Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
La Festa del Barolo Gala Dinner
The Pool in NYC
Tasted January 31, 2020 by MC2 Wines with 286 views
Introduction
First time at this event which is surprising because it's exactly the type of event that we love to do. I think perhaps because we've never been very big into the critics and this is something that is shared just with Vinous members (we also now have a membership because of it).
We had some great visits in our last Piedmont trip and Burlotto was one that really stood out so when we gave a list of producers we were interested in sitting with they were at the top. And I'm really glad. The Monvigliero is a special wine.
Flight 1 (1 note)
White - Sparkling
2016 Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée du Goulté Blanc de Noirs Brut
Champagne with dinner because one should always have champagne to start. This is in that mineral, chalky, crisp, super dry style. Very easy to drink. Didn't last past the first course but also because glasses were at a premium.
Flight 2 (2 notes)
Red
2009 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
Poured from a double mag. I am a terrible blind taster and yet there is something about this wine that makes me wonder if I could pick it out if we did blind. The nose on it is so unique and just jumps out the glass at you and there's this herbal/truffle/red fruit combination that seems happen in all of the vintages and is just so enticing. It is lovely and elegant and somehow at the same time the phrase 'salt of the earth' comes to me. This was a warmer vintage at the time (similar to vintages today), but when the time to pick happened it cooled down significantly and Fabio noted that helped the wine keep some of that elegance. Just lovely.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2008 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi
Unlike the Monvigliero this is more earthy and leafy and a bit of floral and perfume. I think it's slightly overshadowed by its compatriot and yet this is still a great wine. There is a finesse with this producer which I really appreciate.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 3 (3 notes)
Red
1996 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
We had opened and decanted this for sediment and rebottled before bringing to the event. The truth was this needed more of a real decant. It was a touch musty going into the glass and the nose was a bit off. With some time though it really blossomed. With more time the red fruits and the truffle and the more herbal notes (and it's an herb I just can't quite put my finger on) all there. The last sip was the best which means a decant would have been advisable. Still, very enjoyable.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
1990 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Neirane
Also poured a touch musty and I almost got a hint of barnyard and brett but all of that blew off with more time in the glass. And then you get that underlying elegance and there's almost a hint of umami and maybe a slightly darker fruit profile and again a really classic wine (I have a different definition I think than Lettie of the WSJ although mine is perhaps even more positive).
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1988 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
From a double magnum and a definite contender for WOTN. Especially with some time in the glass this starts to really take. Fig and black fruits in that kindof juicy and super fresh style. Still the more herbal notes. And almost a hint of mint to it. Just a beautiful wine and one that I really enjoyed.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 4 (4 notes)
Red
1996 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili
What a special treat to get to try this. I was surprised at the level of power in this wine as well. I think of these Giacosa wines as very elegant and pretty and more feminine in nature but this was not that at all. Opened and decanted (in fact only wine at the table served in a decanter). It started quite tight and really needed the few hours in the glass that we gave it sipping softly away. As it unfurled more fruit and a nice almost spice style in addition to a certain earthiness. It's a truly lovely wine.
Red
2001 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Riserva Vecchie Viti dei Capalot e delle Brunate
From a magnum because I think that's the only format they make this bottle in. We brought this wine and to be honest it was not my favorite. I think much too young to be drinking it now. On the heels of a bunch of more classic styles the oak stood out and was not yet integrated into the wine. If you have one of these recommend waiting to open. I'm intrigued to see how it drinks on the second day as there was some left.
Red
2001 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
One of my favorites at the tasting. I just really love what she does with her wines. This was all red fruits and rose hips and a lovely freshness and elegance in style. Very old school which I appreciate. Will keep seeking these out. They are just wonderful.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1995 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato
Another one of ours and it was drinking particularly well (although I was more partial to the Burlotto I think). I get sandalwood and maybe a hint of cinnamon and some red fruits in here. Interesting and a slightly different style than some others on the table, but it worked. Very well integrated and just overall in that perfect drinking spot which is always fun to find in a bottle.
Flight 5 (3 notes)
Red
1980 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
From a magnum. This also had that old wine mustiness and I'm not sure it ever totally recovered from that, but it was also poured with one of the later courses and I didn't go back and revisit with the same regularity I did some of the earlier flights.
Red
1990 Vietti Barolo Brunate
From a magnum. Drinking it's age so a bit more of the leather and saddle oil and all of that.
Flight 6 (3 notes)
Red
1988 Domaine Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Yep, a Burgundy. At a Barolo dinner. Fun to change it up sometimes and interesting because I think there are a lot of similarities between the two regions. There was a certain iron ore minerality here which I think is similar to a flavor you find in the Monvigliero as well. Nice and elegant. Drinking well and a fun comparison point.
Red
1961 Cappellano Barolo
From a magnum. Funny to realize that we've had this wine before (an amazing Cappellano dinner that Maialino did a few years ago). This wine struck me as being the victim of a pnp to a certain extent. I remember the somm telling us she had decanted all of the cappellanos from the morning and I want to say we had dinner around 8:30 that night. This was a bit more musty and attic. Opened up a bit during the evening, but I suspect could have used a lot more time with air.
Red
1964 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva
What I think of when I think of old barolo since this producer was our introduction to it. To me it reminds me a lot of a tack room. Saddle oil and leather and all of that. It's a wine for ppl who like their wines with age (i.e. we're pretty much all in the secondary and maybe even tertiary notes right now). Thankfully I do.
Flight 7 - Bonus bottles kindly shared by the broader set of participants (9 notes)
Red
2004 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne
From a magnum. A bonus bottle that made it's way to our table (thanks Alex!). This is a powerful wine with quite a bit of intensity and I think to be fair needed a bit more time. The oak still stood out a touch to me although you could tell it had softened from where it started.
Red
1961 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo
It's hard to believe this wine is gearing up to celebrate its 60th birthday. It is still going very strong and this seemed to be a particularly perfect bottle of it. It's the freshness that jumps out. Fruit still there. Wine still going strong. That classy style that is just a hint lighter on the palate and yet still full of complexity. Very enjoyable.
Red
2013 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo
So everything that Marie Therese does is wonderful and this was no exception. I love the freshness in her wines. She is able to capture the grapes right at the right time. Perhaps not the depth of flavors as you find in the barolo, but this is a great wine and really wonderful when you consider the price point.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2008 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche
This producer is on my list to learn more about and drink more of and so I was excited to get to try. This was a great wine and leads me to believe we should spend more time. Lovely freshness and that bright character that the best barolos often have. Very enjoyable.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
1967 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo
My WOTN in some very stiff competition. This was just rocking. Very fresh and that iron ore that I got in the burgundy earlier was definitely in this wine as well. The Monvigliero vineyard comes through and I suspect was in the blend. Nice herbal side. Fruit still there but it takes more of a backseat to the other flavors. Really well structured. It's just a special wine.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
The thing that struck me first with this wine was the tannin. Very fine and it almost creates a certain backbone and structure to the wine. Then a bit more in the red fruits style. Drank well.
Red
1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
Not quite as much life in our bottle as the previous note suggested. This was classic aged barolo which for me seems to get to a saddle oil style. Fruit faded.
Red
2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina
From a magnum. There's always a point in a long night like this where my notes get very short on each wine and this seems to be the wine where I shortened the most. Interesting to note that I seem to have enjoyed the wine well enough, but felt it was a bit overshadowed by some of the competition that came earlier. There were some pretty amazing bottles being poured.
Red
2004 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
Again a Giacosa where I would use the word power to describe the wine. Still quite balanced though. It's fig and dried fruits.
Closing
WOTN was the 67 Burlotto although there were a number of strong contenders. Overall everything was great. Very fun evening and great atmosphere and just the right number of people to not feel totally overcrowded. I enjoyed it quite a bit. We will be back.