Good Barolo and Barbaresco

67 Pall Mall
Tasted Friday, March 22, 2024 by NickA with 44 views

Introduction

Everyone had to bring a good bottle of Barolo or Barbaresco...

Flight 1 - Fizz (2 Notes)

Gougères, gruyère mornay

Flight 2 - Fully mature (3 Notes)

Steak tartare & black truffle
Carpaccio de bresaola & Parmesan sablé
Bacon and gruyère tarte flambée

  • 1998 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

    A wonderful smell of 'posh wine', as you'd hope and expect from this address: polished and aromatic with compellingly deep purple fruit and a tasteful hint of oak. So much to enjoy on the palate, which was savoury, had notes of powdery Turkish Delight and bitter dark chocolate, and a long seamless finish. My #2 tonight, and the group's WOTN.

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  • 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    A classic nose, with lift and soul, and a floral quality. Pretty acidity made the wine very refreshing. Delicate and unlikely to improve, but with beautifully mature flavour and holding up well. Just so tasty; I don't think my note has done the wine justice, as it was my WOTN and the group's #5.

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  • 1999 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    What a nose! Sundried tomato and touches of truffle and volatile acidity made for a tempting and complex combination. Also well-resolved and savoury on the palate, which was really lovely. Definitely the least exciting in the flight, but that's only relative: this showed very well, and was another great advert for ageing wine.

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Flight 3 - In the zone (3 Notes)

Wild mushroom strozzapreti

Flight 4 - Still quite young (5 Notes)

Kentish lamb cutlets & harissa, all the sides

  • 2007 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    A strange combination of seeming well-resolved and yet surely also not yet ready. Glossy although not without soul. Some gorgeous black cherry fruit. Come back in five years? Not obviously faulty, but it might not have been a perfect bottle.

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  • 2005 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    A sweet, pretty nose, with a touch of game. Deep, succulent purple fruit on the palate, good acidity, and in a nice place despite a touch of rustic astringency on the finish. Not flashy, but good - at peak?

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  • 2010 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Clean and mineral on the nose, with a sense of elegance and just a touch of game. Buttoned up on the palate to my taste, with some restrained blue fruit - not as dark-toned as some 2010s. A really nice wine that's only at the start of its window. Group #3 tonight.

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  • 2010 Guido Porro Barolo Vigna S. Caterina 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Seemed readier than the Fratelli to me. Deep, spicy, classic tar/roses nose that became increasingly floral with air. Good acidity and grip on the palate, with some orange peel and balsamic. Some mothball as well...! A bit overshadowed tonight, but fine nonetheless.

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  • 2001 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    A welcome last-minute addition to the line-up. Oh so good - this is sexy wine. Gently floral nose, with some ginger to add intrigue. Admirably fresh on the palate, with plenty of fruit remaining. Showed similarly to a bottle in 2022; there's upside here for good bottles. My #4 wine tonight.

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Flight 5 - Dessert (1 Note)

Apple & quince rice pudding

Closing

I've had plenty of excellent young Bar/Bar, and plenty of disappointing older ones (just too many flawed bottles from pre-2010), but this evening was a great advert for the fully mature wines, with increasing age being so well correlated with increasing pleasure.

I'm still putting 2010s in the 'respect' rather than 'love' camp, but that could change.

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