I had amassed a nice collection of Barbaresco´s from the stellar vintage of 1990 and I thought it was time to arrange a tasting dinner around them.
Flight I
1990 Barbaresco, Carlo Quazzolo
Bought for 12 Euros some years back and in all fairness, I didn´t expect much. But it delivered. The nose is light, fine and rather elegant with notes of red currants, forest floor and herbs. Has a fine dried up sweetness. Very good.
The taste is dry and linear with notes of lingonberries, bakelite, dry licorice and herbs. Medium long. Ends with a dry twist. Holding up fine, on the same level the day after.
86p (tasted 2019/01)
1990 Barbaresco Bric Mentina, La Ca´Növa
I tasted these two wines from La Ca´Növa 1,5 years ago and they behaved identical on this night, the Bric Mentina edging out the Montefico, especially the day after when the Bric Mentina opened up even more. Really fine wines. No hurry to drink these.
93p (tasted 2019/01)
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| Deep-fried veal sweetbreads with creamy morels and grated cauliflower |
1990 Barbaresco Montefico, La Ca´Növa
See above.92p (tasted 2019/01)
1990 Barbaresco, Produttori del Barbaresco
The Normale from the Produttori displays a rough, herbal nose with notes of dried cherries, undergrowth, muscovado sugar and warm sand. Fully mature.
The taste is dry and steady with notes of dried up cherry jam, forest floor, minerals and dry licorice. A long finish with a lot of warmth. Should be drunk sooner than later.
87p (tasted 2019/01)
Flight II
1990 Barbaresco Sori Tilden, Gaja
The second flight was supposed to show the heights of Barbaresco - Gaja & Giacosa. Talk about an anticlimax... The Gaja bottle looked good, the level was fine and with no signs of seepage. But as soon as the foil was removed my heart dropped. The cork was dark and moist and there was some seepage under the foil. The cork came up in one piece but was totally soaked through. The wine was brown and showed all signs of being cooked. Ah well, I have the Giacosa, I thought...
50p (tasted 2019/01)
1990 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano, Bruno Giacosa
A perfect bottle, perfect level and the cork was long and in perfect health, except for what it had brought to the wine - corked...horribly corked.
Now there was some cursing going on, but I soon calmed down and went to the cellar and got two backups.
50p (tasted 2019/01)
Second Flight II - The Backups
1990 Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga, Bruno Giacosa
I tasted these two bottles almost ten years ago in a nice Giacosa line up (those were the times when you could buy bottles of Giacosa Riserva with some age without robbing a bank or two...). These proofed to be worthy replacements.
The nose on the Falletto is a dream with gorgeous notes of sweet/sour cherries, rosehips, iron, dry licorice, sweet minerals and really fin tobacco. Very, very deep. There is some maturity here but this has lots more to give.
The taste is refined, racy and regal with notes of hard cherry candy, forest floor, dried roses, tobacco. mushrooms and asphalt. The finish goes on forever. Very aristocratic. Drinking beautifully today and will go on for 10+ years. Even better tha day after.
98p (tasted 2019/01)
1990 Barolo Riserva Collina Rionda, Bruno Giacosa
Aaaaaah! Thats sums it up. Wine doesn´t get any better than this, albeit I only gave it 99p... The nose is deeper and darker than the Falletto with stunning notes of ripe wild raspberries, Finnish licorice, rosemary, sweet violets, warm tiles and pipe tobacco. Deep as the Mariana trench. Breathtaking.
The taste is brilliant and balanced with notes of rosehips, dried strawberries, pipe tobacco, forest floor, tar and fresh herbs. The intensity is of the charts. A two minute long finish with some still firm tannins. This just needs 6+ years for that extra point...
99p (tasted 2019/01)
Flight III
1990 Barbaresco Serraboella, Fratelli Cigliuti
A very elegant, low keyed nose with notes of red currants, rosehips, paint, mushrooms and a ever so slight hint of mint. Very refined. Lovely.
The taste is medium bodied and graceful with notes of dried strawberries, asphalt, rosehips and mushrooms. Silky tannins show themselves in the long finish. Fully mature but no hurry to drink.
92p (tasted 2019/01)
1990 Barbaresco Santo Stefano, xxxx
"#%¤#"!)(/&! - another corked bottle!!
50p (tasted 2019/01)
1990 Barbaresco Brich Ronchi, Albino Rocca
The Albino Rocca shows a deep, warm, mature nose with notes of warm tiles, ripe red cherries, undergrowth and old leather. A fine warmth but a tad sparse in the middle.
The taste has a very fine warmth with nice, cooked red fruit and notes of bonfire, scorched earth, tobacco and licorice. Very long and fine. Better on the palate. Very, very good.
88p (tasted 2019/01)
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| Oxtail ragu with parmesan gnocchi and carrots |
1990 Barbaresco Moccagatta, Produttori del Barbaresco
The Moccagatta possesses a lot more structure, refinement and depth than the Normale. The nose is deep, cool and somewhat mature with notes of bonfire smoke, ripe red currants, rosehips, fresh mushrooms and some tobacco aromas. Very fine.
The taste is concentrated and tight with still some perky tannins and notes of ripe red currants, Finnish licorice, forest floor, dried flowers and tobacco. Very long and racy. Feels even fresher and younger on the palate. This will go on for 10+ years. Great wine.
94p (tasted 2019/01)
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