The nose shows a really pleasant floral tone, as well as some sweet fruit. The palate is light and crisp, and much more approachable than Giacosa's rendition of this grape. More airy and higher-toned, with just a very slight touch of sweetness. This has really good acidity, and there's a minerality here that reminds me of riesling.
There was a little stink here at first, making some of us wonder if this was corked. It wasn't. I think that smell is some mixture of toasty oak and reduction. The palate is certainly better than the nose here. Despite the oak on the nose, there isn't too much polish, and fruit here shows as a nice mix of red and black. Good acidity as well. The only modernist hints show up in the tannins, which feel a little glossier than nebbiolo has any business being.
There's a very slight bit of volatility and high-toned quality on the nose here, but any signs of overt oak are deep in the woodwork (get it?). The palate is a little clunky, especially in that the alcohol seems to poke out a little bit. The finish, though, is very polished, and the tannins, which ought to still be quite chewy at this point, feel extremely silky. While I can't say there's anything outright wrong about this wine, I also can't say that this appeals to me. It's a bit too polished and made-up for my taste.
Of the "modernist" Barolos tonight, this was my favourite. There's a beautiful mix of red and black fruit on the nose and palate, and even though there's a ripe and somewhat extracted character to this, it's rounded out by a silky texture and a glossy lightness. The tannins here are fine and silky, but this is certainly far from being fully ready to drink.
I'll admit that I just didn't get this wine at all. The nose seemed to have some oaky characteristics, though my understanding is that this is a full-on traditional producer. Initially, this was very high-toned and I picked up some balsamic notes, and the black fruit here feels super extracted. The palate is tannic, hard, and bracing. For some reason this feels really heavy-handed to me. Not a pretty wine (as in my mind, Barolo ought to be).
Silky red fruit on the nose and palate here. This is obviously very, very young, and you can tell that there seems to be more stuff that is coiled under the veneer of florals and red cherry. In fact, this is a very powerfully structured wine, with lots of acidity and tannin on the back end. It's just that right now, this has yet to have shed its fruit, so that big structural frame isn't that obvious.
#10999. This is a wine that isn't showing too well right now. The nose, certainly has some beautiful elements, but it feels like I'm experiencing it through a veil that needs to be lifted. The same goes on the palate. There could be so much more, but it's muted. What fruit I could pick up is soft and pretty, and even on the palate, I sense it more as a perfume than as a taste. The tannins are a little coarse (perhaps the only thing not super elegant about this wine), but I suppose they'll soften up with more time.
My favourite wine on the table tonight. Despite the time and age difference, this reminds me very much of the 2011 that I opened on release. However, this is even more elegant, red-fruited, and perfumed than that. The fruit is very ripe, but not sweet or cloying. The tannins are velvety but unresolved. I'm very surprised at how well this is drinking right now; this still seems to be fairly open for business. Of course, I wouldn't be caught dead opening one of my own bottles right now.
2016 Vietti Roero Arneis 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero
The nose shows a really pleasant floral tone, as well as some sweet fruit. The palate is light and crisp, and much more approachable than Giacosa's rendition of this grape. More airy and higher-toned, with just a very slight touch of sweetness. This has really good acidity, and there's a minerality here that reminds me of riesling.
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2008 Moccagatta Barbaresco Cole 88 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
There was a little stink here at first, making some of us wonder if this was corked. It wasn't. I think that smell is some mixture of toasty oak and reduction. The palate is certainly better than the nose here. Despite the oak on the nose, there isn't too much polish, and fruit here shows as a nice mix of red and black. Good acidity as well. The only modernist hints show up in the tannins, which feel a little glossier than nebbiolo has any business being.
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2008 Elio Grasso Barolo Riserva Rüncot 88 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
There's a very slight bit of volatility and high-toned quality on the nose here, but any signs of overt oak are deep in the woodwork (get it?). The palate is a little clunky, especially in that the alcohol seems to poke out a little bit. The finish, though, is very polished, and the tannins, which ought to still be quite chewy at this point, feel extremely silky. While I can't say there's anything outright wrong about this wine, I also can't say that this appeals to me. It's a bit too polished and made-up for my taste.
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2008 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Of the "modernist" Barolos tonight, this was my favourite. There's a beautiful mix of red and black fruit on the nose and palate, and even though there's a ripe and somewhat extracted character to this, it's rounded out by a silky texture and a glossy lightness. The tannins here are fine and silky, but this is certainly far from being fully ready to drink.
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2008 Schiavenza Barolo Prapò 85 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
I'll admit that I just didn't get this wine at all. The nose seemed to have some oaky characteristics, though my understanding is that this is a full-on traditional producer. Initially, this was very high-toned and I picked up some balsamic notes, and the black fruit here feels super extracted. The palate is tannic, hard, and bracing. For some reason this feels really heavy-handed to me. Not a pretty wine (as in my mind, Barolo ought to be).
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2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Silky red fruit on the nose and palate here. This is obviously very, very young, and you can tell that there seems to be more stuff that is coiled under the veneer of florals and red cherry. In fact, this is a very powerfully structured wine, with lots of acidity and tannin on the back end. It's just that right now, this has yet to have shed its fruit, so that big structural frame isn't that obvious.
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2008 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
#10999. This is a wine that isn't showing too well right now. The nose, certainly has some beautiful elements, but it feels like I'm experiencing it through a veil that needs to be lifted. The same goes on the palate. There could be so much more, but it's muted. What fruit I could pick up is soft and pretty, and even on the palate, I sense it more as a perfume than as a taste. The tannins are a little coarse (perhaps the only thing not super elegant about this wine), but I suppose they'll soften up with more time.
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2008 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti)
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
My favourite wine on the table tonight. Despite the time and age difference, this reminds me very much of the 2011 that I opened on release. However, this is even more elegant, red-fruited, and perfumed than that. The fruit is very ripe, but not sweet or cloying. The tannins are velvety but unresolved. I'm very surprised at how well this is drinking right now; this still seems to be fairly open for business. Of course, I wouldn't be caught dead opening one of my own bottles right now.
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