Precise, but not sharp, with toast, brioche, and honeyed mousse, delicate and absolutely not overpowering multifaceted bouquet. Feels fine and elegant on the palate, with carbonation of the lower side already.
I suspect late disgorging, this bottle looks a kind of new (10 year old new). Well, waiting for good Champagne is like waiting for a good Barolo.
First bottle of 1996 feels much younger, cheekier, it’s a teenaged punk looking for a street brawl, nothing prudent or discreet yet. Bright and shiny, with lots of red cherries and fruit, tannin and acidity at top.
This bottle needs maybe 10+ years to settle down and gain proper sense of balance. Yet, I find it quite interesting, shows great development potential - as compared to 1993, which is a wise old man at 35.
The youngest wine in the lineup, Aldo Conterno’s Granbussia is (predictably) amazing. Very good expressive wine of great intensity. This is the vintage where Giacomo started to green harvest even more and release even later.
Smoke, tar, violets and roses, black berries, it offers nuance, complexity and depth only truly great terroir is capable of. This is still a baby, so I would add 1 point for its great potential.
Comparative test of Monprivato 1997 in a regular bottle versus the same wine in a Magnum.
Surprisingly enough, it feels young - well, definitely younger than 1.5L. Thin, with dark berries, ripe cherries, underbrush, and forest floor - and red plum resonating on the palate. Light and weightless.
Absolutely stellar magnum. Thin, refined cassis and black currant come together in a joyful and harmonious mix with tar and smoke.
Weightless, light, not an ounce of heaviness in my glass - and so much of untamed energy!
Doesn’t feel as 1990 at all - no, it’s a handsome forward in the youth league scoring a goal in the semi-finals at the last moment, making his way both to the cup and to the premier league. I am so re-evaluating Pio Cesare.
Barolo Chinato is not my kind of drink at all. As much as I tried it, I dislike this traditional region’s digestif - moreover, I find it waste of good Nebbiolo. Or bad Nebbiolo.
Spices, clove and cinnamon dominate nose and palate, the terroir is completely bulldozed and barren.
Despite the fact that this very bottle was a gift from Eleonora Barale during my last visit to Barolo about a year ago, for yours truly, even one sip is too much.
1988 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare 95 Points
France, Champagne
95+/100. TOAST AND MOUSSE
P-H’s Rare 1988 showed itself quite beautifully tonight.
Precise, but not sharp, with toast, brioche, and honeyed mousse, delicate and absolutely not overpowering multifaceted bouquet. Feels fine and elegant on the palate, with carbonation of the lower side already.
I suspect late disgorging, this bottle looks a kind of new (10 year old new). Well, waiting for good Champagne is like waiting for a good Barolo.
One glass was not enough!
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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1997 Braida (Giacomo Bologna) Barbera d'Asti Bricco dell'Uccellone 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti
93/100. F-R-E-S-H
Definitely one of the best Barberas around there. Dog-rose, red berries, sour cherries, bright and sharp acidity piecing the palate like a spear.
Light, but with complex structure and good balance (well, adjusted for the abode mentioned higher than usual acidity).
This magnum of 1997 was not a notch tired or weary - no, it was the essence of life itself. Certified fresh. A totally pleasant surprise.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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1993 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva Classico 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
91/100
Cloudy brown color. Prune, leather and tobacco leaf dominate. Palate is delicate, soft, somewhat faded, acidity already a bit weak.
Good wine, but it feels a notch tired.
Классический рыхляк.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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1996 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva Classico 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
92+/100. CHEEKY
First bottle of 1996 feels much younger, cheekier, it’s a teenaged punk looking for a street brawl, nothing prudent or discreet yet. Bright and shiny, with lots of red cherries and fruit, tannin and acidity at top.
This bottle needs maybe 10+ years to settle down and gain proper sense of balance. Yet, I find it quite interesting, shows great development potential - as compared to 1993, which is a wise old man at 35.
Longevity is key here.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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2005 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia 96 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
96/100
The youngest wine in the lineup, Aldo Conterno’s Granbussia is (predictably) amazing. Very good expressive wine of great intensity. This is the vintage where Giacomo started to green harvest even more and release even later.
Smoke, tar, violets and roses, black berries, it offers nuance, complexity and depth only truly great terroir is capable of. This is still a baby, so I would add 1 point for its great potential.
WS 95, RP 95, AG 95+, ST 96+, JR 17/20
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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1997 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
95/100
Comparative test of Monprivato 1997 in a regular bottle versus the same wine in a Magnum.
Surprisingly enough, it feels young - well, definitely younger than 1.5L. Thin, with dark berries, ripe cherries, underbrush, and forest floor - and red plum resonating on the palate. Light and weightless.
Needs more cellar time if you ask me.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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1997 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 98 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
98/100
Comparative test of Monprivato 1997 in a regular bottle versus the same wine in a Magnum.
Absolute winner of the night, this complex and multifaceted beauty easily swamps all suitors away.
Juicy, textured, complex, slowly evolving in the glass and showing all shades of a truly great Barolo.
Bouquet of smoke, tar, cloudy cranberry juice and other red berries, still quite young but already entering its peak and thus very harmonious.
Benchmark Barolo.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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1985 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
92/100
A decent old style, which reached us in a very good shape. Some animal notes, earthy, clay, with a whiff of wet paint.
Round, plump on the palate - slowly started its decent from the apex, but still energetic, resourceful and vigorous.
Уже рыхляк от Ceretto, но в отличном состоянии, ещё полный бодрости, не заваливается совсем.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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1990 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 96 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
96+/100. FOREVER YOUNG
Absolutely stellar magnum. Thin, refined cassis and black currant come together in a joyful and harmonious mix with tar and smoke.
Weightless, light, not an ounce of heaviness in my glass - and so much of untamed energy!
Doesn’t feel as 1990 at all - no, it’s a handsome forward in the youth league scoring a goal in the semi-finals at the last moment, making his way both to the cup and to the premier league. I am so re-evaluating Pio Cesare.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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NV Fratelli Barale Barolo Chinato 87 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo Chinato
87/100
Barolo Chinato is not my kind of drink at all. As much as I tried it, I dislike this traditional region’s digestif - moreover, I find it waste of good Nebbiolo. Or bad Nebbiolo.
Spices, clove and cinnamon dominate nose and palate, the terroir is completely bulldozed and barren.
Despite the fact that this very bottle was a gift from Eleonora Barale during my last visit to Barolo about a year ago, for yours truly, even one sip is too much.
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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