Impromptu Barolo and Barbaresco Tasting

I tried to rally our tasting group on short notice with my wife going out of town for the weekend. Smaller than usual group resulted. I made some Duck Confit midweek and some of the Inn at Little Washington’s “autumn soup” (they call it Ruttabaga and Granny Smith Apple Soup)… I also braised some Berkshire pork cheeks in a bottle of Prisoner someone had given me and served them over my signature mashed potatoes. We made the duck confit into a pasta with mushrooms. I pulled out a handful of wines I have been wanting to have and one of the guests brought 1985 and 1990 Barbaresco’s. The troops (all 4 of us plus one late-comer) gathered around 4pm and I didn’t get to bed until midnight.

This rich soup was elevated by the Meursault, but I didn’t think the soup helped the wine.

• 1997 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  This was another wonderful bottle from Robert Ampeau. Previous bottle about a year ago was delicious and this was at least its equal. Marvelously balanced. Fragrant complex nose. Lots typical notes like lemon curd, acacia blossoms, burnt sugar, etc. Beautiful medium bright golden yellow. Just the slightest oxidative flavors. Great mouth feel and depth of texture and flavor. Sadly my last bottle.

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We all tried the dishes with various of the Nebbiolo’s. In general the group was underwhelmed by both of the Mascarello’s but equally awe-struck by the A&G Fantino Dardi Riserva which was clearly the consensus WOTN!

• 2009 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Horribly corked and oxidized. Heavily bricked. Not the first time with Monprivato. Disappointing. Will try another bottle.

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• 2008 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Barolo Riserva Bussia Cascina Dardi 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This was a glorious bottle, 3rd I’ve had from a case, and clearly best so far. Double decanted at 3pm and tasted through about 9 when it ran out. Impeccably balanced with fresh acidity, superb purity of fruit and very complex and layered. Luscious texture. Very long finish with notes of spice and licorice in the aftertaste. Still well structured. Should continue to drink well for a long time. This was perfectly pairs with both the duck confit pasta and the braised Berkshire pork cheeks I made for the group.

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• 2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  This was double decanted with a couple hours in the open decanter then tasted over 6+ hours with a little left for tomorrow. This started off very closed and funky. It had some distinct bricking and seemed somewhat oxidized. But over the evening it improved markedly and was delicious with braised Berkshire pork cheeks and the last sips were the best. More later. When it came around it was darker and less bricked. The fruit was a little subdued but was dark cherry oriented with some tar, savory elements as well as an edge of tannin. The acidity was still there but not as bright as some of the younger wines tonight. In its prime it went down easy and fleshy and better with food.

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• 2009 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Second bottle opened after flawed bottle. The was better but not what I was hoping for. Upon opening this too was pretty heavily bricked but a bit less than the flawed bottle. The fruit was there but mostly subdued with many secondary and tertiary flavors that belied its mere 15 years of age. This tasted a good decade older than it should have in my view. That said it wasn’t bad after being double decanted and tasted over about 5 hours. Only moderate acidity and yet a bit astringent at first but less so over time. The score reflects it at its best, probably 85 initially.

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• 2009 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Double decanted after an hour of air in the decanter then tasted over 8 hours. More heavily bricked than expected and slightly oxidative in nature. Also some noticeable VA. It did seem to settle down with more air and in the end was enjoyable with braised Berkshire pork cheeks. Was very muddled early on. If this had not been accompanied by several other more stellar Barolo’s and Barbaresco’s this might have seemed better.

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• 1990 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Brought to my house by a friend, decanted and tasted over 4 hours. This was nicely mature and drinking about as I would have expected. Lightly bricked but showing lots of life and still maintaining a nice core of cherry fruit. Notable tar floral and earthy elements kept this interesting. Good depth and length. I’m me of the top wines this evening, besting both 2009 Mascarelo’s (Bartolo and Guiseppe’s Monprivato) for the whole group. While just a step or two behind the 2001 Giacosa Asili and the 2008 Fantino Dardi Riserva. All in all drinking at its peak and capable of hanging there for some time to come in a cool cellar.
  
  p.s. a small taste left in the decanter was still lively and pleasant the next evening.

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• 1985 Castello di Neive Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Brought by a friend to have with my braised pork cheeks but this was smelling and tasting of wet cardboard. TCA taint pretty certainly. It want totally in drinkable but definitely not right in my book.

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Great homemade apple pie and a moderately sweet wine that paired well with it.

• 2018 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Late Harvest 90 Points

  Hungary, Tokaji

  Brought by a friend to have with apple pie made by his wife. Wine is solid with moderate sweetness and slight botrytis that paired well with the tart apple in the pie. Little to no oxidative notes. Clean and fresh. Not a long aging wine but nice now.

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Long evening that ended with surprisingly little wine left over, given the small size of the group! Thanks to everyone for their contributions. Glenn for the dessert and wine and lots of prep help, Shane for his usual plating skills and Tom for the old Barbaresco’s!