1997 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara

Community Tasting Notes (10) Avg Score: 88.6 points

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  11/23/2015 - soyhead wrote: flawed

  Nose - cranberry , raspberry
  Mouth - bitter tar is faint but the odiousness of this flavor means this is DOA. No one else could sense it. Mercaptans I imagine as this is not the Nebbiolo tar that makes me want to take another sip

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  11/5/2015 - Chaz Bham wrote: flawed

  Strange brew. All sorts of incorrect funk.

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  10/31/2015 - Sotto325 wrote: 86 Points

  Thank goodness this is my last bottle! I love aged nebbiolo, but my initial excitement at this ex-cellar release a year ago faded with the wine itself. Not a riservea and for this estate that means this will not go the distance. Acidic at first, and with decanting and patience, some hints of tar and cherry, even some smoke, but then back to acid backbone and unpleasant tart cherry, wet oak and old socks. Toss it or give it away for Christmas.

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  7/3/2015 - Sotto325 wrote: 87 Points

  Another disappointing variance. The wine is nearing its end. Showing a tiny bit of old socks and earthy nebbiolo core, but otherwise off balance, acidic and not overly pleasant. Drink up.

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  5/30/2015 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 92 Points

  This was the second bottle of a case purchased 4 months ago. The first bottle was double decanted for an hour before serving but I didn’t write it up as it seemed to be tired and somewhat of a disappointment. Maybe I didn’t give it enough time to settle down after shipment.
  This second bottle was decanted for 2 hours leaving a very modest sediment. It was served with pasta, red sauce, meatballs, and eggplant then finished with a selection of Italian cheeses.
  It proved to be everything I was hoping for. The aromatics and palate impressions were exquisite, filled with suggestions of roses, dried cherry, moist earth tones, baking spices, creosote, tobacco, and a faint touch of VA that added another note of complexity; a classic expression of mature Alpine Nebbiolo. The mouthfeel was super silky with unfolding layers of tertiary sensation filling the mouth before trailing off a little sooner than I was expecting.
  Compared to its muscular Lange cousins, this is a more delicate expression of the grape. I would put it just a small step behind the magnificent 2000 Gattinara.
  This is right up your alley if you are an acid lover and a nice change of pace for those who favor mature Burgundy.
  As this continued to hold up well during the meal, I plan on giving the next bottle 3 hours in the decanter.
  It is fully into its drinking window now with 5-8 more good years. It could last longer but I doubt it will get better. I expect to experience some bottle variation but that is part of the package with artisanal wines.

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