Troglia bottling. Wax was very hard and difficult to remove without softening under a flame. Cork removed (mostly) with the Durand and was soaked through and fragmented at the bottom. Stood up for 3 months and decanted off the clear top of the bottle and left ~2 oz in the bottom. Clear light ruby; nose has high intensity aromatics with tar, black cherry, slight soy, truffles; palate is light bodied, high acid, definitely a lot of savory soy, fruit is gone for now, tannins still present; finish is a bit thin and medium length. For such an old bottle it's showing well now even on the nose, though I'm hoping it will open up a bit more and that the palate will flesh out with an extended decant. 9 hours decanted in a narrow base decanter (Jancis Robinson's old wine decanter). Nose is largely similar with integrated black cherry, tar, soy. Palate has indeed fleshed out a substantial amount with more red cherry fruit, slight rose, still prominent tannin (not surprising), very high acid. This is an excellent fully mature barolo, but still with probably a lot of time left. Enjoyable, if short of profound like some top aged barolos can be. Day 2: Last 2 oz never decanted, left in bottle for 30 hours and filtered through a coffee filter. Surprisingly clear after filtering (tons of sediment was left behind). Nose is more black fruited, still aromatic, overall a bit better integrated but not significantly different; palate is much richer, integrated tannins (still high and present but a bit plusher), still has plenty of soy and balsamic. At least as good if not better than yesterday, and worlds better than when first opened (and it was super light and shrill on the palate). This is lovely, top tier Barolo.
Stood 1 month, minimal sediment at the bottom 1 oz. Decanted just prior to tasting. Pale translucent ruby (lighter than a 1975 Cappellano drank with this); high intensity aromatics, fresh roses, bright cherry fruit, slight menthol; palate is light bodied but also with surprising depth of fruit flavor, plenty of red cherries, red fruit, high youthful tannin that gives the midpalate plenty of structure; finish is medium-long and full of juicy fruit. This is going to be a top Cappellano Rupestris. Day 3: The last 1-2 oz in the bottle: A bit more density on the nose and the palate. This is heading towards the 1975 in style just a bit, though it will take decades to get there. Still perfumed and floral/rose on the nose.
Light ruby; slightly oxidative, some red fruit, honeyed mint; palate is medium bodied, red fruit, currant, surprising amount of medium tannin, medium-plus acid; medium finish. Really interesting, and the only example of blueberry wine that I know of. Definitely interesting, and enjoyable. 91 Day 3: This is just as good without any dropoff. Just lovely plush fruit throughout, easy to drink but with plenty of complexity. I underrated this. 92-93
1975 Cappellano Barolo
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Troglia bottling. Wax was very hard and difficult to remove without softening under a flame. Cork removed (mostly) with the Durand and was soaked through and fragmented at the bottom. Stood up for 3 months and decanted off the clear top of the bottle and left ~2 oz in the bottom. Clear light ruby; nose has high intensity aromatics with tar, black cherry, slight soy, truffles; palate is light bodied, high acid, definitely a lot of savory soy, fruit is gone for now, tannins still present; finish is a bit thin and medium length. For such an old bottle it's showing well now even on the nose, though I'm hoping it will open up a bit more and that the palate will flesh out with an extended decant.
9 hours decanted in a narrow base decanter (Jancis Robinson's old wine decanter). Nose is largely similar with integrated black cherry, tar, soy. Palate has indeed fleshed out a substantial amount with more red cherry fruit, slight rose, still prominent tannin (not surprising), very high acid. This is an excellent fully mature barolo, but still with probably a lot of time left. Enjoyable, if short of profound like some top aged barolos can be.
Day 2: Last 2 oz never decanted, left in bottle for 30 hours and filtered through a coffee filter. Surprisingly clear after filtering (tons of sediment was left behind). Nose is more black fruited, still aromatic, overall a bit better integrated but not significantly different; palate is much richer, integrated tannins (still high and present but a bit plusher), still has plenty of soy and balsamic. At least as good if not better than yesterday, and worlds better than when first opened (and it was super light and shrill on the palate). This is lovely, top tier Barolo.
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2013 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti)
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Stood 1 month, minimal sediment at the bottom 1 oz. Decanted just prior to tasting. Pale translucent ruby (lighter than a 1975 Cappellano drank with this); high intensity aromatics, fresh roses, bright cherry fruit, slight menthol; palate is light bodied but also with surprising depth of fruit flavor, plenty of red cherries, red fruit, high youthful tannin that gives the midpalate plenty of structure; finish is medium-long and full of juicy fruit. This is going to be a top Cappellano Rupestris.
Day 3: The last 1-2 oz in the bottle: A bit more density on the nose and the palate. This is heading towards the 1975 in style just a bit, though it will take decades to get there. Still perfumed and floral/rose on the nose.
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2010 Bartlett Blueberry Winemaker's Reserve 92 Points
USA, Maine
Light ruby; slightly oxidative, some red fruit, honeyed mint; palate is medium bodied, red fruit, currant, surprising amount of medium tannin, medium-plus acid; medium finish. Really interesting, and the only example of blueberry wine that I know of. Definitely interesting, and enjoyable. 91
Day 3: This is just as good without any dropoff. Just lovely plush fruit throughout, easy to drink but with plenty of complexity. I underrated this. 92-93
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