Barolo, on the last Thursday of April

Some friends at a local cellar got together to put on a tasting focused on Barolos with at least a bit of age on them. I was real excited about this because I hadn't had many Barolos before. They're priced high enough to make "exploration" a bit daunting, so a chance to contribute a bottle and taste through a range of them was a great opportunity. It was a great chance to see some similar characteristics, and to get a brief glimpse of how these wines can differ. While some were very good, it also left me with the impression that Barolo is driving towards a style that's not entirely in line with my palate. I'm sure I'll take some heat for this in the future. :p

• 1997 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva Classico 88 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose here is big and deep with scents of cherries, pomegranate, and roast beef cooked with carrots. It's very clean on contact with the palate, with great cherry and dark cranberry flavors coming in on the sides of my tongue. The beef flavors suggested by the nose show up later, and tangy dust sets in on the finish. I wish the tannins were a bit more integrated.

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• 1997 Marcarini Barolo La Serra 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The scents remind me of dark strawberries poured atop a roasted green pepper, but tied into it all is this funky smell that I'm starting to associate directly with Barolo. I'm having a hard time describing it, but I've now encountered it a few times. The structure is lovely and firm, and it wastes no time in setting in. Raspberry flavors appear on the mid palate, and rocky earth appears fully on the finish. Nice minerality delivers as well, and the age of the wine shows through in the fruit and texture. 90-

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• 1997 Cabutto Barolo Tenuta La Volta Vigna La Volta 86 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose reminds me distinctly of roast chicken, and some blackberry and pine tree scents appear as well. It's bright upon contact with the palate, and it quickly delivers flavors of tangy grapefruit and leather. The tannins are pretty well integrated, but the tangy/sour notes are a little more powerful than I prefer.

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• 2001 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Hmm, smoke on the water? Sort of. Smoke on the swimming pool shows up on the nose here. Scents of blackberries and baked goods make lighter appearances as well. Strawberry flavors hit the palate right out of the gate, and they evolve into sweet fruit that reminds me a bit of candy! I'm pretty surprised to see this from a Barolo! Some dusty texture hits my palate as lighter tannins fill the mouth. There's some nice balance here.

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• 1996 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  I love the nose on this wine. It's like a hand full of ripe blackberries set alongside a lovely pork chop dusted with seasoned salt. It's mouth watering! The wine is nice and even across the palate with mellow minerality delivering well. Some good acid blooms on the mid palate and continues to grow as the wine develops. The fruit consists of oranges and bright cherries, and some spicy notes linger as the finish runs out.

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• 1999 Prunotto Barolo 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The scents remind me of salmon baked with dark cherries. Some strawberry scents appear as well. The strawberries deliver right away on the palate, and they are enjoyably tangy. Balanced tannins work their way across the palate, but they get a little rough way out on the finish. The wine is quite approachable, and the fruit is good and consistent across the entire experience.

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• 2000 Marziano Abbona Barolo Pressenda 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose is dark and a bit brutish, and it had me nervous at first. It shows primarily campfire ash, like the one scorched log that remains in the pit overnight. Some cherries and violets show through as well. Perhaps they were left on the picnic table. I had no reason to be nervous though, as the wine is very nicely integrated already. Everything is clean, and balanced fruit and mineral flavors play evenly on the mid palate with grape and strawberry flavors playing the main role. Some nice texture is present, and the fruit slowly drys out on the finish, with a bit of heat actually playing well as it cuts through the fruit and structure to thin things a bit. Good stuff!

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• 2004 Marcarini Barolo Brunate 88 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Cherries, dirt, and some sea spray appear on the nose. The cherry flavors deliver lightly, and some mineral comes through, but the tannins are totally dominant. They are decent in texture, but they are the driving force in this wine. A bit of strawberry appears on the mid palate as well.

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• 1996 Luigi Pira Barolo 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This has an elegant nose with citrus and roses held together with a delicate hint of raisins and earthy scents. Some peaches appear shyly behind the more bold raspberry flavors. Some lively acid appears later to good effect. The fruit on the mid palate is nice and rich, and there's a bit of funk that adds complexity.

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• 2001 Vietti Barolo Castiglione 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose reminds me of a big steak drenched in rich, dark cherries along with a hint of oranges. This wine is really clean on the palate. Wonderful tangy cherries make up the bulk of the fruit and the tannins are balanced and well integrated. The cherry flavors are juicy and decadent on the mid palate, and are complemented by some nice mineral notes. While full and strong on the finish, the tannins never become harsh or distracting. Very enjoyable!

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I regularly noticed something that I can only characterize as "Barolo funk". A few others were discussing it with more knowledge, but it's still somewhat elusive for me. I'm intrigued by the powerful structure achieved in every bottle, and was quite surprised to find myself using meat descriptors for the nose of almost every wine tasted. The event was fun and educational! Thanks to everyone for solid contributions and great company!