Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
2008 Barolo Tasting at Antonio Galloni's La Festa del Barolo
Del Posto Restaurant, NYC
Tasted April 27, 2013 by kenv with 1,017 views
Introduction
The last wine was a 2007. The rest are 2008. All wines decanted around noon. Tasting from 2-4 pm. This is the afternoon part of Antonio Galloni's La Festa del Barolo. It is a great event where each producer is there to present one wine from their current releases.
You can find photos and additional commentary on my website:
http://www.finewinegeek.com/tn/2013-04-27_Festa-Barolo_2008_DelPosto/
Flight 1 - Flight 1 (4 notes)
Red
2008 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo Cannubi
93 points
Ruby color. Tight but lovely perfume. Nice structure with plenty of tannin and perfume in the mouth. Oak seems subtle. Greg dP says only 20% of their barriques are new. Best wine I've tasted from this estate in years.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2008 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva Cannubi
88 points
Blacker ruby color. Sweet, oaky, thick. Bland at this stage.
Red
2008 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis
91 points
Muted nose of cherry vanilla. Well made but overwhelmed by oak at this point. If the oak fades, it could be excellent. 88-94 points.
Red
2008 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio
Some turpentine on the nose. Highly extracted. Oddly chemical. No one else seems to think it is an off bottle. Not rated.
Flight 2 - Flight 2 (4 notes)
Red
2008 Elvio Cogno Barolo Bricco Pernice
94 points
Most classic nose so far with lots of tar and flowers. Nice structure with elegance and balanced fruit and tannins. Expansive in the mouth. Sadly only one cask made of this selection from a subplot of the Ravera cru. Biggest surprise of the afternoon.
Red
2008 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole
Strong vanilla nose. Lovely fruit and structure partially hidden behind new oak. Judgement reserved. After the tasting, I checked and Vajra uses no new oak. I will have to try another bottle. My note doesn't match anyone else's perception of this wine.
Red
2008 Vietti Barolo Rocche
94 points
Black cherry nose. Delicious, expansive, structured, ripe and extracted. Serious stuff. Luca says 2008 required the longest macerations in their history.
Red
2008 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Bric dël Fiasc
93 points
Thick rich extracted. A lot of vanilla on the finish. Hard to judge at this stage, but I think it has potential. This is a special edition riserva in honor of the winery's 30th anniversary. All profits from this wine will go to charity. 2500 bottles made plus some mags and 3L.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 3 - Flight 3 (4 notes)
Red
2008 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra
88 points
Pure vanilla nose. Not a lot of structure. A nice wine which may improve with more time in the bottle. Fabio Fantino says they are using less oak, but this seems more oaky to me than the 2007.
Red
2008 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté
92 points
Sweet black cherry nose. Nice tarry fruit, but tons of new oak.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2008 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco
Incredibly dark and reticent nose, but something quite potent in there. Sweet tart red and black fruit. Great potential. Long finish of black fruit and licorice. Franco Conterno says 6000-8000 bottles made in a typical year. Two large Slavonian oak casks, one new each year. Intially rated 97 points and the wine of the tasting so far, but when I came back to it, it had gone over the top and become oddly medicinal. Hard to know where this is going. Antonio said their was some bottle variation among the bottles at the tasting, but I would swear there was variation just within my glass. Judgement reserved.
Red
Flight 4 - Flight 4 (3 notes)
Red
2008 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
97 points
Hands down wine of the tasting. Black fruit, licorice, and a gorgeous perfume with an appealing touch of dirt in the nose. Very earthy and structured. If it puts on weight, as I expect it will, it may rival the 1989. Certainly reminds me of that great wine. 96-98 points.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2008 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Ca'mia
94 points
Powerful black fruit nose. Thick in the mouth with a hint of vanilla followed by strong tannins. Quite sweet, but plenty of structure and tannins beneath. 93-95 points.
Red
2007 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe
93 points
Lovely dense nose of sweet black fruits with hints of exotic spices. Very sweet and long. Should drink well for 2 decades.
Closing
I think 2008 is a very good and classical vintage similar in style to 2006, but perhaps not as tannic and structured. Several producers said this was the latest Nebbiolo harvest in their history.