1997 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo Le Coste

Community Tasting Notes (15) Avg Score: 89.1 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View srh's profile
  • Report Issue

  8/10/2019 - srh Likes this wine:

  Winebar [1 Rosé, 3 Whts, & 8 Reds] from 08/09/19 + 4 Shared Bottles (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): THANK you for allowing me to revisit this GEM, José, Oscar, & Arturo! :)
  
  South-west facing with chalky clay soil, Le Coste is a historic Barolo cru owned by the Grimaldi family since 1930, & "...long considered one of the most important in the area. As far back as the 19th century the wine made here was blended with that made in the Cannubi vineyards."
  
  N: Slightly closed; Attractive cherries & flowers (violets?) slowly emerge with air/swirling, poss with undertones of tar? Intensity lurking
  
  P: LM body; Very NICE, almost swtish frt met by a bit of astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it seamlessly morphs into a very LONG finish with a persistent, though low key, slight bitterness that should allow it to age further *&* be potentially DYNAMITE with food. SPECIAL stuff! 14% ABV; My EXC+, with a GOOD shot @ some level of Exceptionality down the line. 93 pts WS, 87 Tanzer, & 14/20 Vinum, who'd advised drinking it by 2004! NOT considered much of a vintage in Piemonte, though I guess when you're an experienced producer dealing with the Cru you've owned for over 60 yrs... ;)

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View wynnewood500's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/3/2019 - wynnewood500 wrote:

  I should have taken my own advice from 2015 and finished this bottle back then. Started out with lots of tannin which gradually resolved itself in the glass. Unfortunately the fruit was all but gone.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View srh's profile
  • Report Issue

  8/18/2018 - srh Likes this wine:

  Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 3 *shared* IT reds] from 08/17/18 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): THANK you for sharing this celebratory wine, José! :)
  
  South-west facing with chalky clay soil, Le Coste is a historic Barolo cru owned by the Grimaldi family since 1930, & "...long considered one of the most important in the area. As far back as the 19th century the wine made here was blended with that made in the Cannubi vineyards."
  
  N: ATTRACTIVE, LOTS going on, but tough to parse: smoke, oranges, cherries, leather, poss tobacco, all part of it. Intense! (However, it did BEGIN a SLOW decrease of intensity within 15 mins or so of pouring.)
  
  P: Med, poss LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt counterbalanced by an acidic astringency which slowly transitions into a LONG, balanced with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins, & JUST enough bitterness to encourage either more food or wine. // 2.5 hrs later swtness had come more forward vis-a-vis the tannins. Best with food @ this juncture, & I can POSS see another 2 yrs of minor improvement, then drinking for 4 yrs more? My EXC/EXC+. 93 pts WS, 87 Tanzer, & 14/20 Vinum, who'd advised drinking it by 2004! NOT considered much of a vintage in Piemonte, though I guess when you're an experienced producer dealing with the Cru you've owned for over 60 yrs... ;)

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View cephomer's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/30/2016 - cephomer Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Drank with J$ at Il Castello. Color's a bit faded, bricking at edges. Feint nose has some floral and red fruit elements. Good fruit on the palate, along with earth, cedar and tar notes. Tannins mostly resolved but still plenty of red fruit in this medium bodied concoction. Far from over the hill, but doubt it will last much longer in its current state.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View wynnewood500's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/23/2015 - wynnewood500 Likes this wine:

  Faded fruit, medium bodied, fully resolved tannins. Drink up!

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 15 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.