1999 Barolo and Barbaresco: Right on Track

1999 had a great start, being a year that saw favorable conditions throughout the entire region. A warm summer with cool nights lent the grapes that much needed push and pull of heat to ripen, and a break at night retained balance and added aromatics. Maybe I was at a disadvantage, having never tasted these upon release. For me, most of these bottles were at least seven or eight years old before my first taste and may have been in a dormant stage. However, after this tasting, I can see that they are right on track.

• 1999 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose was restrained, yet found its center with time in the glass, showing a bouquet of bright spiced cherry, tobacco, sandy soil and saline minerals. On the palate, it was lean in body, showing notes of dried cherry, earth and mushroom with teaming acidity and a broad structure that took control and lasted throughout the finish.

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• 1999 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose showed sweet dark cherries and roses with spice and licorice. On the palate it was balanced and feminine with ripe cherry and spices, all driven by juicy acidity that brightened up the palate and nearly masked its underlying structure. The finish was fresh and juicy with inner floral notes lingering throughout.

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• 1999 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Moccagatta 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  The Produttori Moccagatta was classic in every way, and having tasted it blind, was easily confused for being a Barolo. The nose started out muted, but with a short time in the glass, a bouquet of dried cherry, potpourri, menthol and dark, dark chocolate filled the senses. On the palate, intense tart cherry washed across the senses with notes of cedar but was quickly subdued by fine tannin. Penetrating red fruits stayed through the finish in good balance against this wine’s tense structure. The Moccagatta was dark, mysterious and truly seductive on the nose with a truly classic feel on the palate.

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• 1999 Attilio Ghisolfi Barolo Bricco Visette 87 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose was unexpectedly advanced, showing damp soil with cherry, herbs, floral rose and minerals. On the palate, it was soft with ripe cherry and hints of iron like minerals. Stern tannins showed through on the finish with notes of cherry and cedar staying through the close.

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• 1999 Schiavenza Barolo Riserva Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose showed intense cherry but was followed by sweet acetone and plastic notes. On the palate, it showed tart cherry, minerals and rust with drying tannin that dominated the finish. This wine was marked by V.A.

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• 1999 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  The ’99 Barbaresco “Torre” from Produttorri del Barbaresco makes a serious case for the quality of their normale. The nose showed cherry fruit, dried roses and earth tones of soil, a bit of green stem and raw chestnut. On the palate, a rush of intense red berry fruit was followed by earth and mushroom with a chewy texture that gave way to tannin. The finish showed dried red berries with gruff tannin that was fine on this night but may one day overpower the fruit in this wine.

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• 1999 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  On the nose, I found cherry fruit with oak influences of sawdust, cinnamon with an odd note of raw beef. On the palate, it was soft and juicy with sweet red fruits, coffee notes and spice. The finish was staying with red fruit, cinnamon spice, inner floral notes and cheek-puckering tannin.

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• 1999 Giacomo Brezza e Figli Barolo Cannubi 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The ’99 Brezza Cannubi was a gorgeous Barolo with crushed red berries, roses, mineral dust, and tobacco on the nose. On the palate, it was elegant and finessed with ripe cherry fruit and minerals, which turned darker and more dramatic over time to reveal sweet balsamic notes. The finish showed red berries made tart by cheek-puckering tannin. This wine was youthful, with many years of development ahead of it.

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• 1999 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Nieve Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  The nose showed spiced red fruits, cherry pipe smoke and notes of acetone. On the palate, it showed an abundance of aggressive acidity with ripe red berries that coated the palate yet seemed to drop off in the middle. The finish was drying with penetrating red fruits. It would appear that this bottle was flawed.

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In my opinion, ’99 is a vintage to sample over the coming years--and buy, if the price and provenance is right.