9/3/2021 - JohanPe wrote:

Continues to develop in a positive way. Typical mushed mature strawberries, rosehip and dried roses-galore. Very generous nose with lots of layers and plenty complexity. Old leather, cherries, dried herbs, paint box and so on. Keep reading about those tapenade-notes and sure, if you're looking they are definitely there. Burlottos Monvigliero follows a clear pattern with its sweet strawberries/tapenade-notes on the nose and in this '08 they are very prominent. Excellent nose.
Lots of structure also with high quality tannins and proper acidity. The fruits gets a little dry/more mature on the palate. Leans towards more tertiary notes of leather and tar. Long aftertaste, overall a very elegant package. Hard to call this drinking window wise, I personally find it nearing its peak but if you want the real maturity you'll have to wait a good 5-10. That's my guess anyway.
I've got one more bottle and I'll try to stay away from it the coming 5.
Side note; payed 310 skr (around €30) for this back in the days. Mind-boggling.

12/4/2021 - JohanPe wrote:

No in depth notes. Definitely interesting. Tasted blind and although I was pretty sure of the variety something felt a bit off or simply...different.
Pure and balanced. Fruit is pretty dark and on and off got a touch of ink to it. Feels light and elegant and quite different from ES's Barolos, particularly his Riserva that's a lot more dirty and tertiary in profile.
With air more classic notes appear.
Grateful for the opportunity to try this, qpr is questionable but if you're interested in the winemaking process and what Nebbiolo could be like only aged in cement tank it's worth it.

1/16/2021 - JohanPe wrote:

First time with a Barolo from Chiara Boschis. I've tried a few bottles of the LN 2016 and really liked it. The Via Nuova has grapes from seven vineyards; Terlo, Liste, Gabutti, Baudana, Ravera di Monforte, Paiagallo and Mosconi. Fermented and macerated for two weeks, aged for 24 months on French oak. (as I understand it 1/3 new) Anyway, modern style for sure.
Sweet fruit, macerated dark sweet cherries dominates. Raspberries. Dark rose petals, menthol, rosehip, liquorice, gentle tar, light roasted coffee beans, worn leather and hazelnut. Everything covered in a velvety soft layer of oak. You definitely sense the new oak, powerful yet with a sophisticated side to it. Will need a lot of time to integrate though.
Powerful tannins, proper grip and of high quality. Slightly drying and quite feisty at this stage. Good acidity also, high pitched and full of energy. The structural background for aging is definitely there.
Rosehip, raspberries, spice, sandalwood, nuts. Sweet fruit and new oak.
Long aftertaste. A broad shouldered Barolo, opened and perfumed but unbalanced at this early stage imo. The oak dominates and covers a lot of the promising material underneath. Not even close to 100 points at the moment imo but it sure oozes potential, but for that you'll have to wait at least 15 years. Bury deep and consider yourself lucky to have this in your cellar.

1/16/2021 - JohanPe wrote:

Opened and ready to go straight at pour. Full profile, big bodied nose in a very generous and traditional style. Mature fruit, dark cherries and strawberries, borderline jammy and a bit sweet. Dried dark roses, liquorice, tar, balsamico, dried carnations, black tea. A lot going on and perhaps the alcohol is there in the background if you're really looking for it. At 15,5% I consider that an achievement on its own.
The palate is, as one could imagine, a real powerhouse. Big and broad, full profile. Superb tannins, really high quality with proper grip and seriously juicy without being overly dry or harsh. Good acidity, balanced in that regard. Dark fruit, balsamico, roses and tar. More about tertiary notes on the palate. The palate strikes me as slightly waxy, or oily even, some kind of balsamic smoothness. Could be the alcohol that contributed to that. A bit of heat on the aftertaste but overall surprisingly balanced considering the high alcohol. With that being said it certainly is a powerful Barolo that surely will benefit from cellar time. Haven't a lot of experience with Canonicas Paiagallo but have tasted most of recent vintages and this feels a lot like '12 and '13 in its youth, both stunning at release but for me with different aging curves; '12 inconsistent and sometimes premature and '13 pretty much brilliant since release and with no signs of folding or even blinking on its way towards future greatness.
Anyway. The '16's only flaw imo is the sense of heat in the aftertaste, otherwise a superb wine at this young stage. Would love to try in 10-15 years again when perhaps the alcohol is even more integrated and the wine has settled down some and become more elegant and harmonious.
Recommended. (especially if you like your Barolo firing on all cylinders...)

8/7/2020 - JohanPe wrote:

Consistent with previous note. Brilliant and ready to go.

7/4/2020 - JohanPe wrote:

No notes, from memory. Super traditional with cherries, roses, rosehip and high quality tannins with perfectly balanced back up from the acidity. Powerful, young and for my taste a bit too early days. This will turn out great in 5-10.

10/12/2019 - JohanPe wrote:

Consistent with previous note, haven't moved an inch.

8/8/2019 - JohanPe wrote:

Flawed.

11/17/2018 - JohanPe wrote:

No secret this was a difficult vintage for Brovia. 50% of the harvest went to bulk and the rest was put into this union bottle called Unio. As I understand no changes regarding vinification at all.
At decant this bottle was surprisingly red fruited, almost strawberry sweet. Pretty and elegant full of fresh roses, rosehip and gorgeous fruit. Two hours later the sweetness has taken a step back and more tertiary aromas has come forward. Earth, tar, leather, rosehip, roses, liquorice and paint box. Far from fleshy but rather light and ethereal in body. Sure there's structure and resistance but for a newly released Barolo it's incredibly smooth and approachable. Very high quality tannins, feels perfectly managed extraction wise which really translates in the wines accessibility. Good acidity. Slight sting of spice in the aftertaste.
Superb effort and although my expectations were high I must say I was positively surprised, especially of how ready this feels already. If you got some bottles I suggest one or two every couple of years is a good way to go. Very curious of where the majority of the grapes are from in the Unio, my amateurish guess would be that most of it are from the Castiglione Falletto vineyards. If anyone's got more info regarding this, and happens to stumble on this note, I would be grateful for more info. Highly recommended.

1/17/2017 - JohanPe wrote:

Lovely appearance in the glass, as always. Dark red with a touch of purple, definitely looks more like the '12 than the previous two vintages. Dark wild berries such as cherries, raspberries and wild strawberries. Forest floor, cassis, coffee, herbs and chocolate are other notes in this aromatic and ethereal nose.
The acidity drives the palate and remind you that this is very very young, a bit unpolished even imo. The acidity is fresh and juicy though, orange-like. The same notes as on the nose together with more of the herbs, some liquorice and a nice spiciness in the aftertaste. I will hold my remaining bottles for atleast 2-3 years before I revisit. The 2012 vintage is my favourite of the Buntsandstein I've tasted so far and I find some similarities in this wine although it's only a baby. Approachable but mostly a predictible confirmation of its potential.

6/27/2015 - JohanPe wrote:

Gorgeous appearance, dark and dirty orange. The nose is very powerful and deep, I could smell this forever. Caramel, dried apricot, raisin, almond, chocolate, smoke, orange peel, fine whisky from the best sherry casks you can imagine. And much more. The palate is intense with feisty dry tannins and lively acidity. Same notes with a fun twist of pommac at the end. Stunning. Be sure to keep your leftovers in room temperature, the fridge will most definitely ruin it.

2/3/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine:

La Festa del Barolo Master Class Tasting (Del Posto): The nose showed the classic Burlotto Monvigliero bouquet with black olive tapenade, roses, violets, crushed cherry and minerals. On the palate, I found soft textures with pure strawberry fruits, inner florals and life-giving acidity. The finish was medium-long with lingering cherry, minerals and olive-tinged inner florals.

This wine receiving 100 points from one of the major critics is the worst thing that could have ever happened to it. In my opinion, it's a very unique wine that will only be appreciated by those who love it for being an outlier, a singular expression unlike most others. Years from now people will taste this 100-point wine and scratch their heads over it, while those who would have appreciated it, have been shut out by the massive increase in price. It's very sad.

9/20/2017 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Drank alongside the 2010, which was much preferred. The color is noticeably darker than the 2010, but this does still have the noticeable translucency one would expect. The aromas somehow seem more modern, if that means anything... instead of that, let's just call it fruitier, and much darker complected and voluminous in nature. Not the typical high toned bright note; it's almost stewed in nature. There is a slightly lean edge to the notes, but the complexion is certainly dark without any tartness expressed. Still certainly smells like Barolo, don't get me wrong. Similar medium bodied on the palate, which shows more darkly complected fruit, but not too much weight. Medium tannins and moderate acidity on the finish. Much more simple in expression than the '10. Dark fruit, cherry seeds, and tons of grit on the end. I definitely dislike the darker complexion here as the wine lacks the elegance and seamless harmony that the 2010 had. The fruit is just too dark. I also note a little bit of alcohol on the finish. This just feels heavier, not as refined as the 2010... I wouldn't think that would be down to the age difference, but if anything 2013 I would expect to be a little lighter than the '10s, which is certainly not the case here. I also find it super interesting that Galloni scored this wine 85 points, perhaps the lowest of the vintage, and Kerin O’Keefe scored it 97, her second highest of the vintage. I respect them both. Kerin's drinking window opens up AFTER Galloni's closes. I wonder what's going on here?

12/3/2016 - JohanPe wrote:

Seductive nose of mostly Syrah-typical notes. Fresh vibrant dark fruit, charcuteries, pork, blood but also some fresh herbs is thrown in the mix. Everything in a very cool style, really like the nose.
More about Grenache on the palate, more resistance and a bit rougher edges. The fruit leans more towards cassis and blueberry now with a lot of herbs and a salty twang at the end. Pretty long aftertaste that I find quite austere, in a good way. This is a really entertaining wine that throws you back and forth between the two varieties, a lot more complex than I'd expected. Very good.

8/24/2015 - JohanPe wrote:

Consistently good during four weeks. Almonds, walnuts, milk chocolate, dried apricots, vanilla, orange peel and a hint of ox. Creamy mouthfeel, soft acidity gives beautiful balance. Medium long aftertaste. The last glass was probably the best, great qpr.

5/28/2016 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine:

The 2015 von der Fels is without slightest doubt the best von der Fels made to date. It is a stunningly wonderful wine which promises tons of pleasure for the future. The nose exhibits wonderful citrus zest, abundant minerals, crisp elderflower and a whiff of fresh oyster. This is a nose to die for, but still it is very very youthful. The palate adds nicely to the first impressions. Everything is in place and all 'ingredients' are as harmonious as one could expect. Still, the wine's youthfulness is shown here too. There is quite a frizzantish feeling on the tip of the tongue when tasting, just as in GGs from star producers and not the cheap frizzante sometimes exhibited in 3d class wines. There is an enormous amount of texture and structure, enough to last for a very long time in the cellar... Normally I believe wines drink well almost all the time during their life span, be it with totally different expressions and thus experiences for the taster. This is true also for the 2015 vdF. It drinks perfectly right now, but given your own preferences and judging from the development of previous vintages of this wine, I am 100 % confident 5 years of rest will do this effort justice. Without slightest doubt the best vdF made so far. It will be a true pleasure following this wine on its long journey towards (more) glory! (score is 94+)

Finally some thoughts on the different vdF vintages going back to 2011.

2011 is drinking wonderfully right now. It has developed into a white swan with expressive minerals and almost perfect balance. Still the acidity is razor sharp which may actually be the No1 reason we are drinking this wine... Guesstimate is 7-8 more years in the cellar if you want any fruit to be left.

2012 and 2013 are both lovely today too. They are perhaps a bit less developed compared to the 2011, but they also express the Keller hallmarks and will last for another 10+ years without doubt.

2014 was completely different to the 011, 012 and 013s. Much more restrained and playing on its acidity and elegance. Less fruit and perhaps just 'less of the good stuff'. On the other hand we have all been spoilt by wonderful vintages dating back to the 09s - so who cares? I am not at all sure about ageing for this vintage. The case I bought is long gone.

6/18/2016 - JohanPe wrote:

Traditional, rustic and surprisingly accessible at this baby stage. Elegant nose with textbook notes of rosehip, cherries, leather, tar, iron and some juniper. Perhaps not showing all the cards but still in this super early stage it's a wonderful nose. The palate is so pure and elegant, fine tannins but no problem to approach, not even on its own. I haven't had a lot of '11 Barolos but I guess it's the vintage speaking here. Just like on the nose you don't get the full experiance, probably far from it, but that won't come as a surprise for experienced Barolo lovers. Same notes as on the nose in the foreground, solid structure with a soft mouthfeel and silky tannins. Medium long aftertaste. Open a bottle if you have a lot of them, otherwise the advice must be to hold for atleast 10-15.

10/24/2015 - JohanPe wrote:

Dark red fruit, plum and blackcurrant. Meaty with lots of power and weight and on the same time cool and fresh, very good. The palate is even better with the same fruit in the same cool, sunny expression. Undergrowth, stem, green herbs, pepper and olives, the green ones. Complex and beautiful wine, long finish, the price is high but when it delivers like this it's good value.

7/30/2015 - JohanPe wrote:

Straw yellow. Beautiful and powerful nose. White tropical fruits, lemon and lime. Direct and with a sense of great power and structure, so very young. Big palate dominated by huge lemon notes and acidity, sharp edges. A spicy component at first, liquorice. This is clearly a great wine in the making but today it's just about judging potential imo, next bottle in 3 years. Lesson learned.

5/29/2015 - JohanPe wrote:

Yellow mature apples, walnuts, caramel, bread and butter. Elegant and on the same time flirtatious and generous. Light mousse that disappears quickly. Surprisingly much fruit on the palate together with caramel and bread. No sugar added although it feels kind of creamy and almost sweet in the aftertaste. Yellow apples, mango and caramel shining together with a dusty layered minerality. Perhaps a bit short aftertaste with an energetic zing of lemon sorbet. The drinkability is just through the roof and despite it's youth I think there's small fractions of early maturity in there, simply a wonderful Champagne from a very interesting producer. Highly recommended.

1/24/2015 - JohanPe wrote:

Dark dense colour. Bottomless nose with great texture. Blackcurrant, blueberry bush, herbs, vanilla, dark chocolate, undergrowth, tobacco, pepper, sweet liquorice and much more. Really good.
Firm and very structured attack on the palate, you can definitely feel the youth, there's a lot more to expect here in the future that's for sure. Immature dark and blue berries, blackcurrant stem. Spicy aftertaste with pepper and liquorice together with black tea. Fine and young tannins in need of food at the moment. High acidity and a lot of energy. For me this really should rest atleast 5-10 years, probably longer. On the other hand it is approachable today with the right food, as always it comes down to your taste and preferences.

10/4/2014 - JohanPe wrote:

Beautiful nose. Classic Nebbiolo-notes with rosehip, raspberry, tar, dark chocolate, damp leaves, and caramel. On the palate there's a fierce attack of acidity, completely catches me off guard, this is still a very young bottle of Barolo. Behind the acidity there is some stem and green notes, raspberries, cherries and in the aftertaste a bit of blood orange. Smooth and almost completely integrated tannins.
After 6 hours in the decanter the nose is just breathtaking, stunning. Not really sure how to rate this, the nose is much better than the 91 but the palate on the other hand, is a few points worse, unbalanced imo. Anyhow, a must-buy if you manage to find it. There is plenty of fruit left, will most likely develop for a very long time.