Sublime. I bought these 31 or so years ago and stored them properly, hoping I would get to drink them when they were ready. They’re ready and it’s beautiful. It may last at this level for another 10 years but the human race doesn’t look like it will. Drink ‘em if you got ‘em. It can’t possibly be any better.
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Definitely mature, but still vibrant. Can’t say this is good QPR anymore. There are better wines out there for what this costs today…but it has lovely tertiary Nebbiolo scents and it’s as smooth as ballbearings on the palate. Damn, that bouquet is beguiling. I would surmise there are about a dozen years before the fruit is subsumed by the wood and alcohol. Drink’em if you got’em.
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The nose is well balanced and seamless with tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, dusty notes, licorice, dried roses, earth, some oak, wood spices, tobacco, and worn leather. The Full bodied feel is well balanced and layered with crisp, high acidity and refined, medium+ tannins. The structure has peeled back and this is either right towards the top or right on the long road down. This threw some sediment and took a few swirls to really express itself.
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The 1990 Barolo vintage is quite alive and well. After about 2 hours in the decanter the Pajana turned out to be one of the most beautiful wines I have ever had the pleasure to taste. It was earthy with beautiful complexity. Harmonious dark earthy fruit and a long complex finish. Multifacited harmonious. Resolved and mature but in some ways still youthful. This wine was slightly understated compared to the 1990 Ginestra we had at this tasting. Reminded me very much of a Chambertin I once had.
We had this wine along with the 1990 Clerico Bussia and Ginestra.
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Lots of fruit but a stewed figginess that is not to my liking. Perhaps it mght have blown off, but this bottle lacks the freshness of prior bottles and raises questions about the variability of the 90 vintage
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Had this before a 2000 Bartolo Mascarello. One of the better of the more modern style Barolos. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking, the wine showed well but lacks the purity and terroir of a traditional Barolo and was no match for the Bartolo. I am not a proponent of wines aged in barrique as this is and for me it "doctors" the wine preventing one from experiencing the essence of the grape.
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Decanted for an hour and drank over the next 3 hours. Medium amount of Brett made for a slightly unpleasant nose of barnyard/bandaid, but very pleasant mid-palate and finish. At or near it's peak. Subtle earthy, fig, dark fruit. Even with the brett, it was a pleasure to drink.
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Stopped by a local restaurant a little while ago and enjoyed a glass with a good friend of mine for his birthday.
For me, the elements of the bouquet that were most interesting was a slightly elevated amount of alcohol and a ripeness that I associate with more traditional styled Barolos. Next to that, dark fruit, celery and soy notes, rather dense and somewhat impenetrable. Lots of tannins on the palate and moderate long finish. I've not experienced this degree of traditional elements in the more modernist wines. Not the levels of rich fruit and exotic aromatics I experienced in the 89 Ginestra a few weeks ago (a few of which could be also coaxed out of the 04 we had at a recent MdG tasting). Yet, stylistically definitely a modernist orientation. I was looking for a little more traditional richness to accompany the slightly hot and ripe nose, and the overall impression of the wine after this was perhaps a little cleaner than I'd expect. Bottom line, I really loved the somewhat schizophrenic nature of this wine and will come back to a bottle of my own before the weather gets too warm and evaluate over a longer time frame. I think Antonio was very accurate in his recent Parker report and agree with his ranking.,
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New Year's Eve dinner at home with Mom, Steve & Barb. A backup in case the '35 Barbaresco didn't work out, this was served with Mom's spectacular looking and tasting Pork Crown Roast accompanied by roasted fennel and baby sweet potatoes. This would have benefitted from some decanter time but wasn't given any since it was a backup, hopefully to go back to the cellar to live another day. That was not to be and this wine was light purple upon pouring. Tight at first but opened with time in the glass revealing a very well integrated and classy wine. Excellent richness and a glyceral mouthfeel. Shows the nice minerality I find in Clerico's Barolos, a producer quickly becoming my favorite from the region. Will be even better in 5-10 years. 50+13+13+8.5+8.5 = 93+
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8/12/2023 - PGIF Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sublime. I bought these 31 or so years ago and stored them properly, hoping I would get to drink them when they were ready. They’re ready and it’s beautiful. It may last at this level for another 10 years but the human race doesn’t look like it will. Drink ‘em if you got ‘em. It can’t possibly be any better.
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4/28/2023 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
Definitely mature, but still vibrant. Can’t say this is good QPR anymore. There are better wines out there for what this costs today…but it has lovely tertiary Nebbiolo scents and it’s as smooth as ballbearings on the palate. Damn, that bouquet is beguiling. I would surmise there are about a dozen years before the fruit is subsumed by the wood and alcohol. Drink’em if you got’em.
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5/2/2021 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
The nose is well balanced and seamless with tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, dusty notes, licorice, dried roses, earth, some oak, wood spices, tobacco, and worn leather. The Full bodied feel is well balanced and layered with crisp, high acidity and refined, medium+ tannins. The structure has peeled back and this is either right towards the top or right on the long road down. This threw some sediment and took a few swirls to really express itself.
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1/12/2020 - neilsforest wrote: flawed
Opened last 2 bottles. Flawed.
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6/9/2019 - thomasito2001 wrote: flawed
Oxydized!
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8/3/2014 - jetrexpro Likes this wine: 95 Points
The 1990 Barolo vintage is quite alive and well. After about 2 hours in the decanter the Pajana turned out to be one of the most beautiful wines I have ever had the pleasure to taste. It was earthy with beautiful complexity. Harmonious dark earthy fruit and a long complex finish. Multifacited harmonious. Resolved and mature but in some ways still youthful. This wine was slightly understated compared to the 1990 Ginestra we had at this tasting. Reminded me very much of a Chambertin I once had.
We had this wine along with the 1990 Clerico Bussia and Ginestra.
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1/2/2014 - baroloboy55 wrote: 87 Points
Lots of fruit but a stewed figginess that is not to my liking. Perhaps it mght have blown off, but this bottle lacks the freshness of prior bottles and raises questions about the variability of the 90 vintage
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11/4/2012 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Kelly and Kevin’s excellent adventure before WWS 2012; 11/4/2012-11/11/2012 (La Morra): Expressive nose of black fruits, ash, tar, licorice, perfume and earth. This is a masculine and rustic wine with still significant tannins. Although very enjoyable, very angular.
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8/11/2010 - cardsandwine wrote:
Had this before a 2000 Bartolo Mascarello. One of the better of the more modern style Barolos. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking, the wine showed well but lacks the purity and terroir of a traditional Barolo and was no match for the Bartolo. I am not a proponent of wines aged in barrique as this is and for me it "doctors" the wine preventing one from experiencing the essence of the grape.
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3/29/2009 - Scotty B wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour and drank over the next 3 hours. Medium amount of Brett made for a slightly unpleasant nose of barnyard/bandaid, but very pleasant mid-palate and finish. At or near it's peak. Subtle earthy, fig, dark fruit. Even with the brett, it was a pleasure to drink.
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4/5/2008 - baroloboy55 wrote: 92 Points
Stopped by a local restaurant a little while ago and enjoyed a glass with a good friend of mine for his birthday.
For me, the elements of the bouquet that were most interesting was a slightly elevated amount of alcohol and a ripeness that I associate with more traditional styled Barolos. Next to that, dark fruit, celery and soy notes, rather dense and somewhat impenetrable. Lots of tannins on the palate and moderate long finish. I've not experienced this degree of traditional elements in the more modernist wines. Not the levels of rich fruit and exotic aromatics I experienced in the 89 Ginestra a few weeks ago (a few of which could be also coaxed out of the 04 we had at a recent MdG tasting). Yet, stylistically definitely a modernist orientation. I was looking for a little more traditional richness to accompany the slightly hot and ripe nose, and the overall impression of the wine after this was perhaps a little cleaner than I'd expect. Bottom line, I really loved the somewhat schizophrenic nature of this wine and will come back to a bottle of my own before the weather gets too warm and evaluate over a longer time frame. I think Antonio was very accurate in his recent Parker report and agree with his ranking.,
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12/31/2006 - JeffGMorris wrote: 93 Points
New Year's Eve dinner at home with Mom, Steve & Barb. A backup in case the '35 Barbaresco didn't work out, this was served with Mom's spectacular looking and tasting Pork Crown Roast accompanied by roasted fennel and baby sweet potatoes. This would have benefitted from some decanter time but wasn't given any since it was a backup,
hopefully to go back to the cellar to live another day. That was not to be and this wine was light purple upon pouring. Tight at first but opened with time in the glass revealing a very well integrated and classy wine. Excellent richness and a glyceral mouthfeel. Shows the nice minerality I find in Clerico's Barolos, a producer quickly becoming my favorite
from the region. Will be even better in 5-10 years. 50+13+13+8.5+8.5 =
93+
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12/13/2006 - Chuck Miller wrote: 87 Points
This is a huge, tannic wine that needs lots more time in the cellar. I hope the fruit sticks around, and if so, it has considerable upside.
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6/29/2006 - conadoc wrote: 89 Points
Nice nose, a lot of tannin, not a very expressive palate. Not very distinguished. The tannin dominated.
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