1998 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
Community Tasting Note
tcosgriff Likes this wine:
Friday, June 26, 2015 - Very deep color with the typical "under" bouquet and flavor of a Barolo. As with other wines, it can be difficult to describes these "under notes," much like trying to describe how a lemon or orange tastes in terms of something else, a mission that we seem to undertake mainly with wine, often with comic results. While this is the best Barolo that I have ever tasted, it did not have any tar or rose scents, so often mentioned in descriptions of these wines. It had a core of iodine diluted with barbecue sauce. It was still quite tannic and acid, but softened and evolved with airing. It will probably improve with further time in bottle, but nowadays, fewer and fewer people want to buy a wine at 25 and drink it at 50. I personally think that Barolos and Barbarescos belong in the category of over-hyped wines, along with Burgundy wines. They are expensive because of relative scarcity and sacred status. Anyone drinking these wines feels a need to rate them highly, even when the emperor is wearing no clothes. In the case of Burgundy, lack of flavor is the problem, and in the case of Barolo, ever finding something in all the tannins and acidity. So don't be carried away by the hype. If you have seriously tried to educate your palate, don't think that it is inferior to other tasters. Don't be afraid to rate a Clerico Barolo so-so, or a La Tache as not very compelling.
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Comment posted by JeffGMorris:
7/5/2015 7:44:00 AM - I agree that many wines are over-hyped and so many of us feel the need to give an excellent review or others may think we don't know what we're talking about. Your own judgment and conclusions should be your only input for a tasting note.
On Barolo & Barbaresco I am a fan but believe they do need extended aging to show their magic. Recent '71 & '78 Gaja Barbarescos have been stunning as have been some '61s from relatively unknown producers. If you are unable to obtain well stored older bottles the only choice is what you said - buy when you're 25 and drink when you're 50 - or 60! Problem is most people don't want to wait it out nor do they have the cash at age 25 to buy these relatively expensive wines.