Good Cork but bad bottle? Barnyard nose never seemed to dissipate with any amount of air and the finish was good but nothing like prior bottles. Hoping this wine hasn’t suddenly gone over the cliff. Curious to see what the remaining bottle tastes like.
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6 hour decant, tannins too overpowering to properly enjoy but discernible quality, and purity underneath. Current score reflects those polarities so will increase once ready - it could be a cracker but wouldn’t touch another bottle for at least 10 years. Same story next day so blended 40/60 with a 2007 Vina Ardanza Reserva, heresy perhaps but the result was delightful.
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Based off recent posts by other tasters here, thought I’d give it a go. My expectations may have been too high but, this is quite Unremarkable. Consumed over two days served both at room temperature and slightly chilled. Color starting to Brick, Nose is Dead even after 48+ hours. Some lift, Alcohol, tingling acidity with hints of dried plum. Palate shows firm tannins with some bitterness a’la amarone, Dry fruit palate, leaning black, lacks definition, monolithic, raw tobacco, acidity green edged. Cork’s in great shape, no bret, purchased upon release and stored at 55. No Tar, No Roses, No Strawberry, Hope its just closed. Wont touch another for 5 years… Other 2010’s (Rocche Annunziata, Runcot, Brunate, Bricco Boschis) have showed better… Na zdrowie
Drank at Ristorante Del Cambio in Torino. This is drinking marvelously and still has loads of primary fruit, but all kinds of garden mint, wet leaves and balsamic notes are emerging. The florals here are truly ethereal. Acidity is so refreshing and tannins are resolving delightfully. Truly and exceptional wine.
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(Tasted blind) Roses and tar. Floral and high toned, very high acid, less fruit, a little cherry liquor character. Ethereal. Tannins are still grippy. Needs food.
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Typical Barolo nose: balsamic, dried fruit and spices.
Dense palate with a lively acidity that gives a welcome tension to an intense juice on tobacco, dried flowers and leather. The balance is perfect, it's serious, well done, in layers as a well-born Barolo can be. It's rich, dense, with well-built acidity and open enough to start drinking now. Finish on coffee beans and still tannic but which loosens up over the tasting.
Excellent Barolo, worthy representative of its rank, still a little young but which opens up well with aeration.
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Same rating as prior bottle note. Tannins have softened somewhat over last couple of years but still has plenty of cellaring potential. Great bottle of wine.
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Bought on release and stored at 55 degrees. Pop and pour. Tannins are starting to soften, but still primary with tangy cherry the most prominent note. Lovely Barolo in a more feminine style. Very good now, but lots of time for further development.
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very barolo, ripe wine rich in dried fruits, with a seeming slurry of deeper tones including leather, tobacco, and pekmez. Good and in no risk of fading anytime soon.
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Slow ox for 5 hours and decanted 1hour. Classic Barolo with tobacco, dried flowers, dust and a little tar. Great with a tomahawk steak and potatoes. Tannins resolved but some acid cut through the steak. Delicious
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I had this wine over a year ago and it was wonderful, but this bottle was closed down. It will probably receive a higher score eventually, but just sleeping now. It certainly has the stuffing for potential enjoyment.
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Opened 10 hours earlier, decanted 1 hour before pouring. Garnet color, little sediment. Soil frames the aromas that are in equal measure green herb and subdued dark fruit. Medium weight with earth and tannin dominating the feel with a bit of bitter chocolate in the mix. Slowly, black cherry breaks through, but it is still substantially hidden behind everything else. Amazing to think that only 6 years ago, the fruit was as exuberant and forward as in any young Barolo I’ve tasted. This is in a very different place now, seemingly in a funny, in between patch. Wait!
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Decantado unas cuatro horas. Color rubí de capa media muy atejado. Aroma de intensidad media alta, aroma muy esplendoroso, profundo y duradero, tiene mucha flor, mucha fruta, mucha tierra; cerezas, fresas , grosellas y ciruelas, ceniza y humo, muy agradable. La boca tiene una entrada potente con paso de boca mucho más suave, es estructurada y desequilibrada (cosa habitual en los barolos), alta acidez Tiene flores acompañadas por cerezas, con algunas notas ligeramente alcohólicas y sensaciones metálicas, tono dulzón no es excesivamente largo. Considero que es un barolo altamente seductor, y que tiene una gran capacidad de mejora hacia el futuro. Si puedo repetiré
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I had the good fortune to meet GD Vajra in 2002, when the weather in Piemonte was good for truffles ( cool, wet,wetter) but awful for grapes, some wineries like Vietti not producing that year because of hail if memory serves. Anyhow, 20 years ago we sat outside under a canopy, shared his wines, saw his love for his land and wine, felt his passion and that stayed with me, and I became a frequent buyer of and lover of his wines. This one supports that…it is fully drinkable now, prob has a decade or more to become more complex, express the secondaries. It is a beautiful Barolo.
Started off a bit tight, but opened up with some time in a decanter. Floral perfume nose with crisp strawberry and raspberry. There are tart red fruits, a hint of sweet black fruit, and a spicy note mixed in.
I like how you get one set of fruit flavors in the center of your tongue and a different set on the outsides of the mouth. Really long lasting finish.
On day 2, this was even better. Fuller fruit, even more depth, and an awesome finish.
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Day one it took about two hours in my glass before it opened up. Probably a 92+ at that point. In the fridge over night. Day two, smooth as silk, fine teeth coating tannins, raspberries and cherries on the nose. Great mouth feel. Minerals, sour cherries maybe plums. Very complex with a long finish. Finish one sip and you will want another. Really good barolo. Will have another glass tomorrow to see where it travels to. Give this a long decant if you are going to consume it all on day one. Wish I had another! Long life ahead! 95+
Quite delicate and refined nose, but not super fragrant and powerful. It has flavors of red cherries, rose petal and tobacco with a sweet red fruited undertone. The tannins are soft yet drying and structural and the palate has more red cherries and berries as well as blood orange notes. Long finish. Lovely Barolo that opens up beautifully in the glass. It wasn’t giving that much at first, but a bit of air woke it up. Promising and quite tasty already. I bet this is even better in 5-10 years. 94++
A fine Barolo that’s still young and structured but also showing plenty of rich dark red fruits and lots of spicy complexity. Quite refined and balanced with a concentrated finish and a good mineral crunch. Very late there are some secondary notes of licorice and balsamic. A very well-made Barolo. 92+
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Bringebær, litt kirsebær og noen andre søte bær på duft. Relativt ungdommelig. Fremdeles ganske markante tanniner i munnen, men deilig frukt og fin syre. Må lagres en god stund ennå, men fungerte godt til mat. Litt jobb å drikke uten noe til, men det går...
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The 2010 Vajra BdV remains spectacular. The nose was somewhat darker than either the '13 or '16 currently are, with perfectly sweet dark red cherry and purple fruit tones, roses, licorice, cedar, and tobacco. On the palate, the wine was dense and richly textured, although not showing its cards much at this stage, with a core of dense, sweet red to purplish fruit, red floral tones, and adding a bit of tar and saline minerality towards the long finish. In addition to the richness and density of the wine, it showed a medium+ level of acidity and great finesse to the tannins, which are nearly integrated already. It's a spectacular wine, showing the inner sweetness and elegance I find consistent in the best vintages of Vajra's BdV, with all the explosive power of the 2010 Barolo vintage. It's currently a bit reticent, and may in fact need more time than either the 2013 or 2016 to show at peak. Whenever that does come, this will be a special wine.
This is a super wine. Layered, pure, and on the juicy end of the Barolo spectrum. That said, this is still very young and intensely (but finely) structured--and the best days are decades in the future. Still, it gives a lot of pleasure now. Vajra is so good up and down the range.
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Tastes three times throughout the day. Didn’t decant the bottle but just left it open in the cellar throughout the day.
TN1: a small taste poured upon opening. Lavender rose, tar, smoked earth on the nose. Surprisingly expressive. The palate was another story however: dark, dense, tar, wall of tannins. 94 point nose, 91 point palate.
TN2: a small glass poured 3 hours after opening. Closing down aromatically, but with more fruit on the palate. Tannins a little softer. 90 points nose, 92 point palate.
TN3: the rest of the bottle, 9-10 hours after opening. Now we’re talking. This was the best of both worlds: the nose from TN1, though maybe a tint bit less expressive, and the more fruit forward palate from TN2. The palate had improved even more, with the tannins becoming softer and more elegant, though still very present. 93 points for now, after 10 hours open, but with potential to gain another few points when the tannins soften and the nose becomes more complex.
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Drank from a magnum that was decanted 3 plus hours. Slight harshness persisted in every glass. High quality but not as complex or special as the 13. I think I even like the 14 over this. Likely needs more time but not really sure the deal here.
I was just curious and I wanted to test my working hypothesis that it's fun to drink young Barolo. I've really come around on the Vajra wines over the last 5-6 years. I find that, for me, they marry a lot fo the things I love about traditional Barolo but with a more fruit driven profile and tannin management. This bottle was sumptuous. It was bursting with fruit but still silky. The structure is there and deftly balanced by the deep dark cherry and plum fruit. There are a bunch of floral, and not just rose, notes as well as a fine herbal component. We decanted it and drank it over about 2 hours so it never had a chance to shut down. I'd be hesitant to give this a long decant at this stage. I'd just get it off the sediment and go. This wine has a great future and given how fun this bottle was, I think I'll check in every few years until I have a negative experience.
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Excellent Barolo. Bright acid, large tannins volume but of a great quality. Very balanced - fruit still present plus flowery notes with long sweter finish. Very elegant. Still Young! Wait.
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Decanted for 2 hour. Needs much more. Weirdest thing... upon pour tasting. Smooth but No fruit at all. I thought it was going to be a bust. But over the next hour, the fruit developed and the wine remained smooth. I would consider a 4 + hour decant.
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[Double decanted for 4 hours at noon.] Boy was I wrong in my last note. This beauty has shut down so tightly. I was trying to show the difference in terroir between this wine from Barolo and the Baudana, but this was almost as impenetrable as the Baudana. Still, I could just tease out a hint of what this wine might be like down the road. There's loads of richness with subtle complex fruit and spice. The finish is long and expansive. 94-96 Open 10 days in the cellar with the cork in: Showing beautifully now. Nose of strawberries and other bright red fruit. Hints of coffee and licorice. Smooth and mellow on the palate with a tannic bite on the long juicy red fruit finish. I would hold off at least 5 years, then drink over the next 10-15.
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Drank in a restaurant in Rome. Decanted to serve. Tobacco, cherry, tar and dried flowers on the nose. Palate was long and deep with good concentration and intensity. Drinking very well for a young barolo.
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A nice example of typical Barolo. Saturated transparent ruby, elegant fragrance. Smoked bacon, maybe gooseberry plus elderberry, spices, some dried flowers, not particularly rose. Medium bodied but tannic. Good QPR.
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A Bricco delle Viole Vertical with Giuseppe Vaira (Fausto, Brooklyn, NY): [Double decanted at 11am.] Gorgeous perfume. Long and complex. Sweet tannins. Delicate and lovely. I don't think this is a super-long ager, but it is so gorgeous I would not blame anyone for dinking this over the next 10 years or so.
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Søt lakris, søte skogsbær på duft og litt tobakk/fatkrydder. I munnen en frisk syrlighet, fruktdrevet og saftig, men fine tanniner i finish. Elegant stil. Ungt preg, lite modningsaromaer. Deilig vin.
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-- double-decanted approx. 11 hours before tasting -- -- tasted a single pour, blind, over approx. 20 minutes --
NOSE: RC Cola; root beer; asphalt; hint of cumin.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: purple-fruited; not funky; ripe/big; very different than all other wines tonight; I like it. {same bottle as Robert Pavlovich's note on same date}
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The darker, nearly black color had us thinking this was a 2010 Gaja Barbaresco, served in the same flight. With the group distracted, I don't think we gave this a fair evaluation on the night, but by the next day it opened beautifully in to what is clearly an excellent wine, translating its terroir very well. On the traditional side of the spectrum, it deserves to be paired with hearty food. Ideally, hold this another decade, though it will last much longer than that.
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Aperto alle 11:00 e decantato 2 ore. Coloro rosso rubino con alcune nuance violacee. Il naso fa capire il significato del nome" Bricco delle Viole" Persistente fino a sera. In bocca il frutto è purissimo, netto, quasi ridondante. Appena aperto i tannini mordevano, ma dopo 2 ore si sono ammorbiditi pur rimanendo presenti. Non aveva una bevibilità travolgente, ma ha mantenuto il piacere del sorseggio fino a sera dove ha restituito una leggerissima nota amara. Bevuto su un cotechino con puré, ha sgrassato benissimo la pietanza esaltandosi entrambi. Credo che un'altro anno in bottiglia sarebbe servito (anche se piacevolissimo ora) con qualche accortezza di apertura e abbinamento cibo. Se poi lo si vuole aprire per una bevuta meditativa, va benissimo.
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Same btl as R&Rler. I believe this got some decent air and a decant prior to dinner too. Great material here and some pleasure but the tannin is more out front than usual with Vajra and likely reflects the classic structured vintage. This may also be in a semi closed state. The 2011 is rocking right now by comparison. Was anticipating a better showing but it just young and my underlying faith in the producer and the vintage are, unshakable. Vajra, for me, provides more bang for the buck than any other producer in Barolo. When ready to drink, this wine gives the big guys like Giacosa a run for the money in every way. Tonight's btl is a work in progress. I won't touch any of my 3 until 2020 plus based on this one.
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Barolo and Barbaresco at I Nonni (I Nonni, St. Paul, MN): Dark red color. PNP(?), followed one glass over 90 minutes. Pretty intense nose, very youthful as expected, wood, wood spices, some heat, black cherry. The palate is pretty big right now, wrapped up the wood, licorice, tart cherry, black cherry liqueur, glycerin, heat, very firm at this point. Needs several more years at least. 91(+)pts.
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Similar to last year but took longer to open up. Initially got new vanilla oak, but after 6 hours it was pure black and red fruits, vibrant fruit and acidity and nice oak.
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Deep ruby. My word, overwhelmingly fruity (black cherry) with just a hint of herbal complexity at this point. Wave after wave of fruit that made me think 2011. This is a powerhouse. Outstanding potential but it needs a lot of time to develop complexity.
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Deep ruby. My goodness, fantastically penetrating, intricate aromatics-tobacco leaf, black cherry, anise, and smoke. Medium weight, superb acidity, liveliness, and feel. Dark red fruit with a twist of orange at the end as you sometimes find in red Burgundy. Well covered tannins, not a trace of wood, fine persistent sense of soil. Outstanding now, even better 15-20 years down the road. Beautiful, serious Nebbiolo.
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Drank over two days. Difficult to describe a wine like this, and purple rain is the descriptor that comes to mind. The bouquet features spring flowers and roses, tar and petrol, lavender, herbs, and crushed volcanic rocks. The seductive palate shows purple berries and plums up front, transitioning to rose petals and petrol at the middle, and volcanic rocks at the back and through the powerful finish. Medium plus to high acid and medium elegant tannins provide tremendous lift, range, and depth. Substance and nuance at every phase. Stunning now, likely best from 2025-2040. 96-97.
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Talk about potential. Through a series of events I was given the opportunity to taste this bottle three times throughout the day, and each taste was better than the one before. At 10am, it was all about intensity and densely packed fruit laced with minerals and finishing on tannin. At 1pm, it began to open, gaining flesh and nuance as spice, leather, earth and balsamic tones joined the mix. At 5pm it was a study in elegance. Still youthful in its tannin, but so giving all the same. Gorgeous floral tones and dark red fruits gave way to cedar and minerals. This is a wine for the ages.
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Ruby red. This impeccably made Barolo starts off with aromas of rose petals, red cherries and a hint of sage. Velvety in the mouth, with a texture of a top-notch Pinot Noir. Medium-bodied, with a distinct red fruit character and great cranberry-like acidic cut that leads to a very long finish. The very fine-grained tannins do make their presence known at the end, boding well for the future. This could certainly be consumed now, but will have a long life ahead of it. Great stuff!
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Wow,this is good stuff. It is among the "youngest" of the 2010 Barolos Ive tasted so far with zesty acid and a lot of fine tannins. Best after 24 hours decanting and still improving in an open bottle for days after that. Impressing!
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This is young...but what a pleasant surprise. Little red fruits, spice, leather, brambles galore. Palate had a great energy and light weight for a big wine. Acidity is a bit sharp and out of balance now. Oak is there, but does not distract from the nuances. Much better than the Vajra Albe 2010 even considering the price. Best at about 3 hours in decanter.
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Great nose with flower, cherry, herbs, leather. Taste has red berries, choclate, herbs, pepper, salmiak. Medium acidity and medium + tannins, but quit soft and very good balance. Like it a lot.
Pretty nose. Wanted to open one now after reading how well it's still drinking. Wasn't disappointed. Red/black fruits in beautiful balance. Won't open another for many years, though, as it's bound to become much better - it is still quite rough.
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Kirsebær,jordbær, medisinskap og tjære. Erketypisk tradisjonell Barolo med flott konsentrasjon og herlig friskhet og nerve. Svært tanninrisk og strukturert. Ikke tilgjengelig nå, men herreg.. for et flott lagringsobjekt.
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Sweet strawberry, roses and some lingonberry hints. Ripe, almost silky tannins even at this early stage. Strikingly good balance with fruit, acidity and tannins in harmony. Great long finish with some earthy notes. The 2010's are brilliant and so is this wine.
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The nose was gorgeous. Forward, yet refined, showing brilliant cherry and rose tones, followed by pine nettle and mineral tones. With time in the glass, the fruit turned to dark raspberry and hints of resin. On the palate, it was youthful and lean, yet clenched like a fist, showing tart red fruit, hints of menthol, earth and mineral tones. Floral tones lingered long on the finish with a hint of dried cranberry. It’s a beautiful young wine.
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Very pure cool, dark red cherry fruit with menthol. In the mouth this is really concentrated and has a ton of depth. Beautifully balanced. Finishes with stony minerality. Loads of fine-grained tannins. Tough to accurately guess the ultimate potential that will come with time but I'm pretty optimistic that this will be fantastic. Another great 2010. 94+
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Youthful nose showing medicinal red fruits, but a very quiet palate. Concentrated, long, but very, very closed. Unable to really get a sense of this. On day 2, just barely improved. Strong hold here.
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4/8/2024 - Al-Vino wrote:
Good Cork but bad bottle? Barnyard nose never seemed to dissipate with any amount of air and the finish was good but nothing like prior bottles. Hoping this wine hasn’t suddenly gone over the cliff. Curious to see what the remaining bottle tastes like.
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4/2/2024 - Lemmy-W wrote: 91 Points
in a dum phase, really closed.
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12/25/2023 - DAIC Likes this wine: 84 Points
6 hour decant, tannins too overpowering to properly enjoy but discernible quality, and purity underneath. Current score reflects those polarities so will increase once ready - it could be a cracker but wouldn’t touch another bottle for at least 10 years. Same story next day so blended 40/60 with a 2007 Vina Ardanza Reserva, heresy perhaps but the result was delightful.
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12/25/2023 - Oechsle wrote: 90 Points
Based off recent posts by other tasters here, thought I’d give it a go.
My expectations may have been too high but, this is quite Unremarkable. Consumed over two days served both at room temperature and slightly chilled. Color starting to Brick, Nose is Dead even after 48+ hours. Some lift, Alcohol, tingling acidity with hints of dried plum. Palate shows firm tannins with some bitterness a’la amarone, Dry fruit palate, leaning black, lacks definition, monolithic, raw tobacco, acidity green edged. Cork’s in great shape, no bret, purchased upon release and stored at 55.
No Tar, No Roses, No Strawberry, Hope its just closed. Wont touch another for 5 years… Other 2010’s (Rocche Annunziata, Runcot, Brunate, Bricco Boschis) have showed better… Na zdrowie
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12/1/2023 - ethanwade Likes this wine:
Drank at Ristorante Del Cambio in Torino. This is drinking marvelously and still has loads of primary fruit, but all kinds of garden mint, wet leaves and balsamic notes are emerging. The florals here are truly ethereal. Acidity is so refreshing and tannins are resolving delightfully. Truly and exceptional wine.
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11/25/2023 - JB12 wrote: 93 Points
4 hr decant. Round black cherry flavor. Full bodied. Still some tanins. Great pairing with rack of lamb and a chimichuri sauce.
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11/18/2023 - EZVZ Likes this wine: 95 Points
(Tasted blind) Roses and tar. Floral and high toned, very high acid, less fruit, a little cherry liquor character. Ethereal. Tannins are still grippy. Needs food.
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8/17/2023 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Typical Barolo nose: balsamic, dried fruit and spices.
Dense palate with a lively acidity that gives a welcome tension to an intense juice on tobacco, dried flowers and leather. The balance is perfect, it's serious, well done, in layers as a well-born Barolo can be. It's rich, dense, with well-built acidity and open enough to start drinking now. Finish on coffee beans and still tannic but which loosens up over the tasting.
Excellent Barolo, worthy representative of its rank, still a little young but which opens up well with aeration.
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4/30/2023 - Al-Vino Likes this wine:
Same rating as prior bottle note. Tannins have softened somewhat over last couple of years but still has plenty of cellaring potential. Great bottle of wine.
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2/18/2023 - JamesSanders Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bought on release and stored at 55 degrees. Pop and pour. Tannins are starting to soften, but still primary with tangy cherry the most prominent note. Lovely Barolo in a more feminine style. Very good now, but lots of time for further development.
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12/28/2022 - jan erik wrote: 92 Points
- Ruby color - 92 prs is about right. Still nice and bright but with some tones of evolvment. No hurry yet,
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12/21/2022 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dekantert. Super, men for ung. Enda bedre dag 2, ikke lenger for ung. Til vill-lam-gryte. Siste glass fantastisk!
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9/30/2022 - soyhead wrote:
very barolo, ripe wine rich in dried fruits, with a seeming slurry of deeper tones including leather, tobacco, and pekmez. Good and in no risk of fading anytime soon.
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9/3/2022 - brewnello wrote: 93 Points
Slow ox for 5 hours and decanted 1hour. Classic Barolo with tobacco, dried flowers, dust and a little tar. Great with a tomahawk steak and potatoes. Tannins resolved but some acid cut through the steak. Delicious
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8/4/2022 - carl.cornaglia@gmai.com wrote: 90 Points
I had this wine over a year ago and it was wonderful, but this bottle was closed down. It will probably receive a higher score eventually, but just sleeping now. It certainly has the stuffing for potential enjoyment.
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6/9/2022 - drwine2001 wrote:
Opened 10 hours earlier, decanted 1 hour before pouring. Garnet color, little sediment. Soil frames the aromas that are in equal measure green herb and subdued dark fruit. Medium weight with earth and tannin dominating the feel with a bit of bitter chocolate in the mix. Slowly, black cherry breaks through, but it is still substantially hidden behind everything else. Amazing to think that only 6 years ago, the fruit was as exuberant and forward as in any young Barolo I’ve tasted. This is in a very different place now, seemingly in a funny, in between patch. Wait!
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4/22/2022 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Closed. Wait
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4/10/2022 - FEDEVIDAL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decantado unas cuatro horas. Color rubí de capa media muy atejado. Aroma de intensidad media alta, aroma muy esplendoroso, profundo y duradero, tiene mucha flor, mucha fruta, mucha tierra; cerezas, fresas , grosellas y ciruelas, ceniza y humo, muy agradable. La boca tiene una entrada potente con paso de boca mucho más suave, es estructurada y desequilibrada (cosa habitual en los barolos), alta acidez Tiene flores acompañadas por cerezas, con algunas notas ligeramente alcohólicas y sensaciones metálicas, tono dulzón no es excesivamente largo.
Considero que es un barolo altamente seductor, y que tiene una gran capacidad de mejora hacia el futuro. Si puedo repetiré
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11/11/2021 - capacious Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had the good fortune to meet GD Vajra in 2002, when the weather in Piemonte was good for truffles ( cool, wet,wetter) but awful for grapes, some wineries like Vietti not producing that year because of hail if memory serves. Anyhow, 20 years ago we sat outside under a canopy, shared his wines, saw his love for his land and wine, felt his passion and that stayed with me, and I became a frequent buyer of and lover of his wines. This one supports that…it is fully drinkable now, prob has a decade or more to become more complex, express the secondaries. It is a beautiful Barolo.
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11/5/2021 - td1836 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Started off a bit tight, but opened up with some time in a decanter. Floral perfume nose with crisp strawberry and raspberry. There are tart red fruits, a hint of sweet black fruit, and a spicy note mixed in.
I like how you get one set of fruit flavors in the center of your tongue and a different set on the outsides of the mouth. Really long lasting finish.
On day 2, this was even better. Fuller fruit, even more depth, and an awesome finish.
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10/1/2021 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Day one it took about two hours in my glass before it opened up. Probably a 92+ at that point. In the fridge over night. Day two, smooth as silk, fine teeth coating tannins, raspberries and cherries on the nose. Great mouth feel. Minerals, sour cherries maybe plums. Very complex with a long finish. Finish one sip and you will want another. Really good barolo. Will have another glass tomorrow to see where it travels to. Give this a long decant if you are going to consume it all on day one. Wish I had another! Long life ahead! 95+
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9/19/2021 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Quite delicate and refined nose, but not super fragrant and powerful. It has flavors of red cherries, rose petal and tobacco with a sweet red fruited undertone. The tannins are soft yet drying and structural and the palate has more red cherries and berries as well as blood orange notes. Long finish. Lovely Barolo that opens up beautifully in the glass. It wasn’t giving that much at first, but a bit of air woke it up. Promising and quite tasty already. I bet this is even better in 5-10 years. 94++
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4/10/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
A fine Barolo that’s still young and structured but also showing plenty of rich dark red fruits and lots of spicy complexity. Quite refined and balanced with a concentrated finish and a good mineral crunch. Very late there are some secondary notes of licorice and balsamic. A very well-made Barolo. 92+
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2/25/2021 - daghaug Likes this wine:
Bringebær, litt kirsebær og noen andre søte bær på duft. Relativt ungdommelig. Fremdeles ganske markante tanniner i munnen, men deilig frukt og fin syre. Må lagres en god stund ennå, men fungerte godt til mat. Litt jobb å drikke uten noe til, men det går...
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12/20/2020 - Al-Vino wrote: 93 Points
Wow - 10 years old and tastes like it was bottled yesterday. This appears to have lots of cellaring potential. Time will tell!!
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11/13/2020 - Robmcl920 Likes this wine: 96 Points
The 2010 Vajra BdV remains spectacular. The nose was somewhat darker than either the '13 or '16 currently are, with perfectly sweet dark red cherry and purple fruit tones, roses, licorice, cedar, and tobacco. On the palate, the wine was dense and richly textured, although not showing its cards much at this stage, with a core of dense, sweet red to purplish fruit, red floral tones, and adding a bit of tar and saline minerality towards the long finish. In addition to the richness and density of the wine, it showed a medium+ level of acidity and great finesse to the tannins, which are nearly integrated already. It's a spectacular wine, showing the inner sweetness and elegance I find consistent in the best vintages of Vajra's BdV, with all the explosive power of the 2010 Barolo vintage. It's currently a bit reticent, and may in fact need more time than either the 2013 or 2016 to show at peak. Whenever that does come, this will be a special wine.
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11/9/2020 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:
Decanted for 2 hours, brick red color, nose sour cherries, taste light, with a tannic finish, works with the pasta dish.
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8/31/2020 - jan erik wrote: 92 Points
Tons of charme
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8/30/2020 - rc@ughey wrote: 94 Points
This is a super wine. Layered, pure, and on the juicy end of the Barolo spectrum. That said, this is still very young and intensely (but finely) structured--and the best days are decades in the future. Still, it gives a lot of pleasure now. Vajra is so good up and down the range.
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6/6/2020 - KimHartman wrote: flawed
Corked
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5/20/2020 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 93 Points
Couleur assez foncée, mate, nez encore fermé, bouche tannique, encore terriblement jeune, attendre avant de le juger définitivement.
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5/17/2020 - BilboBaggins Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tastes three times throughout the day. Didn’t decant the bottle but just left it open in the cellar throughout the day.
TN1: a small taste poured upon opening. Lavender rose, tar, smoked earth on the nose. Surprisingly expressive. The palate was another story however: dark, dense, tar, wall of tannins. 94 point nose, 91 point palate.
TN2: a small glass poured 3 hours after opening. Closing down aromatically, but with more fruit on the palate. Tannins a little softer. 90 points nose, 92 point palate.
TN3: the rest of the bottle, 9-10 hours after opening. Now we’re talking. This was the best of both worlds: the nose from TN1, though maybe a tint bit less expressive, and the more fruit forward palate from TN2. The palate had improved even more, with the tannins becoming softer and more elegant, though still very present. 93 points for now, after 10 hours open, but with potential to gain another few points when the tannins soften and the nose becomes more complex.
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5/11/2020 - Adamb2 wrote: 91 Points
Seriously good wine! Decant for at least a couple of hours. Great fruit. Very happy.
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3/29/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 91 Points
Drank from a magnum that was decanted 3 plus hours. Slight harshness persisted in every glass. High quality but not as complex or special as the 13. I think I even like the 14 over this. Likely needs more time but not really sure the deal here.
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3/27/2020 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still just reaching maturity.
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2/16/2020 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 94 Points
I was just curious and I wanted to test my working hypothesis that it's fun to drink young Barolo. I've really come around on the Vajra wines over the last 5-6 years. I find that, for me, they marry a lot fo the things I love about traditional Barolo but with a more fruit driven profile and tannin management. This bottle was sumptuous. It was bursting with fruit but still silky. The structure is there and deftly balanced by the deep dark cherry and plum fruit. There are a bunch of floral, and not just rose, notes as well as a fine herbal component. We decanted it and drank it over about 2 hours so it never had a chance to shut down. I'd be hesitant to give this a long decant at this stage. I'd just get it off the sediment and go. This wine has a great future and given how fun this bottle was, I think I'll check in every few years until I have a negative experience.
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12/13/2019 - Jeffyboy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent Barolo. Bright acid, large tannins volume but of a great quality. Very balanced - fruit still present plus flowery notes with long sweter finish. Very elegant. Still Young! Wait.
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11/30/2019 - JB12 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hour. Needs much more. Weirdest thing... upon pour tasting. Smooth but No fruit at all. I thought it was going to be a bust. But over the next hour, the fruit developed and the wine remained smooth. I would consider a 4 + hour decant.
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11/21/2019 - kenv Likes this wine: 95 Points
[Double decanted for 4 hours at noon.] Boy was I wrong in my last note. This beauty has shut down so tightly. I was trying to show the difference in terroir between this wine from Barolo and the Baudana, but this was almost as impenetrable as the Baudana. Still, I could just tease out a hint of what this wine might be like down the road. There's loads of richness with subtle complex fruit and spice. The finish is long and expansive. 94-96
Open 10 days in the cellar with the cork in: Showing beautifully now. Nose of strawberries and other bright red fruit. Hints of coffee and licorice. Smooth and mellow on the palate with a tannic bite on the long juicy red fruit finish. I would hold off at least 5 years, then drink over the next 10-15.
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10/6/2019 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank in a restaurant in Rome. Decanted to serve. Tobacco, cherry, tar and dried flowers on the nose. Palate was long and deep with good concentration and intensity. Drinking very well for a young barolo.
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9/12/2019 - fotomill Likes this wine: 92 Points
A nice example of typical Barolo. Saturated transparent ruby, elegant fragrance. Smoked bacon, maybe gooseberry plus elderberry, spices, some dried flowers, not particularly rose. Medium bodied but tannic. Good QPR.
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8/18/2019 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
A Bricco delle Viole Vertical with Giuseppe Vaira (Fausto, Brooklyn, NY): [Double decanted at 11am.] Gorgeous perfume. Long and complex. Sweet tannins. Delicate and lovely. I don't think this is a super-long ager, but it is so gorgeous I would not blame anyone for dinking this over the next 10 years or so.
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3/29/2019 - daghaug Likes this wine:
Søt lakris, søte skogsbær på duft og litt tobakk/fatkrydder. I munnen en frisk syrlighet, fruktdrevet og saftig, men fine tanniner i finish. Elegant stil. Ungt preg, lite modningsaromaer. Deilig vin.
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2/17/2019 - jan erik wrote: 93 Points
- Purple color - Thunder and lightnings! Amazing wine
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1/20/2019 - grafstrb wrote:
-- double-decanted approx. 11 hours before tasting --
-- tasted a single pour, blind, over approx. 20 minutes --
NOSE: RC Cola; root beer; asphalt; hint of cumin.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: purple-fruited; not funky; ripe/big; very different than all other wines tonight; I like it. {same bottle as Robert Pavlovich's note on same date}
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1/20/2019 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:
The darker, nearly black color had us thinking this was a 2010 Gaja Barbaresco, served in the same flight. With the group distracted, I don't think we gave this a fair evaluation on the night, but by the next day it opened beautifully in to what is clearly an excellent wine, translating its terroir very well. On the traditional side of the spectrum, it deserves to be paired with hearty food. Ideally, hold this another decade, though it will last much longer than that.
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1/6/2019 - Euge67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aperto alle 11:00 e decantato 2 ore.
Coloro rosso rubino con alcune nuance violacee.
Il naso fa capire il significato del nome" Bricco delle Viole" Persistente fino a sera. In bocca il frutto è purissimo, netto, quasi ridondante.
Appena aperto i tannini mordevano, ma dopo 2 ore si sono ammorbiditi pur rimanendo presenti. Non aveva una bevibilità travolgente, ma ha mantenuto il piacere del sorseggio fino a sera dove ha restituito una leggerissima nota amara.
Bevuto su un cotechino con puré, ha sgrassato benissimo la pietanza esaltandosi entrambi.
Credo che un'altro anno in bottiglia sarebbe servito (anche se piacevolissimo ora) con qualche accortezza di apertura e abbinamento cibo. Se poi lo si vuole aprire per una bevuta meditativa, va benissimo.
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2/16/2018 - jan erik wrote: 93 Points
- Purple color - Fortsatt en tff rakker! Begynner a fa litt volatile aromaer. Skjnn sak
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4/20/2017 - milwaukeewino wrote:
Cherry, tobacco, cherry cola, super tannic. Years away from readiness. Dark fruit, great acid. Decades.
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3/22/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Same btl as R&Rler. I believe this got some decent air and a decant prior to dinner too. Great material here and some pleasure but the tannin is more out front than usual with Vajra and likely reflects the classic structured vintage. This may also be in a semi closed state. The 2011 is rocking right now by comparison. Was anticipating a better showing but it just young and my underlying faith in the producer and the vintage are, unshakable. Vajra, for me, provides more bang for the buck than any other producer in Barolo. When ready to drink, this wine gives the big guys like Giacosa a run for the money in every way. Tonight's btl is a work in progress. I won't touch any of my 3 until 2020 plus based on this one.
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3/22/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Barolo and Barbaresco at I Nonni (I Nonni, St. Paul, MN): Dark red color. PNP(?), followed one glass over 90 minutes. Pretty intense nose, very youthful as expected, wood, wood spices, some heat, black cherry. The palate is pretty big right now, wrapped up the wood, licorice, tart cherry, black cherry liqueur, glycerin, heat, very firm at this point. Needs several more years at least. 91(+)pts.
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10/24/2016 - Harborhounds wrote: 91 Points
Needs more time.
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10/16/2016 - Sixchips600 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to last year but took longer to open up. Initially got new vanilla oak, but after 6 hours it was pure black and red fruits, vibrant fruit and acidity and nice oak.
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8/29/2016 - drwine2001 wrote:
Deep ruby. My word, overwhelmingly fruity (black cherry) with just a hint of herbal complexity at this point. Wave after wave of fruit that made me think 2011. This is a powerhouse. Outstanding potential but it needs a lot of time to develop complexity.
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7/12/2016 - pdev wrote: 91 Points
Well built, rose petals, lemon zest, fragrant yet still closed. Palate is tightly wound, yet elegant. Having trouble analyzing this one at this stage.
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3/24/2016 - drwine2001 wrote:
Deep ruby. My goodness, fantastically penetrating, intricate aromatics-tobacco leaf, black cherry, anise, and smoke. Medium weight, superb acidity, liveliness, and feel. Dark red fruit with a twist of orange at the end as you sometimes find in red Burgundy. Well covered tannins, not a trace of wood, fine persistent sense of soil. Outstanding now, even better 15-20 years down the road. Beautiful, serious Nebbiolo.
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3/21/2016 - jan erik wrote: 90 Points
Somewhat closed
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2/20/2016 - Motz wrote: 97 Points
Drank over two days. Difficult to describe a wine like this, and purple rain is the descriptor that comes to mind. The bouquet features spring flowers and roses, tar and petrol, lavender, herbs, and crushed volcanic rocks. The seductive palate shows purple berries and plums up front, transitioning to rose petals and petrol at the middle, and volcanic rocks at the back and through the powerful finish. Medium plus to high acid and medium elegant tannins provide tremendous lift, range, and depth. Substance and nuance at every phase. Stunning now, likely best from 2025-2040. 96-97.
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11/13/2015 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 96 Points
Talk about potential. Through a series of events I was given the opportunity to taste this bottle three times throughout the day, and each taste was better than the one before. At 10am, it was all about intensity and densely packed fruit laced with minerals and finishing on tannin. At 1pm, it began to open, gaining flesh and nuance as spice, leather, earth and balsamic tones joined the mix. At 5pm it was a study in elegance. Still youthful in its tannin, but so giving all the same. Gorgeous floral tones and dark red fruits gave way to cedar and minerals. This is a wine for the ages.
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10/31/2015 - J o e wrote: 95 Points
Ruby red. This impeccably made Barolo starts off with aromas of rose petals, red cherries and a hint of sage. Velvety in the mouth, with a texture of a top-notch Pinot Noir. Medium-bodied, with a distinct red fruit character and great cranberry-like acidic cut that leads to a very long finish. The very fine-grained tannins do make their presence known at the end, boding well for the future. This could certainly be consumed now, but will have a long life ahead of it. Great stuff!
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9/30/2015 - jan erik Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow,this is good stuff. It is among the "youngest" of the 2010 Barolos Ive tasted so far with zesty acid and a lot of fine tannins. Best after 24 hours decanting and still improving in an open bottle for days after that. Impressing!
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9/25/2015 - Sixchips600 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is young...but what a pleasant surprise. Little red fruits, spice, leather, brambles galore. Palate had a great energy and light weight for a big wine. Acidity is a bit sharp and out of balance now. Oak is there, but does not distract from the nuances. Much better than the Vajra Albe 2010 even considering the price. Best at about 3 hours in decanter.
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7/22/2015 - Tavastgatan wrote: 91 Points
@Fred_Lund: Pure 2010 elegance. Absolute balance and silky tannins. Will be interesting to see where these will go.
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7/21/2015 - Rexel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great nose with flower, cherry, herbs, leather.
Taste has red berries, choclate, herbs, pepper, salmiak. Medium acidity and medium + tannins, but quit soft and very good balance. Like it a lot.
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6/23/2015 - pismo45 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pretty nose. Wanted to open one now after reading how well it's still drinking. Wasn't disappointed. Red/black fruits in beautiful balance. Won't open another for many years, though, as it's bound to become much better - it is still quite rough.
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2/22/2015 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 92 Points
Kirsebær,jordbær, medisinskap og tjære. Erketypisk tradisjonell Barolo med flott konsentrasjon og herlig friskhet og nerve. Svært tanninrisk og strukturert. Ikke tilgjengelig nå, men herreg.. for et flott lagringsobjekt.
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2/11/2015 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sweet strawberry, roses and some lingonberry hints. Ripe, almost silky tannins even at this early stage. Strikingly good balance with fruit, acidity and tannins in harmony. Great long finish with some earthy notes. The 2010's are brilliant and so is this wine.
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2/7/2015 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
2010 Barolo at La Festa del Barolo (Four Seasons Restaurant, NYC): Austere nose. Rich in the mouth. Wow! Sweet and complex and this early stage. Solid tannins. Elegant, but some power.
Even more fragrant later with lunch. 93-95 points.
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2/7/2015 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 96 Points
The nose was gorgeous. Forward, yet refined, showing brilliant cherry and rose tones, followed by pine nettle and mineral tones. With time in the glass, the fruit turned to dark raspberry and hints of resin. On the palate, it was youthful and lean, yet clenched like a fist, showing tart red fruit, hints of menthol, earth and mineral tones. Floral tones lingered long on the finish with a hint of dried cranberry. It’s a beautiful young wine.
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1/31/2015 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Delightful. 14.5%
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1/21/2015 - bill00 wrote: 94 Points
Very pure cool, dark red cherry fruit with menthol. In the mouth this is really concentrated and has a ton of depth. Beautifully balanced. Finishes with stony minerality. Loads of fine-grained tannins. Tough to accurately guess the ultimate potential that will come with time but I'm pretty optimistic that this will be fantastic. Another great 2010. 94+
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1/17/2015 - 5laton wrote:
Youthful nose showing medicinal red fruits, but a very quiet palate. Concentrated, long, but very, very closed. Unable to really get a sense of this. On day 2, just barely improved. Strong hold here.
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11/21/2014 - swapdoc Likes this wine:
Piedmont -- G.D. Vajra Winery Visit: Tannic and complex wine, taste of dark cherry, soil, some menthol. Closed aromatically now, wine to lay down.
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