A private lunch (Restaurant De Watergang, Amsterdam, NL): Mature appearance; warm glowing nose, roasted chestnuts, red berries and undergrowth, fresh minerality; mature palate, medium body, soft acidity, velvety tannins; very good length. Completely ready - seems very evolved. Bottle difference?
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Lovely fresh-strawberry note here but I double decanted back and forth for hours and couldn’t crack the muted, tight core. Seemed promising but never got there. Not sure if time will help.
Edit: Undrinkable on night 2.
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this one may be partially closed... very little fruit / friendliness to balance the acidity, hints of wood and structure generally... I would suggest watching another 5-8 years before opening another (I have five more in offsite storage)
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Acidity is softer and there’s a sense of solidity to this wine, like the extraction was turned up until they got everything they could from the grapes without overdoing it. Menthol, anise, various herbs, pepper. Very firm tannins but they don’t feel out of balance. The oldest wine tonight but perhaps the least ready!
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Jesus!!!. Talk about tannic. This just about ripped my face off. I’m still walking around grimacing and my mouth feels like it’s twenty miles behind me. Never mind 4/5 years, this needs a decade where I’m sure it will be subliminal.
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Thanksgiving week in Piemonte; 11/22/2019-11/30/2019 (Milan, Barolo, Alba, Barbaresco): From the wine list at Trattoria della Posta. The first of the '12's I have had that was not open for business. Somm suggested larger glasses to let it open, but it did not budge much over the course of the two hour lunch. Darker in profile than the '12 Bartolo Mascarello we had beside it. This is a much burlier and tannic wine today, I think this will need extended cellaring before it softens and begins to integrate.
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Piedmont II - better and learnings; 11/23/2019-11/29/2019 (Barolo, Alba, others): The dark and brooding one. This wine was served in large Riedel Sommelier series and it needed as much air as it could get. While the Barolo Mascarello was open for business right from the get go this was shy and tight and slightly tannic. We drank prob over 2 hours and I think it was only after it had spent 1.5 hours in the glass that I started to feel like it was showing a bit more. Darker notes and fruits and slightly more herbal in nature. Tasty wine.
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Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): Serious wine here folks. It can be enjoyed today, it's rich, ripe and ready, but it's far from developed. In true 2012 fashion, the wine's open - to a point, more will follow in a handful of years, then serious tertiary development for years and years thereafter. Ravera can really be a distinguished wine, and in this vintage Vietti captured that essence, the necessary balance of energy from all the moving parts. Buy all you can find, and more than you can afford; you'll never regret it. highly recommended
What a beautiful wine the ‘12 Ravera has turned out to be. The nose was spicy with depths of dark red fruits, dried roses, spiced orange and a hint of fruit cake. On the palate, I found feminine textures with underlying classic tannin, masses of dark inner floral tones, crushed wild berries savory minerals and herbs. The finish was structured and dark fruited with hints of bitter herbs.
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2012 Vinous Master Class in Barolo (Del Posto, New York): Quite dark. An expansive mouthfeel despite the massive tannins. Dense and weighty, with tight flavors of bright fruit and some florality. Great persistence. Would love to revisit in a 6-8 years, and for decades thereafter.
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Tasted after Vajra's Ravera. Darker, more concentrated and less floral. Very firm and tannic on the palate, ripe fruit underneath. Spicy, very persistent finish. 92-93+(+?)
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Of all the wines at the tasting at the winery, this stood out as the king. A vast and regal nose that has a depth and breadth that I'd imagine could be missed if one was not paying close enough attention. This had more restraint and power than the other 2012's and was a wine I'd be happy to have in the cellar. I'd also leave it alone until 2027 or longer if I did.
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tasted at Jancis Robinson event in NYC. no formal notes other than this was approachable and excellent compared to many other tannic and shut down wines.
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Vietti tasting with Lorenzo (Castiglione Falletto): My favourite of the Crus. Traditionally made. An expressive, bright red cherry bouquet, quite Pinot Noir-like. On palate, pinpoint precise and vertical. A classic, red fruited Barolo from a cooler year. Some chalk and slate but an austere, tight wine that needs some cellar time to express itself. Seamless and linear in a way that hides the serious fruit depth. Understated and elegant. It reminded me, in a way, of the 2010 Mascarello Monprivato. You could miss how good this wine is.
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Tasting at the Vietti Winery with Elena and Luca (Castiglione Falletto): Sweet red fruit fragrance. Powerful, dark and tannic. Surprisingly dark and backward for Ravera. Seems more similar to the Lazzarito than I would have expected, but it has this fragrance that may make it the better wine in the long run. 94-95
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SLDS June 2016: 12 hour double decanted. Raspberry, cherry, blackcurrant, violets and tar. Punchy fruit mixes with punchy tannins. Obviously all about the structure at the moment, let this one sleep.
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Luca Currado presents Vietti (Formento's): Novello. Closer to the Alps (?, it's in SW of the appellation and the Alps are to the north, ?), and a beneficiary of the warmer climate which as tipped this generally cooler site, into a top site. More concentrated color to the wine. 50% of this vineyard still goes into Castiglione. 'This is the most traditional Barolo (aka no racking), the most square.' Again, same as the Brunate, significant level of fruit presence to the aromas. Shoe polish nuance and licorice to the palate. Most spice of the Cru. Lots of inherent concentration to the palate. Damn.
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4/7/2024 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
A private lunch (Restaurant De Watergang, Amsterdam, NL): Mature appearance; warm glowing nose, roasted chestnuts, red berries and undergrowth, fresh minerality; mature palate, medium body, soft acidity, velvety tannins; very good length. Completely ready - seems very evolved. Bottle difference?
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12/18/2023 - stanqwash wrote:
Lovely fresh-strawberry note here but I double decanted back and forth for hours and couldn’t crack the muted, tight core. Seemed promising but never got there. Not sure if time will help.
Edit: Undrinkable on night 2.
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8/6/2023 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
this one may be partially closed... very little fruit / friendliness to balance the acidity, hints of wood and structure generally... I would suggest watching another 5-8 years before opening another (I have five more in offsite storage)
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10/7/2021 - ubercuvee wrote:
How much 2012 Barolo is too much 2012 Barolo (Noize): Typical Vietti: big, extracted, never really found balance for me.
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11/20/2020 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
The Barolo Boys: Ravera Cru Special (Zoom!): Started in Ravera in 1997. At first they were modernist but moved traditional. SW aspect to their site.
Acidity is softer and there’s a sense of solidity to this wine, like the extraction was turned up until they got everything they could from the grapes without overdoing it. Menthol, anise, various herbs, pepper. Very firm tannins but they don’t feel out of balance. The oldest wine tonight but perhaps the least ready!
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9/17/2020 - RHaz wrote: 90 Points
very closed still and tannins massive. some soft cherries in there but guessing this has some integrating to do.
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6/18/2020 - Axl R Likes this wine:
Jesus!!!. Talk about tannic. This just about ripped my face off. I’m still walking around grimacing and my mouth feels like it’s twenty miles behind me. Never mind 4/5 years, this needs a decade where I’m sure it will be subliminal.
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11/26/2019 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Thanksgiving week in Piemonte; 11/22/2019-11/30/2019 (Milan, Barolo, Alba, Barbaresco): From the wine list at Trattoria della Posta. The first of the '12's I have had that was not open for business. Somm suggested larger glasses to let it open, but it did not budge much over the course of the two hour lunch. Darker in profile than the '12 Bartolo Mascarello we had beside it. This is a much burlier and tannic wine today, I think this will need extended cellaring before it softens and begins to integrate.
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11/26/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Piedmont II - better and learnings; 11/23/2019-11/29/2019 (Barolo, Alba, others): The dark and brooding one. This wine was served in large Riedel Sommelier series and it needed as much air as it could get. While the Barolo Mascarello was open for business right from the get go this was shy and tight and slightly tannic. We drank prob over 2 hours and I think it was only after it had spent 1.5 hours in the glass that I started to feel like it was showing a bit more. Darker notes and fruits and slightly more herbal in nature. Tasty wine.
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7/6/2018 - JOsgood wrote:
Very tannic and shutdown. Hard to get an assessment here. Too harsh for my tender taste buds.
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7/5/2018 - the godfather wrote:
Tight AF, a tannic beast hard to get a read
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4/8/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Opera Wine 2017 - 100 Great Producers (Verona, Italy): Serious wine here folks. It can be enjoyed today, it's rich, ripe and ready, but it's far from developed. In true 2012 fashion, the wine's open - to a point, more will follow in a handful of years, then serious tertiary development for years and years thereafter. Ravera can really be a distinguished wine, and in this vintage Vietti captured that essence, the necessary balance of energy from all the moving parts. Buy all you can find, and more than you can afford; you'll never regret it. highly recommended
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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2/4/2017 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a beautiful wine the ‘12 Ravera has turned out to be. The nose was spicy with depths of dark red fruits, dried roses, spiced orange and a hint of fruit cake. On the palate, I found feminine textures with underlying classic tannin, masses of dark inner floral tones, crushed wild berries savory minerals and herbs. The finish was structured and dark fruited with hints of bitter herbs.
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2/4/2017 - kenv Likes this wine: 95 Points
2012 Barolo: Grace Under Pressure Masterclass (Del Posto Restaurant, NYC): Floral red fruit nose jumps from the glass. Expansive, floral and ethereal in the mouth. Drying tannins. Another wow wine from Vietti Ravera.
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2/4/2017 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 94 Points
2012 Vinous Master Class in Barolo (Del Posto, New York): Quite dark. An expansive mouthfeel despite the massive tannins. Dense and weighty, with tight flavors of bright fruit and some florality. Great persistence. Would love to revisit in a 6-8 years, and for decades thereafter.
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11/20/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Tasted after Vajra's Ravera. Darker, more concentrated and less floral. Very firm and tannic on the palate, ripe fruit underneath. Spicy, very persistent finish. 92-93+(+?)
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11/7/2016 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Of all the wines at the tasting at the winery, this stood out as the king. A vast and regal nose that has a depth and breadth that I'd imagine could be missed if one was not paying close enough attention. This had more restraint and power than the other 2012's and was a wine I'd be happy to have in the cellar. I'd also leave it alone until 2027 or longer if I did.
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10/24/2016 - lolo66 wrote:
tasted at Jancis Robinson event in NYC. no formal notes other than this was approachable and excellent compared to many other tannic and shut down wines.
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8/19/2016 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
Vietti tasting with Lorenzo (Castiglione Falletto): My favourite of the Crus. Traditionally made. An expressive, bright red cherry bouquet, quite Pinot Noir-like. On palate, pinpoint precise and vertical. A classic, red fruited Barolo from a cooler year. Some chalk and slate but an austere, tight wine that needs some cellar time to express itself. Seamless and linear in a way that hides the serious fruit depth. Understated and elegant. It reminded me, in a way, of the 2010 Mascarello Monprivato. You could miss how good this wine is.
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7/5/2016 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasting at the Vietti Winery with Elena and Luca (Castiglione Falletto): Sweet red fruit fragrance. Powerful, dark and tannic. Surprisingly dark and backward for Ravera. Seems more similar to the Lazzarito than I would have expected, but it has this fragrance that may make it the better wine in the long run. 94-95
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6/12/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
SLDS June 2016: 12 hour double decanted. Raspberry, cherry, blackcurrant, violets and tar. Punchy fruit mixes with punchy tannins. Obviously all about the structure at the moment, let this one sleep.
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2/1/2016 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Luca Currado presents Vietti (Formento's): Novello. Closer to the Alps (?, it's in SW of the appellation and the Alps are to the north, ?), and a beneficiary of the warmer climate which as tipped this generally cooler site, into a top site.
More concentrated color to the wine.
50% of this vineyard still goes into Castiglione. 'This is the most traditional Barolo (aka no racking), the most square.'
Again, same as the Brunate, significant level of fruit presence to the aromas. Shoe polish nuance and licorice to the palate. Most spice of the Cru. Lots of inherent concentration to the palate. Damn.
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