February 10, 2024 - DOA
December 24, 2023 - Bottle by far over the top….
September 10, 2022 - Drinking nicely now, probably wouldn't hold much longer. A touch muted, should have given more air. Darker cherry, light licorice.
Drank with JB, K, and A during their visit.
October 3, 2021 - Corked. Animal or something. Too bad because the color was deep red and probably a great wine underneath
November 14, 2020 - White Truffles & Nebbiolo: 67x4 flight. Deceptively youthful in appearance and on the palate. Rich, chewy plum fruit with lots of licorice and herb. So young and a standout in the flight for its youthfulness.
November 14, 2020 - Nebbiolos, white truffles, Volume V (Chicago, IL): Preternaturally youthful. I probably would have guessed this to be 10-20 years younger if this were served blind. A lovely mix of black fruit and earthy tones, with the fruit more prominent on the nose and the earth more prominent on the palate. Tannins are a hint leathery still, but this is in fantastic shape already.
December 16, 2017 - Delicious. Wasn't a perfect bottle with some oxidized sherry aromas but very distinctive caramel, nutella characteristics.
May 13, 2017 - drinking very well now.
August 31, 2016 - Dark, almost black cherry color with surprisingly high opacity. Complex, developed and attractive nose with a lot of dried fruit character and slightly restrained aromas of wizened dark cherry, some raisin, a hint of withered roses, a touch of sweet acetone VA and a whiff of leather. Moderately full-bodied, ripe and rather sweet palate with developed, juicy flavors of dark cherry, bitter spice, some sunny, plummy fruit, a little ripe raspberry, a hint of sour cherry and a touch of volatile complexity. Rich, long and layered finish that is somewhat lighter and more delicate than the rich and generous midpalate. Flavors of sour cherry, ripe damson, some sweet VA and a hint of dried fig in the aftertaste.
A wonderful old Barolo that has reached its plateau of maturity and is approaching its final years before downfall. Though there is a lot of fruit in the wine, it is starting to turn into that sweet, anonymous dried-fruit character of old wines. Can keep for years, probably even for a decade, but I'd preferably drink sooner rather than later - it is hard to see more developmental potential in the wine. Now the wine is simply stunning. Very recommended.
May 18, 2015 - baseneck fill, slightly nicked capsule, perfect label, cork came out perfectly in one piece suggesting a relatively recent bottled wine. color of a summer-peach tea, slightly cloudy from sediments but the main sediments are pieces of grape skins (a first for me). Bright acidity that settled with 30+min of gentle decanting, sour cherry, tea, cigar leaf, dry rose, leather and slight mushroom note. medium body with long lingering finish that is balanced impeccably. Drank well through 4 hrs and the last glass from the bottle retained that liveliness. Lovely bottle but needed slight more complexity to break the 95+ zone. Probably have 5+ yr ahead if condition is ideal.