Drank this beauty over two nights. It was fairly tight on night one with a simple pop and pour. So, I saved the second half of the bottle for the next night and it was beautiful. Delicious and perfumed fruit that made this absolutely irresistible.
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I refer in general to my tasting note from 5 February 2022. Now, there is tobacco in addition. The wine is in a very beautiful stage because there are first tertiary notes but the fruit is still pretty present. This time there was no decanting necessary. Glass I used: Riedel Veritas New World Pinot Noir
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2012 Barolo / Barbaresco (Terra Rossa N1): On the nose light lifted tar, furniture polish, and dark plum. Deep and rich on the palate with dark fruit and coffee. Tannins still a bit too spiky but a bit more approachable than others in the flight. Some upside here
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2012 Barolo/Barbaresco (Terra Rossa): Deep, sensual and complex nose, with violets, seaweed, fenugreek and strawberry boiled sweets all intoxicatingly intermingled. More straightforward and fruity on the palate, with juicy blueberry, some dried fruit and a relatively lush feel. This wine seemed to me to the most balanced and aromatic tonight, neither austere nor blocky, but it was quite expensive and I won't seek out another bottle.
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Wonderful, balanced wine, but still young, drink 2025-2040. This (L 32 15) was decanted 90 minutes before dinner but needed about 2.5 hours, as it was not fully open until the end of the evening. The wine has classic Barolo structure and the tannins still need a few years to soften. But what puts this wine into elite territory is its balance and complex aromatics, and a combination of subtlety and power that is very impressive. 2012 was a relatively modest vintage but this is a very impressive wine.
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Approachable with a couple hours of decanting, though still primary. A more refined version of Ravera consistent with the house style. Good now, upside from here.
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Color: light garnet / Nose: intense, strawberries, raspberries, dry leaves, leather / Palate: high acidity, high and ripe tannins, extremely good length, medium+ bodied, strawberries, less red fruits compared to the nose, black tea, menthol, coffee / Glass I used: Riedel Veritas Pinot New World / Overall: A great Barolo. It is fantastic balanced, elegant and has a great length. Directly from the bottle it's still pretty closed (especially on the palate). I decanted it for two hours which brought a lot. It's at the beginning of its drinking window with at least a decade ahead of it.
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6 hrs open and 2 hr decant. Very strong showing for a young wine, the flavors were deep and penetrating red w/ a tar and rose element. The holdback from a higher score is just that the tannins were very prominent, not harsh but not for the faint of heart. This wine should continue to evolve in a very good manner. I love the fact that I bought quite a few and look forward to watching its evolution. Easy wait 5 years, but fun to have now.
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4-6 hours air, open night before, or hold for 3-4 years. Stunning once it fleshes out, such a great expression of the Ravera site - medium weight, full body, dark cherry, rose hip, violets, gorgeous finish.
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The nose was dark, showing savory black fruits and earth tones up front, as a dusting of minerality and dried florals helped to create a remarkably pretty expression. On the palate, soft textures ushered in zesty black fruits and minerals in a cool-toned and energetic expression. The finish was long yet energetic, with echoes of black fruits, earthy minerality and fine tannins. It’s a beautiful wine in an early drinking window, and it’s a standout of the vintage.
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Opened at 3pm, took sip and decided to slow ox in the btl till dinner. So this saw 3 hours plus in the btl before drinking in earnest. I kept the glass I poured to check in on. A case could be made for giving this another hour plus or a decant. Best served sub 60 degrees. Semi translucent ruby color. Aromas of rose, berries and spice. Hint of faint balsamic on the nose carries over to the finish. Fresh but a little weightier and more structured than the typical Vilole. The palate offers up a richer mix of; raspberry, cherry, licorice,tar and a somewhat earthy minerality along with that faint balsamic note. This was a single exploratory btl but not sure I love it enough to buy more? I might grab one more to see how it evolves in 5 years. Needs time but still drinking pretty well right now. 14% alc. Loving the Bricco delle Vilole I had to at least try one of these.
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From memory. This took a very long while to open up because of its youth. I gave it almost half a day of air and I am glad that I did. On the nose, the wine shows plenty of red-toned fruits, strawberries, stewed cherries, flowers, wet stones, mint, and mild spices. Palate is what kills it for me. Very supple yet well-defined. The wine exudes class, lightness, power and balance. The interplay between the concentrated fruits, minerals and smoky undertones is just mesmerizing. Palate is similar to the nose and offers cherry notes, wet pandan leaves, plum jam, and violets. Tannins are velvety, though still very grippy but that should soften with time. Acidity is crucial here as it keeps the wine from being heavy given its austere nature and the preponderance of fruit-forward flavors. Finish is very floral and smoky. Beautiful stuff.
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My first time having his wine was months ago and while it was tight, it became fuller over hours and wowed for a young barolo. This bottle drank much more tight and dilute. Tasted over 4-5 hours, it opened and clarified and showed cherry, roses, violets, and sensual earth notes, but never showed a full bouquet and open palate. Either bottle variation or wine is in a quiet phase (wouldn’t be surprising given how young it is).
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Tight as a drum on day 1, giving very little, thin, austere, light floral nose. Dark cherry monster on day 2, put on a ton of weight, chalky, earthy ravera goodness. This will be magnificent.
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At first, cracked black pepper in the decanter with just a hint of crushed berries and rose peeking out. As it opened further (over a couple hours), red berries and rose petals asserted themselves. Gorgeous high acids with the tannins fine, sandy and in check. As the wine opened further, it revealed spearmint, licorice and orange rind. Really elegant and more subtle and reserved than its more explosive, showy sibling Bricco delle Viole. So much fine detail and nuance here. By the last sip though the tannins had become quite drying and showed up in some force. Really lovely now but will be so fabulous in the future.
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Deeper ruby than the 1990 Giacosa. Relatively large scaled but surprisingly supple, complex tobacco leaf aromas and flavors. Very forward and seemingly not structured to shut down.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Alpharetta, GA): Bright ruby, light rim; fresh, floral, sexy, round, vanilla integrates with the cherry plum skin, slight cherry liqueur, soft tannin, very youthful and net yet tannic, piercing cherry and candied rose petals; yum.
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2012 Vajra tasting; tasted next to Bricco delle Viole and Albe, scents of flowers, stone and cherry on the nose, bright with youthful tannin, dry character, hints of red cherry skins, cranberry, mineral and stone on the palate, did well with sausage lasagna, could use two years to reach the beginning of a wide drinking window
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Italian Blinds with Alex and the crew (The Presidio, SF): (non-blind - my wine) Medium minus ruby, slight red at the rim. Detailed medium intensity aromatics of sweet strawberry, dried rose petals, ripe cherry nose, slight wet leaves. Super interesting cherry - cherry wrapped in wet leaves. High+ tannins, elevated alcohol - feels 14% (correct), medium plus acid but not super tart. A really nice young Nebbiolo with a delicious floral nose and exciting tannic grip.
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The nose was rich with savory minerality, crushed raspberries, and violet floral tones. On the palate, I found velvety textures giving way to a mix of strawberry and plum fruits, with lavender and balancing acidity. It finished tannic yet fresh with pretty inner floral tones.
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Some might consider this baby killing, but this was delicious. Dark fruit, florals, minerals, and grippy tannins. I don't see how I can cellar my other bottles since this is so good now.
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Quite consistent with my previous note. Floral, lifted, delicate and spice with soft, ripe fruit, powerful tannins and a nice mineral streak. Very long. 93-94+
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Lots of finesse and quite delicate on the nose. Lovely purity of fruit, floral notes, spices, herbs. The fruit on the palate is generous and ripe, but at this young age the grippy, but polished tannins are quite dominant. Nice minerality, good freshness. very long. Excellent and very promising. 93-94+
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tasted at Jancis Robinson event in NYC. no formal notes other than this was approachable and excellent compared to many other tannic and shut down wines.
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Visit to G.D. Vajra with Francesca Vaira (Vergne, Barolo): From a vineyard, Francesca explained, in the amphitheatre just below Cogno's plot, with vines never less than 20 years age, some 40+ years and the rest 65+ years old. A step up here. A noticeably darker and darker spiced nose. More generosity and fruit volume on palate. Monforte weight. Spicy, not chalky tannins. Very good. This wine will need 4-7 years in the cellar, I'd think.
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3/30/2024 - CADomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank this beauty over two nights. It was fairly tight on night one with a simple pop and pour. So, I saved the second half of the bottle for the next night and it was beautiful. Delicious and perfumed fruit that made this absolutely irresistible.
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2/18/2024 - Lanzelot Likes this wine: 95 Points
I refer in general to my tasting note from 5 February 2022. Now, there is tobacco in addition. The wine is in a very beautiful stage because there are first tertiary notes but the fruit is still pretty present. This time there was no decanting necessary. Glass I used: Riedel Veritas New World Pinot Noir
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10/1/2023 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Early stages of maturity. It is floral, with red fruit, and tannins that are softening. Seamless, and kept improving with air.
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6/21/2023 - Radders12345 Likes this wine: 91 Points
2012 Barolo / Barbaresco (Terra Rossa N1): On the nose light lifted tar, furniture polish, and dark plum.
Deep and rich on the palate with dark fruit and coffee.
Tannins still a bit too spiky but a bit more approachable than others in the flight. Some upside here
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6/21/2023 - NickA Likes this wine: 93 Points
2012 Barolo/Barbaresco (Terra Rossa): Deep, sensual and complex nose, with violets, seaweed, fenugreek and strawberry boiled sweets all intoxicatingly intermingled. More straightforward and fruity on the palate, with juicy blueberry, some dried fruit and a relatively lush feel. This wine seemed to me to the most balanced and aromatic tonight, neither austere nor blocky, but it was quite expensive and I won't seek out another bottle.
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5/21/2023 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful, balanced wine, but still young, drink 2025-2040. This (L 32 15) was decanted 90 minutes before dinner but needed about 2.5 hours, as it was not fully open until the end of the evening. The wine has classic Barolo structure and the tannins still need a few years to soften. But what puts this wine into elite territory is its balance and complex aromatics, and a combination of subtlety and power that is very impressive. 2012 was a relatively modest vintage but this is a very impressive wine.
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1/20/2023 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Approachable with a couple hours of decanting, though still primary. A more refined version of Ravera consistent with the house style. Good now, upside from here.
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7/14/2022 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs more time. Tight. Sour.
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3/17/2022 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drink or hold
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2/5/2022 - Lanzelot Likes this wine: 95 Points
Color: light garnet / Nose: intense, strawberries, raspberries, dry leaves, leather / Palate: high acidity, high and ripe tannins, extremely good length, medium+ bodied, strawberries, less red fruits compared to the nose, black tea, menthol, coffee / Glass I used: Riedel Veritas Pinot New World / Overall: A great Barolo. It is fantastic balanced, elegant and has a great length. Directly from the bottle it's still pretty closed (especially on the palate). I decanted it for two hours which brought a lot. It's at the beginning of its drinking window with at least a decade ahead of it.
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12/10/2020 - Louvin Likes this wine: 94 Points
6 hrs open and 2 hr decant. Very strong showing for a young wine, the flavors were deep and penetrating red w/ a tar and rose element. The holdback from a higher score is just that the tannins were very prominent, not harsh but not for the faint of heart. This wine should continue to evolve in a very good manner. I love the fact that I bought quite a few and look forward to watching its evolution. Easy wait 5 years, but fun to have now.
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5/10/2020 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 95 Points
4-6 hours air, open night before, or hold for 3-4 years. Stunning once it fleshes out, such a great expression of the Ravera site - medium weight, full body, dark cherry, rose hip, violets, gorgeous finish.
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3/8/2020 - micsauer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful bottle, lifted, bright red fruit, fine tannins, still on the very young side. Can be drunk now but has years ahead of it.
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8/27/2019 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose was dark, showing savory black fruits and earth tones up front, as a dusting of minerality and dried florals helped to create a remarkably pretty expression. On the palate, soft textures ushered in zesty black fruits and minerals in a cool-toned and energetic expression. The finish was long yet energetic, with echoes of black fruits, earthy minerality and fine tannins. It’s a beautiful wine in an early drinking window, and it’s a standout of the vintage.
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7/27/2019 - Haze78 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Light to medium body, nice red fruits, spices, mint, rose pedal. Well balanced, pinot style. Not as open as my last bottle a year ago, but still good.
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7/14/2018 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Opened at 3pm, took sip and decided to slow ox in the btl till dinner. So this saw 3 hours plus in the btl before drinking in earnest. I kept the glass I poured to check in on. A case could be made for giving this another hour plus or a decant. Best served sub 60 degrees. Semi translucent ruby color. Aromas of rose, berries and spice. Hint of faint balsamic on the nose carries over to the finish. Fresh but a little weightier and more structured than the typical Vilole. The palate offers up a richer mix of; raspberry, cherry, licorice,tar and a somewhat earthy minerality along with that faint balsamic note. This was a single exploratory btl but not sure I love it enough to buy more? I might grab one more to see how it evolves in 5 years. Needs time but still drinking pretty well right now. 14% alc. Loving the Bricco delle Vilole I had to at least try one of these.
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4/2/2018 - emzee.mc wrote: 93 Points
From memory. This took a very long while to open up because of its youth. I gave it almost half a day of air and I am glad that I did. On the nose, the wine shows plenty of red-toned fruits, strawberries, stewed cherries, flowers, wet stones, mint, and mild spices. Palate is what kills it for me. Very supple yet well-defined. The wine exudes class, lightness, power and balance. The interplay between the concentrated fruits, minerals and smoky undertones is just mesmerizing. Palate is similar to the nose and offers cherry notes, wet pandan leaves, plum jam, and violets. Tannins are velvety, though still very grippy but that should soften with time. Acidity is crucial here as it keeps the wine from being heavy given its austere nature and the preponderance of fruit-forward flavors. Finish is very floral and smoky. Beautiful stuff.
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12/30/2017 - tkherrmann wrote: 89 Points
My first time having his wine was months ago and while it was tight, it became fuller over hours and wowed for a young barolo. This bottle drank much more tight and dilute. Tasted over 4-5 hours, it opened and clarified and showed cherry, roses, violets, and sensual earth notes, but never showed a full bouquet and open palate. Either bottle variation or wine is in a quiet phase (wouldn’t be surprising given how young it is).
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12/30/2017 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tight as a drum on day 1, giving very little, thin, austere, light floral nose. Dark cherry monster on day 2, put on a ton of weight, chalky, earthy ravera goodness. This will be magnificent.
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11/2/2017 - theronware wrote: 94 Points
At first, cracked black pepper in the decanter with just a hint of crushed berries and rose peeking out. As it opened further (over a couple hours), red berries and rose petals asserted themselves. Gorgeous high acids with the tannins fine, sandy and in check. As the wine opened further, it revealed spearmint, licorice and orange rind. Really elegant and more subtle and reserved than its more explosive, showy sibling Bricco delle Viole. So much fine detail and nuance here. By the last sip though the tannins had become quite drying and showed up in some force. Really lovely now but will be so fabulous in the future.
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7/8/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Deeper ruby than the 1990 Giacosa. Relatively large scaled but surprisingly supple, complex tobacco leaf aromas and flavors. Very forward and seemingly not structured to shut down.
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4/18/2017 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Alpharetta, GA): Bright ruby, light rim; fresh, floral, sexy, round, vanilla integrates with the cherry plum skin, slight cherry liqueur, soft tannin, very youthful and net yet tannic, piercing cherry and candied rose petals; yum.
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3/21/2017 - whits Likes this wine: 93 Points
2012 Vajra tasting; tasted next to Bricco delle Viole and Albe, scents of flowers, stone and cherry on the nose, bright with youthful tannin, dry character, hints of red cherry skins, cranberry, mineral and stone on the palate, did well with sausage lasagna, could use two years to reach the beginning of a wide drinking window
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2/26/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 91 Points
Italian Blinds with Alex and the crew (The Presidio, SF): (non-blind - my wine)
Medium minus ruby, slight red at the rim.
Detailed medium intensity aromatics of sweet strawberry, dried rose petals, ripe cherry nose, slight wet leaves. Super interesting cherry - cherry wrapped in wet leaves.
High+ tannins, elevated alcohol - feels 14% (correct), medium plus acid but not super tart.
A really nice young Nebbiolo with a delicious floral nose and exciting tannic grip.
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2/4/2017 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose was rich with savory minerality, crushed raspberries, and violet floral tones. On the palate, I found velvety textures giving way to a mix of strawberry and plum fruits, with lavender and balancing acidity. It finished tannic yet fresh with pretty inner floral tones.
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2/4/2017 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
2012 Barolo: Grace Under Pressure Masterclass (Del Posto Restaurant, NYC): Muted cherry nose. Explansive in the mouth, it is still much tighter than the Vietti, with much less of that floral quality, but more fruit and tannic structure. Relatively backward. 93-95
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2/4/2017 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 95 Points
2012 Vinous Master Class in Barolo (Del Posto, New York): A shy nose of red fruit and saline aspects. Impressive purity of clean, powerful tar and red fruit flavors. Tremendously long finish. So well done!
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1/29/2017 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Some might consider this baby killing, but this was delicious. Dark fruit, florals, minerals, and grippy tannins. I don't see how I can cellar my other bottles since this is so good now.
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11/20/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 94 Points
Quite consistent with my previous note. Floral, lifted, delicate and spice with soft, ripe fruit, powerful tannins and a nice mineral streak. Very long. 93-94+
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11/9/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 94 Points
Lots of finesse and quite delicate on the nose. Lovely purity of fruit, floral notes, spices, herbs. The fruit on the palate is generous and ripe, but at this young age the grippy, but polished tannins are quite dominant. Nice minerality, good freshness. very long. Excellent and very promising. 93-94+
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10/24/2016 - lolo66 wrote:
tasted at Jancis Robinson event in NYC. no formal notes other than this was approachable and excellent compared to many other tannic and shut down wines.
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7/26/2016 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
Visit to G.D. Vajra with Francesca Vaira (Vergne, Barolo): From a vineyard, Francesca explained, in the amphitheatre just below Cogno's plot, with vines never less than 20 years age, some 40+ years and the rest 65+ years old. A step up here. A noticeably darker and darker spiced nose. More generosity and fruit volume on palate. Monforte weight. Spicy, not chalky tannins. Very good. This wine will need 4-7 years in the cellar, I'd think.
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7/21/2016 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
At the winery: Blue-black berry fruits, darker berries; concentrated, sappy fruit, with a nice spice aspect, well balanced. Excellent. 92+
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