May 9, 2023 - Three months later, and this bottle could not have contrasted more plainly and directly to the one which was fine plus in February. It has thrown a metaphorical ton of sediment, with great clumps of it in the last glass. Nearing the bottom of the barrel, perhaps? The colour is worrying - a rust coloured core with a broad tawny fringe. It looks more like a Port and, well, the nose is not dissimilar and some oxidation is evident. Yet, the wine slowly removes the Port cloak to start nosing like Barolo, albeit substantially less than a captivating example. And the oxidative note remains, with a very slight medicinal aspect joining it. The mouth fares much better, tasting like the Ascheri, and with the tannin having largely subsided and the concentration continuing to build impressively in this bottle, one can see, with the benefit of previous Ascheri 2009 bottles, how a fine example can indeed be experienced. However, this is very clearly not fine for a host of reasons, but the mouth has become so deliciously engaging after two hours that this is, against the odds, very good plus. The remaining five bottles I have in my cellar are going to be a lottery, I'm afraid.
February 9, 2023 - Upon pouring, this immediately looked fresher and darker than all of the many bottles opened during the last couple of years. Deep red core, dark bricking to russet edge. It nosed a lot fresher than I could recall, with a lot more fruit seemingly on tap. What's going on here? The bottles were all sourced from the producer and stored in the same place in a horizontal position. While there has undoubtedly been bottle variation, here was a bottle which was so markedly fresher and with much more fruit evident on the nose,along with the proper scent of fresh tar, distant licorice and soy, plus a bit of barrique. The palate was just as fresh, too, but also more concentrated and sweeter than bottles since 2021.
Did the wine in this bottle come from a different and more superior barrel? Or was it just down to the vagaries of bottle variation? Were it not for the colour at the periphery, it would be hard to completely believe the latter, because it tasted like a much younger vintage and the last glass even had the wine closing-up. This extreme example of bottle variation, if it was that, was fine plus at its best. I'd be delighted to come across a few more anomalies like this one from my residual stock.
September 1, 2022 - After a couple of bottles that didn't engage my emotions, this one does. With a small pour, it looks brick-red with a russet to tawny fringe, but a larger dose still shows plenty of ruby. Very attractive nose in the sense that it has a delightful combination of older wood, a little dried stalk-like character and subtlety perfumed nebbiolo fruit. The mouth is lovely with food, but on its own, it is not as refined, being sturdy and tannic, despite a silky entry. It has a rather rustic charm, thanks to its delicious sweetness. Starts to tire after two hours, so perhaps it's time to drink-up over the next couple of years. This bottle, with autumn now upon us in the northern hemisphere, was another fine one. May the remaining bottles be like it.
November 19, 2021 - After one out-of-condition bottle and another I can only describe as unspecial, this one was lovely. Though all three bottles had a russet edge, the former two just didn't have the same bright red brick colour shown by the third. Nose of fermenting cherries, but there is some animal fur there as well. Also, the way or the type of oak used lends it a malty character. When the palates are compared, this bottle had a lot more fruit freshness and vitality. Rustic Barolo tannins, but sweet and getting sweeter with every glass. And no fading over the three hours it took to empty the bottle. When it's like this it's fine plus, with time in hand, but there is bottle variation.
September 16, 2017 - Quickly aerated. Would have better executed the tasting had I opened the bottle earlier and given it time to breathe. The wine drinks like it is in its nadir/peak. Complex notes of leather, tobacco, cherries in the nose. Tannins giving way to flavors of berries, anise, saddle. See the menu here http://bit.ly/2x7Gla6
January 23, 2014 - Drunk over two days. A good medium ruby core, with a broad & matted brick-red fringe on the 1st day, but when poured from a half bottle on the 2nd day, it was brick-red throughout, with a tawny fringe. Tight to begin, but with 10 minutes I can coax rose-hip, brambles, stalks and wild yellow-red cherry. Seems a little alcoholic (14.5%). Becomes more perfumed at 30 minutes. Another hour later, there is darker matter on the nose. A little caramel - perhaps a precocious Barolo? Some liquorice. Rose petal. Fennel. Resin. Dark orange zest on the 2nd day, along with a bit more of the barrique showing. At the start, the palate is light bodied, concentrated, yet simple and short. Substantial tannins, but these are fine-grained. Sweet fruit after 15 minutes. Builds weight, concentration and length at 30 minutes and the fruit is getting adorably sweeter. At two hours, the wine is retreating, becoming shorter and turning very tannic. Closing up. This was showing beautifully for the time it was open. Fine Barolo.