February 25, 2024 - Tasted blind from magnum, this wine had a medium red center and puce rims. The medium intensity nose offered up rhubarb, violets, and minerals.
In the mouth, this was medium bodied with rounded tannin and very good length.
This wine exhibited very good winemaking but, overall, still seemed a bit young. My guess is it will pick up a couple points in 10 years or so.
August 7, 2022 - Piemonte at Madison Park How to Cook a Wolf (Seattle, WA, USA): Beastly, intense, dark, brooding, insanely delicious. Easily the biggest and most powerful wine of the evening.
September 14, 2018 - 1989 Nebbiolo at Cinghiale (Cinghiale, Baltimore): '89 Nebbiolo at Cinghiale
Two bottles were opened on accident instead of a Cicala and Colonello.
One of the bottles was not sound, so my TN is on the better bottle. One of them was off.
Dense and darker fruited. Savory and meaty, soil driven nebbiolo. Power and more forward. Tar, beef broth, porcini,, iron, and dark nebbiolo fruit on the palate. Savory and structured, with good acidity and lift, but lacking the nuance of some of the other bottles tonight. Still outstanding.
September 14, 2018 - 1989 Piedmont Retrospective (Cinghiale, Baltimore): Tom meant to bring the Vigna Cicala and the Colonnello to compare but mistakenly brought two Colonnellos. This was really educational as the two wines showed differently. Definitely fresher than the first bottle showing sweet red fruit. Very pretty nose displaying cherry, strawberry jam, anise, mushroom, tar and earth. Fully integrated palate, warm and round red fruit, good acidity and mineral, and a long subtle sweet red fruit driven finish. Really delicious and enjoyable.
September 14, 2018 - 1989 Piedmont Retrospective (Cinghiale, Baltimore): Tom meant to bring the Vigna Cicala and the Colonnello to compare but mistakenly brought two Colonnellos. This was really educational as the two wines showed differently. This bottle seems more advanced showing more subtle fruit and tertiary notes. There is also a slight hint of oxidative note in the beginning that dissipates. The palate is soft, warm and round and the finish is medium long. Not as good as the other bottle. No need to wait.
December 25, 2017 - Cork went to pieces, had to pour it through a filter, lot of depot as well. Color shows the age also, light red with brownish rim.
Taste and nose, however is a different story. After about an hour the wine is spot on. Still well balanced. Amazing stuff.
November 10, 2017 - Very nose complexity, great taste need time for decanted
February 27, 2017 - High acidity, but full of complexity and interest and seeming to develop positively during the meal. To my palate, this is still young.
December 3, 2016 - At Magdalena
Double decanted earlier in the day
A beautiful nose. More perfume, roses, and tar, and cooler fruited than the Cicala, and with more intrigue. Beautiful inner mouth perfume, and a sense of grace and effortlessness. Beautiful. At peak with no fear of decline. 95
November 14, 2015 - NK 1989 Barolo Dinner (Dovetail Restaurant, NYC): [Double-decanted at 2pm.] Muted cherry and forest floor nose. Simple sour cherries on the palate. Disappointing.