2010 Barolo

A really good tasting - some spectacular wines, the opportunity to tick off a bucket list bottle thanks to a generous tasting companion, and great company. Some of the bottles were totally open for business, others nowhere near.

• NV The Wine Society Champagne 86 Points

  France, Champagne

  From mag, disgorged '21 but some suggestion the base vintage is as far back as '08. Certainly it had a richer, oakier and sweeter character than bottles I've tried recently so maybe winemaking has changed a bit over the years. The nose is pleasantly oaky with some chlorine, red ripe apple - toasty and warming with toffee notes. Good balance on the palate, ripe lemon and liquorice. Slightly too much dosage for me - it finishes a little gummy.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Giacomo Brezza e Figli Barolo Sarmassa 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  A really strong start to proceedings: real depth and density with aromatic complexity. Mr. Sheen (Butylphenyl methylpropional says Google, but I think I'll stick with Mr. Sheen), black cherry, coffee, pomegranate, rose petal, mint. Voluptuous nose that evolves with air. Resolved on the palate - smooth and silky, red fruit with an umami edge. Just getting a little dry on the finish - I'd guess this is at peak.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Marcarini Barolo Brunate 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Deep and heady bouquet - ripe, almost confected, strawberry, some lovely spiced notes, coriander and cracked black pepper, violet and soy. The tannins are slightly rustic and chunky which make it a great food match, along with fresh acidity. Generous and drinkable.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Poderi Colla Barolo Dardi Le Rose Bussia 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Soapy and darky fruited, immediately appealing in quite a visceral way even if it's not hugely complex or intellectual. There's a sweet fizzy cola note and an exuberance to the dark cherry nose which pulls you in. The palate suggests that the wine needs time: it feels quite clenched, inexpressive with lots of tannic grip.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Villero 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This is the real deal: delicate, complex and deliciously drinkable. New leather, sweet tobacco, and floral notes lift a combination of sweet red fruit and savoury, umami depth. The balance is really compelling. Coherent on the palate: sweetly fruited with fine tannins providing a tug of grip, punctuating a long finish.

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

• 2010 Pio Cesare Barolo 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This wine sparked the thought that we need to have a genuinely middle of the road wine at these tastings just to remind ourselves how good everything else is. Because this - which on another night would have given a lot of pleasure - suffered by comparison.
  
  Savoury and beefy with notes of soy and red plum, shiso and a touch of rubber. Sweet and velvety on the palate with a fine grip at the end and latent power which sustains a long finish. Very pleasant but lacks poise.

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

• 2010 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Fresh, vibrant red fruit. Super clean and energetic with hints of toasted spices accentuating the primary fruit. So aromatic and joyful, albeit with a sense of restraint. It gives the impression that Burlotto has taken pure Nebbiolo fruit of exceptional quality and done as little as possible to mess around with it. Stylistically it's like the best Langhe Nebbiolo you've ever had. Yum!

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

• 2010 Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Bussia 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Quite tight at the moment, lots of vanilla, slightly woody and dry. More of a bruiser than the lithe, aromatic style which tends to appeal to me. Pulpy fruit on the palate feels outweighed by the fiery tannins and high acidity. I'd question whether those elements are going to resolve and find balance before the fruit wears off but in any case, it's one to sit on for a while.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Silvano Bolmida Barolo Bussia 86 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Maybe it's a Bussia thing but I didn't love this. Quite dense and foursquare. Concentrated dark fruit, rubber, tobacco and an animal note. Rather flat on the palate.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Polar opposites in style and terroir - interesting comparison here

• 2010 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Caveats out the way early - other tasters who have had this recently reckoned this bottle wasn't quite singing as it should. But in any case, I'm very grateful to have tried it at all.
  
  Hard strawberry candy on the nose - extremely distinctive and, for me, slightly synthetic. Just a hint of sticky fresh tobacco: it's really quite primary and fruity. Very young on the palate: searing acidity and masses of sandy tannins. In the fantasy world where I have a case of this, I'd be giving it 10 years until opening the next one.

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

• 2010 Massolino Barolo Margheria 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This was another one which had all the power and energy in the world but it's currently turned inward and - for me at least - not in a place to give any real pleasure. Smoky, dense dark fruit, hot tar. Kind of impenetrable and I found the same on the palate, which is all about dense tannic structure at this point in time

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