Wow! Sadly, last bottle in a case purchased in the 90s. Plenty of amber edging and still some depth of garnet in the middle of the glass. Tertiary upfront with leather, earthiness, mushrooms. After 1 1/2 hours dark cherry emerges on the palate and then nose with rose petals and hints of mint & Chocolate. Fully resolved tannins and acid. Longish finish. Love mature Barolos!
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Despite substantial bricking, this was in excellent shape, relatively clean and youthful, and pretty much as good as you could hope for in a barolo of this age. Whoever made these wines really knew what they were doing...I love that they still have pure sweet fruit to balance all the tertiary flavors.
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Very youthful. Cherry, leather, wet earth, and cedar flavors. Well integrated and long on the palate. Took 2 hours in the decanter to blossom. Very nice wine.
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2nd of a dozen (1st showed well recently after 12 hours slow ox). Was taking this to a friend's for dinner so double decanted at midday. Tasted terrible at 12. Tasted terrible at 4. Tasted terrible at 6. No discernible flaw, not oxidised, simply tasted very old like sweaty socks. We drank something else in the end and my friend insisted I bring it home. Now pouring a glass at 9pm an amazing transformation. Heady perfume of dark cherries, animale, some medicinal notes, quite complex and ethereal. Full bodied sweet/sapid palate still with lively acidity and plenty of tannin, cola, blood orange, chinotto, gingerbread, really quite vibrant and long. Once again, I have to reflect that I think many of these older bottles of Barolo get dismissed as over the hill with insufficient oxygenation, several hours slow ox reveals their hidden secrets.
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Dark red. On opening quite harsh and inaccessible. 12 hours slow ox (opened before I left for work, for dinner tonight). Complex savoury nose with toasted sesame, miso, soy, charcuterie, cool coniferous forest and mint. Plush, velvety, sappy palate with intense dark cherries, roses, confection, quite saline, and quite a long almond chocolate finish. At the 14 hour mark something amazing happens with intense cola and spice. High acidity and still plenty of tannin. Very youthful, I'd say this still has decades ahead of it?
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Very fresh and youthful nose of tilled earth, tar, cherry and spruce. In the mouth there's energetic red fruits and plenty of savoury nuance. It is clean and fresh with direct flavours and good acid cut to the finish.
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Tawny red and rather cloudy in color. Tasted very mellow, with high acidity and tart cherries upon opening. Decanted about 2 hours, it put on significant weight showing robust red fruits, leather and integrated aged oak. The tannins at this age are still present but are nicely integrated. No rush to drink.
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This wine was tasted at a very nice tasting of Italian Nebbiolo's. Of course given the age we were all wondering......... Wow, what a surprise. Lighter in color it immediately thru off an intense aroma of liquorice. 20 minutes later the aroma softened and broadened out--still holding up great with super mouth feel. Apparently the 78's live up to their reputation.
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Very nice and fully mature, but no hurry to drink yet. Quite light and elegant with a high acidity and smooth tannins. Roses, red berries and a slight hint of leather.
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closed at first, better the second night. the fruit had diminished somewhat although it allowed the other good coming from maturation to come to the fore. beautiful tannins.
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2/2/2021 - grub94 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! Sadly, last bottle in a case purchased in the 90s. Plenty of amber edging and still some depth of garnet in the middle of the glass. Tertiary upfront with leather, earthiness, mushrooms. After 1 1/2 hours dark cherry emerges on the palate and then nose with rose petals and hints of mint & Chocolate. Fully resolved tannins and acid. Longish finish. Love mature Barolos!
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1/11/2021 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
Despite substantial bricking, this was in excellent shape, relatively clean and youthful, and pretty much as good as you could hope for in a barolo of this age. Whoever made these wines really knew what they were doing...I love that they still have pure sweet fruit to balance all the tertiary flavors.
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12/13/2019 - Boone's Farm Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very youthful. Cherry, leather, wet earth, and cedar flavors. Well integrated and long on the palate. Took 2 hours in the decanter to blossom. Very nice wine.
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10/12/2019 - paulst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cedar and complex; coarse and earthy with cherry and raisen; long sweet finish.
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8/6/2017 - Pancreatitis wrote:
2nd of a dozen (1st showed well recently after 12 hours slow ox).
Was taking this to a friend's for dinner so double decanted at midday. Tasted terrible at 12. Tasted terrible at 4. Tasted terrible at 6. No discernible flaw, not oxidised, simply tasted very old like sweaty socks.
We drank something else in the end and my friend insisted I bring it home.
Now pouring a glass at 9pm an amazing transformation. Heady perfume of dark cherries, animale, some medicinal notes, quite complex and ethereal. Full bodied sweet/sapid palate still with lively acidity and plenty of tannin, cola, blood orange, chinotto, gingerbread, really quite vibrant and long.
Once again, I have to reflect that I think many of these older bottles of Barolo get dismissed as over the hill with insufficient oxygenation, several hours slow ox reveals their hidden secrets.
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6/15/2017 - Pancreatitis Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red.
On opening quite harsh and inaccessible.
12 hours slow ox (opened before I left for work, for dinner tonight).
Complex savoury nose with toasted sesame, miso, soy, charcuterie, cool coniferous forest and mint.
Plush, velvety, sappy palate with intense dark cherries, roses, confection, quite saline, and quite a long almond chocolate finish. At the 14 hour mark something amazing happens with intense cola and spice. High acidity and still plenty of tannin.
Very youthful, I'd say this still has decades ahead of it?
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5/31/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Very fresh and youthful nose of tilled earth, tar, cherry and spruce. In the mouth there's energetic red fruits and plenty of savoury nuance. It is clean and fresh with direct flavours and good acid cut to the finish.
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11/19/2016 - Wardyn wrote: 91 Points
Tawny red and rather cloudy in color.
Tasted very mellow, with high acidity and tart cherries upon opening. Decanted about 2 hours, it put on significant weight showing robust red fruits, leather and integrated aged oak. The tannins at this age are still present but are nicely integrated. No rush to drink.
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10/18/2016 - JAKjr Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine was tasted at a very nice tasting of Italian Nebbiolo's. Of course given the age we were all wondering......... Wow, what a surprise. Lighter in color it immediately thru off an intense aroma of liquorice. 20 minutes later the aroma softened and broadened out--still holding up great with super mouth feel. Apparently the 78's live up to their reputation.
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1/27/2013 - mmh wrote: 91 Points
Very nice and fully mature, but no hurry to drink yet. Quite light and elegant with a high acidity and smooth tannins. Roses, red berries and a slight hint of leather.
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7/28/2009 - ojsaito wrote: 92 Points
closed at first, better the second night. the fruit had diminished somewhat although it allowed the other good coming from maturation to come to the fore. beautiful tannins.
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