Cherry, plum, leather on the nose. The palate completely open for business with the 4 hour decant I gave it. Similar fruit profile as the nose, almost no oak detectable. Nice acidity, medium to fully body. Paired well with steak and sautéed mushrooms. Very enjoyable, but maybe also not particularly memorable.
A birthday bottle of wine from Gus . He bought it based on the label and he clearly has an eye for such things at 5 years old. I really enjoyed this wine with fillet steak/balsamic/truffle salt/Parmesan and a rocket and tomato salad. Best after the bottle had been open for a an hour or two, but was perfectly p n p - able. Didn’t decant. Initially candied on the nose and quite explosively so. A little violet and rose with a touch of piedmont ‘tar’. Light building to medium bodied across the pallet with some satisfying creaminess with the meat. Perfectly fine on its own but maybe a touch tart. Better with the food. 2016 obviously nails it. I have had this from lesser vintages in bars/restaurants and it’s not nearly as good hence I wasn’t expecting so much from this. Great choice Gus thank you.
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Not as good as my last bottle, but still drinking well. On nose, menthol, sweet/sour cherry and floral notes. Medium body, medium+ tannins, medium+ acidity and long finish. Drank over 3 nights and still very nice on night 3. Didn't formally rate - I enjoyed this.
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Anise, violet, black raspberry, delicious aromas. Typical Nebbiolo--full bodied, medium-high acidity, firm but ripe tannins, bright fruit with earthy nuances. Concentrated, very good finish.
Drink with protein or hold.
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Wine has improved since last tasting ~ 1 year ago. Medium red color, clear. On nose, sour cherry, orange rind, balsamic notes. On palate, cherry, cranberry and orange zest. Full body, medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins and a long finish. My favorite "entry level" Barolo. 93+/-
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Unlike a somewhat closed bottle in January, this was wide open. Forward and rather ripe, but good typicity. Drink or hold. These drink well young and I don't expect them to be particularly ageworthy as Barolo goes, so I'm always a bit torn at this point about how long to hold remaining bottles, but I'd imagine 5-10 more years wouldn't be an issue.
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It isn’t flawed, but i think I don’t care for this producer. There is something slightly sour on the palate. I like acid, it is something else. I noticed it in their langhe Nebbiolo as well. Tasted another Barolo 2017 (not a single vineyard ) next to it and they were vastly different
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Some roses and cherries on the nose. In the mouth medium-full body. Lots of acid and lots of tannins... cherries, a little earth, some serious astringency.
Nothing wrong here. Not a bad wine particularly from a value perspective. Nothing great either. A bit simple. A bit burly.
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Love love love this producer and for a great vintage like 2016 this wine shows classic Barolo notes. Cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, rose, orange peel. Mineral stoney freshness with mountain herbs and wildflowers, med + acidity and med fine grained elegant tannins. Med body and very pretty length.
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Similar experience to my 6/30/22 note. Starting to drink well but still young. Maybe a touch more open this year and also was arguably better on the second night with more perfume. Excellent QPR.
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Drunk during dinner. Red berries, liquorice, dust, classic Barolo. Quite smooth tannins. Didn't feel too young even though its only 7 years old. Agreeing with that last tasting note that it's in a confusing stage.
Very nice to drink, I'm not a pro - but I will drink my last two bottles within 5 year.
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The '16 Albe opens with beautiful aromatics of fresh red raspberry fruits, menthol and other cool herbal tones, fresh red roses, and a touch of a savory, meaty note like cured meats. It's very pure, lighter red fruit and cool toned.
On the palate, the '16 Albe is less open than the nose suggests. I also found the wine more tannic than in my note from fall 2020. I found a fairly stern expression of light red fruit, savory and meaty notes, and a hint of leather. The wine is medium to light in body, but with fairly stern tannins on the back end. The tightness and tannic heft of the '16 Albe is surprising given how open and pretty it seems on the nose.
The '16 Albe is a bit of a confusing wine at this stage. The nose suggests a wine that is ready to drink, but the palate seems to have tightened up since I last tasted it. I have no more left, but if I did I'd probably check back in at the ~10 year mark. The question is if the palate will catch up to the aromatics before the wine loses its beautiful primary fruit.
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After several bottles of this since release presenting quite open, this was the first that was very shut down. Hard and not giving much on the nose or the palate. An initial wave of rose when decanting was promising, but the scent immediately recoiled and the wine remained rather tight even after a few hours in the decanter. Not totally unyielding, but not showing what it has in the past. Based on this showing, I'll now let my remaining bottles sleep for a few years.
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Wonderful aroma of red berries and leather. Firm, but pleasing mouthfeel. Tastes very fresh, but I have no regrets opening a bottle to try now. 14.5 abv but nebbiolo has a fantastic ability to carry high alcohols without it becoming unpleasant. Length is decent. This worked even without food so this qualifies for high remarks in my book!
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Opened two 1.5 L for Christmas Eve party. Decanted but just briefly as I wasn’t sure what this would be like after a couple of hours.
Probably due to the format, this was very young in appearance and taste…but not so tannic that it seemed to put off any of the wine novices at the party. Overall, was as crowd pleasing as Nebbiolo gets, IMO—bright red fruits with a floral note and a hint of spice. Big hit.
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PNP. Paired with rack of lamb. Medium red color. Clean nose - rose petals, tart cherry, strawberry and herbal notes. Palate had similar flavor profile. Full body, full tannins (fruit works with them), medium acidity and long finish. Really enjoyed this. 92+/-
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Deep, simple, uncomplicated. Pale ruby. Med intensity. Generic red fruit, nutmeg, dried herbs. Toasted wood. Simple. High tannins, drying. High acidity. 14,5% abv. F/B. Medium finish.
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Medium-intense garnet color. Intense dark cherry liqueur on the nose. Medium-to-medium-plus body, medium-to-medium-plus acid, medium fine grained tannins. Offered sour cherries on first taste, then decanted for one and a half hour to serve with dinner. After decant, it had completely shut down, presenting only a tannic finish. No rating given the circumstance, but would have been low 70s at best. Day 3 cherry fruit re-emerged, but had an artificial syrupy finish I usually associate with cheap grocery store wines. Hope that this gets better in a few years.
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This medium bodied food wine has a great deal of finesse. Definitely red fruit on the tongue initially: tart cherry and a little raspberry. There are some sweet notes on the finish more like subtle almond extract than vanilla. Drinkable now, but will get better with a few more years under its belt.
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First of 6 bottles and already drinking well despite seeming a bit young. Big dark red fruits w some herbs, rose, tar. Very chewy, long finish. Will be interesting to see it evolve. Excellent QPR as paid less than $30.
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Nose: tart cherries, earth. Palate: again tart cherries, a bit astringent and tannic, but very nice.
This is a great value at $35! We slightly prefer the Paolo Scavino, which is $40 and has a bit of a lighter mouthfeel, is less astringent, and went a bit better with food. Still this is excellent and I want a couple of bottles to age. It can certainly be drunk now but I would decant 4+ hours.
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Decanted ~5 hours before drinking. The air served this wine well. The acidity is very bright and fresh, and the fruit is there to balance it out - really the balance is exquisite - but it's initially shy and the wine can come across as thin. The nose is very classic Nebbiolo, with cherry, floral notes, and herb. There's firm tannin remaining, but the wine is certainly very drinkable now, especially with food. But a few years more cellar time should see considerable integration. Very nice, and a great value.
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Decanted a half hour. Sour cherries and earthy notes in a traditional style. Nice acid to the structure with a crisp fresh finish. Sage, vanilla with a floral lift. Better earlier before it shuts down a little as it airs. Drink 02025-2035.
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4th Saturday Brown Bagger (J&L's): Blind. Lighter color. Some, a bit muted, cherry and dark fruit emerge with a bit of swirling. Cherry and raspberry on the palate with a hint of spice. Easy to pick out as the Barolo in this flight. 92+ pts.
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I Guess this is one of the best value for money Barolo’s on earth. Vibrant and brilliant color; very wide aroma spectrum: it goes from the fresh red berry fruit to the mint and spicy notes. Lingering persistence, with just too much hard tannins. Vintage 2016 help actually, but the Vajra style is a benchmark! Bravo!
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Not long decant before dinner, drunk during dinner and during evening.
Very nice wine to food, really enjoy it. Clear miss not to decant it longer, I blame foresight.
Cherry, oak, earthy notes, little bit of strawberry, smells rustic.
It is after the dinner that the wine really opens up and reveals it power, fortunately I have saved half the bottle for tomorrow. It will be exciting to see how it performs.
Solid 92 with potential for higher score in the future.
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Decanted an hour. Traditional style with lots of acidity. Notes of sour cherry, earth, and flowers. Great structure but so approachable indicative of the vintage. Perfumed and ripe. Strawberry, oak accents and a little crème caramel lingers late on the pallet. Drink 2022-2034.
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Fantastic again. This will improve, but it's definitely a style which allows for early drinking. A bit tannic at first, but a short decant worked wonders. Really nice. 2016 is just such a stellar vintage in Piedmont.
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Engrossed in conversation with an old friend, it was hard to get the best read on this, my 4th bottle of 2016 Albe. It's still quite solid and quaffable which is a weird way to describe young nebbiolo. Tannins have mellowed already with some fruit quietly dissipating from what I recall from my last bottle about 9 months ago. Perhaps it's entering a dumb phase but still has a bit of life left. I'll try another bottle in a few months. As good as this is, I have a hard time seeing it age well.
Medium ruby fading to garnet. Violets, black cherry, vanilla, and clove leap out of the glass. Ripe cherry notes follow through to the palate, complimented by cranberry, black tea, and tobacco. Grippy but not overpowering tannins and bright acidity.
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Pop and poured which didn't do this young barolo any favors. Still, it has a nice nebbiolo nose and a spicy pallet with cherry and tar. Really opened up after about an hour as the mouthfeel became tannic with a dusty minerality and the wine became considerably more complex and enjoyable. 89 on opening 91 after an hour or so.
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This remains my best buy in Barolo every vintage. It's open at release and provides so much pleasure. You can almost always find it for $30 or under somewhere. 'Nuff said.
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Day 1 - closed. Dark cherry, raspberry, blueberry, menthol, black cardamom, prune/dates, silver osmanthus. The last element is most odd of Nebbiolo, where I was expecting rose petal. This gives tighter/spicy and low toned (less floral) impression for a Nebbiolo (almost like Barbera or languedoc). Overall, good concentration but aromatically a bit weak. 88-89.
Day 2 - Improving. Similar flavor components as day 1 with more balanced higher toned voices. Still dark / not floral though. Worked better with syrah glass than pinot/ nebbiolo glass. Tastes much more aged (cocktail of rounded dry fruit) than actual age for good or bad. Delicate but dry sandy tannin. 89-90.
Day 3 - finally in place - now tastes like Nebbiolo with complex bundle of rose petal, violet, iron, dried citrus peel, clove, etc. 90.
Will develop further with age but the bottle is gone. Hold.
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Popped & poured, such a pretty nose of roses, cherries & spices, equally impressive palate, cashmere tannins, so good for a base Barolo, I’ve drunk half a case of this beauty as it’s so hard to keep my hands of it, will get more, it will only get better with age, drunk on fruit day
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Nose is floral and inviting with notes of raspberry and dust. There are strawberries and cherries and herbs on the medium bodied palate. The tannins are relatively soft for this young of a Barolo, making it highly approachable. This $30 wine is a testament to the quality of this vintage.
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4th Saturday Group (R&S's): Notes of red berry fruit and cherry with underlying floral and spice elements. Abundant red fruit and balancing acidity on the palate. Incredibly friendly at the dinner table and very easy to like. 92-93 pts. (R&S)
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We all know it's too young but if you're going to test the 2016 barolo waters what better wine is there? Under 40 bucks and easy to find, and no slouch in the typicity game, this is the winner. Reminds me of the vietti castiglione. I dont think its asleep yet, but it needs a decant. Darker colors and flavors, floral and medium bodied. Still has a bite for sure. Roses and strawberries and really just a joy to drink. Why not buy a bunch and drink whenever you feel like it.
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Nose of cherries, roses and the slightest hint of milk chocolate. Also has a slight bitter herb (parsley/cut grass) note. Tannins are still a little grippy.
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Quite primary at the moment this needs lots of air. Classic sweet cherry nose with some floral and carbaceous notes, but everything feels withheld and flat at the moment. Beautiful, almost crystalline, structure, with nicely firm tannins that are quite fine despite their grip. Waiting for those gorgeous secondary characteristics to emerge.
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Public Service Announcement: To drink this now without decanting for several hours is to waste great wine!
Reticent upon opening, even a bit angry, and throughout the first day. Little perfume, serious acid and grip, gritty finish of noteworthy length. All in all, technically excellent, but lacking the appeal for which the house is known. Recorked and hoped for improvement.
What a difference that 24 hours made! Gorgeous perfume of all things raspberry and rose, along with menthol, candied citrus peel, teas, herbs, and essential essences. Compact attack, turning more expansive at the middle and back. Gritty tannins grace a very long finish.
More of the same on the third day, confirmation of the wine's potential. As with the same vintage Vietti Barolo recently tasted, this has gone to sleep. It should evolve and hold for a decade+. Improvement seems likely. 93-94.
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A great wine for the price paid. Roses, licorice, tar, cherries all on display. Very true to its origin. Great equilibrium even at this young age. Became more tannic the next day so if opening soon don't decant
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Third bottle of 2016 Albe. For someone who doesn't care to age Barolo, I love this bottle. Easy drinking, early drinking 2016 Albe. No signs of shutting down! Very enjoyable bottle.
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Caveat— I’m a Barolo noob. Day 1 color showed pale garnet to pale ruby with no meaningful sediment or discoloration around the rim. Smell opened up after an hour or so in the decanter. Acidity was high and the flavors had some depth. However, on the way down you could feel the burn on your throat — not like cdp or Napa cab but still enough to tell you this isn’t burgundy.
Day 2 the alcohol burn was more pronounced while the fruit faded somewhat.
Decanted for 2 hours, sweet cherries, pungent powerful nose, medium to full bodied, such a good base Barolo, really needs 2-3 more years or a long 3 hour decant
Another excellent bottle. Tight upon opening but loosened nicely in the decanter and while consumed over a few hours. Really lovely stuff with bitter cherries. Plenty of tannin to age but also a pleasure now. I imagine I'll consume these over the next decade, if I can show a bit of patience... or if I buy some more.
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This bottle was more suave and accessible than the last. Dark cherry notes with some herbal undertones. Tannins very much in check for Nebbiolo, coming across as fruit forward. Lengthy finish with a bit of mint. Delicious now.
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1 hour decant. Needed it. A 5 year old Barolo, even entry level, is a little too early. Clear red color. On nose, floral, sweet cherry, menthol. On palate, medium body, medium+ acidity, medium tannins and long finish. Flavor profile consistent with nose. 91+/- now with room for improvement - doesn't need 10 years, but 2-3 years will make a big difference.
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Tasted before decant. Tannins are overwhelming. Decanted about 2 1/2 hours, during which tannins dissipated. A world of difference pre- and post-decant. Definitely needs a good decant. Sour cherry, some vanilla and some wood. My nose is off, so i picked up more on palate than on nose (an issue for my sniffer of late - makes me wonder if I had assymptomatic COVID). This needs years and/or decant, but we enjoyed tonight’s sampling.
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Decanted two hours. Not giving much on the nose, earthy raspberry. On the palate, quite structured, but mostly accessible by the end of the night. Cherry, wild strawberry, tar, mint. Nicely balanced after more air, clean fruit slightly puckering acidity to go with the fine grained tannins. Nice young Barolo, given several hours in the decanter.
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I asked the group to decant this Nebbiolo for several hours before we met for tasting #15. I did not want to fight with a tannic beast and felt it best to go against my norm and give it a chance to soften. As expected from this varietal it was see-through with nice legs and showing a touch of bricking already. On the nose we got truffle, pepper, chocolate, dried cherry, tobacco, earth and it smelled 'dry'. On the palate it was kinda blah. Tart cherry, tobacco and not much else going on. It was very disappointing from the hype generated by the reviews. I was hoping for a rich, beefy wine that would show off the grape but was let down. Overall I will go with 89 points and 2 stars for this $34 wine. Drink till 2028.
Heavy on the mint and roses, violet cherry and wild strawberry. Fresh but very structured, high acidity and of course marked tannins. Took a while to get going, seemed a bit frugal at first. Could probably age with grace, it is as many sixteens quite clean. Very attractive pricing so should maybe buy more, but then again I have already bought a lot of this vintage and this is not on the level of say Fenocchio Bussia or Brovia Classico - both a bit more expensive but I think worth it...
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Really kind of blown away by the quality of this Barolo considering the price and vintage. Paired excellently with veal osso bucco and risotto alla milanese. A great wine for introducing folks to Barolo’s. A variety of floral flavors, clean finish. I did decant for about two hours based on recommendations.
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Consistent with others' notes. Decanted an hour or so before tasting. The first sips were a bit perplexing, then the moment of epiphany arrived.
For a young Nebbiolo of pedigree (i.e. Barolo or Barbaresco), the tannins are shockingly refined and elegant. As much as I love the concept of Nebbiolo, the reality is often dominated by hard, unyielding structure. This is an insanely balanced Nebbiolo, perhaps the most enjoyable young Barolo I've had from a structural standpoint.
There's a definite menthol and mint quality that counters the warmth of the alcohol and the grip of the tannins.
It requires a bit of coaxing--it is not the most effusive aromatically--but the inner aromas are classic and pure. Class.
My sense is that this doesn't need to age, nor is it a 30 year wine. But its longevity (let's say 15-20 years from vintage) might well surprise given the superb balance. I'll check in every several years, I reckon.
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Red fruit and blood orange up front. Earth, mint and coffee in the middle, finishes bright on good acidity. Great texture all the way through. High noted for a Barolo, yum.
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This wine is always a real value but that seems to be particularly true in this special vintage. This has that sexy 2016 aroma in spades and that’s what you’re here for. The palate is slightly diffuse with some light tannins providing a bit of structure but not promising a long life in the cellar. I see no reason not to drink this now while you cellar the more ageworthy 2016s...I wouldn’t want to take the risk that this improves from this level. Excellent for current drinking.
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This is quite good but very young. This is all about potential and it s there, just not the most enjoyable drink at the moment due to the tannins and structure.
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Decanted about 4 hours before serving. Still very closed and tight to me; not giving away too much. Reticent and shy, but still quite nice. The tannins are impressive, as they give the impression of smoothness, but do sneak up on you toward the finish. They are extremely fine-grained and add a lot of loveliness to this young Barolo. At the end of the meal, more of the fruit had emerged, though overall it seemed quite muted. Still one of the best buys in Barolo ever year at $29.99. Looking forward to opening more of these in time.
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Initial impressions: The fruitiest on the nose of this group, lots of licorice framing darker cherry verging on blackberry fruit. Not the most complex, but the most intense with fine menthol freshness and a lot of licorice given this a slightly candied medical note that recalls Golia candy/medicine. Smooth and fruity up front, lots of richness from the fruit across the midpalate leading to a fairly long, and slightly warm finish rich in fruit skin like tannins. Very well balanced, juicy, not quite silky but with very fine grained tannins and juicy acidity.
For additional information please visit: https://www.simplybetterwines.com/2016-barolo-values-part-3.html
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Better on night 2. Was pretty closed and acidic on night 1. Overnight, had a nice dense dark fruit profile that was accessible and plush. Fleshy and concentrated, but nuanced with menthol notes mixed with fruit. Nice floral elegance on the nose. Hard not to enjoy, especially at the price.
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Med ruby. Pronounced. Tangerine and crunchy black fruit. Hints of Figs. Balsamic with floral background. High Sandy tannins. The fruit is too generic with a what I personally call “Syrah” pungent profile . Will appeal the cognoscenti.
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Decanted forty minutes. Dark ruby color with a lovely bouquet featuring wild strawberry, cherry, blue fruit, white pepper, mint and rose. Full-bodied with fine tannins and flavors of red cherry, mint, licorice and mulberry. Bright supporting acidity. After ninety minutes in the decanter it was served with veal shanks. Similar as before though the darker fruits have become slightly dominant- mulberry, blue fruit and black raspberry, with a dominant rose petal overtone. A perfect match for the shanks. Very happy to have purchased a case of this. Enjoyable now with a healthy decant. 92+ for both Domino and I.
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I always enjoy this wine and the 2016 is a superb version of it. Balanced, proper Barolo that is open enough to enjoy young but which I'm confident will age. One of the better Nebbiolo bargains out there.
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This needed a little time to open and I would recommend a short decant. After thirty minutes this opened nicely with bright red cherry fruit, a little bit of flowers and soil, and oak. A balanced wine with good complexity for the price. Terrific qpr and I agree with others that this might be one to back up the truck and load up on.
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Bright ripe, almost candied cherries on the nose—like opening up a fresh pack of Twizzlers at the movie theater. Medium bodied, Medium tannins. Ripe cherry from the nose follows through to the palate, complemented by ripe raspberries transitioning to notes of cocoa powder on the finish. Good acidity throughout. Great value in this wine; would work well with food or on its own.
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Clear new garnet. Long legs Clean. Pronounced red cherry, raspberry, blossom, red plum. Vanilla. Palate: dry, high acid, high tannin, high alcohol, med + body. Pronounced red cherries, raspberries, strawberries, white pepper, green bell pepper. Vanilla, charred wood. Vegetal. Long finish. Overall good. Youthful. Allow to age.
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Very young but drinkable if you can tolerate the tannins. Better with food but has enough fruit to make the drink enjoyable. Not the most complex Barolo but at $39 a good deal and nice peak at 2016 Barolos.
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Amongst some recently tried mediocre Italian wines this stands out. Starts with bright red cherries which are almost ripe it quickly adds raspberry and ultimately ends with strawberry. Mid palette through finish the wine introduced black cherry licorice and then asphalt and iron.
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Decanted. Medium-ruby color. Aromas of black cherry & orange rind, sandalwood, anise & celery seed, nutmeg, dried hibiscus. Succulent and rich forward dark cherry fruit on the palate with rounded secondary layers, subtle in their expression. Voluminous in the middle, with sharp acidity and broad tannins, rounded and firm, with mouthwatering depth on the finish. Approachable in fruit and structure, obviously very primary at this point, but a very nice early look at 2016 Barolo.
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Yum! Juicy and fresh Barolo. Aromas of strawberry, red cherry, red plum, ripe peach, brown spice, licorice, dried mushrooms, desiccated autumn meadow and roses. Juicy and firm at once, with notions of dark fruit on the palate, as well as the fruits discerned on the nose. Also more savory on the palate than on the nose, with a little tar and pan drippings on the finish. This is quite open now, but the best will come in 5 to 10 years. It will no doubt be doing fine in 15, but perhaps will have peaked before then. Wouldn't be surprised if it is singing hits at 20+. One would not argue that it is the best of Barolo, but given its stature and price, it is a veritable monument for the region.
If there’s a wine that will convince you that 2016 is very special for Nebbiolo in the Langhe, this is it. The wine is $29 of pure joy. Bought a case before I finished the first glass. Like the Bricco delle Viole, this has a beautiful, sweet nose. There’s some hard candy cherry fruit, and a dark tarry note that’s brightened up by violets. It’s quite a mouthful — and the balance of dark cherry fruit and fine grained tannins is really nice. It lacks the concentration and punch of the best 2016s — but, wow, there’s a lot to like here. I really did not expect to like this so much. Highly recommended and I would expect this to really be nice in about 8 to 10 years. There’s definitely a place for wines like this in the cellar.
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Popped and poured. Initially sour red cherries. But fairly quickly the tar and spices are noticeable and then licorice. Improved over 2-3 hours with impressive intensity for an entry level barolo. Most approachable ‘16 barolo to try now.
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A fully accessible 2016. The nose is florals with red fruit, florals, and a frontal assault by tannins on the palate. I love it but this is a more serious Albe than previous vintages. I usually drink this while allowing Vajra’s other Barolo age.
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DWO – Najlepsze wina wg Fermentu – klasyki (On-line): From a great 2916 vintage. Nice palette and great intensive nose. I love some floral aromas (rose perhaps) and secondary aromas of plums not so typical for Nebbiolo. It very nice evolving with time. Iinialiy light but then mouth feeling with nice tannins structure
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This is a beautiful wine with lots of well balanced acid and tannis. It's got underlying savory notes and beautiful strawberry/cherry and roses. Super fresh and leaves going back for more. Great value.
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Young but already fun to drink. Definitely heavy on the fruits right now but with some air does pick up some of those classic Barolo rose and bitter notes that are so wonderfully balancing. This will definitely age well but this is a perfect Barolo to enjoy all through its lifetime I think
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Mid red. Attractive, vibrant nose- lots of crushed red berries and floral notes. Quite juicy fruit on the palate. Really approachable now, but it hardly budges over several days so I suspect it can do nicely with medium term cellaring. Overall a nice package, good value.
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Deep ruby core with the classic amber tones at the rim. Concentrated. Quite muted nose, even if decanted 2 hrs before drinking. There are tones of sweet cherries with a hint of cherry stone bitterness. After a while, a tone of licorice and tar emerges. Full bodied attack, rounded tannins, a sweet cherry fruit dominates the start and the mid-palate. The finish is (wonderfully) dry, very fine acidity, and a good fruity backbone dominated by cherry. A tarry tone emerges again at the finish. Very good balance. I suspect that this wine is so young that it only gives it's fruity tones at the moment, and thus appears as quite forward and "simple". It has the balance to age gracefully for at least 5 to 10 years, and will probably earn a higher score in 2-3 years.
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Never seemed to fully open up, although decanted and gave lots of air. Lovely tannins and enjoyable but ultimately hard to evaluate as held a lot back.
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Raspberry, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, citrus skin, sage on the nose — a lot of primary notes. The palate is approachable with pretty ripe tannins, bright red fruit giving way to slightly deeper notes. It’s nicely balanced with decent elegance, but feels kind of primary and doesn’t quite have those additional levels of intrigue. Probably something to revisit in a few years.
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Young and primary but surprisingly approachable and welcoming and definitely benefits a lot from the 2016 vintage. Dark fruited, less pronounced cherry as we would have expected , more rounder and less specific at this stage. For sure very round and smooth and needs time to develop further and has a long a way to go. Still impressively forward wine without being pushed or fake. Very good 90 for now but with a lot of potential.
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Not as big and bold as it’s big brother Bricco delle Viole but still displaying beautiful fruit, lots of liquorice, roses and hints of varnish. Fresh acidity, medium tannins. Darn nice and very good for its level and pricepoint.
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Very approachable - picked from amongst a few different Barolo to get a sense of the vintage - right choice! Lovely delicate nose; floral, but good earthy undertone. Well structured body; good acidity to balance. I enjoyed this immensely, so much so I may get more!
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Light red like a Burgundy, beautiful floral nose of red fruits, dried roses, medium bodied, medium acidity, lovely balance, fresh & delicious, good depth, was looking forward to this vintage, love the 2016s so far, great value, can’t wait til try the Vajra Crus
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A highly perfumed nose of red fruits, floral spice and camphor. The palate is generous and fleshy with slow burn tannins. It is beautifully balanced and offers plenty now but has much in reserve.
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On the nose, I found light red fruit, roses, tobacco, and cured meats. On the palate, the wine was medium to light in body, with crisp, sweet light red fruit, tobacco, and cool herbs such as sage. The acidity level is high and the wine is full of energy and exudes freshness. The presence of the tannins is felt on the back end, but they are fine-grained and the wine is very drinkable at this stage. The '16 Albe comes across as somewhere between a very high-quality, crisp Langhe Nebbiolo aged in steel (think Elio Grasso's), and some of the other entry-level '16s I've tasted recently, such as the Vietti Castiglione. The Albe is all about freshness and crisp fruit, and so while I'm sure it will age well for the medium term, it's even more approachable in my view than the other entry level Barolo in 2016. It's a delicious wine.
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Aroma: Cranberries, plums, roses. Some cured meat. Palate: Candied cherries, leather, cedar, cured meat. Quite tannic with moderate acidity. Good complexity and length. Needs time but should be excellent with food.
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Floral, red fruited nose, very charming, hint of alcohol. Red fruited, highly approachable forward palate, some tannins emerging but nothing off-putting. Fine finish. Punches above its price point, a lovely wine.
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2016 Barolo Tasting (Vin, Vino, Wine, Palo Alto, Ca): Light ruby; nose is aromatic with red fruits and floral, quite forward; palate is light bodied, tannins are present but not overwhelming, lots of red fruits, high acidity; finish is medium length. Quite nice and lovely for this price range. 90-91
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A little iron, smoked meat, charred earth, dark cherry, intriguing black tea and five spice character - ripe but fresh nose. One dimensional on the palate but very well balanced between fruit, acidity, tannin. Not a blockbuster by any means and quite approachable already. This is my first 2016 Barolo but can taste the potential of the vintage through the pure simplicity of this.
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Really nice. This doesn't require too much air to get going. Some raspy tannin but not a monster for this strong vintage by any means. Nose evolves well over several hours, with rose, cherry, and a Vosne-like Chinese spice note. Nice acidity, and moderate structure. I'll agree this neither requires a long time nor may it age a particularly long time, in Barolo terms anyway. That said, it should drink well over the medium term, 10-15 years, while other wines from this vintage age. May buy more.
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Bright cherry, rose petal, mint. M to M+ acid and tannin, M body. This is fresher with relatively less ripe fruit and more herb than the 2015, from what I remember, but like the 2015 this is surprisingly accessible young, and while I’m sure it has some upside it seems like one for the medium rather than long term. This won’t be remembered as one of the most complex or long lived wines of the vintage but it’s a very nice wine and great for the price—especially if your tastes lean traditional in style, but I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t like this. ~7/10
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Nose: Medium(+) primary aromas of red fruit (raspberry, strawberry, red cherry), rose and leather. Wine is developing.
Palate: Dry, high acidity, high tannin, high alcohol and medium(+) body. Medium(+) primary flavors of red fruit (raspberry, strawberry, red cherry). Medium(+) finish.
Conclusions: Very good wine. Can drink now but has potential for aging.
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5/12/2024 - JoeMe Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cherry, plum, leather on the nose. The palate completely open for business with the 4 hour decant I gave it. Similar fruit profile as the nose, almost no oak detectable. Nice acidity, medium to fully body. Paired well with steak and sautéed mushrooms. Very enjoyable, but maybe also not particularly memorable.
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5/7/2024 - Macdog Likes this wine:
A birthday bottle of wine from Gus . He bought it based on the label and he clearly has an eye for such things at 5 years old. I really enjoyed this wine with fillet steak/balsamic/truffle salt/Parmesan and a rocket and tomato salad. Best after the bottle had been open for a an hour or two, but was perfectly p n p - able. Didn’t decant.
Initially candied on the nose and quite explosively so. A little violet and rose with a touch of piedmont ‘tar’. Light building to medium bodied across the pallet with some satisfying creaminess with the meat. Perfectly fine on its own but maybe a touch tart. Better with the food. 2016 obviously nails it. I have had this from lesser vintages in bars/restaurants and it’s not nearly as good hence I wasn’t expecting so much from this. Great choice Gus thank you.
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3/19/2024 - SaraCorky wrote: 92 Points
Currant, cinnamon and a little tobacco. The nose matches the taste. Very pleasant wine in 2024.
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2/26/2024 - CWilliam wrote:
Not as good as my last bottle, but still drinking well. On nose, menthol, sweet/sour cherry and floral notes. Medium body, medium+ tannins, medium+ acidity and long finish. Drank over 3 nights and still very nice on night 3. Didn't formally rate - I enjoyed this.
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1/28/2024 - buffo Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with last note but more open now and has more power than elegance at this stage. 14.5% alcohol shines through.
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1/16/2024 - jjtemple wrote: 90 Points
애매하다 요새 점점 기본급 바롤로의 한계가 느껴진다 마시기 쉬운 모던 스타일
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12/2/2023 - cabsrgreat Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Thin, sour cherries. It's ok but I prefer a denser wine.
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10/13/2023 - Cabfrancophile Likes this wine: 91 Points
Anise, violet, black raspberry, delicious aromas. Typical Nebbiolo--full bodied, medium-high acidity, firm but ripe tannins, bright fruit with earthy nuances. Concentrated, very good finish.
Drink with protein or hold.
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10/3/2023 - CWilliam wrote:
Wine has improved since last tasting ~ 1 year ago. Medium red color, clear. On nose, sour cherry, orange rind, balsamic notes. On palate, cherry, cranberry and orange zest. Full body, medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins and a long finish. My favorite "entry level" Barolo. 93+/-
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10/2/2023 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Unlike a somewhat closed bottle in January, this was wide open. Forward and rather ripe, but good typicity. Drink or hold. These drink well young and I don't expect them to be particularly ageworthy as Barolo goes, so I'm always a bit torn at this point about how long to hold remaining bottles, but I'd imagine 5-10 more years wouldn't be an issue.
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9/30/2023 - pikemasterflash wrote:
I am a seller here. This was like a super thin pinot. I don' t see the hype at all.
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9/16/2023 - wkasimer Does not like this wine: 84 Points
It isn’t flawed, but i think I don’t care for this producer. There is something slightly sour on the palate. I like acid, it is something else. I noticed it in their langhe Nebbiolo as well. Tasted another Barolo 2017 (not a single vineyard ) next to it and they were vastly different
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9/15/2023 - milmil121212 wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for c. 5 hours. Consumed with brisket.
Some roses and cherries on the nose. In the mouth medium-full body. Lots of acid and lots of tannins... cherries, a little earth, some serious astringency.
Nothing wrong here. Not a bad wine particularly from a value perspective. Nothing great either. A bit simple. A bit burly.
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7/29/2023 - beef1020 wrote:
Pnp with lasagne, gained some and intensity with time but was pretty open. Nice entry level wine with structure and flavor but no weight
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7/5/2023 - OhioNerd Likes this wine: 93 Points
Elegant and complex! Moderate tannins smoothed out after 30 min or so.
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6/30/2023 - bularry Likes this wine: 92 Points
excellent QPR. a more modern expression, but still carries the complexity and qualities to make it great for a dinner wine
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5/29/2023 - Lcoppes Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love love love this producer and for a great vintage like 2016 this wine shows classic Barolo notes. Cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, rose, orange peel. Mineral stoney freshness with mountain herbs and wildflowers, med + acidity and med fine grained elegant tannins. Med body and very pretty length.
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4/27/2023 - Sperls Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar experience to my 6/30/22 note. Starting to drink well but still young. Maybe a touch more open this year and also was arguably better on the second night with more perfume. Excellent QPR.
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3/19/2023 - buffo Likes this wine: 88 Points
Overripe strawberries and tobacco on the nose. Palate: Dark cherries with pips, chocolate, cigar box. Light on its feet though. Will keep of course.
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2/3/2023 - cyc wrote: 91 Points
Easy drinking, can pop this one now without guilt as your other 2016 Barolo ages. Not the most complex at this stage but totally enjoyable.
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1/21/2023 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pale garnet with browning on edge. Mainly of tomato and rocket leaves. Fairly rough for the tannins, and can take some more time to soften
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1/20/2023 - Shiraz_1155 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drunk during dinner. Red berries, liquorice, dust, classic Barolo. Quite smooth tannins.
Didn't feel too young even though its only 7 years old. Agreeing with that last tasting note that it's in a confusing stage.
Very nice to drink, I'm not a pro - but I will drink my last two bottles within 5 year.
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1/14/2023 - Robmcl920 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The '16 Albe opens with beautiful aromatics of fresh red raspberry fruits, menthol and other cool herbal tones, fresh red roses, and a touch of a savory, meaty note like cured meats. It's very pure, lighter red fruit and cool toned.
On the palate, the '16 Albe is less open than the nose suggests. I also found the wine more tannic than in my note from fall 2020. I found a fairly stern expression of light red fruit, savory and meaty notes, and a hint of leather. The wine is medium to light in body, but with fairly stern tannins on the back end. The tightness and tannic heft of the '16 Albe is surprising given how open and pretty it seems on the nose.
The '16 Albe is a bit of a confusing wine at this stage. The nose suggests a wine that is ready to drink, but the palate seems to have tightened up since I last tasted it. I have no more left, but if I did I'd probably check back in at the ~10 year mark. The question is if the palate will catch up to the aromatics before the wine loses its beautiful primary fruit.
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1/11/2023 - sleepyhaus wrote:
After several bottles of this since release presenting quite open, this was the first that was very shut down. Hard and not giving much on the nose or the palate. An initial wave of rose when decanting was promising, but the scent immediately recoiled and the wine remained rather tight even after a few hours in the decanter. Not totally unyielding, but not showing what it has in the past. Based on this showing, I'll now let my remaining bottles sleep for a few years.
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1/8/2023 - Bullsgate Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful aroma of red berries and leather. Firm, but pleasing mouthfeel. Tastes very fresh, but I have no regrets opening a bottle to try now. 14.5 abv but nebbiolo has a fantastic ability to carry high alcohols without it becoming unpleasant. Length is decent. This worked even without food so this qualifies for high remarks in my book!
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12/24/2022 - smorris291 wrote: 90 Points
Opened two 1.5 L for Christmas Eve party. Decanted but just briefly as I wasn’t sure what this would be like after a couple of hours.
Probably due to the format, this was very young in appearance and taste…but not so tannic that it seemed to put off any of the wine novices at the party. Overall, was as crowd pleasing as Nebbiolo gets, IMO—bright red fruits with a floral note and a hint of spice. Big hit.
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11/23/2022 - jwalkuro wrote:
92
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11/21/2022 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
PNP. Paired with rack of lamb. Medium red color. Clean nose - rose petals, tart cherry, strawberry and herbal notes. Palate had similar flavor profile. Full body, full tannins (fruit works with them), medium acidity and long finish. Really enjoyed this. 92+/-
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11/18/2022 - lemoncrush Likes this wine: 92 Points
짱짱하고 과실맛이 잘 느껴졌음
화려하진 않지만 보여줄 수 있는건 다 보여주는듯
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10/22/2022 - GArpaia wrote:
Deep, simple, uncomplicated.
Pale ruby. Med intensity. Generic red fruit, nutmeg, dried herbs. Toasted wood. Simple. High tannins, drying. High acidity. 14,5% abv. F/B. Medium finish.
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10/7/2022 - timothynbond wrote:
Medium-intense garnet color. Intense dark cherry liqueur on the nose. Medium-to-medium-plus body, medium-to-medium-plus acid, medium fine grained tannins. Offered sour cherries on first taste, then decanted for one and a half hour to serve with dinner. After decant, it had completely shut down, presenting only a tannic finish. No rating given the circumstance, but would have been low 70s at best. Day 3 cherry fruit re-emerged, but had an artificial syrupy finish I usually associate with cheap grocery store wines. Hope that this gets better in a few years.
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9/4/2022 - jaimetown wrote:
Surprisingly open on pop and pour - fruits in the forefront, no wall of tannin. Plush and very enjoyable.
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8/12/2022 - StainedGlass Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic Barolo profile, but approachable now. A good value for an entry level Barolo. Drink now-2030. 14.5% abv.
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8/7/2022 - Dugis wrote: 90 Points
Nice cherry fruit, soft, yet present tannins. Drinks quite well.
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7/7/2022 - kgoldsbe Likes this wine: 90 Points
This medium bodied food wine has a great deal of finesse. Definitely red fruit on the tongue initially: tart cherry and a little raspberry. There are some sweet notes on the finish more like subtle almond extract than vanilla. Drinkable now, but will get better with a few more years under its belt.
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6/30/2022 - Sperls Likes this wine: 91 Points
First of 6 bottles and already drinking well despite seeming a bit young. Big dark red fruits w some herbs, rose, tar. Very chewy, long finish. Will be interesting to see it evolve. Excellent QPR as paid less than $30.
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6/11/2022 - Brendel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color: light ruby; translucent; typical Nebbiolo.
Nose: tart cherries, earth.
Palate: again tart cherries, a bit astringent and tannic, but very nice.
This is a great value at $35! We slightly prefer the Paolo Scavino, which is $40 and has a bit of a lighter mouthfeel, is less astringent, and went a bit better with food. Still this is excellent and I want a couple of bottles to age. It can certainly be drunk now but I would decant 4+ hours.
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2/11/2022 - jlm wrote:
Decanted ~5 hours before drinking. The air served this wine well. The acidity is very bright and fresh, and the fruit is there to balance it out - really the balance is exquisite - but it's initially shy and the wine can come across as thin. The nose is very classic Nebbiolo, with cherry, floral notes, and herb. There's firm tannin remaining, but the wine is certainly very drinkable now, especially with food. But a few years more cellar time should see considerable integration. Very nice, and a great value.
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1/30/2022 - Poisey wrote: 90 Points
Decanted a half hour. Sour cherries and earthy notes in a traditional style. Nice acid to the structure with a crisp fresh finish. Sage, vanilla with a floral lift. Better earlier before it shuts down a little as it airs. Drink 02025-2035.
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1/22/2022 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (J&L's): Blind. Lighter color. Some, a bit muted, cherry and dark fruit emerge with a bit of swirling. Cherry and raspberry on the palate with a hint of spice. Easy to pick out as the Barolo in this flight. 92+ pts.
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1/6/2022 - Ulveström wrote: 89 Points
Think this is improving and no signs of shutting down.
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1/3/2022 - fabio.foppoli Likes this wine: 95 Points
I Guess this is one of the best value for money Barolo’s on earth. Vibrant and brilliant color; very wide aroma spectrum: it goes from the fresh red berry fruit to the mint and spicy notes. Lingering persistence, with just too much hard tannins. Vintage 2016 help actually, but the Vajra style is a benchmark! Bravo!
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1/3/2022 - buffo wrote: 88 Points
One hour decant. Slightly tarry scent. On the palate currants, roses. High viscosity. Oak dominates at this stage. Will wait it out.
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1/2/2022 - Shiraz_1155 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not long decant before dinner, drunk during dinner and during evening.
Very nice wine to food, really enjoy it. Clear miss not to decant it longer, I blame foresight.
Cherry, oak, earthy notes, little bit of strawberry, smells rustic.
It is after the dinner that the wine really opens up and reveals it power, fortunately I have saved half the bottle for tomorrow. It will be exciting to see how it performs.
Solid 92 with potential for higher score in the future.
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12/31/2021 - mdnatom Likes this wine: 90 Points
very well done wine - benefits from some time decanting before, but smooth start and a nice, strong but no overpowering finish. great with pasta
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12/30/2021 - Poisey wrote: 91 Points
Decanted an hour. Traditional style with lots of acidity. Notes of sour cherry, earth, and flowers. Great structure but so approachable indicative of the vintage. Perfumed and ripe. Strawberry, oak accents and a little crème caramel lingers late on the pallet. Drink 2022-2034.
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12/25/2021 - mdt Likes this wine: 87 Points
Red fruit and leather with some tannins and sweet herbs on the finish.
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12/3/2021 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Fantastic again. This will improve, but it's definitely a style which allows for early drinking. A bit tannic at first, but a short decant worked wonders. Really nice. 2016 is just such a stellar vintage in Piedmont.
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11/18/2021 - jpp10780 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Engrossed in conversation with an old friend, it was hard to get the best read on this, my 4th bottle of 2016 Albe. It's still quite solid and quaffable which is a weird way to describe young nebbiolo. Tannins have mellowed already with some fruit quietly dissipating from what I recall from my last bottle about 9 months ago. Perhaps it's entering a dumb phase but still has a bit of life left. I'll try another bottle in a few months. As good as this is, I have a hard time seeing it age well.
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10/14/2021 - johnnylaw1222 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium ruby fading to garnet. Violets, black cherry, vanilla, and clove leap out of the glass. Ripe cherry notes follow through to the palate, complimented by cranberry, black tea, and tobacco. Grippy but not overpowering tannins and bright acidity.
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9/1/2021 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pop and poured which didn't do this young barolo any favors. Still, it has a nice nebbiolo nose and a spicy pallet with cherry and tar. Really opened up after about an hour as the mouthfeel became tannic with a dusty minerality and the wine became considerably more complex and enjoyable. 89 on opening 91 after an hour or so.
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8/29/2021 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 93 Points
This remains my best buy in Barolo every vintage. It's open at release and provides so much pleasure. You can almost always find it for $30 or under somewhere. 'Nuff said.
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8/21/2021 - nicefish Likes this wine: 91 Points
Closed up on day one, but great mouthfeel and energy. Hopefully will make it to day two.
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8/16/2021 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 90 Points
I like … but way too young. Save.
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8/2/2021 - mks83 wrote: 90 Points
Day 1 - closed. Dark cherry, raspberry, blueberry, menthol, black cardamom, prune/dates, silver osmanthus. The last element is most odd of Nebbiolo, where I was expecting rose petal. This gives tighter/spicy and low toned (less floral) impression for a Nebbiolo (almost like Barbera or languedoc). Overall, good concentration but aromatically a bit weak. 88-89.
Day 2 - Improving. Similar flavor components as day 1 with more balanced higher toned voices. Still dark / not floral though. Worked better with syrah glass than pinot/ nebbiolo glass. Tastes much more aged (cocktail of rounded dry fruit) than actual age for good or bad. Delicate but dry sandy tannin. 89-90.
Day 3 - finally in place - now tastes like Nebbiolo with complex bundle of rose petal, violet, iron, dried citrus peel, clove, etc. 90.
Will develop further with age but the bottle is gone. Hold.
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7/20/2021 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
Popped & poured, such a pretty nose of roses, cherries & spices, equally impressive palate, cashmere tannins, so good for a base Barolo, I’ve drunk half a case of this beauty as it’s so hard to keep my hands of it, will get more, it will only get better with age, drunk on fruit day
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6/30/2021 - td1836 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose is floral and inviting with notes of raspberry and dust. There are strawberries and cherries and herbs on the medium bodied palate. The tannins are relatively soft for this young of a Barolo, making it highly approachable. This $30 wine is a testament to the quality of this vintage.
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6/26/2021 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
4th Saturday Group (R&S's): Notes of red berry fruit and cherry with underlying floral and spice elements. Abundant red fruit and balancing acidity on the palate. Incredibly friendly at the dinner table and very easy to like. 92-93 pts. (R&S)
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6/25/2021 - DaneM Likes this wine:
A little air and this is a great daily drinker.
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6/17/2021 - StoneRidgeCellars Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted first bottle at Jennings house, everyone enjoyed, basic barolo easy to drink mid weight, nice fruit, full tannins, very good, drink or hold.
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6/13/2021 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
We all know it's too young but if you're going to test the 2016 barolo waters what better wine is there? Under 40 bucks and easy to find, and no slouch in the typicity game, this is the winner. Reminds me of the vietti castiglione. I dont think its asleep yet, but it needs a decant. Darker colors and flavors, floral and medium bodied. Still has a bite for sure. Roses and strawberries and really just a joy to drink. Why not buy a bunch and drink whenever you feel like it.
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6/7/2021 - qcwino wrote:
Nose of cherries, roses and the slightest hint of milk chocolate. Also has a slight bitter herb (parsley/cut grass) note. Tannins are still a little grippy.
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6/6/2021 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 90 Points
Quite primary at the moment this needs lots of air. Classic sweet cherry nose with some floral and carbaceous notes, but everything feels withheld and flat at the moment. Beautiful, almost crystalline, structure, with nicely firm tannins that are quite fine despite their grip. Waiting for those gorgeous secondary characteristics to emerge.
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6/3/2021 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Tasted over three days.
Public Service Announcement: To drink this now without decanting for several hours is to waste great wine!
Reticent upon opening, even a bit angry, and throughout the first day. Little perfume, serious acid and grip, gritty finish of noteworthy length. All in all, technically excellent, but lacking the appeal for which the house is known. Recorked and hoped for improvement.
What a difference that 24 hours made! Gorgeous perfume of all things raspberry and rose, along with menthol, candied citrus peel, teas, herbs, and essential essences. Compact attack, turning more expansive at the middle and back. Gritty tannins grace a very long finish.
More of the same on the third day, confirmation of the wine's potential. As with the same vintage Vietti Barolo recently tasted, this has gone to sleep. It should evolve and hold for a decade+. Improvement seems likely. 93-94.
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5/24/2021 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 91 Points
A great wine for the price paid. Roses, licorice, tar, cherries all on display. Very true to its origin. Great equilibrium even at this young age. Became more tannic the next day so if opening soon don't decant
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5/15/2021 - jpp10780 wrote: 90 Points
Third bottle of 2016 Albe. For someone who doesn't care to age Barolo, I love this bottle. Easy drinking, early drinking 2016 Albe. No signs of shutting down! Very enjoyable bottle.
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5/2/2021 - Snowey Likes this wine:
Caveat— I’m a Barolo noob.
Day 1 color showed pale garnet to pale ruby with no meaningful sediment or discoloration around the rim. Smell opened up after an hour or so in the decanter. Acidity was high and the flavors had some depth. However, on the way down you could feel the burn on your throat — not like cdp or Napa cab but still enough to tell you this isn’t burgundy.
Day 2 the alcohol burn was more pronounced while the fruit faded somewhat.
Not a bad wine but will pass on getting any more.
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4/25/2021 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
Decanted for 2 hours, sweet cherries, pungent powerful nose, medium to full bodied, such a good base Barolo, really needs 2-3 more years or a long 3 hour decant
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4/17/2021 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Another excellent bottle. Tight upon opening but loosened nicely in the decanter and while consumed over a few hours. Really lovely stuff with bitter cherries. Plenty of tannin to age but also a pleasure now. I imagine I'll consume these over the next decade, if I can show a bit of patience... or if I buy some more.
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3/31/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle was more suave and accessible than the last. Dark cherry notes with some herbal undertones. Tannins very much in check for Nebbiolo, coming across as fruit forward. Lengthy finish with a bit of mint. Delicious now.
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3/2/2021 - CWilliam wrote: 91 Points
1 hour decant. Needed it. A 5 year old Barolo, even entry level, is a little too early. Clear red color. On nose, floral, sweet cherry, menthol. On palate, medium body, medium+ acidity, medium tannins and long finish. Flavor profile consistent with nose. 91+/- now with room for improvement - doesn't need 10 years, but 2-3 years will make a big difference.
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2/26/2021 - ItsNotMe wrote:
Tasted before decant. Tannins are overwhelming. Decanted about 2 1/2 hours, during which tannins dissipated. A world of difference pre- and post-decant. Definitely needs a good decant. Sour cherry, some vanilla and some wood. My nose is off, so i picked up more on palate than on nose (an issue for my sniffer of late - makes me wonder if I had assymptomatic COVID). This needs years and/or decant, but we enjoyed tonight’s sampling.
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2/21/2021 - Maphill01 wrote:
Decanted two hours. Not giving much on the nose, earthy raspberry. On the palate, quite structured, but mostly accessible by the end of the night. Cherry, wild strawberry, tar, mint. Nicely balanced after more air, clean fruit slightly puckering acidity to go with the fine grained tannins. Nice young Barolo, given several hours in the decanter.
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2/21/2021 - kend707 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Truly good introductory Barolo. Well integrated tannins, some tart cherry, tobacco, some strawberry. Decanted less than an hour. Terrific value.
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2/21/2021 - caspernick Does not like this wine: 89 Points
I asked the group to decant this Nebbiolo for several hours before we met for tasting #15. I did not want to fight with a tannic beast and felt it best to go against my norm and give it a chance to soften. As expected from this varietal it was see-through with nice legs and showing a touch of bricking already. On the nose we got truffle, pepper, chocolate, dried cherry, tobacco, earth and it smelled 'dry'. On the palate it was kinda blah. Tart cherry, tobacco and not much else going on. It was very disappointing from the hype generated by the reviews. I was hoping for a rich, beefy wine that would show off the grape but was let down. Overall I will go with 89 points and 2 stars for this $34 wine. Drink till 2028.
https://caspernick.com/2021/02/21/g-d-vajra-albe-2016-barolo-docg-italy/
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2/19/2021 - jrick wrote: 91 Points
Heavy on the mint and roses, violet cherry and wild strawberry. Fresh but very structured, high acidity and of course marked tannins. Took a while to get going, seemed a bit frugal at first. Could probably age with grace, it is as many sixteens quite clean. Very attractive pricing so should maybe buy more, but then again I have already bought a lot of this vintage and this is not on the level of say Fenocchio Bussia or Brovia Classico - both a bit more expensive but I think worth it...
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2/17/2021 - MadeiraLev Likes this wine:
Classic Barolo from nose to finish. An excellent value from a top notch producer.
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2/12/2021 - stradivariusgrizz wrote: 91 Points
Really kind of blown away by the quality of this Barolo considering the price and vintage. Paired excellently with veal osso bucco and risotto alla milanese. A great wine for introducing folks to Barolo’s. A variety of floral flavors, clean finish. I did decant for about two hours based on recommendations.
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2/6/2021 - Deepcellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bright red cherry velvet! This was delicious with tagliatelle and gnocchi. I want more!
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2/5/2021 - Cabfrancophile Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with others' notes. Decanted an hour or so before tasting. The first sips were a bit perplexing, then the moment of epiphany arrived.
For a young Nebbiolo of pedigree (i.e. Barolo or Barbaresco), the tannins are shockingly refined and elegant. As much as I love the concept of Nebbiolo, the reality is often dominated by hard, unyielding structure. This is an insanely balanced Nebbiolo, perhaps the most enjoyable young Barolo I've had from a structural standpoint.
There's a definite menthol and mint quality that counters the warmth of the alcohol and the grip of the tannins.
It requires a bit of coaxing--it is not the most effusive aromatically--but the inner aromas are classic and pure. Class.
My sense is that this doesn't need to age, nor is it a 30 year wine. But its longevity (let's say 15-20 years from vintage) might well surprise given the superb balance. I'll check in every several years, I reckon.
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1/30/2021 - oropeza Likes this wine:
Red fruit and blood orange up front. Earth, mint and coffee in the middle, finishes bright on good acidity. Great texture all the way through. High noted for a Barolo, yum.
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1/30/2021 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
This wine is always a real value but that seems to be particularly true in this special vintage. This has that sexy 2016 aroma in spades and that’s what you’re here for. The palate is slightly diffuse with some light tannins providing a bit of structure but not promising a long life in the cellar. I see no reason not to drink this now while you cellar the more ageworthy 2016s...I wouldn’t want to take the risk that this improves from this level. Excellent for current drinking.
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1/29/2021 - angryphoton Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is quite good but very young. This is all about potential and it s there, just not the most enjoyable drink at the moment due to the tannins and structure.
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1/28/2021 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted about 4 hours before serving. Still very closed and tight to me; not giving away too much. Reticent and shy, but still quite nice. The tannins are impressive, as they give the impression of smoothness, but do sneak up on you toward the finish. They are extremely fine-grained and add a lot of loveliness to this young Barolo. At the end of the meal, more of the fruit had emerged, though overall it seemed quite muted. Still one of the best buys in Barolo ever year at $29.99. Looking forward to opening more of these in time.
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1/27/2021 - Gregory Dal Piaz wrote: 90 Points
Initial impressions: The fruitiest on the nose of this group, lots of licorice framing darker cherry verging on blackberry fruit. Not the most complex, but the most intense with fine menthol freshness and a lot of licorice given this a slightly candied medical note that recalls Golia candy/medicine. Smooth and fruity up front, lots of richness from the fruit across the midpalate leading to a fairly long, and slightly warm finish rich in fruit skin like tannins. Very well balanced, juicy, not quite silky but with very fine grained tannins and juicy acidity.
For additional information please visit: https://www.simplybetterwines.com/2016-barolo-values-part-3.html
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1/26/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better on night 2. Was pretty closed and acidic on night 1. Overnight, had a nice dense dark fruit profile that was accessible and plush. Fleshy and concentrated, but nuanced with menthol notes mixed with fruit. Nice floral elegance on the nose. Hard not to enjoy, especially at the price.
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1/21/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Agree with other recent notes. A lighter / fruitier / more accessible Barolo (especially at this age). Enjoyable and good value.
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1/16/2021 - GArpaia Does not like this wine:
Med ruby. Pronounced. Tangerine and crunchy black fruit. Hints of Figs. Balsamic with floral background. High Sandy tannins. The fruit is too generic with a what I personally call “Syrah” pungent profile . Will appeal the cognoscenti.
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1/10/2021 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Decanted forty minutes. Dark ruby color with a lovely bouquet featuring wild strawberry, cherry, blue fruit, white pepper, mint and rose. Full-bodied with fine tannins and flavors of red cherry, mint, licorice and mulberry. Bright supporting acidity. After ninety minutes in the decanter it was served with veal shanks. Similar as before though the darker fruits have become slightly dominant- mulberry, blue fruit and black raspberry, with a dominant rose petal overtone. A perfect match for the shanks. Very happy to have purchased a case of this. Enjoyable now with a healthy decant. 92+ for both Domino and I.
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1/7/2021 - rc@ughey wrote: 91 Points
I always enjoy this wine and the 2016 is a superb version of it. Balanced, proper Barolo that is open enough to enjoy young but which I'm confident will age. One of the better Nebbiolo bargains out there.
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1/3/2021 - Matt T wrote: 91 Points
This needed a little time to open and I would recommend a short decant. After thirty minutes this opened nicely with bright red cherry fruit, a little bit of flowers and soil, and oak. A balanced wine with good complexity for the price. Terrific qpr and I agree with others that this might be one to back up the truck and load up on.
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1/1/2021 - Pilotfinley wrote:
Drank on New Years 2021 with Aimee and it was amazing
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1/1/2021 - johnnylaw1222 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright ripe, almost candied cherries on the nose—like opening up a fresh pack of Twizzlers at the movie theater. Medium bodied, Medium tannins. Ripe cherry from the nose follows through to the palate, complemented by ripe raspberries transitioning to notes of cocoa powder on the finish. Good acidity throughout. Great value in this wine; would work well with food or on its own.
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12/30/2020 - NSzuflita wrote:
Clear new garnet. Long legs
Clean. Pronounced red cherry, raspberry, blossom, red plum. Vanilla.
Palate: dry, high acid, high tannin, high alcohol, med + body. Pronounced red cherries, raspberries, strawberries, white pepper, green bell pepper. Vanilla, charred wood. Vegetal. Long finish.
Overall good. Youthful. Allow to age.
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12/30/2020 - angryphoton wrote: 89 Points
Very young but drinkable if you can tolerate the tannins. Better with food but has enough fruit to make the drink enjoyable. Not the most complex Barolo but at $39 a good deal and nice peak at 2016 Barolos.
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12/23/2020 - tomoem Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amongst some recently tried mediocre Italian wines this stands out. Starts with bright red cherries which are almost ripe it quickly adds raspberry and ultimately ends with strawberry. Mid palette through finish the wine introduced black cherry licorice and then asphalt and iron.
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12/18/2020 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted. Medium-ruby color. Aromas of black cherry & orange rind, sandalwood, anise & celery seed, nutmeg, dried hibiscus. Succulent and rich forward dark cherry fruit on the palate with rounded secondary layers, subtle in their expression. Voluminous in the middle, with sharp acidity and broad tannins, rounded and firm, with mouthwatering depth on the finish. Approachable in fruit and structure, obviously very primary at this point, but a very nice early look at 2016 Barolo.
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12/13/2020 - viniferatu Likes this wine:
Yum! Juicy and fresh Barolo. Aromas of strawberry, red cherry, red plum, ripe peach, brown spice, licorice, dried mushrooms, desiccated autumn meadow and roses. Juicy and firm at once, with notions of dark fruit on the palate, as well as the fruits discerned on the nose. Also more savory on the palate than on the nose, with a little tar and pan drippings on the finish. This is quite open now, but the best will come in 5 to 10 years. It will no doubt be doing fine in 15, but perhaps will have peaked before then. Wouldn't be surprised if it is singing hits at 20+. One would not argue that it is the best of Barolo, but given its stature and price, it is a veritable monument for the region.
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12/12/2020 - BordeauxNut Likes this wine: 93 Points
If there’s a wine that will convince you that 2016 is very special for Nebbiolo in the Langhe, this is it. The wine is $29 of pure joy. Bought a case before I finished the first glass. Like the Bricco delle Viole, this has a beautiful, sweet nose. There’s some hard candy cherry fruit, and a dark tarry note that’s brightened up by violets. It’s quite a mouthful — and the balance of dark cherry fruit and fine grained tannins is really nice. It lacks the concentration and punch of the best 2016s — but, wow, there’s a lot to like here. I really did not expect to like this so much. Highly recommended and I would expect this to really be nice in about 8 to 10 years. There’s definitely a place for wines like this in the cellar.
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12/12/2020 - Sebastian80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Initially sour red cherries. But fairly quickly the tar and spices are noticeable and then licorice. Improved over 2-3 hours with impressive intensity for an entry level barolo. Most approachable ‘16 barolo to try now.
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12/5/2020 - Diane (LI) wrote:
A fully accessible 2016. The nose is florals with red fruit, florals, and a frontal assault by tannins on the palate. I love it but this is a more serious Albe than previous vintages. I usually drink this while allowing Vajra’s other Barolo age.
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12/5/2020 - _Mike_Wine_ wrote: 92 Points
DWO – Najlepsze wina wg Fermentu – klasyki (On-line): From a great 2916 vintage. Nice palette and great intensive nose. I love some floral aromas (rose perhaps) and secondary aromas of plums not so typical for Nebbiolo. It very nice evolving with time. Iinialiy light but then mouth feeling with nice tannins structure
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12/4/2020 - jigones Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a beautiful wine with lots of well balanced acid and tannis. It's got underlying savory notes and beautiful strawberry/cherry and roses. Super fresh and leaves going back for more. Great value.
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11/29/2020 - mattstolz11 wrote: 91 Points
Young but already fun to drink. Definitely heavy on the fruits right now but with some air does pick up some of those classic Barolo rose and bitter notes that are so wonderfully balancing. This will definitely age well but this is a perfect Barolo to enjoy all through its lifetime I think
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11/21/2020 - sjw_11 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mid red. Attractive, vibrant nose- lots of crushed red berries and floral notes. Quite juicy fruit on the palate. Really approachable now, but it hardly budges over several days so I suspect it can do nicely with medium term cellaring. Overall a nice package, good value.
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11/15/2020 - dagij Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep ruby core with the classic amber tones at the rim. Concentrated. Quite muted nose, even if decanted 2 hrs before drinking. There are tones of sweet cherries with a hint of cherry stone bitterness. After a while, a tone of licorice and tar emerges. Full bodied attack, rounded tannins, a sweet cherry fruit dominates the start and the mid-palate. The finish is (wonderfully) dry, very fine acidity, and a good fruity backbone dominated by cherry. A tarry tone emerges again at the finish. Very good balance. I suspect that this wine is so young that it only gives it's fruity tones at the moment, and thus appears as quite forward and "simple". It has the balance to age gracefully for at least 5 to 10 years, and will probably earn a higher score in 2-3 years.
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11/15/2020 - montepulciano man Likes this wine: 91 Points
Never seemed to fully open up, although decanted and gave lots of air. Lovely tannins and enjoyable but ultimately hard to evaluate as held a lot back.
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11/9/2020 - OaktownRush Likes this wine: 90 Points
Raspberry, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, citrus skin, sage on the nose — a lot of primary notes. The palate is approachable with pretty ripe tannins, bright red fruit giving way to slightly deeper notes. It’s nicely balanced with decent elegance, but feels kind of primary and doesn’t quite have those additional levels of intrigue. Probably something to revisit in a few years.
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11/7/2020 - Ulveström Likes this wine: 88 Points
This needs air. First hour its very green beaujolaise-like. After 1,5 hours it starts to open up and cherries, roses and som tobacco appears.
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11/2/2020 - coremill wrote: 90 Points
Bright airy red fruit, medium weight, elegant tannins. Not particularly dense or structured, but pretty and quite drinkable now.
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10/30/2020 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
Young and primary but surprisingly approachable and welcoming and definitely benefits a lot from the 2016 vintage.
Dark fruited, less pronounced cherry as we would have expected , more rounder and less specific at this stage. For sure very round and smooth and needs time to develop further and has a long a way to go. Still impressively forward wine without being pushed or fake. Very good 90 for now but with a lot of potential.
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10/28/2020 - Puteljen! wrote: 91 Points
Not as big and bold as it’s big brother Bricco delle Viole but still displaying beautiful fruit, lots of liquorice, roses and hints of varnish. Fresh acidity, medium tannins. Darn nice and very good for its level and pricepoint.
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10/24/2020 - phrygianmode Likes this wine: 92 Points
More fruit on nose, dried cherry, mod tannin and acid, bright, palate congruent w nose, balanced
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10/24/2020 - cevans129 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very approachable - picked from amongst a few different Barolo to get a sense of the vintage - right choice! Lovely delicate nose; floral, but good earthy undertone. Well structured body; good acidity to balance. I enjoyed this immensely, so much so I may get more!
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10/22/2020 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light red like a Burgundy, beautiful floral nose of red fruits, dried roses, medium bodied, medium acidity, lovely balance, fresh & delicious, good depth, was looking forward to this vintage, love the 2016s so far, great value, can’t wait til try the Vajra Crus
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10/14/2020 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
A highly perfumed nose of red fruits, floral spice and camphor. The palate is generous and fleshy with slow burn tannins. It is beautifully balanced and offers plenty now but has much in reserve.
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10/4/2020 - Robmcl920 Likes this wine: 91 Points
On the nose, I found light red fruit, roses, tobacco, and cured meats. On the palate, the wine was medium to light in body, with crisp, sweet light red fruit, tobacco, and cool herbs such as sage. The acidity level is high and the wine is full of energy and exudes freshness. The presence of the tannins is felt on the back end, but they are fine-grained and the wine is very drinkable at this stage. The '16 Albe comes across as somewhere between a very high-quality, crisp Langhe Nebbiolo aged in steel (think Elio Grasso's), and some of the other entry-level '16s I've tasted recently, such as the Vietti Castiglione. The Albe is all about freshness and crisp fruit, and so while I'm sure it will age well for the medium term, it's even more approachable in my view than the other entry level Barolo in 2016. It's a delicious wine.
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10/2/2020 - kosinski Likes this wine:
Aroma: Cranberries, plums, roses. Some cured meat.
Palate: Candied cherries, leather, cedar, cured meat. Quite tannic with moderate acidity. Good complexity and length. Needs time but should be excellent with food.
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10/2/2020 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 91 Points
Floral, red fruited nose, very charming, hint of alcohol. Red fruited, highly approachable forward palate, some tannins emerging but nothing off-putting. Fine finish. Punches above its price point, a lovely wine.
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10/2/2020 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
2016 Barolo Tasting (Vin, Vino, Wine, Palo Alto, Ca): Light ruby; nose is aromatic with red fruits and floral, quite forward; palate is light bodied, tannins are present but not overwhelming, lots of red fruits, high acidity; finish is medium length. Quite nice and lovely for this price range. 90-91
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9/14/2020 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 90 Points
A little iron, smoked meat, charred earth, dark cherry, intriguing black tea and five spice character - ripe but fresh nose. One dimensional on the palate but very well balanced between fruit, acidity, tannin. Not a blockbuster by any means and quite approachable already. This is my first 2016 Barolo but can taste the potential of the vintage through the pure simplicity of this.
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9/6/2020 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Really nice. This doesn't require too much air to get going. Some raspy tannin but not a monster for this strong vintage by any means. Nose evolves well over several hours, with rose, cherry, and a Vosne-like Chinese spice note. Nice acidity, and moderate structure. I'll agree this neither requires a long time nor may it age a particularly long time, in Barolo terms anyway. That said, it should drink well over the medium term, 10-15 years, while other wines from this vintage age. May buy more.
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9/3/2020 - afields wrote:
Bright cherry, rose petal, mint. M to M+ acid and tannin, M body. This is fresher with relatively less ripe fruit and more herb than the 2015, from what I remember, but like the 2015 this is surprisingly accessible young, and while I’m sure it has some upside it seems like one for the medium rather than long term. This won’t be remembered as one of the most complex or long lived wines of the vintage but it’s a very nice wine and great for the price—especially if your tastes lean traditional in style, but I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t like this. ~7/10
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9/2/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Riper cherry fruit, a bit more stylish and elegant, if not the most robust thing.
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7/23/2020 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 88 Points
Dégusté à la cave. Un barolo de base simple, ne procure pas vraiment de plaisir, tannins un peu durs.
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6/26/2020 - AdamHitchcock Likes this wine: 89 Points
Appearance: Medium ruby
Nose: Medium(+) primary aromas of red fruit (raspberry, strawberry, red cherry), rose and leather. Wine is developing.
Palate: Dry, high acidity, high tannin, high alcohol and medium(+) body. Medium(+) primary flavors of red fruit (raspberry, strawberry, red cherry). Medium(+) finish.
Conclusions: Very good wine. Can drink now but has potential for aging.
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4/24/2020 - Ulveström Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drink now or within 5 years. Red berries and leather. Structure is nice but not for long time storage.
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11/30/2019 - retired_and_roving wrote:
Thanksgiving week in Piemonte; 11/22/2019-11/30/2019 (Milan, Barolo, Alba, Barbaresco): Tasted at the winery. Vajra's classic barolo blend. ~40K bottles made. Super young, with tannins very active - but it is well balanced with red fruits and a spice of acidity, some earth. This is going to need some cellar time.
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