegant, but fading.

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  • 1971 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cascina Masante Flawed

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Opened at 3pm, then decanted around 6pm. Tasted around 8:30pm. This was a special bottling for the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini d'Alba. Cascina Masante is a subvineyard of Bussia Soprana. In recent years, they have made a Dolcetto from this site.] Spicy black fruit nose. Sour in the mouth. I think this is an off bottle.

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  • 1971 Marcarini Barolo Riserva Brunate 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Opened at 3pm, then decanted around 6pm. Tasted around 8:30pm.] Gorgeous Barolo. Lovely, nuanced floral nose of red fruit and tar. Expanse and complex in the mouth. Long, elegant finish. Drinking beautifully now.

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  • 1971 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Flawed

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Opened at noon and double-decanted at 3pm. Tasted around 8:30pm.] Disappointing, especially since this was purchased directly from the winery. This should be a great wine, but it is flawed. Not bad, but not what it should be. There is a sourness that is off-putting.

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Flight 5 - 1974 & 1975 Barolo (3 Notes)

With the short ribs.

Flight 6 - 1999 & 2001 Bruno Giacosa Barolo (2 Notes)

With the short ribs.

  • 1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 96 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Double decanted for an hours at 2:30pm. Served about 9:30pm.] WOTN for me. Maybe I don't like really old Barolo as much as I thought. Anyway, this wine is rich and gorgeous with great depth and length. Nose of cherries and spice. Stunningly complex. Just wow. Il Maestro is king!

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  • 2001 Bruno Giacosa Barolo 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Double decanted at 8am. Consumed about 9:30pm.] Gorgeous nose of flowers and licorice. Not as great as the 1999 Falletto, but still an excellent wine for a non-single-vineyard Barolo. Rich, long, complex.

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Flight 7 - Dessert (2 Notes)

Two homemade pavlovas (made from leftover egg whites – see tajarin, above): One chocolate, one coffee.

Closing

On the whole, the older wines were a mixed bag. What should have been the two best wines (the 1971 Giacosa Barbaresco and the 1971 G. Mascarello Barolo) didn't live up to previous tastings. OTOH the Cavallotto, the two Produttori del Barbaresco Barbarescos, the Marcarini, the Massolino, and the two younger Giacosa Barolos were excellent. The 1971 Oddero Barbaresco was also a nice surprise. And the Bartolo Mascarello Barolo Chinato was wonderful.

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