I would consider opening this wine if you are still sitting on it. Tertiary notes on the nose and definitely showing some of that decomposing earth and spice. The mouth has much more youth to it with bracing acidity and a more semblance of fruit. In a great front end mature spot. I don't know that I would want any more maturity on the nose but really cool wine.
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Not showing any signs of age, still a vibrant, dark ruby core. Pretty closed down/mute on night 1, but rather stunning aromatics and flavors on night 2. Really classy, with an inner core of purity and finesse that take this to the next level. Glad I was able to see this on night 2, as I'd have been quite ambivalent on night 1. 14,5% abv., drink thru 2018. recommended
Served non-blind; be sure to aerate.
https://italianwine.blog/
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I drank the 2001, not 2004. Enjoyed with sourdough toast and cheese and salumi. This wine has aged well and had just enough fruit with the right amount of mellowness for a casual glass of wine. I think I paid around $17 for the bottle at a local wine store and wish I could find more for the price.
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Opened a bit tired but freshened up considerably after being opened and decanted for about an hour. From earthy, leathery it settled itself into much more classic dark cherry and other black fruits with a nice lift to it. palate also freshened up and became much more precise with clean fresh plummy and cherry notes, good mouth weight and width and a refreshing finish. Drank beautifully with a pork chop covered in crushed fennel and cumion seeds, pepper and salt. drinking well now and over the next couple of years.
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Not giving much on the nose on pop and pour except a slight funkiness. Palate is also relatively closed, high acid, slight cherry fruit, a little leather. Opened a bit more with time over the evening, but never really shined. Palate remained a bit muted giving up little fruit, so with the high acid this remained out of balance for my palate. I'm not sure if this is just the fruit fading given that its a 2004, but the 2005 I had a few months back showed much better. Given the performance of this bottle, I 'd say this was not a good value at $22.
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Big spicy, black cherry barbera, with strong acid and tannin. This a rich, inexpensive barbera and one that should last a long time. It has all the subtelty one expects from Cavallotto in terms of punch but not overly oaked or made at all. This is good. It's very Italian, but would stand up to Aussie Shiraz and Napa Cabernet in terms of power.
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After nearly 20 bottles of this wine (not all at once, of course), I can say that this is a truly delicious barbera. It pairs wonderfully with all sorts of food - from grilled chicken to roasted pork to hamburgers to ragu bolognese to simple marinara. Truly a value at $22.
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Delicious traditionally-styled Barbera, yes I know he uses a rotofermenter but this wine tastes very old-school, excellent balance with layers of black cherry fruit, leather, tar, spice, crisp acidity and crunchy minerality.
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Nice cherry fruit with some minerals, very good balance, and tannins mostly resolved. Excellent match with roast chicken, and probably with many things. The proverbial Wednesday night wine.
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Served up with grilled hamburgers, this wine rocked the house. This is a very young wine, IMO, and needs some decanting. We did 2 hours and it just seemed to be getting into gear when we served it. Powerfull blackberry fruit, sour cherry, tart acidity. Secondary flavors of pine needles, forest foor, black tea. After lots of air, a subtle component of vanilla on the nose and palate.
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This bottle took a lot longer to open up than the last but finally did and was excellent. Nose of cherries, pine needles, white pepper. Great mouthfeel. Palate of dark fruits, cherry, asian spice. 1 hour decanting was not enough for this bottle, which really got good after 4-5 hours.
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dark color. almot purple. dark fruit aromas attack from the glass and follow through onto palate. dense, fruity, meaty, rich barbera... not of the elegant variety, but delicious none-the-less....
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Dark purple, medium nose with lots of dark fruits, exotic spice and earth, big and tannic attack with a slightly diluted and acidic mid-palate, great earthy finish that cries out for a giant bowl of
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Very food friendly, terrific acidity and nice unoaked fruit besides. Terrific Barbera from a great vintage. Open it an hour before your meal though. Decanting is recommended.
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4/6/2021 - Tony Molester Does not like this wine:
This is the only bottle i could taste but it was awful. Cooked prune juice.
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7/19/2017 - Andyofoto wrote:
I would consider opening this wine if you are still sitting on it. Tertiary notes on the nose and definitely showing some of that decomposing earth and spice. The mouth has much more youth to it with bracing acidity and a more semblance of fruit. In a great front end mature spot. I don't know that I would want any more maturity on the nose but really cool wine.
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11/27/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Not showing any signs of age, still a vibrant, dark ruby core. Pretty closed down/mute on night 1, but rather stunning aromatics and flavors on night 2. Really classy, with an inner core of purity and finesse that take this to the next level. Glad I was able to see this on night 2, as I'd have been quite ambivalent on night 1. 14,5% abv., drink thru 2018. recommended
Served non-blind; be sure to aerate.
https://italianwine.blog/
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2/22/2013 - Jsmithbim wrote: 86 Points
I drank the 2001, not 2004. Enjoyed with sourdough toast and cheese and salumi. This wine has aged well and had just enough fruit with the right amount of mellowness for a casual glass of wine. I think I paid around $17 for the bottle at a local wine store and wish I could find more for the price.
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12/17/2011 - 97mjr wrote:
After a bad phave, in a good place again, showing a little age for added complexity
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2/10/2011 - Pverd wrote: 89 Points
Opened a bit tired but freshened up considerably after being opened and decanted for about an hour. From earthy, leathery it settled itself into much more classic dark cherry and other black fruits with a nice lift to it. palate also freshened up and became much more precise with clean fresh plummy and cherry notes, good mouth weight and width and a refreshing finish. Drank beautifully with a pork chop covered in crushed fennel and cumion seeds, pepper and salt. drinking well now and over the next couple of years.
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9/27/2010 - Grape_ape wrote: 85 Points
Not giving much on the nose on pop and pour except a slight funkiness. Palate is also relatively closed, high acid, slight cherry fruit, a little leather. Opened a bit more with time over the evening, but never really shined. Palate remained a bit muted giving up little fruit, so with the high acid this remained out of balance for my palate. I'm not sure if this is just the fruit fading given that its a 2004, but the 2005 I had a few months back showed much better. Given the performance of this bottle, I 'd say this was not a good value at $22.
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8/18/2009 - nschmidt wrote: 88 Points
Drank with various cheeses. Enjoyed more than last time. Fruity with no harshness but lacking some substance.
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8/3/2009 - ekenneth wrote: 90 Points
Big spicy, black cherry barbera, with strong acid and tannin. This a rich, inexpensive barbera and one that should last a long time. It has all the subtelty one expects from Cavallotto in terms of punch but not overly oaked or made at all. This is good. It's very Italian, but would stand up to Aussie Shiraz and Napa Cabernet in terms of power.
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5/20/2009 - Zinny wrote: 90 Points
After nearly 20 bottles of this wine (not all at once, of course), I can say that this is a truly delicious barbera. It pairs wonderfully with all sorts of food - from grilled chicken to roasted pork to hamburgers to ragu bolognese to simple marinara. Truly a value at $22.
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2/21/2009 - ltc55 wrote:
Delicious traditionally-styled Barbera, yes I know he uses a rotofermenter but this wine tastes very old-school, excellent balance with layers of black cherry fruit, leather, tar, spice, crisp acidity and crunchy minerality.
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10/22/2008 - cweiss wrote:
Nice cherry fruit with some minerals, very good balance, and tannins mostly resolved. Excellent match with roast chicken, and probably with many things. The proverbial Wednesday night wine.
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8/24/2008 - Zinny wrote:
Served up with grilled hamburgers, this wine rocked the house. This is a very young wine, IMO, and needs some decanting. We did 2 hours and it just seemed to be getting into gear when we served it. Powerfull blackberry fruit, sour cherry, tart acidity. Secondary flavors of pine needles, forest foor, black tea. After lots of air, a subtle component of vanilla on the nose and palate.
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8/4/2008 - Zinny wrote:
This bottle took a lot longer to open up than the last but finally did and was excellent. Nose of cherries, pine needles, white pepper. Great mouthfeel. Palate of dark fruits, cherry, asian spice. 1 hour decanting was not enough for this bottle, which really got good after 4-5 hours.
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7/18/2008 - nschmidt wrote: 84 Points
Drank at Leone's with Adrianne and Eric. Not impressed. Light and a bit too acidic with little structure. O.K.
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6/15/2008 - Zinny wrote:
Really enjoyed this. Sour Cherry, dark fruits, bright acidity. Not light but still refreshing - perfect with baked ziti.
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3/28/2008 - carlwhat wrote:
dark color. almot purple. dark fruit aromas attack from the glass and follow through onto palate. dense, fruity, meaty, rich barbera... not of the elegant variety, but delicious none-the-less....
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3/19/2008 - duchamp wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple, medium nose with lots of dark fruits, exotic spice and earth, big and tannic attack with a slightly diluted and acidic mid-palate, great earthy finish that cries out for a giant bowl of
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1/24/2008 - bwillia wrote: 90 Points
Very food friendly, terrific acidity and nice unoaked fruit besides. Terrific Barbera from a great vintage. Open it an hour before your meal though. Decanting is recommended.
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