WTN: A couple of 1996 Vietti

Ordered from a restaurant wine list with Oliver and Remo.

Vietti Barolo Brunate 1996
A wine I had not had in (exactly, it turns out) seven years, my verdict remains unchanged. More red and less black to the ruby here than the Rocche’s. Typical La Morra (especially for Brunate), attractively sweet especially on the nose, more exotic/floral baked plum and rose-hip, smooth, much more easy-going than the Rocche, much less complex and spicy, merely softly tannic, what some would call a feminine wine. The longer this aired, the shorter it seemed to get. Lacks power, intensity and especially length, not just in comparison to the Rocche – we started discussing Roberto Voerzio’s Brunate from the same vintage, but the truth is, that wine is in an altogether different league. I know this sounds ironic, but not just in hindsight, it has always been the Vietti that was overpriced. Drink. Rating: 88

Vietti Barolo Rocche 1996
Another wine I had not had in seven years, again, my verdict remains unchanged. It is my favourite Vietti Rocche since the 1982, 1985 and 1989, and it is fairly close in overall quality (albeit not in character) to the Villero Riserva from the same vintage, and it is evolving very nicely in bottle. Full cherry juice hued ruby-black, watery orange rim. Typically tannic 1996, more 1978-like than any vintage since then, although not nearly as tight today as some (in particular the very best) 1996s. Spicy mulled wine and suggestion of marzipan (but note that apart from undergoing malolactic fermentation in barrique, this was aged in fuder). Firm black cherry fruit, good finesse. Good body, well-structured and balanced. Quite long. Drink well-aired or (preferably) hold. Rating: 91+/92

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

Again thank you for the notes (though I am tempted to ask what music you are listening to as you type...I am keying along to Bruckner's 2nd with Jochum from the same set I was listening to last week), and it's good to see the 96s at least approaching drinkability, even if they will hold and improve.

Back when I was slowly accumulating bottles of Barolo I purchased Brunate from a number of producers (Vietti, Marcarini, Ceretto, sadly no Voerzio), and only now begin to discover that wine from that site does not really move me. I enjoy the wines well enough with a meal, but no more than I would a Langhe Nebbiolo from a good producer.

Again thank you for the notes (though I am tempted to ask what music you are listening to as you type...I am keying along to Bruckner's 2nd with Jochum from the same set I was listening to last week), and it's good to see the 96s at least approaching drinkability, even if they will hold and improve.

Back when I was slowly accumulating bottles of Barolo I purchased Brunate from a number of producers (Vietti, Marcarini, Ceretto, sadly no Voerzio), and only now begin to discover that wine from that site does not really move me. I enjoy the wines well enough with a meal, but no more than I would a Langhe Nebbiolo from a good producer.

Schönberg's Verklärte Nacht in its original version for String Sextet and Schubert's String Quintet D956 played by the Hollywood String Quartet plus Alvin Dinkin and Kurt Reher, and Mozart's 3rd and 5th Violin Concerti played by Leonid Kogan. Last time I listened to Bruckner's 2nd Symphony (a couple of days ago), I compared recordings by Zender (the best modern recording, from the Haas edition, but more importantly, virtually free from revisionist cuts), Reichert (same edition, nice, but unavailable on CD), Giulini (Nowak edition, nice but mutilating cuts) and Melles (Haas edition, but takes all cuts, and at any rate, I'm not too taken with the recording). Unfortunately, the master tape of Hans Rosbaud's performance is gathering dust in the the Southwestern German Radio archive - I hope Hänssler or Medici Arts/Masters will come to its rescue soon.

As to 1996 Piedmont, please remember the top wines are nowhere near maturity! Also, although Brunate is a great site, I've always felt that were it not for e.g. Elio Altare and especially Roberto Voerzio, one would find little proof in the glass. Even the finest Marcarinis, i.e. 1990 and 1996 show comparatively little terroir typicity. But even in a best case scenario, Brunate is mainly about fruit and finesse rather than minerality or spice.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti