WTN: Langhe Overdue

1996 Guiseppe Mascarello Langhe Status (Piedmont) This nebbiolo/barbera blend has been a fave of mine over the past couple of years but it’s now getting a bit long in the tooth. Aromas of dried flower, dried citrus elements mixed with a bit of tar. The palate is thinning, the acidity is coming through more, and the tannins are quite integrated. Drink em over the next year or two.

2004 Cascina Ballarin Langhe Rosso Cino (Piedmont) Imp: Ideal Wine, 12.5%abv. Wonderfully vibrant expression of Piemonte. Ripe fruit, licorice, and violet aromatics in this barbera, nebbiolo, dolcetto blend. Lots of lush black cherry, plum and mineral flavors with a solid tannic structure and plenty of acidity. Oak-free. Well worth $8.75 (on sale) as an everyday red.

1996 Guiseppe Mascarello Langhe Status (Piedmont) This nebbiolo/barbera blend has been a fave of mine over the past couple of years but it’s now getting a bit long in the tooth. Aromas of dried flower, dried citrus elements mixed with a bit of tar. The palate is thinning, the acidity is coming through more, and the tannins are quite integrated. Drink em over the next year or two.

Bill, what would you think about the Produttori Del Barbaresco wines? I have maybe a case of the 96's split between (I think) four of the single vineyard wines. I was thinking that they might still be shutdown.

Bob
The 96's are pretty structured and for the long haul as I understand (I have but 1 Montestefano from 96). Of course a decant should open it up fine, so maybe start off with a lighter vineyard (Pora, Moccagatta IIRC are at the lighter end). See what happens from there.

regards

Ian

I agree with Ian, Bob. The '96 regular Produttori bottling might be ready (or close to ready) to try but I'd wait on any of the vineyard select Riserva for another 5+ years. '96 is going to be a killer vintage when matured.

The '96 Langhe that I had wasn't really made as a long term ager but did mature quite nicely.

I agree with Ian, Bob. The '96 regular Produttori bottling might be ready (or close to ready) to try but I'd wait on any of the vineyard select Riserva for another 5+ years. '96 is going to be a killer vintage when matured.

The '96 Langhe that I had wasn't really made as a long term ager but did mature quite nicely.

Bill, the bottles I have are all the riserva, and each from a single vineyard. I do have a couple of the 97's which are as good as they will ever be, and probably need drinking. The last 96 I had maybe a year ago, was closed down tight.

I had a terrible one the other day, 2002 Alessandria Langhe. I was hoping despite the bad vintage that the best downgraded Barolo grapes would make it a good bargain, but it was not to be. Yuck.

I had a terrible one the other day, 2002 Alessandria Langhe. I was hoping despite the bad vintage that the best downgraded Barolo grapes would make it a good bargain, but it was not to be. Yuck.

Joe, I will never understand why a winemaker will take the risk of ruining his good name by offering (often at an increase in price) the wines from a horrible vintage. This practice seems to be universal.

The 2002 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco seems to be one that bucked the trend of that vintage. Drank beautifully at Christmas.

Michael

I do have a couple of the 97's which are as good as they will ever be, and probably need drinking. The last 96 I had maybe a year ago, was closed down tight.

'97 is one of those early drinking vintages, Bob. I cant wait for the '96's to wake up.

I had a terrible one the other day, 2002 Alessandria Langhe. I was hoping despite the bad vintage that the best downgraded Barolo grapes would make it a good bargain, but it was not to be. Yuck.

Was it all nebbiolo, Joe, or was waterlogged barbera and/or dolcetto tossed in as well?

The 2002 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco seems to be one that bucked the trend of that vintage. Drank beautifully at Christmas.

Good to hear, Michael! Given that most are shying away from the vintage a wine like that might make a decent bargin.

Bob, Here's a note on the '96 Moccagatta.
Charles

1996 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Moccagatta - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (10/8/2006)
In Eastman. Opened for few hours, then decanted, which may have been a mistake. taste just after decanting was better than an hour later, having lost some of the nice mature nebbiolo fruit and having more of a drying finish. Nonetheless, a success with leg of lamb. Towards end of dinner the nose may have actually been coming out more, including a faint licorice note.

I had a terrible one the other day, 2002 Alessandria Langhe. I was hoping despite the bad vintage that the best downgraded Barolo grapes would make it a good bargain, but it was not to be. Yuck.

Was it all nebbiolo, Joe, or was waterlogged barbera and/or dolcetto tossed in as well?.

Tasted like Barbera, oak, unwieldy tannin and alcohol. Loads of sulfates too.

I don't think Alessandria usually makes this wine, if not, it must have been like their "Shadow" - only bad.

Thanks Charles, it looks like I should do a test run on one of them.

I had a terrible one the other day, 2002 Alessandria Langhe. I was hoping despite the bad vintage that the best downgraded Barolo grapes would make it a good bargain, but it was not to be. Yuck.

Joe, I will never understand why a winemaker will take the risk of ruining his good name by offering (often at an increase in price) the wines from a horrible vintage. This practice seems to be universal.

I must have missed that; which producers offered 'cru' wines from '02 at an increase in price?

In the old days, before the recent run of twelve good or better vintages*, '02 would have been very useful drinking. It is certainly not a 'horrible' vintage, though, if we cast our minds back to say '92 or '94.

The great benefit of '02 is that it inspired a number of producers to resume production of Langhe Nebbiolo, which I drink a lot of.

*I am not a big fan of the hot-vintage wines like '97 and '03, but many seem to like them

I must have missed that; which producers offered 'cru' wines from '02 at an increase in price?

In the old days, before the recent run of twelve good or better vintages*, '02 would have been very useful drinking. It is certainly not a 'horrible' vintage, though, if we cast our minds back to say '92 or '94.

The great benefit of '02 is that it inspired a number of producers to resume production of Langhe Nebbiolo, which I drink a lot of.

*I am not a big fan of the hot-vintage wines like '97 and '03, but many seem to like them

Oliver, I am probably painting with a too wide swath when I said "This practice seems to be universal." I would have to do a lot of research to name names around the wine world, but do remember buying the 2001 Pegau CndP for about $34-35, and (in my market) the 92's rose to $45, then the heat year of 2003 the same wine came out at $59 and immediately went to $70 in my BAWS, then when WS made it # 2 (I think) in the 2006 top 100 the same BAWS bumped the price to #100. I could name other CndP that saw that same fate. While I am given to understand that the southern Rhone acquitted better wines in 2003 than did the northern Rhone, I would think hat they would still be evident hot climate wines. I suspect if I researched it I could find a lot of other wines with the same or similar price raising in both those vintages.

Bob,

Pegau is very 'Parkerisé,' though, which changes everything. Not a typical case.

Many of these increases come from intermediaries (eg importers), not from producers, too (not to mention the exchange rate, over the longer term).

Bob, I think that virtually all CdPs rose in price steadily from the '98 vintage, first because of the 4 great vintages in a row, and then because of the popularity of CdP. I've stopped buying. I passed on all 2002s because lesser southern rhones I tasted were no good, and on the 03s because of price increases and the fact that the lesser wines (CdR and CdRV) I tasted were not typical. So, with regard to Pegau, and other CdPs, I think you are right.
But in other areas, the same hasn't been true. The '04 Bordeaux, for example, is generally less, and occasionally much less, than either the 03 or the o5 futures. 04 Pontet Canet is generally available for under $40, when the 03 was about $80. And I think it is probably more typical. Damn - I wish I were young enough to take advantage of that.
Oh, what the hell. I guess I will.

Damn - I wish I were young enough to take advantage of that. Oh, what the hell. I guess I will.

OW, I sometime think I am too curmudgeonly about things like increased cost of my wine when I can not see a reason for the increase. I also know sometimes (as Oliver said) it is not the winemaker, rather it is the middle men. (plus Parker and the other guru's) But if I were to go back say ten years on say 150-200 wines, both domestic, and abroad, I suspect that I could find more than a few that cost me more to buy, now and by a margin that could not be explained by the exchange rate. I suppose I should just like it or lump it. (maybe I am digging myself a hole with this too).

And what is that about you being young enough? Either you are way younger than I, or you married a baby! Say hi to Beth for me.

BobH, that will make Beth's day. (and she promises never to miss another MoCOOL.)