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Neb-fest: Nebbiolo & Truffle Dinner
Chicago, IL
Tasted November 18, 2016 by Nanda with 526 views
Introduction
An epic night of Nebbiolo, white truffles, traditional Italian fare and good friends.
Flight 1 - Welcome Whites (3 notes)
White - Sparkling
2009 Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé
92 points
A terrific young champagne. More fruit and mineral than brioche. Light on its feet with tons of energy and zest.
White - Sparkling
2004 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Special Club Brut
88 points
Nose had a bit too much earth and funk for my tastes. Palate was fuller bodied with lots of baked fruit and brioche stuffing. Would have enjoyed more with a cleaner aroma.
White
1983 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile
90 points
Cork may not have had a perfect seal. But the wine was quite youthful none-the-less. The fruit here was still fresh and bright. Not a ton of depth/complexity, as this doesn't really show any of those diesel-y notes I usually find in older Riesling. Even still this is an enjoyable and pure expression of dry Riesling.
Flight 2 - Aged Dom + Duck liver mousse on brioche (2 notes)
White - Sparkling
1992 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
87 points
The nose here was tired and oxidative/funky. Palate was also more evolved and listless than you'd expect. Flavors are interesting and complex with some mushroom, dried fruits and earth. But all in all, a bottle of Dom that's well over the hill.
White - Sparkling
1993 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
95 points
A gorgeous bottle of aged Champagne (from someone that prefers their Champagne on the younger side). Aromas and palate were so layered and complex while the body of the wine was still exuberant and fresh. Aging in perfect harmony. A real beauty.
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Flight 3 - Older Nebbiolo + Sformato of peas with asparagus and fontina fonduta (3 notes)
Red
1974 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo
92 points
Decanted for ~12 hours. A really pretty bottle of aged Nebbiolo. Medium nose is layered with dried black fruit, tar and earth notes. Mid weight palate has refined fruit and good fresh acids. Tannins are fine and largely integrated. Elegant Barolo.
Red
1974 Prunotto Barolo Riserva
93 points
Second bottle over the past few weeks. Showed consistently. Decanted for a couple of hours. Full nose has loads of tar and earth. Palate is still full bodied with grippy, tarry, black cherry fruit. Well balanced. Good length. This will continue to hold for years.
Red
1975 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara
90 points
Pop n pour with a 30-45 minute decant. The nose had a distracting funk note, I suspect a longer decant would have helped to clear the bottle funk. Palate was medium-to-full bodied with good layering and textures.
Flight 4 - Mid-agers + Ouvo in raviolo with brown butter (4 notes)
Red
1988 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc
90 points
This saw a long (6-8 hour) double decant. Showed a little shy and un-evolved aromatically. Palate was more giving and complex with very typical flavors (fresh cherry, roses, tar).
Red
1995 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Neirane
93 points
My favorite in this flight. Full, bright nose has a lot going on with many layers. Palate is elegant with pure, lifted fruit. Elegantly styled with excellent complexity. This should age effortlessly for many years.
Red
1995 Giacomo Brezza e Figli Barolo Castellero
89 points
Very good but not exceptional Barolo. Very typical notes in a traditional style. Drinks very well now and should age. Just didn't stand out amongst a varied and exciting lineup.
Red
1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
90 points
Second bottle in as many weeks. This bottle was not as exciting as the earlier one. Nose had a sharp, high toned aroma that was distracting. Palate was more enjoyable with tarry, concentrated red cherry fruit. Certainly has the stuffing to get better. I suspect the nose will smooth out with time or more air given the much better bottle I had last week.
Flight 5 - 2000s + Tagliatelle alla Bolognese tartufata (4 notes)
Red
2000 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
92 points
This saw several hours of air (6-8, if i recall correctly). In a flight with two Serralunga Barolos and a Gaja, you have to really pay attention or this more elegantly styled and nuanced Barolo can get lost. There is so much depth and layering to this wine but it's not obvious or overt. Beautiful subtle tar and leather notes. Well balanced in a restrained style. Needs a lot of time and this has several points of upside from here.
Red
2000 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
92 points
Very showy and upfront already. Mature red cherry, earth and leather aromas. Generous, richly fruited palate with medium acids and grippy tannin. In a very good spot now though it should hold.
Red
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
98 points
An epic wine on the earlier side of it's ideal drinking window. A great combination of power/intensity and elegance. So much flavor complexity with an array or red and black fruits, florals, spice, and earth tones. Long, fulfilling finish.
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Red
2000 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì San Lorenzo
93 points
This is a rich, flavor-bomb of a Barbaresco. Powerful full nose has loads of black fruit, earth oak spice. Palate follows suit with slutty, rich fruit. Certainly has plenty of structure and stuffing to age, but not sure it gets better. Delicious now in a modern style.
Flight 6 - Aldo & 01s + Roast rainbow trout with Brussels sprout leaves (3 notes)
Red
1990 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Vigna Cicala
92 points
A quick double decant in the morning and tasted later that night. In a beautiful spot with mature dried red cherry and distinct tar notes. Good depth and concentration on the palate. Solidly in its mature drinking window.
Red
2001 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia
96 points
A wow wine. Gorgeous soaring nose of red and black cherry, florals, new leather and oak spice. Palate is full boded and clearly very young with youthfully rich fresh fruit and intense spice. Persistent with tons of depth. Clearly a Riserva that's a step up in everything.
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Red
2001 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera
93 points
In the very early stages of it's drinking window. Intense aromas with great complexity. More restrained and traditional next to the Aldo Conterno '01 Granbussia.
Flight 7 - Youngsters + Berkshire pork loin in Marsala cream with potato puree (4 notes)
Red
2005 Giovanni Canonica Barolo Paiagallo
92 points
My first encounter with this producer. Very traditional and restrained -- reminds me a bit of Bartolo Mascarello. Despite it's more restrained style there is a lot of depth and nuance to this one. Fruit is very tarry and complex. Quite nice.
Red
2005 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata
93 points
Showy and forward today with depth and complexity just starting to emerge. Lots of power and stuffing in a polished frame. A few points of upside as this develops.
Red
2004 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato
95 points
Decanted for ~12 hours. Gorgeous, soaring nose has fresh red and black cherry, spice, tar and leather. Amongst many amazing Baroli tonight, this was my favorite nose. Palate is medium-to-full bodied with grippy tannin. Loads of complexity, concentration and intensity.
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Red
2004 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
90 points
~12 hour decant. This was awfully brooding and one note right now. Lots of stuffing but no nuance yet. Needs a ton of time. Plenty of upside from here.
Flight 8 - Chinato + Parfait of truffled sponge with truffle honey caramel (1 note)
Red - Fortified
N.V. Cappellano Barolo Chinato
92 points
The capstone to a great night of Nebbiolo. Intense aromatics with an array of spices, toasted herbs melded to sweet black cherry fruit and licorice. Intense and bright on the palate. Sweet with good balancing acids.