JKoenen nailed it in his 18/9/2023 note. Cork came out as if it had been bottled a year ago. Just wonderful with lots of stuffing and cherryfruit. Will go on for a few more years. Great without being too heavy.
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This is a wonderful Barbaresco, in its prime! There's good stuffing, lovely acidity, restrained power and ripe tannines. All about balance. CHerryfruit, dusty spices and herbs, flowers and sandalwood, hints of ink/tar.
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100% Nebbiolo from the Bric Balin cru, located immediately south from the village of Barbaresco, planted in 1971 and 1985. Aged for at least 18 months in French oak barriques (70% new). 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Somewhat translucent and moderately evolved pomegranate color with a slightly syrupy-brown hue. The nose feels sweet, dark-toned and slightly oaky with aromas of licorice and ripe black cherries, some evolved gamey tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light plummy notes of dark fruits, a woody hint of savory oak spice, a touch of tar and a boozy whiff of alcohol. The wine feels evolved and velvety yet pretty firm and structured on the palate with a rather full body and lush, moderately oak flavors of licorice and toasty mocha oak, some ripe black cherry tones, a little bit of juicy dark plum, light evolved nuances of gamey meat, a hint of tar and a touch of woody oak spice. The high acidity and ample, grippy tannins lend a rather stern and muscular overall feel to the wine. The finish is long, grippy and quite dark-toned with a brooding, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of toasty mocha oak and milk chocolate, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of tar, light sweetly-fruited nuances of juicy black cherries and dark plums, a hint of licorice root and an evolved touch of meaty umami.
An impressively structured and tightly-knit but still noticeably toasty and modern Barbaresco where the oak is still very much to the fore, even after almost 20 years. The wine is evolving in the right direction, but I feel it's quite hard to identify any varietal characteristics from this wine, as most of them are quite overwhelmed by the woody notes. I could identify the wine as a Nebbiolo, but it was mainly due to its rather translucent appearance, high acidity and ample tannins; not because of the aromatics. This is a pretty serious and structure-driven effort for a modernist Barbaresco, but stylistically not really my cuppa.
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Clear light red with definite browning. Medium intense tar, violet, shiitake and black cherry nose. Dry herbal plum flavours and a dry still a bit tannic finish.
Not showing as a modern Barbaresco at this point. Even though the acid hasn’t taken over the finish yet, it is probably time to drink these up.
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Did not decant. Aired in glass for about 60 minutes before starting on it. No sediment to speak of, lots of bricking. Then enjoyed over the next couple of hours. Pretty and robust at the same time - the nose is really tarry, but on the palate there is lots of red fruit, slightly tart, to go along with it and a bit of floral hints. There is something about the texture that makes me want to call it oily - not sure what - texture but not flavor. Kind of spicy on the finish.
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Abbreviated notes - Medium ruby with mahogany notes, gorgeous nose, palate is a point - still a bit of friendly grip - juicy, lovely. In a great spot but no big rush.
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Rose petal and strawberry on the nose. On the palate, dried cherry, strawberry, and roses with notes of blueberry and leather, with light tannins and good acidity on the medium finish. This bottle had significant sediment and needed decanting for that, but it didn't need air; it's in its drinking window, and it's likely to stay there for some years. This is a classic mid-weight Barbaresco, and it was an excellent value at about $40. More recent vintages are only slightly more expensive.
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Opened, poured into a decanter, and enjoyed with food (spaghetti with tomato-pesto sauce, and a grilled rib-eye steak, in case you were wondering). followed for about 3 hours. Dark purple color. Nose of dark cherries, some tar and rose and some vanilla. A little cherry cough syrup as well. Big dark cherry flavor with a zippy acidity to it. Fruit is dense and the tannins and acidity are all present creating a rich, dynamic and enjoyable wine. This has the depth and acidity to age well for years.
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Medium, light red. Intense nose first with boysenberry and pencil shavings. After a decant it turned towards purple flowers, red cherry, earth and a bit of oak in the back ground. The flavours were certainly more traditional leaning towards red cherry, and roasted meat. Long dry finish.
I was happy that people went to Nebiollo right away so it must be a bit more traditional then I thought.
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Slow O'd for 8 hours before enjoying. But honestly the taste that I had upon opening may have been better than after the 8 hours of prep. Initially quite perfumed and seemed open for business. At dinner, the wine was slightly more closed down - which I am starting to see if a current characteristic of the 2004 vintage in Barolo/Barbaresco. The wine still showed some very nice notes of strawberries, chocolate, and black licorice. The palate was smooth and polished. The new oak is well integrated and I am sure contributed to the smooth texture of the wine.
Pleasant, medium bodied, medium intensity, balanced Barbaresco, with a fine grain to its tannins. Should last another decade, but is drinking nicely now. 90
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I seem to be drinking a different wine then everyone else mine opened with oak and high alc. a bit of time in the decanter tamed this beast but it needs another 10 years.
It's so modern a Vino Barricato.
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Floral, cherries, leather. Vinturi and glass decant. Mature, slight bricking at rim. Wonderful acidity and great finish. Very much in balance and ready to go.
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Decanted one hour. Dried roses, dried cherries, orange peel, worn saddle leather, prunes, dried sage on the nose and palate. Medium-full bodied, integrated tannins, fine balance and length. Firmly into its drinking window and very enjoyable last night. Drink now-2020.
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Darker garnet core with orange rim. Roses, dusty earth and cherries. Open right away. Mouth coating tannins and lovely acidity. No alcohol detected. I've been drinking a lot of '08 and '09 nebbiolo lately so it's nice to see some aging put the acidity and tannins in check. Really fantastic wine. The best I've had in a while. This is aged in French barrique, but I don't notice any oak flavours. Well done.
On the second day there's a distinctive licorice aroma, but no more earthiness or roses. Not as good as the first day, but still enjoyable.
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No decant. A little tight in the beginning but opened after 10-15 min in the glass and just got better and better as we drank it over the next 2-3 hours! Consistent notes of classic piemonte/nebbiolo flavors - quite modern in style. Enjoy over the next 5-7 years!
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From 375ml. This may have been better a year or two ago. Non-descript red fruit. Some nice earth. A bit one-dimensional. Of course the paper cup that I was drinking it out of at the Hampton Inn probably didn't help...
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nose - oooh, nose of greatness, sour plum, slightly balsamic, damp earth, cocoa, perfumed. mouth - initial attack in minimal, followed by a rich kaleidoscope of midpalate flavors - complex floral, plums, coffee, tar, rich and long, followed by serious dry backend tannins. This goes on my short list of barbaresco favorites. Drinking great now but with significant life ahead. 93+
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For our annual wine luncheon, we chose a Piedmonte theme & dined at Lincoln (Lincoln Sq). Each wine was decanted briefly & then tasted in 2 flights of 4 each. The 1st flight included: 2004 Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin; 2001 Giacosa Rabaja Barbaresco Riserva; 2001 Gaja San Lorenzo; & 1999 Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia. The 2nd flight included: Scavino 1996 Carobric Barolo; 1996 Giacosa Falletto Asili Barbaresco; 1990 Prunotto Bussia Barolo; & 2009 Barboursville, VA nebbiolo, a ringer that we at first tasted blind. We chose a best of each flight & then our 3 faves of the tasting. A disclaimer re my notes: We sat for more than 3 hours during which time the wines continually evolved & changed such that a #1 fave at 230 morphed into the #4 wine an hour later, & vice versa. **MOCCAGATTA: Medium color, very oaky, yet spicy aroma with hints of anise. This wine is still a baby, & started out very closed, though it opened up substantially as time went on. Very earthy, fairly harsh tannins, with bright fruit on the palate. Nice long, if somewhat tannic finish. The wine tasted young (especially compared to some of the other lovelies at our table) but all agreed that it has a great future. I've had this wine before and this tasting confirmed it must be decanted at least 1-2 hours before drinking. I wouldn't touch this wine again for at least a few years. This was the #2 fave of this flight. GIACOSA 2001: A lovely medium ruby color, aromas of coffee beans and cedar. Medium bodied with a definite earthiness, this wine had loads of bright fruit on the palate, ripe red berries would be my best description. I detected quite a bit of coffee and cigar box too. Beautifully structured, well-integrated wine, mixing both power and elegance even though still needing time to mature further. As wonderful as this wine was today, it will be even better in the next 3, 6 or 10 years. The powerful nose too held up throughout the tasting. A delicious bottle, it was the group's favorite of this flight, & our 3rd fave overall. GAJA: Of course, everyone had lofty expectations for this wine. Unfortunately, disappointment reigned, with some more dismayed than others. Dark purple color, with a very sweet nose of black cherries & oak, on the palate this wine was very rich, unctuous and overly fruity. Leather, tobacco and earth on the palate. Nice soft tannins, but a bit too oaky for my taste. Very international in style, seemed a bit hot to me too (14% acohol will do that). Though the wine improved in the glass, no one gave this wine very high scores and it was far overshadowed by most of our other contributions. This was not due to any fault of the wine or its maker per say--the wine is obviously well-made & everyone loves Gaja, though the price is way over the top--but more a result of its modern style: We wanted wines tasting of Piedmonte, and this wine could have been from anywhere. CONTERNO: Bright red color in the glass demonstrating more youthfulness than expected, I didn't detect much of a nose,, though perhaps some faint aromas of cedar. Even as the wine opened up in the glass, it remained short on fruit, showing perhaps some leather & tar. A very gritty wine, with mostly unripe, greenish fruit nuances--no doubt due to the 99 vintage. This wine ranked at the bottom of our 1st flight. SCAVINO: Very deep ruby color, with a very assertive, aromatic nose of roses & cedar. Lots of ripe, dark fruit, mixed with leather & tar. Mocha on the very long finish. In fact, this wine was dark in every way one could expect. At first, I loved this wine--it tasted fresh with ripe fruit, showed great balance and elegance & it was my #1 for awhile. However, as it sat in the glass, it receded terribly becoming very 1 dimensional, its attack of fruit & complexity fading badly. Very disconcerting since this wine was very enjoyable at the outset, showing great promise, only to end up disappointing us as it died in the glass. GIACOSA 1996: A beautiful bright garnet color in the glass. The nose was extremely aromatic with scents of roses, cedar & perhaps some menthol or eucalyptus. However, compared to the 2001, the nose was not as powerful, but more restrained & elegant. The wine was very tight & tannic, very structured, & surprisingly youthful in every way. (My note to myself was not to touch this wine again for at least another 5 yrs). Despite its youthfulness, the wine showed beautiful bright, ripe red fruits (cherries mostly), lots of tar, leather & tobacco, with perhaps some forest floor, wonderful balance & elegance, yet with great structure. Great length too, although I found the tannins to be a bit harsh even as the wine sat in the glass over time. Voted the overall fave of the tasting (my#2). PRUNOTTO: By far the oldest wine of the day, and what a fantastic surprise. A nice medium ruby red color, showing some bricking at the edges, the nose was extremely aromatic with lots of sweet fruit, some cedar and rose petals, & a definite earthiness as well. On the palate, the wine still had lots of life left in it, very rich, ripe red fruits integrated well with leather & tobacco notes. Still, a very restrained, elegant & excellently balanced wine. Unlike the pattern of many older wines, this just got better & better in the glass, with the soft tannins mellowing, & tertiary flavors exuding from the glass--barnyard, mushrooms, & other earthy notes, the wines aromas lingering continually,& the silky smooth finish just going on & on. A truly exceptional bottle of wine, and clearly my favorite of the day, finishing a close 2nd overall. BARBOURSVILLE: We drank this one blind tho we knew it to be a nebbiolo. It was fairly pale colored, had a very oaky nose with a bit of spice there. On the palate, very much fruit-forward showing cherries, coffee & tobacco. Not a particularly complex or elegant wine, it definitely had some nice qualities. However, though a pleasant enough nebbiolo, it couldn't compete with the Italians. No one thought it to be Italian & everyone guessed it to be a New World wine, though no one mentioned Virginia. Still, it was fun to compare.
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Decanted 1 hour. Full bodied balanced. This is the best of the 2004 Barolo and Barbarescos I bought 5 years ago in the $40-50 range. A couple have been realy mediocre or corked.
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2 hour decant. Maturing beautifully but not quite there yet - rustic flavors, cherries and dark chocolate mixed together, anise, cedar and earth. Good tannic grib and medium-long finish. Quite a lot of sediment in this bottle. Give it a few more years in the cellar or decant 3-4 hours.
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nose - barrel spice mouth - surpirsingly delicate, toasted orange peel, red cherry, soy, and mellow round tannins that are in contrast to some of the beastly 2004 barolos i've tasted. very nice wine. My WOTN (again)
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Opened, decanted and followed over three hours. Dark color; nose of dried flowers and tar. This is big and tannic and this point; depth of fruit and earth but hidden under layers of oak and grapeskins and tannins.
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decanted for several hours prior to serving gorgeous nose of orange, sour cherry, tutti frutti, coconuts, and spice including cinammon. wow nose. mouth - relatively light bodied but big in flavor, and huge tannins. tea, cranberry and other red fruit with a nice residual sweetness while being fully dry. lingering spice on the finish. delicious. WOTN.
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Very satisfying :) ... Subtle, smooth tannins as a perfect background. Pure fruit flavor, reminds me of eating fresh green grapes. Medium earthy nose, little funk. I like funk. Long smooth finish. I could still taste the wine in my mouth the next morning, maybe I was imaging it but anyway it was impressive. Nicely structured on the mid palate, light and tingly, with strawberry and choclate. Alchohol in balance. Well worth the $45.
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Colour:Brick red, slightly orange at rim. Typical Nebbiolo colour Nose:Cedar box, dried pine needles, cinnamon? Taste:Tight tannins but nice backend fruit coming. Very long finish and big body. Would bode well with a few more years of rest.
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Dense aromas of wood, tar with some mint. Red fruit - intense flavours with long aftertaste - still quite tannic. This is, in my view, an excellent barbaresco. I will let the remainder of my 2004 Bric Balin rest for a few more years.
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2004 Produttori de Barbaresco Tasting (Zupan's, Portland, OR): On the nose there is a hint of cherries and strawberries as well as some campfire ash scents going on. The fruits deliver on the palate along with a hint of guava and some nice acid. The tannins evolve smoothly throughout the experience.
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2004 Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva (and a few others) (Burnside Zupan's (Portland, OR)): I'm more with Tanzer than the rest of ya'lls here. Certainly delicious red fruits on the nose, also showing some graphite and charcoal. Some funk on the palate, but mainly up front, nice fruit. Big tannins on the finish, with lots of cranberry skin. A let down after the Albino Rocca Vigneto Brich Ronchi which I was told I wasn't allowed to buy.
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Opened two 2001's earlier that were corked but not this beauty...Decanted for 2 hours and it opened up nicely with tart cherries, damp soil, tar, and balsamic...Palate: Pretty tight...Grippy tannins along with red fruit, earth, and a chalky lengthy finish...Very nice barbaresco...Showing pretty well for being so young but needs another 3 plus years of cellaring to smooth out those masculine tannins...I have 2 more in the cellar and will be very patient before opening another even though it will be tough to stay away...enjoy!!!
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Opened in the morning - left it in the botlle all day and decanted 1 hour before drinking. Totally closed!! Not giving much away at all but hints of sour tart bright fruit, herbs and earth in background behind a wall of tannins. Opened up on the second day with lovely classic barbaresco flavours but still quite tannic. Tons of structure and potential but hard for me to score this wine at this point. Wait at least another 3-4 years - I think your patience will rewarded big time!
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Way way way too young, but already showing signs of complexity and a light strawberry touch. Pretty with floral notes, a dark core and hints of sweetness. Acidic tannins dominate at the moment, but when they soften this should be a beautiful wine. Long finish. B (with upside)
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Vibrant aromas and flavors of fresh dark cherry, floral, sweet spices, minerals and licorice that come together beautifully in this firm, classic elegant Barbaresco. The finish carries on forever. Excellent!
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This has the same spicy, crushed fennel seed/dill nose as the Basarin, but it is stronger here, almost distracting. More opulent and fruity than the Basarin, with a fuller midpalate. A big, burly wine, this is more open and approachable currently. Almost savory on the palate, with lots of ripe fruit and a chalky mouthfeel like that of bittersweet chocolate.
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2/16/2024 - Phylloxera63 Likes this wine: 93 Points
JKoenen nailed it in his 18/9/2023 note. Cork came out as if it had been bottled a year ago. Just wonderful with lots of stuffing and cherryfruit. Will go on for a few more years. Great without being too heavy.
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9/18/2023 - jkoenen wrote: 93 Points
This is a wonderful Barbaresco, in its prime!
There's good stuffing, lovely acidity, restrained power and ripe tannines. All about balance.
CHerryfruit, dusty spices and herbs, flowers and sandalwood, hints of ink/tar.
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8/19/2023 - forceberry wrote: 89 Points
100% Nebbiolo from the Bric Balin cru, located immediately south from the village of Barbaresco, planted in 1971 and 1985. Aged for at least 18 months in French oak barriques (70% new). 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Somewhat translucent and moderately evolved pomegranate color with a slightly syrupy-brown hue. The nose feels sweet, dark-toned and slightly oaky with aromas of licorice and ripe black cherries, some evolved gamey tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light plummy notes of dark fruits, a woody hint of savory oak spice, a touch of tar and a boozy whiff of alcohol. The wine feels evolved and velvety yet pretty firm and structured on the palate with a rather full body and lush, moderately oak flavors of licorice and toasty mocha oak, some ripe black cherry tones, a little bit of juicy dark plum, light evolved nuances of gamey meat, a hint of tar and a touch of woody oak spice. The high acidity and ample, grippy tannins lend a rather stern and muscular overall feel to the wine. The finish is long, grippy and quite dark-toned with a brooding, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of toasty mocha oak and milk chocolate, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of tar, light sweetly-fruited nuances of juicy black cherries and dark plums, a hint of licorice root and an evolved touch of meaty umami.
An impressively structured and tightly-knit but still noticeably toasty and modern Barbaresco where the oak is still very much to the fore, even after almost 20 years. The wine is evolving in the right direction, but I feel it's quite hard to identify any varietal characteristics from this wine, as most of them are quite overwhelmed by the woody notes. I could identify the wine as a Nebbiolo, but it was mainly due to its rather translucent appearance, high acidity and ample tannins; not because of the aromatics. This is a pretty serious and structure-driven effort for a modernist Barbaresco, but stylistically not really my cuppa.
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2/28/2022 - Ed in Inverness wrote: flawed
Stewed, again. Bought at auction 4 years ago. Must have been stored badly or transported at some point poorly.
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3/22/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Clear light red with definite browning. Medium intense tar, violet, shiitake and black cherry nose. Dry herbal plum flavours and a dry still a bit tannic finish.
Not showing as a modern Barbaresco at this point. Even though the acid hasn’t taken over the finish yet, it is probably time to drink these up.
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2/15/2021 - Ed in Inverness wrote: flawed
Stewed. Cooked? Bad storage?
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4/16/2020 - BillyRayValentine Likes this wine:
Nice wine. Smooth and balanced. Nice acidity. Drank these two years ago and forgot to remove.
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11/18/2019 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Did not decant. Aired in glass for about 60 minutes before starting on it. No sediment to speak of, lots of bricking. Then enjoyed over the next couple of hours. Pretty and robust at the same time - the nose is really tarry, but on the palate there is lots of red fruit, slightly tart, to go along with it and a bit of floral hints. There is something about the texture that makes me want to call it oily - not sure what - texture but not flavor. Kind of spicy on the finish.
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7/5/2019 - winot Likes this wine: 91 Points
Abbreviated notes - Medium ruby with mahogany notes, gorgeous nose, palate is a point - still a bit of friendly grip - juicy, lovely. In a great spot but no big rush.
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3/7/2019 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Rose petal and strawberry on the nose. On the palate, dried cherry, strawberry, and roses with notes of blueberry and leather, with light tannins and good acidity on the medium finish. This bottle had significant sediment and needed decanting for that, but it didn't need air; it's in its drinking window, and it's likely to stay there for some years. This is a classic mid-weight Barbaresco, and it was an excellent value at about $40. More recent vintages are only slightly more expensive.
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2/4/2018 - t_moderne wrote: 93 Points
Opened, poured into a decanter, and enjoyed with food (spaghetti with tomato-pesto sauce, and a grilled rib-eye steak, in case you were wondering). followed for about 3 hours.
Dark purple color. Nose of dark cherries, some tar and rose and some vanilla. A little cherry cough syrup as well.
Big dark cherry flavor with a zippy acidity to it. Fruit is dense and the tannins and acidity are all present creating a rich, dynamic and enjoyable wine.
This has the depth and acidity to age well for years.
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5/27/2017 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Medium, light red. Intense nose first with boysenberry and pencil shavings. After a decant it turned towards purple flowers, red cherry, earth and a bit of oak in the back ground. The flavours were certainly more traditional leaning towards red cherry, and roasted meat. Long dry finish.
I was happy that people went to Nebiollo right away so it must be a bit more traditional then I thought.
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12/10/2016 - CADomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Slow O'd for 8 hours before enjoying. But honestly the taste that I had upon opening may have been better than after the 8 hours of prep. Initially quite perfumed and seemed open for business. At dinner, the wine was slightly more closed down - which I am starting to see if a current characteristic of the 2004 vintage in Barolo/Barbaresco. The wine still showed some very nice notes of strawberries, chocolate, and black licorice. The palate was smooth and polished. The new oak is well integrated and I am sure contributed to the smooth texture of the wine.
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5/20/2016 - nectar14 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pleasant, medium bodied, medium intensity, balanced Barbaresco, with a fine grain to its tannins. Should last another decade, but is drinking nicely now. 90
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2/14/2016 - WStucker wrote: 92 Points
A very good effort, but give it atleast 1 hour in the decantur. Opened up over the course of 4 hours, last sip was the best. Moderate sediment.
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12/17/2015 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 89 Points
Medium ruby. Red berries and cherries, with just a little tartness. Some oak. A bit drying.
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7/4/2015 - David J Cooper wrote: 88 Points
I seem to be drinking a different wine then everyone else mine opened with oak and high alc. a bit of time in the decanter tamed this beast but it needs another 10 years.
It's so modern a Vino Barricato.
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5/30/2015 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 92 Points
Floral, cherries, leather. Vinturi and glass decant. Mature, slight bricking at rim. Wonderful acidity and great finish. Very much in balance and ready to go.
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5/30/2015 - ELH wrote: 89 Points
Mature Nobbiolo in good drinking window. Strawberries and cherries, with just a little tartness.
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4/5/2015 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
great food wine, solid base with some acid and tannin. Berries and cherries linger in the mouth.
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1/16/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 91 Points
still a baby
much more integrated the third day
a delicious nebbiolo expression
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12/18/2014 - Steve&Carolyn Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark cherries, leather and spice with a shadow of mint. Very spicy.
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11/22/2014 - futronic wrote: 92 Points
Decanted one hour. Dried roses, dried cherries, orange peel, worn saddle leather, prunes, dried sage on the nose and palate. Medium-full bodied, integrated tannins, fine balance and length. Firmly into its drinking window and very enjoyable last night. Drink now-2020.
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11/14/2014 - Tylerben Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious, classic flavors!
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11/12/2014 - Kitura Likes this wine: 92 Points
Darker garnet core with orange rim. Roses, dusty earth and cherries. Open right away. Mouth coating tannins and lovely acidity. No alcohol detected. I've been drinking a lot of '08 and '09 nebbiolo lately so it's nice to see some aging put the acidity and tannins in check. Really fantastic wine. The best I've had in a while. This is aged in French barrique, but I don't notice any oak flavours. Well done.
On the second day there's a distinctive licorice aroma, but no more earthiness or roses. Not as good as the first day, but still enjoyable.
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12/29/2013 - docvin1107 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another great showing! This time with a 2 hour decant which is recommentable at this point. Enjoy!
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11/1/2013 - docvin1107 Likes this wine: 93 Points
No decant. A little tight in the beginning but opened after 10-15 min in the glass and just got better and better as we drank it over the next 2-3 hours! Consistent notes of classic piemonte/nebbiolo flavors - quite modern in style. Enjoy over the next 5-7 years!
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10/24/2013 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points
From 375ml. This may have been better a year or two ago. Non-descript red fruit. Some nice earth. A bit one-dimensional. Of course the paper cup that I was drinking it out of at the Hampton Inn probably didn't help...
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9/5/2013 - soyhead Likes this wine: 93 Points
nose - oooh, nose of greatness, sour plum, slightly balsamic, damp earth, cocoa, perfumed.
mouth - initial attack in minimal, followed by a rich kaleidoscope of midpalate flavors - complex floral, plums, coffee, tar, rich and long, followed by serious dry backend tannins. This goes on my short list of barbaresco favorites. Drinking great now but with significant life ahead. 93+
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12/12/2012 - cephomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
For our annual wine luncheon, we chose a Piedmonte theme & dined at Lincoln (Lincoln Sq). Each wine was decanted briefly & then tasted in 2 flights of 4 each. The 1st flight included:
2004 Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin;
2001 Giacosa Rabaja Barbaresco Riserva;
2001 Gaja San Lorenzo; &
1999 Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia.
The 2nd flight included:
Scavino 1996 Carobric Barolo;
1996 Giacosa Falletto Asili Barbaresco;
1990 Prunotto Bussia Barolo; &
2009 Barboursville, VA nebbiolo, a ringer that we at first tasted blind.
We chose a best of each flight & then our 3 faves of the tasting.
A disclaimer re my notes: We sat for more than 3 hours during which time the wines continually evolved & changed such that a #1 fave at 230 morphed into the #4 wine an hour later, & vice versa.
**MOCCAGATTA: Medium color, very oaky, yet spicy aroma with hints of anise. This wine is still a baby, & started out very closed, though it opened up substantially as time went on. Very earthy, fairly harsh tannins, with bright fruit on the palate. Nice long, if somewhat tannic finish. The wine tasted young (especially compared to some of the other lovelies at our table) but all agreed that it has a great future. I've had this wine before and this tasting confirmed it must be decanted at least 1-2 hours before drinking. I wouldn't touch this wine again for at least a few years. This was the #2 fave of this flight.
GIACOSA 2001: A lovely medium ruby color, aromas of coffee beans and cedar. Medium bodied with a definite earthiness, this wine had loads of bright fruit on the palate, ripe red berries would be my best description. I detected quite a bit of coffee and cigar box too. Beautifully structured, well-integrated wine, mixing both power and elegance even though still needing time to mature further. As wonderful as this wine was today, it will be even better in the next 3, 6 or 10 years. The powerful nose too held up throughout the tasting. A delicious bottle, it was the group's favorite of this flight, & our 3rd fave overall.
GAJA: Of course, everyone had lofty expectations for this wine. Unfortunately, disappointment reigned, with some more dismayed than others. Dark purple color, with a very sweet nose of black cherries & oak, on the palate this wine was very rich, unctuous and overly fruity. Leather, tobacco and earth on the palate. Nice soft tannins, but a bit too oaky for my taste. Very international in style, seemed a bit hot to me too (14% acohol will do that). Though the wine improved in the glass, no one gave this wine very high scores and it was far overshadowed by most of our other contributions. This was not due to any fault of the wine or its maker per say--the wine is obviously well-made & everyone loves Gaja, though the price is way over the top--but more a result of its modern style: We wanted wines tasting of Piedmonte, and this wine could have been from anywhere.
CONTERNO: Bright red color in the glass demonstrating more youthfulness than expected, I didn't detect much of a nose,, though perhaps some faint aromas of cedar. Even as the wine opened up in the glass, it remained short on fruit, showing perhaps some leather & tar. A very gritty wine, with mostly unripe, greenish fruit nuances--no doubt due to the 99 vintage. This wine ranked at the bottom of our 1st flight.
SCAVINO: Very deep ruby color, with a very assertive, aromatic nose of roses & cedar. Lots of ripe, dark fruit, mixed with leather & tar. Mocha on the very long finish. In fact, this wine was dark in every way one could expect. At first, I loved this wine--it tasted fresh with ripe fruit, showed great balance and elegance & it was my #1 for awhile. However, as it sat in the glass, it receded terribly becoming very 1 dimensional, its attack of fruit & complexity fading badly. Very disconcerting since this wine was very enjoyable at the outset, showing great promise, only to end up disappointing us as it died in the glass.
GIACOSA 1996: A beautiful bright garnet color in the glass. The nose was extremely aromatic with scents of roses, cedar & perhaps some menthol or eucalyptus. However, compared to the 2001, the nose was not as powerful, but more restrained & elegant. The wine was very tight & tannic, very structured, & surprisingly youthful in every way. (My note to myself was not to touch this wine again for at least another 5 yrs). Despite its youthfulness, the wine showed beautiful bright, ripe red fruits (cherries mostly), lots of tar, leather & tobacco, with perhaps some forest floor, wonderful balance & elegance, yet with great structure. Great length too, although I found the tannins to be a bit harsh even as the wine sat in the glass over time. Voted the overall fave of the tasting (my#2).
PRUNOTTO: By far the oldest wine of the day, and what a fantastic surprise. A nice medium ruby red color, showing some bricking at the edges, the nose was extremely aromatic with lots of sweet fruit, some cedar and rose petals, & a definite earthiness as well. On the palate, the wine still had lots of life left in it, very rich, ripe red fruits integrated well with leather & tobacco notes. Still, a very restrained, elegant & excellently balanced wine. Unlike the pattern of many older wines, this just got better & better in the glass, with the soft tannins mellowing, & tertiary flavors exuding from the glass--barnyard, mushrooms, & other earthy notes, the wines aromas lingering continually,& the silky smooth finish just going on & on. A truly exceptional bottle of wine, and clearly my favorite of the day, finishing a close 2nd overall.
BARBOURSVILLE: We drank this one blind tho we knew it to be a nebbiolo. It was fairly pale colored, had a very oaky nose with a bit of spice there. On the palate, very much fruit-forward showing cherries, coffee & tobacco. Not a particularly complex or elegant wine, it definitely had some nice qualities. However, though a pleasant enough nebbiolo, it couldn't compete with the Italians. No one thought it to be Italian & everyone guessed it to be a New World wine, though no one mentioned Virginia. Still, it was fun to compare.
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5/31/2012 - dthompson wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Full bodied balanced. This is the best of the 2004 Barolo and Barbarescos I bought 5 years ago in the $40-50 range. A couple have been realy mediocre or corked.
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5/12/2012 - docvin1107 wrote: 92 Points
2 hour decant. Maturing beautifully but not quite there yet - rustic flavors, cherries and dark chocolate mixed together, anise, cedar and earth. Good tannic grib and medium-long finish. Quite a lot of sediment in this bottle. Give it a few more years in the cellar or decant 3-4 hours.
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1/19/2012 - soyhead wrote: 94 Points
nose - barrel spice
mouth - surpirsingly delicate, toasted orange peel, red cherry, soy, and mellow round tannins that are in contrast to some of the beastly 2004 barolos i've tasted. very nice wine. My WOTN (again)
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11/19/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 92 Points
Opened, decanted and followed over three hours. Dark color; nose of dried flowers and tar. This is big and tannic and this point; depth of fruit and earth but hidden under layers of oak and grapeskins and tannins.
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10/26/2011 - soyhead wrote: 94 Points
decanted for several hours prior to serving
gorgeous nose of orange, sour cherry, tutti frutti, coconuts, and spice including cinammon. wow nose.
mouth - relatively light bodied but big in flavor, and huge tannins. tea, cranberry and other red fruit with a nice residual sweetness while being fully dry. lingering spice on the finish. delicious. WOTN.
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5/1/2011 - mdodd wrote: 93 Points
tasty
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3/26/2011 - Wink wrote: flawed
Notably oxidized on the nose and palate. Cork seemed OK. Disappointing.
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1/29/2011 - wine1 wrote: 91 Points
Very satisfying :) ... Subtle, smooth tannins as a perfect background. Pure fruit flavor, reminds me of eating fresh green grapes. Medium earthy nose, little funk. I like funk. Long smooth finish. I could still taste the wine in my mouth the next morning, maybe I was imaging it but anyway it was impressive. Nicely structured on the mid palate, light and tingly, with strawberry and choclate. Alchohol in balance. Well worth the $45.
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10/17/2010 - Tag01 wrote: 91 Points
Colour:Brick red, slightly orange at rim. Typical Nebbiolo colour
Nose:Cedar box, dried pine needles, cinnamon?
Taste:Tight tannins but nice backend fruit coming. Very long finish and big body. Would bode well with a few more years of rest.
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1/10/2010 - donStrandini wrote: 91 Points
Dense aromas of wood, tar with some mint. Red fruit - intense flavours with long aftertaste - still quite tannic. This is, in my view, an excellent barbaresco. I will let the remainder of my 2004 Bric Balin rest for a few more years.
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9/6/2009 - lovedoktor wrote:
Part of an Italian wine dinner. Paired with both a plate of mixed salumi and fagottini ripieni con mozzarella e pomodori.
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7/27/2009 - subtlet wrote: 90 Points
2004 Produttori de Barbaresco Tasting (Zupan's, Portland, OR): On the nose there is a hint of cherries and strawberries as well as some campfire ash scents going on. The fruits deliver on the palate along with a hint of guava and some nice acid. The tannins evolve smoothly throughout the experience.
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7/27/2009 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 90 Points
2004 Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva (and a few others) (Burnside Zupan's (Portland, OR)): I'm more with Tanzer than the rest of ya'lls here. Certainly delicious red fruits on the nose, also showing some graphite and charcoal. Some funk on the palate, but mainly up front, nice fruit. Big tannins on the finish, with lots of cranberry skin. A let down after the Albino Rocca Vigneto Brich Ronchi which I was told I wasn't allowed to buy.
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7/4/2009 - vinopa wrote: 93 Points
Opened two 2001's earlier that were corked but not this beauty...Decanted for 2 hours and it opened up nicely with tart cherries, damp soil, tar, and balsamic...Palate: Pretty tight...Grippy tannins along with red fruit, earth, and a chalky lengthy finish...Very nice barbaresco...Showing pretty well for being so young but needs another 3 plus years of cellaring to smooth out those masculine tannins...I have 2 more in the cellar and will be very patient before opening another even though it will be tough to stay away...enjoy!!!
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7/1/2009 - docvin1107 wrote:
Opened in the morning - left it in the botlle all day and decanted 1 hour before drinking. Totally closed!! Not giving much away at all but hints of sour tart bright fruit, herbs and earth in background behind a wall of tannins. Opened up on the second day with lovely classic barbaresco flavours but still quite tannic. Tons of structure and potential but hard for me to score this wine at this point. Wait at least another 3-4 years - I think your patience will rewarded big time!
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11/24/2008 - MRichman wrote:
Way way way too young, but already showing signs of complexity and a light strawberry touch. Pretty with floral notes, a dark core and hints of sweetness. Acidic tannins dominate at the moment, but when they soften this should be a beautiful wine. Long finish.
B (with upside)
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5/6/2008 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
Vibrant aromas and flavors of fresh dark cherry, floral, sweet spices, minerals and licorice that come together beautifully in this firm, classic elegant Barbaresco. The finish carries on forever. Excellent!
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7/14/2007 - 5laton wrote:
This has the same spicy, crushed fennel seed/dill nose as the Basarin, but it is stronger here, almost distracting. More opulent and fruity than the Basarin, with a fuller midpalate. A big, burly wine, this is more open and approachable currently. Almost savory on the palate, with lots of ripe fruit and a chalky mouthfeel like that of bittersweet chocolate.
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