Annual Pilgrimage to Piedmont - 2016 Edition

BA delay caused us our lunch so a no frill trattoria in Alba did the trick.

• 2013 Orlando Abrigo Barbaresco Meruzzano 88 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/21/2016)

  Bright and fresh, straight forward well made Barbaresco. Medium to light bodied, does exactly what it promises and is very enjoyable for that. Drink sooner than later . 87-88

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Giorgio Pelissero Barbaresco Vanotu

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/22/2016)

  Opened and served. Had this at a Tratoria in Alba so not sure on keeping.
  Quite rustic in style. Medium bodied, good fruit stil albeit a few sharp edges here and there. Decent wine, probably better younger or at least if it was kept better. Felt like an 87 but not sure how characteristic so we will not rate.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

First visit here a solid place, excellent food that can be varied from modern to classic and with a very good wine cellar. Shame the decor is a bit charmless. Very good.

• 2012 Vigneti Massa Derthona Costa del Vento 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Colli Tortonesi

  (10/21/2016)

  Two very consistent bottles here.
  Very young at this stage and although very enjoyable still lacked a bit of complexity that we usually find in this wine with age. Bright, fresh, light citrus, very mineral, bright polished acidity and brimming with life. 91 for now but patience will be rewarded.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2004 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/21/2016)

  From magnum, decanted and served.
  Very much a Classic Barolo, in a way felt very much old school but in any case it's a very well made wine and full of charm. Dark cherries mix with a nice floral element on the nose. Light tar feel on the palate, light earthy feel too. Could have used a bit more depth and weight of fruit if we are to be a bit judgemental but everybody enjoyed this. Solid 93

  Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2001 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/21/2016)

  From magnum. Opened, decanted and served over a good 45 minutes.
  A great time to have this wine now. This is when the modern style of Barolo does the trip, when modern means good fruit, light touch of oak to complement and focus on the elegance.Dark cherries, light touch of tar. Nice ripe fruit on the palate, good but well round tannin. Bright and vibrant still and full of charm. Very well made wine. 94-95

  Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (10/21/2016)

  Good bottle and cork. Served with no decanting .
  Dark colour and definitely the extra extraction and ripeness , which probably was too much in its youth, has definitely helped this wine make the journey and was drinking very well. Good dark fruit, layered, elegant wine, fine nose, light earthy, light herbal at times. Very solid and worthy of its price tag. 94-95

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto 80 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/21/2016)

  Has not survived the journey. From a good restaurant cellar in Alba albeit not sure of probenance. The wine was not corked or flawed just had no presence, the fruit was long gone. Shame

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

We firstly book the Ciau and then the rest follows. This is the focal point of out rip and gets better every year. Excellent food, service and of course among the best wine cellars in the word. A MUST.

• 2004 Dom Pérignon Champagne 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  (10/22/2016)

  Quite expressive and giving and true to the more open vintage that 2004 was. Very elegant as always, rounder, good balance of rich fruit and firm acidity. Not as mineral as we would have thought and more yeasty profile but a great wine nonetheless. 94

  Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2001 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/22/2016)

  From Magnum, decanted and served. Had the slightest touch of TCA not enough to call it a flaw but became a bit more evident towards the end.
  Quite a classic Barolo, not a heavyweight in any way, good dark cherry, light roast meat feeling. Very approachable now and probably best to have it sooner than later. A very good 91-92

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2001 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/22/2016)

  From Magnum and decanted for a good hour.
  Having tried its sibling the 2001 Cannubi Boschis ( Papies 94, again from magnum) the night before it was very interesting to try this more feminine expression of Sandrone Barolos. Still of high class and quality, less of a rich wine and more of a more subtle and in away softer expression. Very good too but a notch lower than the Cannubi Boschis. 93-94 and well in its drinking window now.

  Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2004 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Riserva Vecchie Viti dei Capalot e delle Brunate 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/22/2016)

  From Magnum and decanted for 2 hours.
  A very solid wine just about entering its drinking window and given 3-4 years more this would match the excellent 2001 we had a year ago (Papies 95) if not more.
  Good solid fruit level here, depth and layered, dark cherry, no feel of oak, good acidity and firm tannin. Would have loved a bit more evolution which would have added some more charm but we are confident this will come aith a couple more years in bottle. 94-95 for now and a glorious wine in the making.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2004 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barolo Riserva Vürsù Vigneto Campè 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/22/2016)

  From a beautiful magnum (Only bottled in magnums in great years) and was decanted for a good half hour.
  Among our favorites of the trip and a great find as we never really look to Spinetta for Barolos. A real eyeopener and a great recommendation from the sommelier of Ciau del Tornavento.
  The big vintage here helps, good layered fruit , lots of depth and vibrant. Rich yet balanced core wit dark fruits, cherries, light tar. Still a bit of puppy fat from the oak but compliments the wine well and gives it a nice depth and roundness. Very solid wine and with good life ahead of it. 95

  Read 4 Comments / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1986 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé 96 Points

  France, Champagne

  (10/22/2016)

  From the one of a kind cellar of the Ciau del Tornavento. Still in its presentation box and was probably sleeping there since release.
  Copper pink in color, vibrant yeasty, light honey, earthy nose. On the palate it is very much alive albeit well evolve but it still had a spring in its stride. An amazing experience! 95?96?

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Two year old super beautiful property. Very good restaurant in a very grand setting.

• 2001 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga Gaiun 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/22/2016)

  Opened decanted and served.
  Good wine albeit we thought it would have been better a few years ago still showed a lot of charm and elegance. Not a Burgundian barbaresco. This had quite a bit of fruit and was more of a richer expression (not levels of Gaja by any means) and by the end of the dinner was showing really better. A good 91-92 and best one drinks now

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2005 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/22/2016)

  Opened decanted and served. Would definitely used a bit more decanting.
  We think that the difference of this wine in good and average vintages is a lot and this 2005 felt a bit more rustic and less of a charming wine. To be honest it did arrive at the end of a long wine day so not the best of conditions to judge it but it didn't excite either. Felt like a 90-91 but will not rate at this stage as it would not be fair.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

As always the best way to finish our trip and this little gem with Nona cooking in the middle of Barbaresco (opposite the Cantina dei Produtori) always delivers and along with Ciau is a must be visited place, year in, year out.

• 2005 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/23/2016)

  Two very consistent bottles.
  We were expecting a bit more given the vineyard but much like 2 years ago (at the same place - Papies 90) it felt lacking in excitement and complexity. A good wine and very enjoyable but in no way a great one and was eclipsed by the excellent 2007 that followed (Papies 92) 89-90 at best.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/23/2016)

  From magnum, decanted and served. A nice surprise as to how giving and approachable this was. Well in its drinking window albeit with life to go this was round, supple with good depth of fruit. Rich but elegant fruit, good dark cherry. Very good and a solid 92-93. Impressive to see that post 2005 the alcohol levels on PdB riservas were 14%+

  Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/23/2016)

  From magnum and very similar to the beautiful Rabaja 2007 magnum (Papies 93) that came before. Maybe a touch better? Round and supple, a bit more firm that the Rabaja, softer tannin, and great to see it evolve very nice ly since 2003 when we tried it last (Papies 93). Really impressed with the how approachable these 07s were and were the perfect choice for our closing lunch for the 2016 trip.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• NV Produttori del Barbaresco Grappa di Barbaresco

  Italy, Piedmont, Piemonte DOC

  (10/23/2016)

  A great soft grappa and lends it self well to finish a beautiful lunch, very aromatic, supple and lack sharp edges. Maybe not for the die hard grappa lovers who look for structure and strength but very good.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Alla Prossima!