Aged Barolo and Barbaresco tasting

Imperial Treasure Shanghai Cuisine, Ngee Ann City
Tasted Thursday, April 9, 2015 by hkm520240 with 386 views

Flight 1 - Apéritifs (1 Note)

  • 2011 Bodegas y Viñedos Verona Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Verum 88 Points

    Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

    Bright pale straw, lifted aromas of lychee, tropical fruits, flower, hints of melon.
    Rich and smooth palate along with tropical fruits, citrus, salty mineral, floral and touch of grassiness.
    Balance acidity but dry and a bit hollow on the midpalate. Medium length with hits of ginger spice.
    The nose is very promising but somehow mid-palate and finish was a let down.

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Flight 2 - Blind tasting of 4 aged Barolo and Barbaresco (4 Notes)

  • 1967 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Aged Barolo and Barbaresco tasting: Francesco Rinaldi '45, '67 and Gaja Barbaresco '65, '71.
    Tasted blind, first of 4 Barolo. It has surprisingly youthful appearance, dark ruby, bright and vibrant with some brownish rim.
    Beautiful bouquet of red fruits, plum, red cherry interwoven with subtle tobacco, sweet leather, cedar and hints of vanillin oak. Fresh and elegant, amazingly the fruits is still holding and not drying up in the first hour.
    Robust on entry, and yet smooth and mellow, exhibits plum, dried cherry, dried tobacco, earth, iron, mineral and dried spice. Displaying beautiful finesse with bright acidity backbone. Long lingering finish with touch of mineral and fine velvety tannins.
    This bottle does not taste like a 45 years old wine and my guess is the youngest vintage of this bunch. Of course I was wrong. That said I enjoyed this wine very much.

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  • 1971 Gaja Barbaresco 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Aged Barolo and Barbaresco tasting: Francesco Rinaldi '45, '67 and Gaja Barbaresco '65, '71.
    Tasted blind, 2nd of 4 Barolo. Fully matured appearance, dark orange with cloudy core and brownish, colourless edge.
    Subtle nutty, caramel nose along with dried fruits, dried cherry, dried plum, cedar, earth, dried tea leaf and hints of smoke. Sweet and strong entry, with nuances of dried plum, tea leaf, dried cherry, dried herbs, some musky character and hints of nutty notes. Balance acidity, long spicy aftertaste, nice and persistent, with soft and fine tannins.
    Not approachable at first but it gradually improve and show good complexity. I would not expect my second tasting on '71 Gaja will be hugely different from 6 months ago and hence did not get it right from blind due to bottle variation. That said I am little disappointed as this bottle did not meet my expectation.

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  • 1945 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Aged Barolo and Barbaresco tasting: Francesco Rinaldi '45, '67 and Gaja Barbaresco '65, '71.
    Tasted blind, 3rd of 4 Barolo. Dark ruby with maturing brownish rims and nice vibrant hues.
    Showing lots of tertiary aromas with dried herbs, earth, soy sauce, cedar, sweet dried fruits and touch of tar.
    It has good acidity on palate, smooth and mellow palate along with dried plum, dried cherry, dried herbs, balsamic and some dusty earth character. Spicy finish, long and persistent, with velvety and almost resolved tannins.
    This bottle is still holding well on the palate although it is on its last leg but it does not taste like a 70 years old wine. It is a good experience but it does not seem to justify its price tag when compare to Francesco Rinaldi '67.

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  • 1965 Gaja Barbaresco 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Aged Barolo and Barbaresco tasting: Francesco Rinaldi '45, '67 and Gaja Barbaresco '65, '71.
    Tasted blind, 4th of 4 Barolo. Light cherry red with matured core and mahogany rims.
    Lifted nose with floral, dried plum, cherry, red fruits, sweet leather and cedar notes. Mellow and elegant palate, exhibits sweet plummy fruits, dried cherry, floral, balsamic and dried herbs. Soft and almost resolve tannins, medium length not as long as previous 3 wines.
    It has nice balance, fully matured and drinking well now. Not a strong vintage and it surprised myself that I slightly prefer this bottle to '71 Gaja.

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