4/16/2024 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine:

My last of 6 bottles. The aromas are still lively and fresh, but the taste… the fruit is starting to fade a bit, leaving a more austere wine. I like these on the fresher side. Tanins are fully integrated, so to my taste I’d recommend drinking sooner rather than later, although that seems to go against popular opinion.

1/14/2024 - Robmcl920 Likes this wine:

2010 Barolo Tasting; 1/14/2024-1/15/2024: The ‘10 Rupestris is a mind blowing young wine. In a horizontal of 8 top wines from 2010, the Rupestris was my #2 behind the Monfortino. Like the Monfortino, it perfectly blended a core of sweet, primary fruit with intriguing savory characteristics.

When initially opened, the wine almost seemed a bit suspect, with an intense note of leather coming out of the bottle. The wines were opened at 1:00 in the afternoon and then double decanted, and we tasted through the lineup around 5:00 and drank over dinner. With more air, the Rupestris showed much more primary fruit. The nose was intensely perfumed, with sweet red cherry fruit, leather, iron /blood, and red florals, with a hard candy like sweetness to the red fruit. The combination of that sweet red fruit with the savory leather and blood notes made the wine really intriguing.

On the palate, the Rupestris was medium in body and super finessed, with silky tannins that are well on their way to integrating. Again, there is this mix of super sweet fruit and almost rustic, but in a good way, notes of blood and leather. And while the flavor profile leans a bit rustic in a way, the texture of the wine is world class. Compared to the Monfortino, the Rupestris shows less density of fruit, leaning a bit more savory which probably means it will lose its fruit faster than the Monfortino. It is also simply a less dense wine, which makes it a bit more approachable now but also probably will give the Monfortino an edge in decades.

1/9/2024 - Portland Seth Does not like this wine:

Tastes like tawny port except that it's dry and not sweet. It has a smooth, woody finish and I think it would be great for cooking or Sangria. That's more than I can say for other wineries that have sold me bad wines (not just bad bottles), so definitely not the worst, but it makes me really miss the '18 which was delicious.

9/18/2023 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine:

Very punchy and vibrant, in a unique way for Beaujolais- much less about that kind of candied red fruit and more peppery, earthy, wild. At times it was a bit steely and difficult- other times it was super engaging and delicious.

The nose kept oscillating between a strange sort of almost-reductive flinty tone and a snap of crunchy wild raspberry/mulberry. Almost like blood orange. When they meshed together, it was just fantastic, especially by day 2. Acidity is a bit tart sometimes, but again, once the fruit finds its footing, it's really complete. A surprising wash of tannins also, not too coarse, just present and a bit demanding.

Reminded me a lot of my previous experience with Chateau Thivin, the other famous Côte de Brouilly standard. I could be underrating this, especially as I think it could age a bit longer than the average cru Bojo. The 12.5% ABV is surprising, not because it doesn't feel light (it does) but because it has the "profile" of a slightly more entrenched, "serious"-style French wine, if that makes sense. I could say it's "Pinot-like" but that's oversimplifying it.

10/7/2023 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

No formal notes as this was brought to dinner with friends. This was my first bottle opened from a 6 pack acquired on release, and I was very excited to try this as all the notes this year from the community have been overwhelmingly glowing saying this was very ready and delicious at this stage of its development. I really don't know what to say about it other than it felt completely muted, expressing hardly any fruit, still tight structure, and a really confusing overall picture. I have no idea what was going on here, but this was not good. I will try to check in with another bottle soon.

8/11/2023 - thwacker Likes this wine:

Inky purple robe; Bouquet dark fruits and liquorice. On the palate, the wine has abundant tannins and acidity, flavors of blackberries and plums. The wine is fresh and youthful, surprisingly firm for a wine 16 years yound, but this is Aglianico after all. Probably opened too soon, but oh so good!

4/2/2023 - MAC49 Does not like this wine:

The label says 75 Sauvignon Blanc / 25 semillon but it tastes like the opposite. To me there is too much passion fruit, almost syrupy, and none of the zest or minerality of the SB grape. The wine is built well it is just not for me

3/19/2023 - bon vivant wrote:

Having read most recent reviews on CT I assume that my own notes & score may be a little controversial. I consider myself a big fan of Nebbiolo and find that the truly good B&B's show best with 2-3 decades of cellar age. I am also a fan of Campagnia and have visited most wineries that are considered the top in the region (including Galardi). Tonight's bottle was in my cellar since 2007 and was decanted for massive amounts of sediment. Right of the bat the aromatics where pronounced and captivating, mostly of dark Cherry fruit and a hint of varnish (likely due to some VA which was not offensive to detract from the wine and eventually receded to barley a hint). No funk or offensive notes this was a clean bottle. It is still a powerful, deep rather then broad wine with elegance and a texture that is silky smooth. The massive tannins that were present in the early years have rounded up beautifully and offer a seamless expression. Within 20 minutes and afterwords the wine was hitting on all cylinders. The fruit aromatics and flavors were now sweeter, complimented by secondary and tertiary smells of old library (old leather) Rosemary, Tobacco, Lilac perfume and tar and forest after rain. The texture was complex with tons of Umami flavor towards the finish which lasts for over 40 seconds with a distinct mineral note. It is very accurate representation of the terrior. This is not going to be a crowd pleasing wine especially with those who like big fruit driven wines. To me the aromas and texture were reminiscent of classic old school Cavallotto Barolos from the late 1970's or Ceretto Barolos from the early to mid 1980's but with the addition of more mineral on the finish. If you are a fan of those kinds of wines you are in for a treat. This is a great food wine: we had it with a simple dish of Capellini tossed with wild mushrooms, a few fried anchovies, prosciutto and capers a little EVO, garlic parmigan and black pepper and it was a great pairing. We had to keep our hands off the bottle as we already kept sipping a good amount before dinner. While excellent still a slight touch below the monumental 2001 which still stands as the greatest Galardi I have tasted. Outstanding. Again YMMV.

3/7/2023 - jmcmchi wrote:

Drunk over three days and a bit of a chameleon.
Day 1 fresh with lemon and chalk, nice acidity, but edgy
Day 2 revealed an annoying metallic note
Day 3 everything came together, what I expected from a Vouvray

Day 2 84
Day 3 89

1/11/2023 - Montesquieu wrote:

My final bottle from a half case. One prior bottle had possessed a magic balance of dried raspberries and strawberries mixed with subtle earth. Then two duds. This one again lacks the dried fruit. With lots of air/time, the sour notes soften and some pretty earthy, herby flavors remain. But without the dried fruit flavors, it falls short of excellent/90.

1/1/2023 - bon vivant wrote:

This came as a late decision to accompany home made pasta with mushrooms and smoked duck. So instead of my favorite treatment of slow ox it went into a large (magnum) decanter to blow off some initial bottle funk mustiness. within 20 minutes we started to sip and 10 minutes later the fireworks started. At first this was a little shy with dark fruit (cherry) dominating but the long finish gave us a great intro to what's to come. A classic Barolo evolution in the glass with a kaleidoscope of scents and flavors continuing to emerge, tapanade and herbs come into the fold and some forest floor, then more red fruit and an hr into it the proverbial roses and tar. A softer velvety mouth feel as it opens and warms up. Eventually leading to strawberry and brown sugar sweetness and Umami porchini whifs on the finish. This walks a really nice balance between power and elegance and is drinking beautifully right now at what i expect is just getting into an optimal zone. I looked at Galoni's drinking window which gave it up to 2024 and IMO it is way underestimating the potential longevity if this bottle is a good indication. This was sipped over 2.5 hrs and was truly meditative, so good nothing was left for the next day. to truly appreciate this wine I highly recommend quite enjoyment and make sure you don't over decant as in such a case you may miss a good part of the show.

1/8/2023 - tomandlu wrote:

Uncorked but not decanted and consumed over the following 5 hours. Virtually opaque deep garnet red. Very closed on the nose from the outset and only began to open up, even sitting in a glass, for three hours or more. Once it did the aromas were still reticent and took aggressive swirling to reveal classic notes of sous bois, some tobacco, and gobs of red fruit. The wine was equally closed on the palate but showed deep red fruit, solid yet ripe tannins, and good acidity, all beautifully balanced. The finish was actually the best part of the wine this evening, long and deep and fragrant. Clearly my bottle was far more closed than other who have tasted this recently and I'll wait at least another 10 years before opening another. Purchased on released and stored in my cellar since.

12/14/2022 - jshufelt wrote:

I enjoy my own notes - yeah, like I'm really going to wait another 20 years before opening another bottle. Three weeks, 20 years, what's the difference. I crack me up.

Anyway: sometimes I'm glad I don't take myself too seriously when it comes to tasting notes. This bottle was noticeably more open than our prior bottle, with more pronounced strawberry and cherry aromatics, and ample cherries, plums, currants, and secondary notes of rose and asphalt on the palate, with manageable tannins throughout. Still on the early side of the drinking window, to be sure, but better than looking at the window longingly from a distance.

12/8/2022 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Bought on release 15 years ago and this is my first bottle of 8 to open... the early writers had me burry this one deep. The initial aromas on a pop and pour are absolutely gorgeous, and certainly showing wonderful development at this stage, offering plenty of mushrooms, earth and sous bois, but it blossoms like a beautiful flower even with the smallest pour. Really, a gorgeous nose and one that makes me think: This is why aged Burgundy! Palate is completely harmonized, perfectly in balance with a killer attack of acidity and tannin, just a hint of the mushroom, but it's primarily vibrant bright red tannic raspberries... an absolute gorgeous wine on the palate. Finish is still tremendously structured, robust, and nearly hard, showing massive piles of acidity and still fairly gritty tannins. This is still coupled with complete beauty and harmony, though, so I'm not offended, because it's still offering wonderful bright red fruits that are the lingering flavor minutes later despite the tongue still feeling the tannin as well. It does make the mouth water for more, though. This wine is at a beautifully elegant entry point of its evolution... I am indeed happy I waited so long for the first one, as this is just now entering what I'd call an early, but long peak drinking window. I'll continue drinking these for a couple decades. Surprisingly, I think this drank best on a pop and pour, and lost some of its complexity after a 3+ hour slow o and later into the night and the next day. This was poured alongside a 2017 Pierrick Bouley Volnay 1er Cru Santenots, and I believe the winemaking style with Pierrick has shifted so much you can hardly tell they're related. This is still very old school and required all this time to get to this point, whereas the 2017 was completely approachable (and quite a bit softer) at its young age.

12/8/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Also with a touch of a port like smell to the nose. Full and round with an intense grip on day five.

10/30/2022 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Holy cow, is this wine intense this vintage! I found the 2018 rendition of the Domaine absolutely sublime and beautiful, drinking so elegantly, soft, pretty, and fruity. This is NOT that. I could tell on first pour, as it feels thick in the glass, with an impenetrable darkness to the color. Also this wine has quite a bit of sediment in my very first pour; something I haven't experienced with prior vintages. The nose is brooding, but still pretty, showing elegance even if the aromas are of tar, graphite, stones, and blackberry seeds. The palate is where this gets intense. Thick and viscous in the mouth, but tannins very quickly build and it's coupled with deep, dark heavy fruits. As it stays in the mouth it gets more intense, with some puckering acid and bitterness building. The finish dials that intensity up even more, showing ripping gritty tannins and acidity, a mouth full of drying earth dust, with just slight bits of fruit poking through. Indeed, this is incredibly rustic and dry; an absolute brut this vintage. The stuffing is definitely there for this to soften and become a beauty... this is just a different vintage than I've ever experienced of the wine. I'll drink my 2018 Domaines while I let this rest for at least 5 years, but more than likely, 10+.

5/21/2022 - KeithAkers wrote:

il gran finale del Barolo di compleanno (Osteria Langhe, Chicago IL): This is one of the most aromatic and perfumed noses so far. It is lifted, and fresh with loads of strawberries, bright red cherries, fresh picked berries, morning dew, balsamico notes, roasted herbs, earth, potpourri, licorice, spices, and wild flowers with a bit of VA that pokes in and out. The Medium/full bodied feel is beautifully balanced and deep with crisp, high acidity and silky, high tannins. The feel seemed to glide across the palate with a finish that won't seem to quit. The VA from the nose is also just a bit present on the palate as well. Even with that bit of VA, this is a gorgeous Barolo that just ticked off all the boxes for me. Bottles of this have been varied, but when they're on, they're on.

6/4/2022 - tomandlu wrote:

Not decanted. Deep garnet red with considerable fading at the rim. The nose was quite muted at first but eventually opened up to reveal some red fruit and earth but little complexity. The wine was pretty harsh and angular on the palate for the first 90 minutes or so and then softened. Tastes more of structure and acidity than anything else. Can the fruit really have already faded? Stored in my cellar since release.

6/2/2022 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

The cork and bottle were in splendid condition. Gave it a long vigorous decant and it was absolutely singing by the time we got to it. The nose has spent fireworks and tar to begin. Pretty soon decaying rose, pine needles and darker vinous things appear. There's a suggestion of Indian spice too. The palate is deep and chewy, with complex savoury traits. It has wonderful acidity and finish of authority and persistence. In a wonderful place.

9/23/2020 - forceberry wrote:

The fruit is sourced from several vineyards in La Morra, planted to 100% Nebbiolo Lampia clone and aged from 25 to 60 years of age. Macerated for 15 days in stainless steel tanks. Aged in 3000-liter Austrian oak botti casks. 14,5% alcohol.

Pale, translucent brick-orange color. Big, brooding and quite impressive nose with bold and attractive aromas of cherry marmalade, some strawberry, light pomegranate tones, a little bit of smoky funk, sweet nuances of very ripe figs, a hint of wizened red plums and a touch of pipe tobacco. Despite the intensity, the nose isn't overwhelming, but instead quite elegant and fine-tuned. The wine is ripe, dry and juicy on the palate with a moderately full body and intense flavors of juicy black raspberries, some succulent red plums, light sanguine notes of raw meat, a little bit of funky, savory spice, a hint of crunchy cranberry and a mineral touch of gravelly earth. The overall feel is textural and quite silky with a relatively gentle structure that relies more on the moderately high acidity than on the gentle, well-behaved medium tannins. The high alcohol lends some warmth to the palate. The finish is ripe, gently tannic and quite long with dry flavors of crunchy cranberries, some tart red plums, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light brambly notes of black raspberries, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of tobacco.

A lovely, clean and attractive Barolo. Quite textural and accessible for its age, lacking the tough, tightly-knit tannins one would expect from a Nebbiolo clocking at 4 years of age. The overall style is quite gentle, transparent and more concentrated on the purity of fruit than on power and structure. It's hard to assess whether this will be a long-lived wine, but the wine is drinking mighty well right now and probably for the next 4-6 years. Definitely a wine made for the fans of classicist, Burgundian wines, but probably not one for those who equate power, concentration and extraction with quality.

9/14/2021 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

This is truly one of the worst wines I've had in years. I have no idea what's going on here with this bottle, but there aren't any obvious "flaws" of the bottle itself, but I simply cannot believe that anyone would intentionally release a wine that tastes like this; this isn't just a matter of preference, I don't believe... I am game for weird tasting wines, but this just does not taste good. I followed the wine, open, for days and it never became drinkable. I tried from the first glass I poured over those days, as well as fresh pours from the bottle, and it never became drinkable. So... onto my note: This is one of the most disgusting wines I've smelled in a long time... truly acrid. It's as if a rat colony has been eating the interior of your 80 year old car, and then they had a mass extinction event and you found their dead decaying bodies a couple weeks later. You take that smell, and you couple it with the stench of some old dog shit, and you have what could be in my glass if poured blind. I'm not trying to be funny here... that's really what it smells like. There is really not any appealing aspects of this nose, and I tried plenty to find something; it's just shit and dead rats. The palate shows some of that, but it actually has some grape fundip flavors and moderate acidity and tannins are felt. It's not too offensive in the mouth. The finish attacks hard with more dead rats and dog shit, as well as plenty of robust structure of acidity and soft, fine grained tannins. It has really nice structure. The acid lingers long on the finish showing some magnesium powder, but all those shitty flavors linger too. It's like the dog shit has been laying out on your lawn for a few weeks before you discover it, and when you pick it up it cracks open a bit and you get some of those fresh but slightly rotten flavors. Again... not sure what's up with this bottle.

6/10/2021 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

After the amazing bottle of 2018 Cuvée Domaine, I think I bought more of the 2018 Prestige than any wine in my life. Is it worth it? Well... perhaps it's too early to tell. The 2018 Cuvée Domaine drinks better today. The Prestige is most certainly much more structured and robust. It has now been in the glass for an hour or so. The wine requires attention to not miss the elegance that lies beneath the structure. On attention, the aromas offer lithe berries, intense chalk dust, and pretty cutting graphite. It's interesting how intense and strong those aromas become after multiple large huffs. It still feels compact on the nose, but elegance does shine through. Palate entry starts with tight, integrated blueberries, but that quickly transitions to the massive, intense structure that surrounds this wine. Impressive tannins, acidity, and minerals are all present in earnest. Keeping this in the mouth for any length of time only intensifies the structural elements and perhaps covers some of the flavor components. Acidity is actually the dominant structural element on the finish, but of course this is coupled with intense, fine grained tannins, and its presence is felt up to a minute later. There is no doubt this is an impressively built wine. Again, totally nuts that something like this can be had for under $14. My score is for enjoyment today, but I am very happy with this offering... it's just too early to fully enjoy this wine and I expect many points higher of enjoyment in due time. This is a bottle that should age gracefully for 3+ decades. Glad I have one for every year of that time... perhaps that's what I'll do with them, so by the time I'm 80 I can finally figure out how exactly a Bourgueil ages.

7/2/2021 - depechemoroder Likes this wine:

This has just crested over the hill, but still in a very nice place. Strong note of apples - somewhere between baked and wizened, but definitely not fresh. Classic hints of lanolin and straw, with some citrus freshness to balance. Definitely a touch oak spice, though well integrated. The acid is quite assertive, but it's not out of balance or unpleasantly sharp. There is still a sense of what was probably a classical crystalline structure in all its glory, but this needs drinking.

1/28/2021 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Popped a second bottle of six because it's 2021, and one drinking window starts in 2021. Decanted 45m before drinking began with a savory, slightly spiced pork loin dinner. I'm a fan of beautiful, delicate reds, and my score reflects a respect for the difficulty in making these, as mistakes are far more obvious than in hedonistic reds. This lacks mistakes. Flavors are as savory as sweet, with the sweet being light red fruit (raspberry, dried strawberry) and a touch of perhaps cranberry. Hard to top this for a delicate red to go with delicate meats (would love this with rabbit!). I'm fairly confident that this will improve further with age (2-10 years?) and look forward to the next four bottles.

12/15/2020 - repoper wrote:

Put into a decanter for several hours. In the glass it’s black as night. The nose is just so interesting. It starts off with the small of vegetables that have aged in a really interesting way and it’s overplayed with layers of red fruit and smoke. It different but incredible what smells wines have to offer. It attacks you mounts with a burst of those red fruits surrounded by honey, roasted vegies, cranberries and forest floor. Wow. Each bottle gets better and they have evolved in a way I never imagined. This is rocking. Glad to have more. Sad to not have bought other vintages. Nothing like giving wine time to resolve and come together. 94+. This has improve with each bottle. Can’t imagine where it will go down the road.

5/25/2014 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Five Cappellano Baroli with Piedmont inspired cuisine: Poured alongside the 2006 Rupestris. Very exuberant aromas, though coming across slightly steamy. Very heavy, delicious strawberries with some briar as well. The palate has very impressive smooth, soft, creamy texture. I absolutely love the way this wine feels on the tongue. It's large scaled, but oh so sexy. Again some surprising steaminess, but here there's also puckering acidity on the palate. Coupled with that creaminess, it's very nice. This was quite a bit softer on the palate than the '06 Rupestries. The finish dials up with a nice puckering notion, and has a very heavy, large scaled presence to itself. Hugely grippy tannins on the finish, but overall a little warmer feeling than expected.

6/12/2020 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

No formal notes, but this was a lot softer than I had expected. My bottle four years ago still didn’t seem ready to go, and had very tight massive tannins. This bottle showed hardly any tannins, and the fruit profile was very soft and supple. I will have to dig into my next bottle and write a further detailed note, but I suspect that these are full blown ready to go… Perhaps even a little past prime.

7/15/2019 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

On a pop and pour this was immediately succulent and delicious. I could tell immediately... this is the best vintage since the 2011. The aromas are vibrant, showing road tar, white pepper, graphite, and luscious, smooth deseeded raspberries. The notes are light and lithe, but with a penetrating, seductive quality. The palate entry is bright and all high toned, showing thin red berry notes (raspberry and strawberry), lots of graphite and gravel dust. As its held in the mouth, it's is overcome with drying tannins but the acid that attacks balances it quite well and lets you keep the flavor impression of the berries present as well. As its held in the mouth the juicier, more fruit forward it becomes; surprisingly, that initial attack of tannin doesn't take over at all. Smooth transition of acidity on the finish, showing more of the same impeccable raspberry with fantastic ripping acidity carrying this incredibly deep into the finish.

9/6/2020 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

This was pretty flat and muted throughout, out the expressive self it can show as. So... another bad bottle.

4/14/2020 - walkerjfw wrote:

So...I tried this when first purchased and really disliked it. In my cellar at temperature since and thought I would see if any better. Short answer...No

I hear the hype on this producer, the artisan bent to the wines, new different etc...Too many other great wines to drink without struggling to figure out why something should be good when its hard to drink. Chalking this purchase up to being a sucker for a good story from Garagiste...this is to be avoided at all costs. Dumped remaining bottles

4/2/2019 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Becky Wasserman & Co: Icons & Rising Stars of Burgundy (E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR): Rich and dense on the nose; like creamed red apples. Very interesting. Rich, soft fruit enters the palate, with good purity. Pretty, with a slight hint of candy. Pretty nice, but overall fairly light in flavor. Bitter finish with tons of acidity. The finish comes across as quite tight, but very powerful. Needs some years.

8/16/2019 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Jean-Louis Chave in person for E&R's 20th Anniversary, with 22 of his wines! (E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR): Smells of a funky old book; perhaps fermenting raisins. Really funky and rich. Smooth palate entry, and more of that old book is present. The mouth is quite a bit prettier than expected from that funky nose, showing lovely old red fruit as well. Raspberries. Lovely mature acidity and very light tannins are felt in the mouth as well. Wow, a massive dial up of acidity on the finish which is quite rich and pretty, and the flavor itself tastes a bit like an overcooked egg yolk. That sounds weird, but it's in a very good way. Thee acid carries it very long into thee finish. I love how that lingers. I was almost put off by this wine to start, but it evolved into something quite pretty. Before even trying this wine, Jean-Louis said this was a wine meant to be drunk long, long ago. He says it has been decades since he has had this wine as he doesn't keep Saint Joseph... it's a wine meant to be drunk young, so he just plows through his stash in the early years.

7/10/2019 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

This wine is still weird, but good. When I first bought the case I was drinking them far too often and the wine is far too weird for that and I grew tired of it. I think one can only consume a bottle this particular about once a year. But, as it's been well over that for me now, I quite enjoy this one! It's still going strong, and has slightly softened. The aromas are still quite funky with manure notes, but under that is dark plums and spices, and quite a lot of spicy fresh herbs (thyme, Rosemary, fennel). Palate entry feels great, with a medium-full body and vibrant acidity from the get go. The flavors are brighter as well, showing some dark black raspberries, and a surprising bright kumquat (though not that surprising since I wrote that 4 years ago). The acidity is just killer as this is held in the mouth. That acidity rips full speed ahead into the finish, which shows notes more similar to the palate than the nose, with lingering red berries, orange rind, and the acid that carries long, long into the finish. Yeah, there's still a hint of a barn yard in there, but it keeps it interesting. Again, I seriously grew tired of this when I was drinking it every few months, but since it's been 1.5 years since my last one I'm back to really digging it. Structurally, this is perfectly in tact and I'd have no qualms letting the last one sit for 5 years.

2/24/2019 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Brought to restaurant for a pop and pour, so no formal note taken. I generally bury my young Barolo and don't touch them, but after a friend kept saying how well this was drinking I decided to open one with him to check in. Having just had a 2010 Barolo from another producer the night prior, I was skeptical, but... he was absolutely correct. This thing was gorgeous! It was an example of singing elegance. The wine smelled like the most delectable strawberry compote you've ever had. It was gorgeous, lifted and elegant. This profile carried onto the palate which was wonderfully textured on a medium frame, but had incredible structural integration, showing killer acid and tannins, and a kind of bloom that is rarely encountered in young Barolo. Indeed, this feels fully integrated. All these elements carried into a long, detailed, expansive finish that was spectacular. Indeed, this is drinking at an incredible access point. I am unsure if this will shut down as many Barolos do, but it's so classy and integrated right now that it may stay that way for a bit of time. I think I'll need to check into some other recent vintages of Monvigliero to see how they're doing. It was fun drinking this after the 1958 Cappellano earlier in the evening, which for me, scores identically, but as you can imagine, for radically different reasons. Great to see this level of polish in a young wine as well, though!

5/18/2018 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Brought to El Gaucho, Portland to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. 1968 was a sketchy year just about everywhere in the world, but supposedly an OK vintage in Barolo, certainly surrounded by many fine vintages. During a visit to Azelia in 2014, Lorenzo Scavino gave us a tour of the old cellar of wine and showed us wines with this label, made by his grandfather. Thereafter I began seeking them out, acquiring several vintages, and this is the first one I have consumed. The bottle was stood up for weeks in advance, and brought to the restaurant at 1pm. They opened it and let it breath at cellar temp until decanted around 7:30pm. As it was being decanted the color was absolutely perfect. The som said, "it's a bit pale," but for an old Barolo, I found it to be quite red toned, and of course see through as they always are. When I brought this to my nose I knew we were home free. You could smell high fruit tones from a foot away and that's what dominated the nose. Supremely elegant, refined, yet clearly aged red fruits. There were pleasing soil notes underlying that fruit. The nose was absolutely stunning, and nearly everything I seek in old Barolo. This transferred to the palate, where entry was bright, showing really nice red fruit tones, soil, and throughout the experience it was completely coating with refreshing acidity. Not much in the way of tannins, but the acid is sufficient to keep it all together. Finish shows some earthy notes and light lingering berries. Here you get a slight sensation of tannin, but it's mostly the acidic red fruit that lingers into the finish. This wine drank absolutely wonderfully for about 45 minutes in the glass, holding steady the whole time, before finally starting to head down hill at this point. I must say we nailed the opening/decant time perfectly on this bottle. This absolutely beat my expectations for how good it was going to be, and another example of how much I enjoy drinking finely aged Barolo. Score is at first pour.

7/3/2014 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Five days in Barolo: A visit to Cappellano (Serralunga d'Alba): Barrel sample at the winery at just ~8 months of age. There's only one large (~45HL) barrel of the Franco, and it's resting in a Franz Stockinger barrel. This is much more showy than the Rupestris, offering the typical high tones of this wine. Quite floral and pretty, and already sexy aromatic texture and litheness. Similarly more expressive on the palate, which had a nice light texture, but far more depth of flavor before the incredible tannic clout took over. These tannins were however incredibly fine grained. I bet this is going to be wonderful.

2/23/2018 - Bill1100 Likes this wine:

Same old stuff

10/3/2017 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Corked! Dammit! Half of my bottles of the 2014 have been corked and now my first bottle of 2015 is also corked. Gulfi, you need to up your cork game... this is bad.

5/31/2017 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

This one's been open for a few hours by now. Aromas are bright, lean, and fairly elegant, showing sweet tart cranberry and powdered minerals. Definitely on the light side but very pretty. Palate enters with tons of vibrant intensity. This is a real beauty, with acid for days cutting through a rich bright strawberry profile with prolific fine grained tannins throughout. Tons of minerals and acidity balance that elegant fruit on the palate very nicely. The finish is similar, with a ton of beautifully integrated structure, high acid and high tannins, with just a tinge of the cranberry fruit lingering. This is a very young wine but an utter beauty to age over the long term. This is 91 for current consumption, but knowing what it can become makes me want to go even higher because that knowledge is enjoyable too. This needs at least 5 years to integrate some of that structure and will drink well beyond 10-15. One of the nicer 2014's yet.

4/23/2017 - bevetroppo Likes this wine:

Thoroughly modern Millie, but that's no reason not to like it. Nose full of cocoa, coffee, and ripe plummy fruit: almost like a Piedmontese merlot. Licorice, dark red fruits, tar, and good grippy tannins in the mouth. Very forward and inviting. If you enjoy this style of Barolo it's a great example. For me, I appreciate it but it's a little too eager to please, like an overanxious puppy. Good news is you can call it a puppy at age 7. There are plenty of dog years ahead.

Edit: please see the comment submitted by dbp. I am apparently dead wrong about this being a modern Barolo-the family follows very traditional practices. It clearly hit my palate in an intensely sweet and oak-inflected way that isn't explainable through what is said publicly about the way the wines are made, so I recommend you read other reviews for a more "balanced" perspective.

12/28/2016 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

This smells great... the most heavily clove smelling wine that I've encountered. All that hefty clove is doused over sweet dark berries and perhaps a bounty dryer sheet. Palate entry is soft and pretty, showing more clove coated fruit, but this time its red in complexion, ripe hefty raspberries with plenty of tannic seeds. Very interesting spice on this one. Really rich and spicy on the finish as well. Feels just slightly alcoholic, but not like the 2012 did. The spice here is primarily from acid, and this is the sensation that lingers on the palate. Interesting, the 2012 was 14.5% alcohol and this one is listed at just 13%, and you can tell the difference, for sure. This certainly has fruit heft, but does show a bit better balance than the 2012 despite more heft than the 13% alcohol would imply. Again, a nice wine but despite the personal interest of my family being from this area of Sicily, I don't think this is worth the price of entry from a pure dollar perspective.

12/17/2016 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

The color is normal. The aromas are very very ripe, dark and feel extracted for a Beaujolais. It's not like it's plum sauce, but it is plum skin (with the acid extracted). Honestly feels flabby on the aroma. Similar palate; really ripe, with some acidic notes present, but the creamy soft texture shows primarily hefty dark fruit. It's almost stewed and alcoholic on the finish with darkly complected fruit. Really flabby in the mouth. More plummy flabby fruit on the finish. There is some acid on the finish, but it feels like it's in battle with the alcohol and I'm left feeling like I'm breathing fire. I just really don't want that in my Beaujolais. I don't believe the 13.5% on the label. I much preferred the 2014 of this wine poured along side.

1/31/2017 - tnt4242 Does not like this wine:

Loved when tasted a few months ago. Unfortunately now over the hill, getting thin and oily.

10/8/2016 - BBencz wrote:

Having a hard time figuring out the Galardi allure. Two hour decant through a Vinturi. Beautiful dark garnet color at the edge, and almost black at the center. Really interesting nose of deep red fruit and light ash. But palate is largely dry and unforgiving with harsh tannins and little fruit. A great wine to stare at and smell, but fairly unenjoyable to drink. Maybe I need a tutorial or the wine needs another decade; I just don't get the hype.

10/28/2014 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

The wines of Canale's Matteo Correggia with Brigitta Correggia (E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR): Brachetto is usually made into a sparkling sweet wine, but early on they "didn't have the technology to stop the fermentation." Still, this wine smells sweet. It's quite vibrant, with candied menthol notes. The palate is soft but prickly. It's tart and creamy but has this odd fake fruit thing going on. Like a Vicks cough drop. It's more of this menthol cherry cough drop on the finish. Really, I didn't find this very drinkable at all.

8/23/2016 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:

2016 Visit to Cavallotto with Giuseppe (Tenuta Bricco Boschis, Castiglione Falletto): Also from Cru Bricco Boschis, planted in 1991, and seeing two years in neutral large format oak. "Well balanced this year" said Giuseppe. Blackberries and spices in harmony on the bouquet. On palate, less vertical than the Barbera. Brambly, spicy fruit, blackberries and blackcurrants. Rich and a little wild but pure and clean. In balance and proportion. Firm tannins. One of the best Fresias on the trip. Drink now or it will, no doubt, cellar.

5/9/2016 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

This wine started out bitter and green on a pop and pour, and took a good hour to come around in the glass. Now, though, it's quite pleasant. Aromas are light, slight and a little green red berry fruited. Palate entry is nice and sharp, showing slightly bitter, very very fine grained tannins and pleasing acidity. The flavors tend towards under ripe strawberry and ripe cranberries, complete with a slight graphite component. Slightly puckering and tart on the finish which is similar, showing tart acidity and vibrant under ripe red berries. This wine offers some nice elegance despite its lightness and fairly simple flavor profile. It is still incredibly young and think this will be peaking around 5-10 years from now. This was one of the last actual deliveries of the great Premier Cru swindle; I paid $22.99 on a "special weekend pricing sale." At the regular price of $50-60 this is definitely a pass and I figured it may be... but at $23 it's a nice QPR for its elegance... just wait a few years.

4/10/2011 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

North Willamette Vintner's Wine Trail Weekend; 4/9/2011-4/10/2011: Strange rubber ball scents. Plastic as well. Mild tight fruit. Nice fruit on the palate, with pleasing earthiness and good green fruit shavings. Tart and tight on the finish though, and again, not showing much at all.

1/15/2016 - Badgerwino Likes this wine:

This is why I wait so long with Barolos...

8/15/2015 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

Yikes, how did I leave this other bottle around this long? Bringing this to friends house who drink Three Buck Chuck tonight, I figured I'd pop it and take a quick note. Aromas are stinky, and shitty, like old dried up dog crap. It is seriously awful... one of the worst smelling wines in some time and I really don't want to have to consume this. Palate entry is light and thankfully more mellow, offering soft acidity and a creamy palate notion. Oh wait... here it comes... as its held on the palate for over 10 seconds those crappy notes begin coming in, but thankfully not as much so as on the nose. Finish is tart shit notes, and nice lingering acidity... however, the flavors that linger are not good at all. In fact, now as my one sip lingers, that acid makes it feel like stomach acid and that I just threw up wine. There is nothing overtly flawed about this wine, it just tastes poorly made. Reading my note from last time, the profile is consistent, but this bottle gets a few more points due to the mellowed palate. Not sure why I'm one of the few descenting folks on this one.