Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Italian Nebbiolo Blind Tasting
Tasted March 16, 2010 by french16 with 490 views
Introduction
Once again, we all gathered home for another blind tasting. Theme was Nebbiolo from anywhere in Italy.
All wines were tasted blind, 3 flights, no particular order.
Flight 1 (3 notes)
Red
2008 Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo
Quite plummy with some ripe strawberry and a touch of raspberry.
Very fruit forward, some heat with med tannins.
Not bad but pretty boring.
Never would have guessed nebbiolo.
Very fruit forward, some heat with med tannins.
Not bad but pretty boring.
Never would have guessed nebbiolo.
Red
2006 Rainoldi Rosso di Valtellina
Very strange nose, almost yeasty (good call Gabor !). Very soft and velvety, prunes and red fruits with a bitter finish.
Taste somewhat manipulated.
I really did not like this wine.
Taste somewhat manipulated.
I really did not like this wine.
Red
2004 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis
Classic nose with coffee, leather, cherry and hint of vanilla. Nice fruit with also some blackberry pie notes. Huge tannic structure.
Powerful with a little heat on the finish. Good acidity.
Nice and definitely built to age.
Powerful with a little heat on the finish. Good acidity.
Nice and definitely built to age.
Flight 2 (3 notes)
Red
2001 Stefano Farina Barolo
Very ripe nose showing some alcohol. Minty, cherry, leather.
Tannins are fairly agressive and this wine does not show any structure.
Also quite some heat on the finish. Lacks coherence.
Tannins are fairly agressive and this wine does not show any structure.
Also quite some heat on the finish. Lacks coherence.
Red
2000 Giuseppe Contratto Barolo Tenuta Secolo Cerequio
Darker than most of the other wines from the tasting.
Oaky nose (which somewhat improves with air), polished and extracted but balanced.
Shows nice fruit behind the oak.
Still, for me, the oak is too much. Maybe in 10 years...
Oaky nose (which somewhat improves with air), polished and extracted but balanced.
Shows nice fruit behind the oak.
Still, for me, the oak is too much. Maybe in 10 years...
1 person found this helpful
Comments (1)
Red
2005 De Forville Barbaresco
Nice earthy and smoky notes. Nice red fruits, touch of vanilla with high acidity.
Again cherry and strawberry on the palate, light with tannins which are a little dry.
An interesting and good wine.
Again cherry and strawberry on the palate, light with tannins which are a little dry.
An interesting and good wine.
Flight 3 (2 notes)
Red
1995 Sottimano Barbaresco Pajore Vigna Lunetta
Very very weird...the infamous Club Barolo (thanks to a cocaine like nose).
Vegetal, geraniums,eggplant with huge tannins.
Could not drink it. Flavors were to off putting.
Off bottle?
Vegetal, geraniums,eggplant with huge tannins.
Could not drink it. Flavors were to off putting.
Off bottle?
Red
2005 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
Ripe and sweet, red/blue fruits. Maybe a touch of VA. Not much going on, really forward.
I was shocked when it was revealed. Now I know this is youg but it lacks (at least this bottle did) structure to go the long way and is made in an early, accesible, ripe, supple style.
I was shocked when it was revealed. Now I know this is youg but it lacks (at least this bottle did) structure to go the long way and is made in an early, accesible, ripe, supple style.
Closing
Overall a pretty weak tasting. Poor showing for the majority of wines.
Making a good Nebbiolo is certainly not easy as it seems a tricky grape to work with, similar to pinot noir.
Also, it looks like a lot of producers try to round out the fierce tannins and high acidity of the grape, The results are wines with none or little sense of place.
During this tasting, a lot of times I told myself that, double blind, I would have not guessed nebbiolo. A sign of the times (or maybe I just suck at blind tasting!!!)?