WTN: An old northern Nebbiolo: Ferrando Carema 1964

Ferrando Carema (White Label) 1964

This was very pretty. It needed a couple hours in a decanter to get rid of some weird aromas, but good old Nebbiolo almost always requires quite a lengthy contact with air. It has those wonderful smells that rained upon soil gets and is aromatically very obviously Nebbiolo instead of just "old wine". It isn't a hugely powerful wine but it has bright acidity and a savoury finish and it seems more vibrant and awesome in every way than almost all mature Nebbiolo I have tried of supposedly better pedigree. It should have come in a magnum.

Imagine the Black Label!
Charles

[David M. Bueker]

Did they do a black label back then?

Otto - thanks for posting this. Who doesn't love reading about wine especially an older wine; wondering what was going on at the time the grapes were growing and at harvest; how wine-making has changed, etc. It's a time capsule.

Nice! Never tried a Carema that old, but have enjoyed a bunch 1978 and younger.
One of my biggest buying regrets was maybe 2003. I was in Zachys, and stumbled across a big display in their "Fine Wine Room." All Italian, mostly early 90s vintages, in $15, $20, and $25 bins. Many wines I never heard of, others I had, sign said all from one cellar. I picked up 8 or 10 assorted bottles ($15 95/96 Ferrando Carema white labels and '93 Barbarescos from solid nontrophy producers, $20 1990 Ferrando Carema black labels and '93 Barolos, etc). Wanted to assess condition. Of course, by time I realized bottles were in great shape and rushed back, all of the best stuff- including the Ferrandos - was gone, though what was left was still mostly bargains, got another mixed case or two. Turned out later talking to a couple of friends who worked at Zachys auction that a major serious Italian collector had died, family wanted whole cellar out. So the Giacosas, Solderas, Biondi-Santis. G. Conternos, etc that made up bulk of collection went to auction, they just priced "little stuff" cheap to move it fast (these days it would have gone to e-auction). There must of been more than a case of the '90 black label there, I really kicked myself for my caution,

I really kicked myself for my caution...

Well it's a risky strategy to plunk down hundreds of dollars everytime you see something that 'may' be a good deal. So in the longrun you'd have to be prepared for a lot of duds.

Still, I understand the regret! I have some myself.

I really kicked myself for my caution...

Well it's a risky strategy to plunk down hundreds of dollars everytime you see something that 'may' be a good deal. So in the longrun you'd have to be prepared for a lot of duds..

Indeed, I've been well served by caution. But in this case- as condition was my concern- if it were today I'd realize that a store like Zachys is unlikely to put a bunch of cooked wines on sale. The "buy a few bottles to try" has served me well when discovering "finds" in what amount to liquor stores, but at a Chambers, Zachys, Grapes, Crush better to dive in if you see a bargain.

Did they do a black label back then?

No idea. CT has the earlies black label from the '70s. Anyone know?

Did they do a black label back then?

No idea. CT has the earlies black label from the '70s. Anyone know?

Their website doesn't say. Only clue, which suggests maybe they wouldn't have by then:
"In 1957, Giuseppe Ferrando junior, the founder’s grandson, began production of one of the rarest wines obtained from the Nebbiolo variety: Carema, named after a small town in northern Piedmont, on the border with Valle d’Aosta. Here, in 1964, the Ferrando family built cellars for the production and ageing of this unique “mountain Barolo” (D.O.C. since 1967).
I've had a 1975 Black Label (long ago, really good).
Rosenthal has only imported them since 1980 according to their website, don't know who previously.
Charles

According to Sheldon and Pauline Wasserman's "Italy's Noble Red Wines" [1985, New Century Publishers] Ferrando did produce a 1964 black label Carema; the tasting note (from March 1982) describes that wine as: "fragrant, floral bouquet; fruity, still some tannin, but fairly soft and ready; nice now and near its peak, no need to hold any longer." 2 stars.

Incidentally, the Wassermans note that Ferrando produces, "...in some vintages, single-vineyard bottlings...In 1967, he bottled a Vigneto Nusy from Giuseppe Clerino and Vigneto Lavrey from his own vines. In 1969 he made a Vigneto Siei, also from Clerino..."