Notes from a Nebbiolo dinner.
1971 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo – great old wine showing as you’d like. Pale, but a lovely nose of earth, leather and old fruit. Still tannic (must have been unapproachable young) but sweet and enjoyable. The nose developed some tar after airing.
1987 Giacosa Barbaresco – also a light colour, and a more floral nose. Still some tannin but insufficient fruit to make this other than a bit miserly.
1990 Parusso Barolo – I really liked this one, and it wasn’t just because I’d brought it. The nose was textbook tar and roses and just kept getting better with air. In the mouth there are still significant tannins, but not hard and lots of ripe fruit to work with it. Very long. First bottle I’ve opened (figured it should be hitting stride about now). Wish I’d bought more!
1997 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Vigna Brich Ronchi - I was also very impressed with this wine, which is spectacular! Dark, with what I’d also call a ‘dark’ nose of blackberry and dark cherry, but also spice, vanilla and nuts. Tons of fruit in the mouth and exceptional length. Not your old style Barolo, but what a contrast between the two styles!
1997 Azelia Barolo San Rocco – interesting nose that melded mint and cherry, and a sort of juicy fruity impression in the mouth, with only light tannins. New style and forward. Not my style (I do have some 93 Bricco Fiasco that comes off as more of the traditional style)
1997 Azienda Agricola Paitin Barbaresco Sori Paitin – earth and leather in the nose, good structure and good length. decent wine.
1998 Giacosa Barbaresco – black olives and leather in this nose, good colour, loads of tannin, and sweet at the end, almost raisiny.
2000 Triacca Sforzato San Domenico – a wine from the ‘other’ Nebbiolo source in Italy, the Valtellina. The nose was peculiar – a warm stewed cabbage thing that failed to win any admirers. The flavours were true, however, lots of tannin at the beginning but it quickly smoothed out and decent length. The nose did eventually improve.
2001 Mauro Veglio Barolo Vigneto Arborina – roses and leather, quite ripe, some nice fruit in the mouth before it gets tannic and closes down toward the end. Should improve with age.
2001 Prod. del Barbaresco Ovello – an unusual vitamin tablet nose, sweet entry, tannic in the mouth with good length, this wine also needs more time to hit its best.
2001 Marchesi di Barolo Sarmassa – dark wine with an atypical but pleasant nose, excellent concentration, and good length. Could use a few years.