August 18, 2022 - First of three ($54@) from a recent auction lot. On the nose and palate, medium notes of red cherries, red currants, red berry melange, earthy minerality, iron/rust, tar, tomato leaf, sous bois, oak and rose petals. Medium rust turning to medium-dark garnet with air, medium bodied, medium thick legs. Medium+ tannins and acidity which fully integrate quickly, no heat, but a bit of booziness on the nose which likewise goes away with air. Good+ complexity, VG intensity and persistence. Barolos are second only to red BDX in driving me to distraction on aging and aeration, but this version of this cuvée came out of the bottle ready to roll, and what little angularity there was on the pour was fully balanced and integrated within 30-45 minutes. Regular drinkers of the Rocche and Bric, of which, alas, I’m not one, will find this bottling, perhaps particularly this version, a bit monolithic, and drinkers of other vintages of this bottling to perhaps be a bit lacking in lift, but I found this mature, fully-integrated wine to be delicious, with classic savoriness and food friendliness that helped it excel with scampi and surprisingly solid with a savory seared salmon the second night. Likewise, its outstanding balance makes it highly enjoyable as a standalone. Without a budget for Mascarellos and Voerzios, the best Scavinos from the best vintages rank with top Vajras below only top tier Sandrones in my Piedmont pantheon, and this isn’t that, nor is it fair to expect it to be such considering the purchase price, but unlike some Barolo experiences, the tannins won’t peel your teeth, and you don’t need an electron microscope to find the fruit. Solid and more than respectable at what I paid for it, it may be more of a wine of a prince than a king, but I’m glad to have another couple of bottles. Strongly suspect that this is late peak drinking window, I’d advise minimal aeration and consumption in the next few years or so.
December 5, 2021 - Geschmeidig, am Beginn seines Höhepunkts
August 27, 2021 - Nja
May 21, 2021 - 2.5 hour decant
Aromas of anise, dark red and black fruit, earthy. Nice backbone with opening tannins, suave feel and nice acidity with good finish. Nice but tannins still wee bit young
January 28, 2018 - Deep red fruit, tar and cellar floor. Still has strong tannic backbone and shows great structure. Delicious!
September 2, 2016 - Still very tannic even after several hours decanting
March 21, 2015 - Red berries on nose. Expressive red berries on palate with powerful tannins. Nicely structured. Sweet fruit on finish.