Afternoon Tasting of New Release Barolos at La Fest del Barolo

This was the afternoon tasting event at Antonio Galloni's La Festa del Barolo 2011. Each of the 15 producers poured one Barolo from their current release. For the first 11 producers, that was the 2007. For the last flight, that was the 2006. The event was incredibly well-run, with superb service, organization, and glassware. All wines were opened around noon. The tasting ran from 2-4pm.

I will post photos on my website:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/

• 2007 Elio Altare Barolo Vigneto Arborina 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Sweet vanilla cherry nose with hints of truffle and spice. Superb length and structure. Very young, but has a sweet juicy character that makes it appealing to drink now. 92-94 points.
  Silvia Altare says "30% new oak. 5 days on skins."

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• 2007 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Darker, black fruit nose. Thicker in the mouth. Very thick and tarry. Has a wow factor. 93-95 points.
  Tastes a little sickly sweet after the 2007 Vietti Rocche.

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• 2007 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  More black fruit in the nose. Light. Lacks the richness of the Sandrone. Better after more air. Needs time. 92-94 points.

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• 2007 Azelia Barolo San Rocco 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  All sweetness in the nose. Elegant in the mouth. Nice balance. I'm impressed.

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• 2007 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The most obvious oak in the nose of any wine so far. In the mouth it is elegant, tannic, and structured with lots of black fruit.

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• 2007 Vietti Barolo Rocche 98 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Muted stony black fruit nose, but the in the mouth, Wow! Explosive. A stunning and riveting young Barolo. Great length. Great flavor. WOTD! 97-99 points.

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• 2007 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Noticeably thick and black in the glass. Very dark black. Thick, tannic, but not oaky. Perhaps the most balanced wine of the modernists. 93-95 points.

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• 2007 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Sweet red fruit in the youngest nose here. Also has the lightest color. Delicate, sweet red fruit. Great length, but not showing much richness or depth yet. If these were blind, I would have thought this wine younger than all the others. 93-?? points.

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• 2007 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Muted cedary nose. Very tannic. Surprisingly classic style for this producer in this vintage. Packed and loaded with good length. Maybe the biggest positive surprise of this tasting. 94-?? points.

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• 2007 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Sweet waxy nose. Medium weight in the mouth, but oddly waxy. Can't say where it will go, but I do not like it now. NR

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• 2007 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  No nose. Sweet, tannic, nicely balanced in the mouth. Good length. Needs time. 92-94 points.
  Luciano Racca (son in law of Domenico) says that under the new labeling laws, they had a choice between "Ciabot Mentin" and "Ginestra", but could no longer use "Ciabot Mentin Ginestra".

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• 2006 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Muted, slightly horsey nose. At a weird, dirty stage. Appears much more aged than any other wine here. Buy on history and faith. NR

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• 2006 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Glorious, classic nose. Big structured Barolo. Definitely tastes like a young 1989. Riveting long finish. 96-98 points.

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• 2006 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  More open than the Brovia with sweet fruit in the nose. Another classic 1989-like Barolo. Terrific length. Great! 96-98 points.

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• 2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The most ethereal complex nose of the tasting. Excellent length. Needs a lot of time. 95-98 points.
  Roberto says there will be no Monfortino in 2007. He didn't see enough difference between the CF and the Monfo to justify a separate bottling. I can't imagine how good the 2006 Monfortino will be.

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Elisa Scavino said there is a good parallel between 1989-90 and 2006-07 (respectively) in Barolo. This tasting seems to bear this out. The 07's are beautiful balanced wines that should drink well fairly soon and continue to drink well for 2-3 decades. The 06's are classic, tannic Barolos that should only be drunk by tannin-heads for at least 10 years, but should reward 10-40 years of aging with great complexity.