For some folks this was one of the wines of the night and it certainly was very nicely put together. It's a bit more of the very old nebbiolo. A bit more leather and almost like this leather sweat that I sometimes think of. Good acid and a balance and if you give it some time you can almost see the hints of the fruit that was before. For me it was on the heels of a much younger wine and so the age felt a bit more of a shift. I think nice in the vibrancy that's still there but I wonder if the sweet spot was a bit earlier.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Italian Night in Jax (La Cena): Coming on the heels of some younger barolo/barbaresco and so it took a bit of palate resetting. The fruit is gone from this unfortunately but it’s still an enjoyable wine. Old school barolo. Not the best bottle we’ve had of it. I consider 58 to be one of the great vintages and if I’m honest this disappointed me a bit although still good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The final wine at our Piedmont tasting. Bottle was in great condition with the wine level about a cm below the cork. Cork in good condition as well. Nice on the nose, ofcourse dried fruits/a bit of raisins. Decanted for an hour and some of the ”oldness” went away. Light red/orange colour, a bit pale. Tasting very nice considering the 64 years, like a lighter port wine, with some fruits and acidity still around. Think this is as good as it gets. Very happy it turned out like it did.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for about 4 hours, was still improving with the last glass. Quite good, especially with pork belly. Still alive, with some years ahead. Truffle, balsamic and cherry notes. Port reduction aromas on opening, mostly blew off in a couple hours. Fills out with time. Not great or as good as a handful of other 50’s and 60’s of late, but quite good still and well worth the tariff intellectually and in drinking pleasure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really quite enjoyable. We opened and had expected to decant, but ended up continuing to pour from the bottle the whole night. In general could potentially have used a decant. The wine had staying power through the whole event. Mostly consumed with dinner (rabbit epaulets at Vaucluse which are just delicious). Amazing how Barolo can add more fruit and character when food is introduced. Wish we had more. Was still drinking well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have had this wine several times before and have always loved this wine. The previous wines were in a Blue labeled bottle. This was a brown label. When I asked the merchant about it he said it was the same wine but released in the 60's. It is completely different. It is a much bigger, denser wine with a funky nose that never blew off and lacked the elegance and refinement of the other bottles. Alas, I still have 2 more bottles
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had quite a red tinge to the colour, rather than the usual Nebbiolo orange but still threw a large amount of sediment. There’s a massive whack of balsamic volatility but I liked it. There were red fruits, truffles and mushrooms, raisins and loads of tar. It is still a very strong and forceful wine with real presence and chewy tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have had this wine on one other occasion and fortunately still have 2 bottles left. As I opened the bottle the cork fell into the bottle. The same thing happened the first time so there was less profanity in that the last bottle turned out splendidly. Same thing this time. The description that follows does not sound as if it belongs with Barolo.
Light, delicate appearance the color of a dark rose. Sandalwood, rose petal, and leather flavors with hints of tar. I just love this wine. If you are looking for a big Barolo don't get this wine. A very pretty wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A very light colour but still with a ruby-like glisten. The nose has plenty of volatility and notes of balsamic envelop one's nostrils. It is quite nutty and there's some truffle and leather development. Acidity is still brisk and there's good depth of flavour. The finish is seriously savoury, leaving an umami footprint.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big birthdays deserve special wines. Purchased this a month ago and stood it up in the cellar to settle.
Opened early this morning and then decanted about 2 hours before serving.
In the glass this was fairly opaque orange, almost like a big Rose. Nose - smokey, burnt matches, campfire Palate - orange rind, prunes, nice acid, orange jolly rancher, smooth mellow tannins, medium short finish, just a real pleasure.
Overall, great to drink a Barolo that is still going strong but doesn't choke you with tannin
This wine was an amazing surprise. Had it along with a 1967 Monfortino and a 1967 Chateau Latour. It has a pale red color that you see from time to time with old school Barolo. It almost looks like cherry soda. Very light and elegant on the palate with prominent flavors of cherry, raspberry, tar, roses and forest floor. Nice acidity and completely balanced. Just a lovely wine. I personally loved this wine. However, it is not the classic profile that most people look for in Barolo. Light and delicate is not the terms that come to mind when talking about Barolo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The ullage was mid-shoulder, there was some leakage from underneath the heavy capsule and the cork was pretty much soaked through with wine. But the wine wasn't bad. Stone fruits, orange rind and strawberry whiffs on the nose with liquorice, tobacco, tar and a minty lift. Medium bodied palate with the fruit getting rather thin. The acidic backbone worked well and there was still a minor tannic bite. MId-length at best. A good wine (especially the bouquet was charming), but it felt it could have been much better, if only the bottle had been in perfect condition.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ljust röd-orange, ännu mer transparent. Även här massiv fällning. I doften är det stall, läder, ceder, tjära, sötlakrits. Den något pinot-ruttna/unkna frukten (inte menat på ett negativt sätt alls) lurar i bakgrunden med körsbär och hallon. Kryddigt, blod och järn. I munnen är det utvecklad, mogen röd frukt, mycket välintegrerade fat, kryddigt, blod, järn. Finkorniga tanniner, balanserad syra och lång fatkryddig eftersmak.
Även om vinet nog varit bättre förut är det mycket mer levande än sin 20 år yngre granne (Pio Cesare, Barolo, 1978). Inte alls några oxiderade drag (även om jag blev orolig för det när jag drog ur korken - den var verkligen förkrympt). Både komplext, intressant och verkligt gott!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, then drank over the following 2 hours. Pale, dusty ruby with a tinge of brown. Still youngish nose of stewed prune, brown sugar, strawberry, and a whiff of goudron. In the mouth amazingly still has a touch of sweetness to it. There are hints of oxidation, almost sherry-like flavors, but still very alive. The age is getting apparent on the finish which is likely not as long as it once was. Great performance for a 50+ year old wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Terrific wine! Pale garnet color, decanted clean and brilliant. Aromas of bay leaf, tar and porcini mushrooms. Delicate on the palate with sour cherry fruit and hints of leather. A bit attenuated on the finish, but still enjoyable and a fine complement to beef stew.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
[Historic TN.] This was a bottle I picked up from an offering of wines from a private cellar by Bibendum in London. Price, for those vulgar enough to want to know - that normally includes me! - was £40 ex VAT. I know Fontanafredda doesn't have a great reputation nowadays [in fact, it seems to be on the up again], but it was perhaps the first Barolo I saw on the shelves when I got interested in wine in the mid-80s. I have no idea what 1958 was supposed to be like as a vintage, but I suspect it must have been very good.
I'd stood the bottle up for a couple of days, but everything went a bit *%$*! when the middle of the cork crumbled to pieces as I tried to get it out. After a bit of excavation, I was left with a narrow access into the bottle, with a circumference of cork clinging to the neck of the bottle. I have a feeling I didn't do this exactly as I should!
After I'd managed to shake it up during the above exertions, the wine was a bit cloudy and there were a few bits of sediment in the decanter. I suppose I could have let it settle and decanted it again. But I didn't.
So here's the note:
To the eye: the first drops into the decanter were bright and clear, and salmon pink. Thereafter a bit cloudy.
It had a clean fresh nose of strawberries and raspberries, with leather and other animal/herbal notes, and a hint of yeasty champagne. There was something on the nose of sherry vinegar, but it wasn't at all vinegary to taste. Somewhat remininiscent of old claret.
On the palate, it was light-medium weight but exceptionally mouthfilling. It had good acidity but was very harmonious. The finish was long, sweet and ethereal. In short, it was very tasty. Not a great wine, but a memorable wine (in a way that scores alone can't record) showing remarkable longevity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
9/2/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
For some folks this was one of the wines of the night and it certainly was very nicely put together. It's a bit more of the very old nebbiolo. A bit more leather and almost like this leather sweat that I sometimes think of. Good acid and a balance and if you give it some time you can almost see the hints of the fruit that was before. For me it was on the heels of a much younger wine and so the age felt a bit more of a shift. I think nice in the vibrancy that's still there but I wonder if the sweet spot was a bit earlier.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2023 - Boone's Farm Likes this wine: 90 Points
I have had bottles of this wine which were exquisite. This was not one of them. Still a nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Italian Night in Jax (La Cena): Coming on the heels of some younger barolo/barbaresco and so it took a bit of palate resetting. The fruit is gone from this unfortunately but it’s still an enjoyable wine. Old school barolo. Not the best bottle we’ve had of it. I consider 58 to be one of the great vintages and if I’m honest this disappointed me a bit although still good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2023 - tcarter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still alive and kicking though much of the fruit (red, cherry, strawberry) has faded. Just a touch of that raisin vibe happening.
Cork was in good shape and it was a high shoulder fill.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2022 - LeroyHilarious Likes this wine: 86 Points
The final wine at our Piedmont tasting. Bottle was in great condition with the wine level about a cm below the cork. Cork in good condition as well.
Nice on the nose, ofcourse dried fruits/a bit of raisins. Decanted for an hour and some of the ”oldness” went away.
Light red/orange colour, a bit pale. Tasting very nice considering the 64 years, like a lighter port wine, with some fruits and acidity still around.
Think this is as good as it gets. Very happy it turned out like it did.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2022 - adnorthup wrote:
1 hour decant. Perfect old Nebbiolo, cherry, strawberry, earth, tar, continued to awake over drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2021 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Decanted for about 4 hours, was still improving with the last glass. Quite good, especially with pork belly. Still alive, with some years ahead. Truffle, balsamic and cherry notes. Port reduction aromas on opening, mostly blew off in a couple hours. Fills out with time. Not great or as good as a handful of other 50’s and 60’s of late, but quite good still and well worth the tariff intellectually and in drinking pleasure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Really quite enjoyable. We opened and had expected to decant, but ended up continuing to pour from the bottle the whole night. In general could potentially have used a decant. The wine had staying power through the whole event. Mostly consumed with dinner (rabbit epaulets at Vaucluse which are just delicious). Amazing how Barolo can add more fruit and character when food is introduced. Wish we had more. Was still drinking well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2018 - Boone's Farm wrote: 86 Points
I have had this wine several times before and have always loved this wine. The previous wines were in a Blue labeled bottle. This was a brown label. When I asked the merchant about it he said it was the same wine but released in the 60's. It is completely different. It is a much bigger, denser wine with a funky nose that never blew off and lacked the elegance and refinement of the other bottles. Alas, I still have 2 more bottles
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Had quite a red tinge to the colour, rather than the usual Nebbiolo orange but still threw a large amount of sediment. There’s a massive whack of balsamic volatility but I liked it. There were red fruits, truffles and mushrooms, raisins and loads of tar. It is still a very strong and forceful wine with real presence and chewy tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2018 - Boone's Farm Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have had this wine on one other occasion and fortunately still have 2 bottles left. As I opened the bottle the cork fell into the bottle. The same thing happened the first time so there was less profanity in that the last bottle turned out splendidly. Same thing this time.
The description that follows does not sound as if it belongs with Barolo.
Light, delicate appearance the color of a dark rose. Sandalwood, rose petal, and leather flavors with hints of tar. I just love this wine. If you are looking for a big Barolo don't get this wine. A very pretty wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
A very light colour but still with a ruby-like glisten. The nose has plenty of volatility and notes of balsamic envelop one's nostrils. It is quite nutty and there's some truffle and leather development. Acidity is still brisk and there's good depth of flavour. The finish is seriously savoury, leaving an umami footprint.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2018 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big birthdays deserve special wines. Purchased this a month ago and stood it up in the cellar to settle.
Opened early this morning and then decanted about 2 hours before serving.
In the glass this was fairly opaque orange, almost like a big Rose.
Nose - smokey, burnt matches, campfire
Palate - orange rind, prunes, nice acid, orange jolly rancher, smooth mellow tannins, medium short finish, just a real pleasure.
Overall, great to drink a Barolo that is still going strong but doesn't choke you with tannin
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/11/2017 - Boone's Farm wrote:
This wine was an amazing surprise. Had it along with a 1967 Monfortino and a 1967 Chateau Latour. It has a pale red color that you see from time to time with old school Barolo. It almost looks like cherry soda. Very light and elegant on the palate with prominent flavors of cherry, raspberry, tar, roses and forest floor. Nice acidity and completely balanced. Just a lovely wine. I personally loved this wine. However, it is not the classic profile that most people look for in Barolo. Light and delicate is not the terms that come to mind when talking about Barolo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2017 - JerM wrote: 93 Points
Spectacular Aged Brunner (East Lindfield): [Parallel w 1958 Contratto] light, pale tawny in glass. Funky mushroom, dried longan, dried fig, dried roses, and chicken essence. Fresh acidity, ferrous, umami, cigarsmoke. Tar, dried floral, bonito flake iodine. Autumnal. Beef bouillon, fresh, with mushrooms and forest floor. Incredible!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Chicago Wine Flock...Gary Opening Well Aged Barolo (Ada Street - Chicago IL): Open several hours before serving with some good time in decanter. Mature red fruit throughout with modest spice. Less complexity than some others in the flight/evening, with too much acid for everything else in this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2014 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 93 Points
In perfect condition. Really beautiful pale and radiant brick red. Intense aromas of classic aged Barolo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2013 - avp wrote:
The ullage was mid-shoulder, there was some leakage from underneath the heavy capsule and the cork was pretty much soaked through with wine. But the wine wasn't bad.
Stone fruits, orange rind and strawberry whiffs on the nose with liquorice, tobacco, tar and a minty lift.
Medium bodied palate with the fruit getting rather thin. The acidic backbone worked well and there was still a minor tannic bite. MId-length at best.
A good wine (especially the bouquet was charming), but it felt it could have been much better, if only the bottle had been in perfect condition.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2012 - Gurto wrote: 91 Points
Ljust röd-orange, ännu mer transparent. Även här massiv fällning. I doften är det stall, läder, ceder, tjära, sötlakrits. Den något pinot-ruttna/unkna frukten (inte menat på ett negativt sätt alls) lurar i bakgrunden med körsbär och hallon. Kryddigt, blod och järn. I munnen är det utvecklad, mogen röd frukt, mycket välintegrerade fat, kryddigt, blod, järn. Finkorniga tanniner, balanserad syra och lång fatkryddig eftersmak.
Även om vinet nog varit bättre förut är det mycket mer levande än sin 20 år yngre granne (Pio Cesare, Barolo, 1978). Inte alls några oxiderade drag (även om jag blev orolig för det när jag drog ur korken - den var verkligen förkrympt). Både komplext, intressant och verkligt gott!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2012 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Bricked medium orange color with ruby lights; autumnal, beef jus, truffle, smoked cherry, stewed cherry, cigar box nose; tasty, mature, silky textured, pink grapefruit, cigar box, truffle, tart orange palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2010 - jlemerond wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured, then drank over the following 2 hours. Pale, dusty ruby with a tinge of brown. Still youngish nose of stewed prune, brown sugar, strawberry, and a whiff of goudron. In the mouth amazingly still has a touch of sweetness to it. There are hints of oxidation, almost sherry-like flavors, but still very alive. The age is getting apparent on the finish which is likely not as long as it once was. Great performance for a 50+ year old wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2010 - j45 wrote:
Terrific wine! Pale garnet color, decanted clean and brilliant. Aromas of bay leaf, tar and porcini mushrooms. Delicate on the palate with sour cherry fruit and hints of leather. A bit attenuated on the finish, but still enjoyable and a fine complement to beef stew.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2003 - wineamateur wrote:
[Historic TN.] This was a bottle I picked up from an offering of wines from a private cellar by Bibendum in London. Price, for those vulgar enough to want to know - that normally includes me! - was £40 ex VAT. I know Fontanafredda doesn't have a great reputation nowadays [in fact, it seems to be on the up again], but it was perhaps the first Barolo I saw on the shelves when I got interested in wine in the mid-80s. I have no idea what 1958 was supposed to be like as a vintage, but I suspect it must have been very good.
I'd stood the bottle up for a couple of days, but everything went a bit *%$*! when the middle of the cork crumbled to pieces as I tried to get it out. After a bit of excavation, I was left with a narrow access into the bottle, with a circumference of cork clinging to the neck of the bottle. I have a feeling I didn't do this exactly as I should!
After I'd managed to shake it up during the above exertions, the wine was a bit cloudy and there were a few bits of sediment in the decanter. I suppose I could have let it settle and decanted it again. But I didn't.
So here's the note:
To the eye: the first drops into the decanter were bright and clear, and salmon pink. Thereafter a bit cloudy.
It had a clean fresh nose of strawberries and raspberries, with leather and other animal/herbal notes, and a hint of yeasty champagne. There was something on the nose of sherry vinegar, but it wasn't at all vinegary to taste. Somewhat remininiscent of old claret.
On the palate, it was light-medium weight but exceptionally mouthfilling. It had good acidity but was very harmonious. The finish was long, sweet and ethereal. In short, it was very tasty. Not a great wine, but a memorable wine (in a way that scores alone can't record) showing remarkable longevity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment