Community Tasting Note

Rote Kappelle Likes this wine:

Thursday, September 22, 2022 - A pivotal firm in the modern era for Barolo and in a positive way. No over-reliance on new oak, but a very strong focus on the vineyard and quality of fruit. I am not a complete fan of their work - sometimes, though excellent they can be a little anodyne. The Romirasco is rarely anodyne.

Colour is deep, garnet and brick. The nose is that immediately intoxicating blend of clean fruit with dried herbs, woodsy aromas (but not as in oak - think the earthy, fresh smell as you walk through a forest) and a hint of tar. This is what Barolo is meant to be. I am in heaven and on the first night I spend the evening mostly just smelling the wine.

The palate is very intense, possesses great length, the tannins are ripe and almost sweet, which is good, because many will find them a bit like the Hindu Kush in terms of presence. I fear no tannin, so the weak can perish on the climb as far as I am concerned; f*^# them all.

We have a truly intoxicating mix of candied fruit, dark cherry verging on plum, a little strawberry/rose sweetness and lift and then the savoury to balance it all so beautifully. It is almost damned contrapuntal, and it isn't hard to hear Baroque music as you linger over each mouthful.

The wine is 15% ABV but it carries this easily. If you find this hot you are a swine and doomed to perish the first time the mercury hits 20 degrees Celsius and I will help to dig your grave - it will be unmarked.

An interesting vintage that started full of problems, but finished well and it favoured those who, like Conterno, managed the vineyard meticulously.

I am enchanted.

Note made late on day 2, un-decanted bottle, using Riedel Bordeaux glass. I have found this shape the key to my move from Barolo sceptic to Barolo lover. If, like me, you find yourself thinking 'what is the fuss all about?' try this shape, because it may change things for you. I had used the usual Burgundy shape and tried the ISO shape on various high-quality Barolo and found little joy at all.

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