Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Ian's Piedmont Extravaganza
Noize
Tasted May 24, 2023 by NickA with 216 views
Introduction
A fabulously generous dinner with a suprise line-up organised to celebrate a 'big' birthday.
We were all excited to see the bottles upon arrival at the restaurant, and luckily enough there was only one casualty and one other slightly tired bottle.
The reds were decanted c. 1700 and drunk between around 1930 and 2230.
Flight 1 - Cheddar Gougeres (1 note)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Azienda Agricola Marcalberto Alta Langa Metodo Classico Nature
92 points
100% Pinot Noir. Similar to when I tried it in 2021 and 2022 - so continues to be very nice. Rather golden in colour and an overriding sense of ease; this clean, silky wine is in a good place. Some quince and marmalade and an airy icing sugar note, along with compensating quinine-esque bitterness.
Flight 2 - Wild Mushroom Linguine (3 notes)
Red
2004 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè
90 points
The first sniff of the evening's first red had me slightly worried... are these amazing bottles going to live up to expectations? Luckily, all the others absolutely did, but (although others liked it more) I found this Roagna a bit tired on the nose, which had quite a bit of balsamic VA and a slightly oxidative note of coffee. On the palate there was elegant acidity, quite a bit of tannin and a lovely long juicy finish, but also an underlying fecal note. A shame.
Red
2004 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato
93 points
We had a bottle of this last year, and a 2008, that both seemed a bit heat damaged, so I was relieved that this was completely clean. Intense on the nose, with some menthol, and more and more lift and florality with time in the glass. Subtle and elegant on the palate, and plenty of juicy red fruit. This was one of tonight's less powerful and demonstrative reds, and would probably have been even more appreciated if shared between 2-4 people over a longer period of time.
3 people found this helpful
Comments (3)
Red
2009 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
94 points
A really gorgeous fragrance that immediately made it my favourite of the flight; it was so complex and complete that I couldn't identify any individual notes. The wine was really suave on the palate, lively and grippy with some red apple and real thrust on the midpalate. Very long.
Flight 3 - Duck Breast, Pearl Barley and Morteau Sausage ragout (3 notes)
Red
1990 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino
95 points
I was expecting this - in part because it was our sole magnum - to dominate the other wines tonight, but that didn't happen, except perhaps in terms of sheer density. Such a dark and potent wine, with a touch of exoticism on the nose. Coffee and mushroom on the palate, and an excellent level of acidity. Very refined and beautifully balanced, and a real treat, but a bit too brooding and massive at present; at peak in 5-10 years' time? Voted group #5 tonight.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1989 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo
94 points
Much 'smoother' than tonight's other reds, with real weight of fruit at its core. A distinctive and pretty nose with notes of forest floor and pink soap, chewy and substantial yet also surprisingly approachable. I wrote 'a real crowd pleaser', but I think tonight's was probably the wrong crowd for this hedonistic, modern-leaning wine... I found it sensual and delicious.
Red
1967 Cappellano Barolo
97 points
A beautiful colour, star-bright pale orange-brown, like Amontillado sherry... but surely it had to be tired, even dead, if it looked like that? Well, no - our first sniffs and sips revealed a wine that was certainly alive, and with a little more air it started to sing. Sleek, piquant and delineated, but ultimately ineffable, we all fell hard for this wine's ashy, savoury cocktail, and delighted in its long finish. An exquisite surprise, and my and the group's WOTN.
Flight 4 - Slow-cooked Lamb, Broad Beans, Pea Ragout (3 notes)
Red
2010 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
96 points
As ever, such an interesting and distinctive wine, and I style that I love, although it didn't seem to be everyone's cup of tea. What a nose: Christmas spice and coal tar soap, and an underlying sexy muskiness. Leaner than most on the palate, the fruit in the cranberry register, with more smokiness and some olive brine, then a gorgeous sweet finish that reminded me of blueberry smoothy and blackcurrant ice cream. Aside from the arresting aromatics, I was also so impressed by this wine's brightness and energy. Tannins seemed much more approachable than a bottle tasted a couple of years ago.
3 people found this helpful
Comments (1)
Red
2004 Cappellano Barolo Pie Franco Otin Fiorin (Gabutti)
97 points
Holy crap... this wine was in the zone! So aromatic - the essence of Nebbiolo. Crisp, elegant red fruit, immense energy, seamless and complete. I needn't say more. Group #2 tonight.
Red
2001 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti)
flawed
Another bottle was brilliant in 2019, but sadly this one was woefully CORKED
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 5 - Comte, St Nectaire, Epoisses (3 notes)
Red
1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
94 points
Beautifully resolved and quite smoky on the nose. A punch of bright strawberry fruit on the palate, seasoned with some ash, and a refreshing acidity. A gorgeous and elegant wine, albeit overpowered by the two red labels we had in the same flight.
Red
1996 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili
96 points
Really aromatic nose, full of pretty flowers. The wine had such ease despite each sip bringing intense waves of flavour, and was packed full of beautiful sweet strawberry fruit supported by soft pillowy tannins. Exquisitely enjoyable (AG quite right to call it "a total pleasure bomb"), and group #3 tonight.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà
97 points
Even in the context of the flight, and the dinner as a whole, this wine was quite something. Sweet meat and sweet smoke on the nose, and some more of the strawberry fruit I found in all three Giacosas; things got even smokier with air. Seamless and beautiful on the palate, clean and soft, with some game and ash and such incredible energy and power, the spurt of acceleration on the midpalate becoming more and more noticeable with time in the glass. I'd love to spend an evening tracking this. Group #4 tonight.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 6 - Postmortem Refreshment (1 note)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Dhondt-Grellet Champagne Dans un Premier Temps Assemblage Extra Brut
93 points
Disgorged 2022, and duly effervescent. A super Champagne, simultaneously refreshing and approachable, with notes of bitter lemon, orange peel, peach skin and mandarin, almost like an orange wine. Despite those pithy notes, the overall impression was creamy and textural, albeit with an arrestingly bitter finish. We were all pretty impressed by this.
Closing
OMG - I don't expect to drink better than this any time soon. Although I voted the Rabajà my #2 on the night, ultimately the two Cappellanos are the wines I can still smell and taste in my mind's eye - utterly haunting. Thanks Ian!
Results of everyone's votes for their top 5 reds:
Cappellano 1967 - 33
Cappellano 2004 - 26
Giacosa Asili 1996 - 19
Giacosa Rabaja 2001 - 16
Conterno 1990 - 15
Burlotto 2010 - 11
Monprivato 2004 - 7
Giacosa Falletto 1996 - 4
Bartolo 2009 - 3
Gaja 1989 - 2
Roagna 2004 - 0