WCC Barolo & Barbaresco Blind

My local group got together to taste Barolo and Barbaresco at Yono's. Dominick did a terrific job of making sure the food matched the wines perfectly. I organized the flights and the tasting was blind to everyone but me. Dinner started at 7pm and lasted till about 10:30.

Grilled Natural Texas Quail, Natural Juices, Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto, Black Truffles.

• 1990 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Moccagatta Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Not a good bottle. Fading sherry with hints of fruit and mulch, but clearly not a good bottle, esp. considering the other four 1990s that followed.

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• 1990 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Smoky cherry nose. A touch astringent at first. Opening up in the glass over a half hour. Earth and cherries on the long finish. Lovely. Really shows itself with the quail.

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• 1990 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pajè 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Complex, smoky red fruit. Silky and elegant. Shows even better with the quail.

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• 1990 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montefico 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] More fragrant and open than the previous wines. Just gorgeous with a lightness of being.

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• 1990 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] The best of the flight. Earthy and ethereal. Again, really shows its stuff with the quail. Group #2 WOTN.

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Sausage & Fennel Ragu over Papparedelle with Grana Padano.

• 1988 Elio Altare Barolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 3pm.] Huge, tannic, not enough fruit, but sweet and appealing. Classic 1988 Barolo. No reason to hold further.

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• 1989 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Classic Barolo. Big and complex with earth, mulch mushrooms. Stunning, with a long complex finish. Really a terrific bottle of Barolo with no sign of new oak remaining. Should continue to drink well for at least another decade.

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• 1989 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Stunning aromatics with flowers, fruit, and earth. Just fantastic balance and harmony. Complex, long finish. My #1 WOTN and the group's #1 WOTN by a huge margin.

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• 1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Stunningly aromatic with balsam, cherries, and tar. Full in the mouth. A touch sour on the finish keeps this from being great.

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• 1989 Parusso Barolo Mariondino 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 4pm.] The vintage shines through. A depth and richness I don't normally find in this wine. Sweet. A pleasure to drink.

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• 1990 Parusso Barolo Mariondino Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Others like this more than I did. I found it had an odd green streak with I had not noticed in previous bottles (which I think were all mags).

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Barolo-Braised Black Angus Short Rib, Creamy Polenta, Grilled Summer Vegetables.

• 1997 Vietti Barolo Castiglione 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Decanted around 11:30am and left it in the decanter until 3pm.] Young and sweet with nice tannin and tar. Not a lot of complexity, but may blossom with an 5-10 years in the cellar.

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• 2000 Giovanni Corino Barolo Roncaglie 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 5pm.] Young, thick, gunky. Impressive young wine, but barely recognizable as Barolo.

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• 2007 Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  [Double decanted around 6am.] Surprisingly similar to the 2000. Appealing but spoofy. 89-91 points.

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It was reassuring that the group overwhelmingly chose the 89 Giacosa as the WOTN, by one of the largest margins ever.