Drank with Paul again but this this time with Kent as well. Marvelous comments from both as a powerful wine , bursting aroma and silky smooth. Kent guested it as a grand cru Burgundy.
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One hour decant. Ethereal nose of lavender, powder and lemon zest, perhaps a hint of licorice. Tannins are almost totally integrated but still present and very fine. Great mouthfeel and long finish that goes on and on. Dark cherry, rose, a touch of tar. A little port like. Drinking fabulously. One of the finest barolos I have ever had, if not #1 definitely in the top two or 3 but the question of price point should be addressed. I paid slightly over 200 for this bottle and would gladly buy another bottle or two at that price, but no way in hell would I pay the $900+ the current market is pricing it at. I find that to be utterly ridiculous and, personally, i don't think there is a wine on the face of this earth that is worth a thousand dollars a bottle. Speculators and "investors" are destroying the market for actual wine drinkers, kind of sad IMHO. 96 --97
Armand Rousseau Chambertin Dinner (State Street Manor - Chicago IL): Bottle had been opened the day before. Spiced and floral with plenty of slowly advancing red cherry, along with a charming tarragon note that combines dried herbs and anise elements. Slightly oakier than I consider perfectly ideal for Barolo, but with the stuffing for that to have already been nearly absorbed, but still clearly modern-ish. Very good density, good now, better to cellar even further.
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Both Paul and I brought this Granbussia, Paul was 1995 and mine was 2005. Besides the different in lable, 95' vintage shown none age different on the same wine, though mine was opened 4 hours and Paul's was 1 hour in bottle before serving. Both had similar nose of tobacco perfume, pale red ruby colour, silky noble palate and strong structure and medium body, long after taste. 2005 was an average vintage but still had many years to go.
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Decant; medium light red with brownish hue; stringent lightly acidic nose, sweet light caramel, some blueberry and vanilla; nice rounded attack, slightly tannic middle, on the acidic side in the aftertaste; should probably have had some/much more air than half an hour’s decant; nice and agreeable, somewhat intriguing while somehow seems that it has not reached its full potential
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The youngest wine in the lineup, Aldo Conterno’s Granbussia is (predictably) amazing. Very good expressive wine of great intensity. This is the vintage where Giacomo started to green harvest even more and release even later.
Smoke, tar, violets and roses, black berries, it offers nuance, complexity and depth only truly great terroir is capable of. This is still a baby, so I would add 1 point for its great potential.
WS 95, RP 95, AG 95+, ST 96+, JR 17/20
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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Decanted only about 30 minutes. Needed more. Great barolo nose of black fruit, ash, charcoal. On the palate lots of leather, saddle and red berries. Still very tannic. Needs time to resolve. Come off a bit dry at the moment. Still very young but a great wine here. 93 with upside.
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Dark ruby color. Expressive dark fruit nose, Palate of black cherry, tobacco, herbs, eucalyptus. Medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel and texture. Lone and layered finish.. in a great spot now, should continue for another 10+ years.
Some criticism that this is an international/Parker styled wine. While bigger and more fruit forward that other Barolo (I dont have a broad tasting of 05, so no real expertise here...), this is excellent wine now, nicely aged with a good arc in front of it.
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Sexy nose of rose, plum, and cinnamon. Ripe yet elegant, with a light mouthfeel yet real power. The finish of plum and spice offers considerable legth. Drink now through 2030.
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2011 DRC and a range of others: Char, tar and redcurrant. Drinks really easily, the fruit shows a touch of softness and purity, while also having the classic tannin structure. Does reflect the vintage character but I can still see this ageing well over the medium term.
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Decanted for one hour. What a glorious wine. One of the best wines of the 2005 vintage I have tasted. The wine displayed great balance, complexity, finesse and focus and finished with considerable length and elegance. The wine is drinking beautifully now and will provide great drinking for the next decade.
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Barolo: (degustato alla cieca) Serrato. Compresso in una complessità appena intuibile ma nettamente presente. Ci sono spezie, frutta, china. In bocca c'è una concentrazione di tutti gli elementi perfettamente equilibrati tra loro con un rincorrersi ordinato di tannino (magistrale) acidità e sapidità, come se ognuno di essi prevalesse per qualche attimo per poi lasciare spazio anche agli altri, monopolizzando la nostra bocca con una girandola gustativa divertente e appagante. Ovviamente è lunghissimo
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I'm surprised at how good this is right now. The nose was full and open right out of the gate. Plums, red fruit, spice and a bit of leather. The palate matched with some vanilla extract and was perfectly balanced, rich and velvety. Very fresh and forward. Long finish, a bit of tannin and some heat, but no doubt those will flesh out with time and the score should go up. Really enjoyable today but this will no doubt improve.
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Beautiful wine that commands attention, totally classic, seamless, very typical, manages to be big as well as traditional. Transparent and very well balanced.
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Italy 2012 - Piemonte; 7/8/2012-7/14/2012 (La Morra): Tasted at the winery. The big and fragrant nose of licorice, red plums, baking spice, mint, tar and leather is intoxicating and kept me sniffing for minutes before taking my first sip. Rich and almost velvety on the palate but at the same time feels light with its fresh flavours and energetic acidity. This was more approachable than any of the ’08 Barolos but still should be laid to rest for at least 5-7 years for it to properly show its pedigree. Outstanding. 93+
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Aldo Conterno Tasting: A remarkable wine. Most of the fruit comes from the Romirasco vineyard -- I recall a similar visceral response to another beauty, '06 Romirasco barolo. The '05 Granbussia has all the ripeness of fruit, all the delicacy, all the complexity of both Cicala and Colonnello and yet it adds more richness and sensuality -- this is Claudia Cardinale of Aldo Conterno barolos. Other crus, great wines on their own, seem simple and one-dimensional next to Granbussia. Very deep, extracted, the fruit has it all -- richness, sweetness, tar, anise, roses, violets, cherry, menthol. The lucky ones can enjoy it now or watch it change over the next 30yrs.
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3/29/2023 - BLam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank with Paul again but this this time with Kent as well. Marvelous comments from both as a powerful wine , bursting aroma and silky smooth. Kent guested it as a grand cru Burgundy.
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4/15/2022 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 96 Points
One hour decant. Ethereal nose of lavender, powder and lemon zest, perhaps a hint of licorice. Tannins are almost totally integrated but still present and very fine. Great mouthfeel and long finish that goes on and on. Dark cherry, rose, a touch of tar. A little port like. Drinking fabulously. One of the finest barolos I have ever had, if not #1 definitely in the top two or 3 but the question of price point should be addressed. I paid slightly over 200 for this bottle and would gladly buy another bottle or two at that price, but no way in hell would I pay the $900+ the current market is pricing it at. I find that to be utterly ridiculous and, personally, i don't think there is a wine on the face of this earth that is worth a thousand dollars a bottle. Speculators and "investors" are destroying the market for actual wine drinkers, kind of sad IMHO. 96 --97
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11/30/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Return to Piemonte!; 11/25/2021-12/4/2021 (Castello di Sinio, Alba, other various locations): The splurge wine and one that I always find myself liking. This was much more open for business than the ‘01 we had maybe a month ago. Opened and it was singing almost from the get go. Very tasty wine.
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10/28/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Armand Rousseau Chambertin Dinner (State Street Manor - Chicago IL): Bottle had been opened the day before. Spiced and floral with plenty of slowly advancing red cherry, along with a charming tarragon note that combines dried herbs and anise elements. Slightly oakier than I consider perfectly ideal for Barolo, but with the stuffing for that to have already been nearly absorbed, but still clearly modern-ish. Very good density, good now, better to cellar even further.
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8/12/2021 - BLam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Both Paul and I brought this Granbussia, Paul was 1995 and mine was 2005. Besides the different in lable, 95' vintage shown none age different on the same wine, though mine was opened 4 hours and Paul's was 1 hour in bottle before serving. Both had similar nose of tobacco perfume, pale red ruby colour, silky noble palate and strong structure and medium body, long after taste. 2005 was an average vintage but still had many years to go.
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5/23/2021 - Miceri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decant; medium light red with brownish hue; stringent lightly acidic nose, sweet light caramel, some blueberry and vanilla; nice rounded attack, slightly tannic middle, on the acidic side in the aftertaste; should probably have had some/much more air than half an hour’s decant; nice and agreeable, somewhat intriguing while somehow seems that it has not reached its full potential
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1/14/2020 - neilsforest Likes this wine:
A big wine that took some time to open up after being decanted. On the basis of this tasting I would leave for 2-3 years before trying another
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12/28/2019 - pdicorpo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ridiculous! So good - beautiful nose, incredible red fruits, spiced, mineralogy. I loved this!!
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3/16/2018 - ve23 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Piedmont Night at Winil on March 16, 2018 (Winil, Moscow): 96/100
The youngest wine in the lineup, Aldo Conterno’s Granbussia is (predictably) amazing. Very good expressive wine of great intensity. This is the vintage where Giacomo started to green harvest even more and release even later.
Smoke, tar, violets and roses, black berries, it offers nuance, complexity and depth only truly great terroir is capable of. This is still a baby, so I would add 1 point for its great potential.
WS 95, RP 95, AG 95+, ST 96+, JR 17/20
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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3/4/2018 - Topper wrote: 90 Points
Good structure and fruit but sill a baby. I'd hold on to these for 8-10 more years.
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12/31/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted only about 30 minutes. Needed more. Great barolo nose of black fruit, ash, charcoal. On the palate lots of leather, saddle and red berries. Still very tannic. Needs time to resolve. Come off a bit dry at the moment. Still very young but a great wine here. 93 with upside.
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11/22/2017 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
Bit more stuffing and complexity than single vineyard wines. 70 year average versus 45.
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10/20/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
Wine Spectator, NY Wine Experience Grand Tasting...more wines than time...shorter notes (NY City): At NY Wine Experieince. Big contrast to drink this 05 Barolo vs. some of the younger ones being shown...
Dark ruby color. Expressive dark fruit nose, Palate of black cherry, tobacco, herbs, eucalyptus. Medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel and texture. Lone and layered finish.. in a great spot now, should continue for another 10+ years.
Some criticism that this is an international/Parker styled wine. While bigger and more fruit forward that other Barolo (I dont have a broad tasting of 05, so no real expertise here...), this is excellent wine now, nicely aged with a good arc in front of it.
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3/15/2016 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 94 Points
Som alltid ett strålande vin. Inte i klass med 2001, 2004 eller 2006 men väldigt bra för att vara en 2005:a
Sparade tyvärr inga noteringar
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1/1/2016 - garyty Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours. Still perhaps young. Drank very well but likely to improve in the bottle over the next several years.
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12/18/2015 - Tubulus wrote: 93 Points
Rich flavor and texture without being heavy. Dark color in the glass. Not particularly floral. Extremely pleasant to drink.
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11/18/2015 - rlove wrote: 93 Points
Sexy nose of rose, plum, and cinnamon. Ripe yet elegant, with a light mouthfeel yet real power. The finish of plum and spice offers considerable legth. Drink now through 2030.
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8/22/2015 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
2011 DRC and a range of others: Char, tar and redcurrant. Drinks really easily, the fruit shows a touch of softness and purity, while also having the classic tannin structure. Does reflect the vintage character but I can still see this ageing well over the medium term.
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3/17/2015 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Decanted for one hour. What a glorious wine. One of the best wines of the 2005 vintage I have tasted. The wine displayed great balance, complexity, finesse and focus and finished with considerable length and elegance. The wine is drinking beautifully now and will provide great drinking for the next decade.
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7/20/2014 - johnh1001 wrote: 94 Points
Similar to the last bottle. Beautiful fruit, but quite tannic.
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11/28/2013 - paolonardi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Barolo: (degustato alla cieca) Serrato. Compresso in una complessità appena intuibile ma nettamente presente. Ci sono spezie, frutta, china.
In bocca c'è una concentrazione di tutti gli elementi perfettamente equilibrati tra loro con un rincorrersi ordinato di tannino (magistrale) acidità e sapidità, come se ognuno di essi prevalesse per qualche attimo per poi lasciare spazio anche agli altri, monopolizzando la nostra bocca con una girandola gustativa divertente e appagante. Ovviamente è lunghissimo
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10/16/2013 - johnh1001 wrote: 94 Points
I'm surprised at how good this is right now. The nose was full and open right out of the gate. Plums, red fruit, spice and a bit of leather. The palate matched with some vanilla extract and was perfectly balanced, rich and velvety. Very fresh and forward. Long finish, a bit of tannin and some heat, but no doubt those will flesh out with time and the score should go up. Really enjoyable today but this will no doubt improve.
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2/21/2013 - yofog wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine that commands attention, totally classic, seamless, very typical, manages to be big as well as traditional. Transparent and very well balanced.
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11/15/2012 - JOsgood wrote:
Really excellent. Big with very deep and penetrating flavors. Tar and roses. A classic beauty. This should make old bones.
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11/7/2012 - EMichels wrote: 96 Points
Exceptional nose; Great depth; Much strength but accessible as-is; Will round out the edges over time and become something spectacular; +
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7/10/2012 - godx wrote: 93 Points
Italy 2012 - Piemonte; 7/8/2012-7/14/2012 (La Morra): Tasted at the winery. The big and fragrant nose of licorice, red plums, baking spice, mint, tar and leather is intoxicating and kept me sniffing for minutes before taking my first sip. Rich and almost velvety on the palate but at the same time feels light with its fresh flavours and energetic acidity. This was more approachable than any of the ’08 Barolos but still should be laid to rest for at least 5-7 years for it to properly show its pedigree. Outstanding. 93+
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5/16/2012 - Aaron19 wrote: 96 Points
Cinnamon, Spice, Plum, Fig, Black Licorice. On the palate cherry spice, tar, and graphite very complex and layered with a long finish.
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4/26/2012 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
Aldo Conterno Tasting: A remarkable wine. Most of the fruit comes from the Romirasco vineyard -- I recall a similar visceral response to another beauty, '06 Romirasco barolo. The '05 Granbussia has all the ripeness of fruit, all the delicacy, all the complexity of both Cicala and Colonnello and yet it adds more richness and sensuality -- this is Claudia Cardinale of Aldo Conterno barolos. Other crus, great wines on their own, seem simple and one-dimensional next to Granbussia. Very deep, extracted, the fruit has it all -- richness, sweetness, tar, anise, roses, violets, cherry, menthol. The lucky ones can enjoy it now or watch it change over the next 30yrs.
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