Garnet color. Excellent clarity. This wine was bought upon release. Perfect condition and probably at the peak of the drinking window. Spicy and a bit of the classic Barolo tar. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I didn't like it. Tasted old. Not just mature, but old, in the sense of past its drinking window. I would say the drinking window closed around 2013. I couldn't drink more than a glass and a half of it. A waste of $20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really not bad value, but lacks the depth and complexity you might expect from Barolo. Also still surprisingly tannic for an 04. Might say hold for 5 more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite a nice wine - complex nose of cherries, roses, tar, herbs, with good acidity and flavors which spoke of depth and delicacy at the same time. Excellent value, and it had what I expected in a decent Barolo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of the best values ever from TJs. The notes below are all accurate in terms of flavor and depth. Grab this if you still see it at trader joes because it's a fantastic way to experience a Barolo like this at a pittance. Amazing in every way.
Great nose, scents of oak and tobacco. A little bitter before it opens up but after some decanting really improved. Smooth and not a bad value for the price. Like most Barolos I've drunk, the nose and flavor keep developing as the wine opens up and it s an experience to enjoy at various points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine should be decanted and left to breathe for at least an hour. It really opens up and defines its flavours. It went swimmingly with strip steak cooked perfectly to medium (so as to avoid veins of raw fat). The tannins, still present after ten years, stood up to the oiliness of the marbled steak cooked in butter. A nicely aged Barolo for a reasonable price. I will probably buy it again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
$20 Barolo Reserva from the classic 2004 vintage at Trader Joe's? Well, no cred for the label, it's a direct import. So expectations were more curious than excited. That changed with the cork removed and in the glass. After an hour decant (and especially the next day), this juice showcased earthy aromas from a deeply-extracted dark purple-black wine, that ended up showcasing a number of classic Barolo benchmarks, such as the sweet/sour wild cherry flavors, a rustic, earthy base and a fair amount of slate-like minerality, which unfolded in the long finish. At age ten, just unfolding, with likely another ten years to go. Clocked in at 14% ABV, after an apparently great growing season, this is far from the worst Barolo on the market, and worth easily at least twice as much in a 'regular' wine shop environment. Going back while there's still some there! (there's also a Barbaresco at TJ's from the same producer at $20 that might be worth a try as well, by the way)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Russk. Decant decant decant. After about 6 hours it went from 89pts to 91-pts. Its strengths are the sour cherry and firm mouth feel. Aromatics neither a plus or minus. For $20 get a couple more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Firehouse red, bricking orange. Warm cherry and black raspberry bouquet, with earthy notes of leather, oak, cedar, tree sap, and graphite. Lithe, powerful, and tightly wound, it takes a bit of air to tame the sour cherry palate, revealing good fruit flavors, an ample middle, and a firm, grippy finish. It stays true to its origins with the stuffing to easily age another 10 years. Decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My Grade: EX-. Delicious and refined Barolo. Dark, clear Ruby, nose of black berries, vanilla, licorice, violets and earth. Initial lovely red and black fruit on the palate gives way to crushed-stone minerality on the mid, with excellent structure provided by fine, firm tannins and well balanced acidity, long finish of juicy sour berries. Ready now but can age another decade. Outstanding QPR. (see my profile for grades)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I enjoyed this wine. Tar and violet nose and taste. Medium body. Tight on the finish at first taste even after decanting. After an hour it was getting better. The next day greatly improved. I think you could cellar this for a few years yet. If you are drinking now make sure to decant it and let it sit for a few hours. Put the decanter in the fridge about a half hour before drinking. Well worth the 20 bucks. I've had worse Barolos at twice the price. The first night I had it with grilled jarlsberg cheese sandwiches and tomato basil soup. Second night was sloppy joes and coleslaw. Good with both. The sweet tomato flavor does well with this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black licorice and cure olives on the nose with very little evidence of fruit. Typical old world style with med-high acidity. On the palate you find similar notes of black licorice and dark earth with a long finish. Many characteristics of this wine point to northern Italy but it's lacking in complexity and body which are typical qualities of Barolo. Possibly needed more time in bottle. However, we did decant for 6 hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A terrific value at Trader Joe's. Very clean in the "new" style of Barolo winemaking, yet with the long finish that one would expect from the appellation. If there is such a thing as a textbook bargain Barolo, this is it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Simple but enjoyable. At $20 from Trader Joe's it's a decent bargain. fruitiness and oak predominate the medium bodied flavor profile. Would be great with food, but a little too simple for serious drinking.
4/7/2021 - Wineteacher wrote: 90 Points
Garnet color. Excellent clarity. This wine was bought upon release. Perfect condition and probably at the peak of the drinking window. Spicy and a bit of the classic Barolo tar. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2019 - Sijan wrote:
Did not age well, unfortunately
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2016 - Ombibulous Does not like this wine:
I didn't like it. Tasted old. Not just mature, but old, in the sense of past its drinking window. I would say the drinking window closed around 2013. I couldn't drink more than a glass and a half of it. A waste of $20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2015 - Birkmeier wrote: 89 Points
Nice and smooth. Tannins have integrated well. Great structure and finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2015 - soychick Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really not bad value, but lacks the depth and complexity you might expect from Barolo. Also still surprisingly tannic for an 04. Might say hold for 5 more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2015 - JimVan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Quite a nice wine - complex nose of cherries, roses, tar, herbs, with good acidity and flavors which spoke of depth and delicacy at the same time. Excellent value, and it had what I expected in a decent Barolo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2015 - Aparritz Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of the best values ever from TJs. The notes below are all accurate in terms of flavor and depth. Grab this if you still see it at trader joes because it's a fantastic way to experience a Barolo like this at a pittance. Amazing in every way.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
1/16/2015 - Davetroup wrote:
Great nose, scents of oak and tobacco. A little bitter before it opens up but after some decanting really improved. Smooth and not a bad value for the price. Like most Barolos I've drunk, the nose and flavor keep developing as the wine opens up and it s an experience to enjoy at various points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2014 - Ombibulous wrote:
This wine should be decanted and left to breathe for at least an hour. It really opens up and defines its flavours. It went swimmingly with strip steak cooked perfectly to medium (so as to avoid veins of raw fat). The tannins, still present after ten years, stood up to the oiliness of the marbled steak cooked in butter. A nicely aged Barolo for a reasonable price. I will probably buy it again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2014 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
Russk. 90+ after a hour Decant. Give longgggg decant.Sour cherry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2014 - Snoman Likes this wine: 89 Points
$20 Barolo Reserva from the classic 2004 vintage at Trader Joe's? Well, no cred for the label, it's a direct import. So expectations were more curious than excited. That changed with the cork removed and in the glass. After an hour decant (and especially the next day), this juice showcased earthy aromas from a deeply-extracted dark purple-black wine, that ended up showcasing a number of classic Barolo benchmarks, such as the sweet/sour wild cherry flavors, a rustic, earthy base and a fair amount of slate-like minerality, which unfolded in the long finish. At age ten, just unfolding, with likely another ten years to go. Clocked in at 14% ABV, after an apparently great growing season, this is far from the worst Barolo on the market, and worth easily at least twice as much in a 'regular' wine shop environment. Going back while there's still some there! (there's also a Barbaresco at TJ's from the same producer at $20 that might be worth a try as well, by the way)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2014 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
Russk. Decant decant decant. After about 6 hours it went from 89pts to 91-pts. Its strengths are the sour cherry and firm mouth feel. Aromatics neither a plus or minus. For $20 get a couple more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2014 - Baron Slick wrote: 88 Points
Firehouse red, bricking orange. Warm cherry and black raspberry bouquet, with earthy notes of leather, oak, cedar, tree sap, and graphite. Lithe, powerful, and tightly wound, it takes a bit of air to tame the sour cherry palate, revealing good fruit flavors, an ample middle, and a firm, grippy finish. It stays true to its origins with the stuffing to easily age another 10 years. Decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2014 - Joesap wrote:
My Grade: EX-. Delicious and refined Barolo. Dark, clear Ruby, nose of black berries, vanilla, licorice, violets and earth. Initial lovely red and black fruit on the palate gives way to crushed-stone minerality on the mid, with excellent structure provided by fine, firm tannins and well balanced acidity, long finish of juicy sour berries. Ready now but can age another decade. Outstanding QPR.
(see my profile for grades)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2014 - Hiseitz Likes this wine: 89 Points
I enjoyed this wine. Tar and violet nose and taste. Medium body. Tight on the finish at first taste even after decanting. After an hour it was getting better. The next day greatly improved. I think you could cellar this for a few years yet. If you are drinking now make sure to decant it and let it sit for a few hours. Put the decanter in the fridge about a half hour before drinking. Well worth the 20 bucks. I've had worse Barolos at twice the price. The first night I had it with grilled jarlsberg cheese sandwiches and tomato basil soup. Second night was sloppy joes and coleslaw. Good with both. The sweet tomato flavor does well with this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2014 - Kradamo87 wrote: 84 Points
Black licorice and cure olives on the nose with very little evidence of fruit. Typical old world style with med-high acidity. On the palate you find similar notes of black licorice and dark earth with a long finish. Many characteristics of this wine point to northern Italy but it's lacking in complexity and body which are typical qualities of Barolo. Possibly needed more time in bottle. However, we did decant for 6 hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2014 - ctbob Does not like this wine:
Served blind to a group recently returned from Piemonte, and no one pegged it as Barolo or even nebbiolo. Decanted. Waited. Same result.
Nothing wrong with this wine, but nothing really right, either. Not $20 well spent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/16/2014 - pa81 Likes this wine:
Enjoyed with meatballs and red sauce. Good food wine. Medium bodied, slightly orange tint on edges. Enjoyed. Nothing special but enjoyed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2014 - oakville72 Likes this wine: 91 Points
A terrific value at Trader Joe's. Very clean in the "new" style of Barolo winemaking, yet with the long finish that one would expect from the appellation. If there is such a thing as a textbook bargain Barolo, this is it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2013 - davnik Likes this wine: 87 Points
Simple but enjoyable. At $20 from Trader Joe's it's a decent bargain. fruitiness and oak predominate the medium bodied flavor profile. Would be great with food, but a little too simple for serious drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/23/2013 - foobarski Likes this wine: 88 Points
Paired with pizza. Worked wonderfully.
Has the strong tannins associated with a Barolo. Notes of strawberries and herbs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment