Random wine shop find on clearance. Cork was clean and wine appeared to be well stored. Gorgeous aromatics. Balsamic, dried mushroom, tar, and chai. On the palate dried cherry, balsamic reduction, morel, rose water jelly. Fully resolved tannin. Medium acid. Expansive mid-palate. Held up after about two hours. More intense morel and candycap mushroom nose. Really quite blown away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pnp. Brick red color, fading rim. Excellent nose with deep, intense black currant, licorice, minerals. Beautiful & maturing nebbiolo wines. Leather, fresh herbs, chewy tannis with good acidity. Very good barbaresco. Can age more than 10 years. Tasted again after 24 hrs, Licorice aftertaste dominates.
I liked this wine a lot, this matured very well. Aged Nebbiolo always reminds of a nice cup of tea. Here as well. Everything was well integrated and the wine had a great structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This took every bit of 5 hours of aeration in decanter before it began to uncoil; really no fruit of any kind until then. The color shows little sign of age. Once this had opened up, the nose was nicely complex, still quite vibrant, with equal parts spice, soil and red/black fruits. There's nothing that comes through as modern here, save a little darkness to the fruit (as compared to those staunchly traditional, perhaps). That said, this medium-bodied effort really surprised me once it was fully open, because in the first moments the cork had been pulled and this was poured to decanter, it seemed dead as could be. I will give my next one 4-5 hours in decanter, at least, and will likely open sometime in the next 5-6 years. Secondaries still, nothing tertiary yet. Good>Very good; great acidity and overall balance. recommended
Served non-blind; cork 3/4 soaked, terrific fill. Modest, fine, sediment.
https://italianwine.blog/
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The modernist Barbaresco of Pelissero, aged for 24 months in barriques, of which 70-80% are new. Served after a few hours of breathing.
Dark, surprisingly deep and almost opaque color - very atypical for a Nebbiolo - with deep orange rim. The nose is quite dark-toned, somewhat developed and a bit smoky with aromas of leather, dried herbs, some gravelly earth, a little bit of sour cherry and a hint of savory wood spice. The wine is dry, full-bodied and rather soft on the palate with almost completely resolved medium tannins and moderately high, yet somewhat soft acidity. There are flavors of dried blackcurrants, leather, juicy dark cherry, some sweet oak spice, a little bit of dried roses and a hint of developed dried fruit complexity. The dark-toned finish is long, rich and with brooding flavors of chocolate, mocha, tar, ripe dark berries, some alcohol heat and a hint of leathery, dried fruit complexity. The tannins feel more pronounced towards the end of the aftertaste, lending a moderately astringent touch to the finish.
A nicely developed example of Vanotú, yet the wine's obvious modernist leanings are still quite pronounced, even after 16 years. Apparently the wine needs even more age to integrate its at times even disturbingly obvious new oak character, but that isn't a problem, as the wine seems to develop at a quite glacial pace. There is surprisingly little of tertiary characteristics here now and if this had been served blind, I would've guessed it to be probably half as old. Given the wine's deep color, pronounced new oak character and hints of blackcurrants, I might've been at loss whether this is actually a Nebbiolo or not, to be honest. A good Barbaresco for sure, but definitely not mindblowing nor even that special. I guess this might be better after 10-15 more years - if the new oak character is gone by then.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was selling these wines (for the importer) at the time the 1998 was released. I loved it then, and I loved it again last night. Not surprisingly, I suppose, this hasn't changed all that much in the meantime. It certainly helps that this has been stored at 58F since release - the wine's ageing quite glacially. In the moments after the cork was removed, a tasting pour goes in my glass - yes, the wine is correct, but also very young, with lots of earth and barn aromas dominating for the first 10 minutes. Into the decanter for 45 minutes (was not long enough, needed 2 hours minimum), and the beautiful perfumes of creosote, cherries, minerals and forest emerge. Medium toward full-bodied, this sports serious elegance; more sculpted than chiseled, this easily has another 10-15 years ahead of it. Approaching its preferred window only now, a testament to some really brilliant winegrowing. Vanotu would have been seriously proud of this effort. Bravo, Giorgio! highly recommended
Served non-blind, the last glass was the best (read: give this air before serving)
https://italianwine.blog/
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Every time we open one it is a little different... but, still love it and still believe it has plenty of time. Same review as last time... except the color wasn't brown upon opening... just took some time to open.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is fabulous. Complex, mature and still has time. We opened it for about an hour and it was perfect. Still has good tanins, but they are integrated in a way that allows you to really enjoy the entire wine. The front palet is not overwhelming but it opens in the middle and finishes very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The "window" says 2008 but this wine has time and needs air... lots of air. We started drinking about 30 minutes after opening and it was ok. An hour later it was beautiful. Definitely needs food as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Agree with other tasters on soy and tea. very pronounced on day 1. day 2 shows more fruit. Good red color. muted aroma of dark fruit. flavors are not exactly one dimensional but not crazy complex either. Fruit and a little earth and that soy/tea thing. Tannins modest. acid modest. easy to drink and would drink now. Not likely to be a crowd pleaser outside of italophiles but I enjoyed every last drop all to myself.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Red with a bit of brown. Nose of tar, sweet cherries, and roasted meat. Adds soy and a scorched earth component on the palate. Flavors are fairly complex, but overall effect is still somewhat linear. Acid has mostly melted away, tannins are fully integrated and help the persistent finish. Very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking very nicely right now. Medium body, fruit and color. Tannins sweet and soft. Lovely glycerin. Just enough acid, which compliments the other flavors. Yes, you can taste the soy and tea. Within 8 hours, the fruit opens and wonderful Tarry-Cherry flavors wake up and offer more richness. At 24 hours, very nice as tar flavors expand, but at 48 things fade a bit. I would drink now and the next couple of years, as the tannins are fine, and time will only dissipate the remaining fruit. I know that WA suggests this will last to 2013, but I don't feel this is warranted. After trying this a few times, I've moved it up to 92. Purity of flavors is very nice and intense, but I don't always get all the layers that would call for a higher score. Some of my bottles have been inconsistent; several were nicely aromatic, but light; one bottle was definitely quite rich, with other layers beyond the tar and cherry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10/16/2023 - rawdealbuffy Likes this wine:
Random wine shop find on clearance. Cork was clean and wine appeared to be well stored. Gorgeous aromatics. Balsamic, dried mushroom, tar, and chai. On the palate dried cherry, balsamic reduction, morel, rose water jelly. Fully resolved tannin. Medium acid. Expansive mid-palate. Held up after about two hours. More intense morel and candycap mushroom nose. Really quite blown away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2020 - Drinks Mak wrote: 93 Points
Pnp. Brick red color, fading rim. Excellent nose with deep, intense black currant, licorice, minerals. Beautiful & maturing nebbiolo wines. Leather, fresh herbs, chewy tannis with good acidity. Very good barbaresco. Can age more than 10 years. Tasted again after 24 hrs, Licorice aftertaste dominates.
磚紅色，周邊顏色淡化。有非常優雅，深度的黑加侖子，甘草，礦物香氣。剛熟成，柔順的 Nebbiolo. 口感有皮革，新鮮香料，清脆丹寧並有非常秀麗的酸度，可喝 4-5小時，可以再存10年+。24小時後再試餘下半瓶，但有明顯的甘草的收結。
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2018 - fozzibaer Likes this wine: 93 Points
I liked this wine a lot, this matured very well. Aged Nebbiolo always reminds of a nice cup of tea. Here as well. Everything was well integrated and the wine had a great structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
This took every bit of 5 hours of aeration in decanter before it began to uncoil; really no fruit of any kind until then. The color shows little sign of age. Once this had opened up, the nose was nicely complex, still quite vibrant, with equal parts spice, soil and red/black fruits. There's nothing that comes through as modern here, save a little darkness to the fruit (as compared to those staunchly traditional, perhaps). That said, this medium-bodied effort really surprised me once it was fully open, because in the first moments the cork had been pulled and this was poured to decanter, it seemed dead as could be. I will give my next one 4-5 hours in decanter, at least, and will likely open sometime in the next 5-6 years. Secondaries still, nothing tertiary yet. Good>Very good; great acidity and overall balance. recommended
Served non-blind; cork 3/4 soaked, terrific fill. Modest, fine, sediment.
https://italianwine.blog/
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2014 - forceberry wrote: 90 Points
The modernist Barbaresco of Pelissero, aged for 24 months in barriques, of which 70-80% are new. Served after a few hours of breathing.
Dark, surprisingly deep and almost opaque color - very atypical for a Nebbiolo - with deep orange rim. The nose is quite dark-toned, somewhat developed and a bit smoky with aromas of leather, dried herbs, some gravelly earth, a little bit of sour cherry and a hint of savory wood spice. The wine is dry, full-bodied and rather soft on the palate with almost completely resolved medium tannins and moderately high, yet somewhat soft acidity. There are flavors of dried blackcurrants, leather, juicy dark cherry, some sweet oak spice, a little bit of dried roses and a hint of developed dried fruit complexity. The dark-toned finish is long, rich and with brooding flavors of chocolate, mocha, tar, ripe dark berries, some alcohol heat and a hint of leathery, dried fruit complexity. The tannins feel more pronounced towards the end of the aftertaste, lending a moderately astringent touch to the finish.
A nicely developed example of Vanotú, yet the wine's obvious modernist leanings are still quite pronounced, even after 16 years. Apparently the wine needs even more age to integrate its at times even disturbingly obvious new oak character, but that isn't a problem, as the wine seems to develop at a quite glacial pace. There is surprisingly little of tertiary characteristics here now and if this had been served blind, I would've guessed it to be probably half as old. Given the wine's deep color, pronounced new oak character and hints of blackcurrants, I might've been at loss whether this is actually a Nebbiolo or not, to be honest. A good Barbaresco for sure, but definitely not mindblowing nor even that special. I guess this might be better after 10-15 more years - if the new oak character is gone by then.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
I was selling these wines (for the importer) at the time the 1998 was released. I loved it then, and I loved it again last night. Not surprisingly, I suppose, this hasn't changed all that much in the meantime. It certainly helps that this has been stored at 58F since release - the wine's ageing quite glacially. In the moments after the cork was removed, a tasting pour goes in my glass - yes, the wine is correct, but also very young, with lots of earth and barn aromas dominating for the first 10 minutes. Into the decanter for 45 minutes (was not long enough, needed 2 hours minimum), and the beautiful perfumes of creosote, cherries, minerals and forest emerge. Medium toward full-bodied, this sports serious elegance; more sculpted than chiseled, this easily has another 10-15 years ahead of it. Approaching its preferred window only now, a testament to some really brilliant winegrowing. Vanotu would have been seriously proud of this effort. Bravo, Giorgio! highly recommended
Served non-blind, the last glass was the best (read: give this air before serving)
https://italianwine.blog/
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2012 - ldorf wrote: 94 Points
Fully developed and outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2009 - ldorf wrote: 93 Points
Stuff is at perfection rigth now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2009 - ldorf wrote: 91 Points
Every time we open one it is a little different... but, still love it and still believe it has plenty of time. Same review as last time... except the color wasn't brown upon opening... just took some time to open.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2009 - ldorf wrote: 89 Points
Very strainge. Bottle opened with a dark BROWN color. Like a very old Burgundy. Took about an hour and it was great. Either needs more time or now...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2009 - ldorf wrote: 93 Points
This wine is fabulous. Complex, mature and still has time. We opened it for about an hour and it was perfect. Still has good tanins, but they are integrated in a way that allows you to really enjoy the entire wine. The front palet is not overwhelming but it opens in the middle and finishes very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2009 - ldorf wrote: 91 Points
The "window" says 2008 but this wine has time and needs air... lots of air. We started drinking about 30 minutes after opening and it was ok. An hour later it was beautiful. Definitely needs food as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2008 - Calistoga wrote: 90 Points
Agree with other tasters on soy and tea. very pronounced on day 1. day 2 shows more fruit. Good red color. muted aroma of dark fruit. flavors are not exactly one dimensional but not crazy complex either. Fruit and a little earth and that soy/tea thing. Tannins modest. acid modest. easy to drink and would drink now. Not likely to be a crowd pleaser outside of italophiles but I enjoyed every last drop all to myself.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2008 - Cahill wrote: 91 Points
Red with a bit of brown. Nose of tar, sweet cherries, and roasted meat. Adds soy and a scorched earth component on the palate. Flavors are fairly complex, but overall effect is still somewhat linear. Acid has mostly melted away, tannins are fully integrated and help the persistent finish. Very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2007 - ParkHill wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very nicely right now. Medium body, fruit and color. Tannins sweet and soft. Lovely glycerin. Just enough acid, which compliments the other flavors. Yes, you can taste the soy and tea. Within 8 hours, the fruit opens and wonderful Tarry-Cherry flavors wake up and offer more richness. At 24 hours, very nice as tar flavors expand, but at 48 things fade a bit. I would drink now and the next couple of years, as the tannins are fine, and time will only dissipate the remaining fruit. I know that WA suggests this will last to 2013, but I don't feel this is warranted. After trying this a few times, I've moved it up to 92. Purity of flavors is very nice and intense, but I don't always get all the layers that would call for a higher score. Some of my bottles have been inconsistent; several were nicely aromatic, but light; one bottle was definitely quite rich, with other layers beyond the tar and cherry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment