La Rosa 10 year vertical on Zoom with Fabio Bosio. Drank in Conterno Sensory. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour with garnet rim. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of lovely tilled earth, spiced herbs, dark red cherries. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol, fine polished high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet elegant dark red cherries, dark red licorice, tarry earth, minty spiced herbs, balsamic, fine leather hints and bits of sweet tea leaf. Long fine finish with an elegant but structured grippiness. Very good quality. Quite fresh for a 2000. Complex. Good wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful Barolo with some age, viusally it appeared a little more mature that its actually was with the amount of bricking in the colour. Generous fruits on the redder spectrum, riper style that showed a little glimpse of the telltale signs violets, petals and tar. The tannins and structure have almost completely dissipated, drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bought a 6 yr vertical 1996 to 2001 and this one might be my favorite so far. Color was dark maroon with a balanced noise of dried fruit, earth and leather. I let decant for a number of hours and was rewarded with a smooth and complex sip that showed lots of bottle character. Can’t wait to try 1999 and 2001.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
(Guido, Fontanafredda) Pnp. Exquisite aroma of violets on the open. Silky, red and blue fruit, long aftertaste, weight. Tertiary notes, flowers. Aroma of earth and some tannins are apparent with more air. Drinking very well now. A wonderful surprise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red and lots of sediment. Nose is clean and pretty of plum and licorice. Power with only medium weight. Maturing fruit with tar and licorice. Tannin is firm on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red, pale edge. Plum, tar and tobacco bouquet. Dark plum, concentrated palate, medium weight. Tannin is a little grippy as per expectation and finish is perfumed but not very long. A very fine bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and poured a taste about 30 minutes before our entrees arrived. Plenty of fruit remaining in this bottle on both the nose and palate. Hints of rose petals and spice in the bouquet. Nicely integrated at this point, with flavors of dusty red fruit, lavender, potpourri and warm spices. Finishes very well. A very pretty wine at this stage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had along with the 2006 Antiyal(Chilean bordeaux blend) on a "lark" as the last tasting note stated that it was "over the hill". Ours was not quite there, but drink now. Still had life/fruit/tannins/earth but I was glad we did not make it the star. Great wine to "waste" on our good friends and wine lovers John & Iris.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Possible flawed? Decanted the bottle 45 minutes prior to serving with dinner. Decanter showed more sediment than I have ever seen, and it was quite lumpy sediment (lots of large clumps of sediment).
Wine opened up a bit after decanting. Nothing spectacular. Nose of black olive, tabacco, earth, and black current. It also has some disagreeable tartness to the nose.
Flavor was also nothing spectacular. Some black fruit, again some olive, and some spices. Well integrated tannins, with a finish of about 15 seconds. Again, some tartness on the flavor that seemed a bit off.
To be fair this bottle of wine may have been flawed. Cork completely disintegrated when using cork screw openner. Ended up pushing some cork into the bottle. I would recommend that people not use a cork screw opener on this wine and instead use the two pronged tool that slides on either side of the cork between the bottle and cork.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
If I had opened and consumed immediately I would have been somewhat disappointed. Initially there was only a faint, light fruity aroma but no floral notes. Decanted and then tried after 30 minutes. There were no signs of age in the pigments. Nothing showing through on the nose at this stage: light bodied, not fruity; moderate tannins and quite high acidity, throwing the wine out of balance.
After 2 hours the wine had bodied up a lot and had started to come together nicely. Quite fragrant after 3 hours, full-bodied and fruity in a modern style of Barolo with medium-long finish. Nice wine once given the chance to open up.
I would expect the wine to keep this level for a few years but without much scope for improvement. Enjoy it now or over the coming 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Non-blind. Had immediately at Za-Za in Firenze. It was impossible to get the cork out of the 1st btl. Second btl was tough to get the cork out of, but our waitress managed to wriggle it out after a tough fight. Impression: Outstanding with bells and whistles. Rich, plummy nose. Velvety, rich plummy taste with integrated tannin. Slick, streamlined, rich, breathtaking lushness of a mature wine made of ultra ripe grapes. No violets nor tar. Actually missing the multitude of aromas we'd expected. But the unbelievable structure alone is worth a visit to this one! Will be with us for many years to come. (A btl of Vigna la Rosa from the 70'ies was my eye-opener for the power of restrained elegance, and what it means. So I hold this vineyard in a dear and revered place.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely barolo, drinking very well. Tannins were well integrated and pure black plum fruit showing through. Velvety mouthfeel. Long finish. Drink now, as it seems at or near its peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stubborn cork. Opened 2 hours before drinking. Not much fruit. More earthy with charcoal notes. Moderate tannins. A nice wine but my least favorite of the 3 Fontanafredda Baroli. Not nearly as good as the last bottle I had in 2007 which leads me to believe that this bottle was slightly off. 86-87 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Italian Nebbiolos (Scott's house): nose: a bit stinky, there might have been something off about this bottle. Not corked, though. The nose was reminiscent of stinky tar, but with herbs too. The palate was silky smooth and quite lovely. Would have been an excellent bottle minus the stink. unrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Apricot, violets, coffee, tar and kirsch aromas. The palate is powerful, but also balanced and structured. Long and utterly delicious. Superb wine, easily the best of the night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My Wifes Birthday Dinner: This is a single vineyard wine from the Serralunga d'Alba region. The vineyard gets its name from the wild roses that bloom on the walls of a house near the vineyard. Fontanafredda is one of the largest producers of Barolo. This wine is among 4 vineyard designate wines at the top of this estates pecking order. This wine received the Tre Bicchieri award form Gambero Rosso. I poured this at dinner with the main course of beef tenderloin in a smoked paprika based dry rub with grilled asparagus and scalloped potatos with goat cheese. A little whiff of alcohol on the nose at first but it blew off. Slightly bitter edge. Medium to full body with rather integrated tannins. Black currant and cocoa notes. Deliciously round wine. Great with the tenderloin. 92-93 points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/10/2024 - Rodenbach99 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nez de poivre, fleurs, touche de vinaigre, cuir de tannage, cerise. Une bouche plus agréable que le nez, longue, assez complexe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2023 - Dave Dewar wrote:
Over the hill? Just not very expressive. A waste of $177 CAD at LCBO.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2023 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Souple et assez complexe.
Des fleurs, de la terre, des pruneaux et un
peu de goudron.
Super long et suave.
Très bon.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2023 - Thefatbastard Likes this wine:
Délicieux. Des notes notes secondaires et tertiaires sur une bouche fondue. Belle complexité, sans doute près de l’apogée.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2023 - Bonesetter Likes this wine: 90 Points
Old Barolo. Did what it says on the label.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2022 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 93 Points
La Rosa 10 year vertical on Zoom with Fabio Bosio. Drank in Conterno Sensory.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour with garnet rim. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of lovely tilled earth, spiced herbs, dark red cherries. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol, fine polished high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet elegant dark red cherries, dark red licorice, tarry earth, minty spiced herbs, balsamic, fine leather hints and bits of sweet tea leaf. Long fine finish with an elegant but structured grippiness.
Very good quality. Quite fresh for a 2000. Complex. Good wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2020 - melvinyeowq wrote:
Wonderful Barolo with some age, viusally it appeared a little more mature that its actually was with the amount of bricking in the colour. Generous fruits on the redder spectrum, riper style that showed a little glimpse of the telltale signs violets, petals and tar. The tannins and structure have almost completely dissipated, drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2019 - SrMundo Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bought a 6 yr vertical 1996 to 2001 and this one might be my favorite so far. Color was dark maroon with a balanced noise of dried fruit, earth and leather. I let decant for a number of hours and was rewarded with a smooth and complex sip that showed lots of bottle character. Can’t wait to try 1999 and 2001.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2019 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
(Guido, Fontanafredda) Pnp. Exquisite aroma of violets on the open. Silky, red and blue fruit, long aftertaste, weight. Tertiary notes, flowers. Aroma of earth and some tannins are apparent with more air. Drinking very well now. A wonderful surprise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2017 - KVM wrote:
Dark red and lots of sediment. Nose is clean and pretty of plum and licorice. Power with only medium weight. Maturing fruit with tar and licorice. Tannin is firm on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2017 - gresch Likes this wine: 88 Points
Wood notes (vanilla, oak) and candied fruit were dominant upon opening. After 1-2 hours, this settled down and became more harmonious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2016 - DrZett wrote: 90 Points
In great drinking condition right now. Still a lot of power and great fruit but in my opinion it won't become better so drink up now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2016 - KVM wrote: 92 Points
Dark red, pale edge. Plum, tar and tobacco bouquet. Dark plum, concentrated palate, medium weight. Tannin is a little grippy as per expectation and finish is perfumed but not very long. A very fine bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2015 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Opened and poured a taste about 30 minutes before our entrees arrived. Plenty of fruit remaining in this bottle on both the nose and palate. Hints of rose petals and spice in the bouquet. Nicely integrated at this point, with flavors of dusty red fruit, lavender, potpourri and warm spices. Finishes very well. A very pretty wine at this stage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2015 - 3marinerfans Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had along with the 2006 Antiyal(Chilean bordeaux blend) on a "lark" as the last tasting note stated that it was "over the hill". Ours was not quite there, but drink now. Still had life/fruit/tannins/earth but I was glad we did not make it the star. Great wine to "waste" on our good friends and wine lovers John & Iris.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2014 - tkenney Does not like this wine: 79 Points
Possible flawed? Decanted the bottle 45 minutes prior to serving with dinner. Decanter showed more sediment than I have ever seen, and it was quite lumpy sediment (lots of large clumps of sediment).
Wine opened up a bit after decanting. Nothing spectacular.
Nose of black olive, tabacco, earth, and black current. It also has some disagreeable tartness to the nose.
Flavor was also nothing spectacular. Some black fruit, again some olive, and some spices. Well integrated tannins, with a finish of about 15 seconds. Again, some tartness on the flavor that seemed a bit off.
To be fair this bottle of wine may have been flawed. Cork completely disintegrated when using cork screw openner. Ended up pushing some cork into the bottle. I would recommend that people not use a cork screw opener on this wine and instead use the two pronged tool that slides on either side of the cork between the bottle and cork.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/26/2013 - ChristP Likes this wine: 92 Points
If I had opened and consumed immediately I would have been somewhat disappointed. Initially there was only a faint, light fruity aroma but no floral notes. Decanted and then tried after 30 minutes. There were no signs of age in the pigments. Nothing showing through on the nose at this stage: light bodied, not fruity; moderate tannins and quite high acidity, throwing the wine out of balance.
After 2 hours the wine had bodied up a lot and had started to come together nicely. Quite fragrant after 3 hours, full-bodied and fruity in a modern style of Barolo with medium-long finish. Nice wine once given the chance to open up.
I would expect the wine to keep this level for a few years but without much scope for improvement. Enjoy it now or over the coming 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 93 Points
Non-blind. Had immediately at Za-Za in Firenze.
It was impossible to get the cork out of the 1st btl.
Second btl was tough to get the cork out of, but our waitress managed to wriggle it out after a tough fight.
Impression: Outstanding with bells and whistles.
Rich, plummy nose.
Velvety, rich plummy taste with integrated tannin. Slick, streamlined, rich, breathtaking lushness of a mature wine made of ultra ripe grapes. No violets nor tar. Actually missing the multitude of aromas we'd expected. But the unbelievable structure alone is worth a visit to this one!
Will be with us for many years to come.
(A btl of Vigna la Rosa from the 70'ies was my eye-opener for the power of restrained elegance, and what it means. So I hold this vineyard in a dear and revered place.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2012 - KVM wrote: flawed
Smells like a restaurant's dumster in the middle of summer. down the drain
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2012 - otisabdul wrote: 92 Points
Lovely barolo, drinking very well. Tannins were well integrated and pure black plum fruit showing through. Velvety mouthfeel. Long finish. Drink now, as it seems at or near its peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2011 - Vino Me wrote: 86 Points
Stubborn cork. Opened 2 hours before drinking. Not much fruit. More earthy with charcoal notes. Moderate tannins. A nice wine but my least favorite of the 3 Fontanafredda Baroli. Not nearly as good as the last bottle I had in 2007 which leads me to believe that this bottle was slightly off. 86-87 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2010 - tarheel17 wrote:
Italian Nebbiolos (Scott's house): nose: a bit stinky, there might have been something off about this bottle. Not corked, though. The nose was reminiscent of stinky tar, but with herbs too. The palate was silky smooth and quite lovely. Would have been an excellent bottle minus the stink. unrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2008 - Hecht_Pede wrote: 90 Points
lots of fruit
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2008 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Apricot, violets, coffee, tar and kirsch aromas. The palate is powerful, but also balanced and structured. Long and utterly delicious. Superb wine, easily the best of the night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
My Wifes Birthday Dinner: This is a single vineyard wine from the Serralunga d'Alba region. The vineyard gets its name from the wild roses that bloom on the walls of a house near the vineyard. Fontanafredda is one of the largest producers of Barolo. This wine is among 4 vineyard designate wines at the top of this estates pecking order. This wine received the Tre Bicchieri award form Gambero Rosso. I poured this at dinner with the main course of beef tenderloin in a smoked paprika based dry rub with grilled asparagus and scalloped potatos with goat cheese. A little whiff of alcohol on the nose at first but it blew off. Slightly bitter edge. Medium to full body with rather integrated tannins. Black currant and cocoa notes. Deliciously round wine. Great with the tenderloin. 92-93 points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment