More notes from The Barolo Boys trip to Piedmont in April of 2018. Only 40 days until we go again...:-)
Marengo
It is always a treat to visit Marco and Jenny and taste their stunning wines.
Disclaimer - the importer of Marengo and Luigi Pira to Sweden (Origo Wines) are friends of mine and co founders of The illustrious Barolo Boys. I, however, have no financial interests in these wines, I just call them as I see them.
I am spoiled to have tasted these first poured wines several times before the last year or so, see links below, so I just give a score for them, and focus on the new vintages.
2016 Barbera d´Alba Vigna Pugnane
89p (tasted 2018/04)
2016 Nebbiolo d´Alba Vigna Valmaggiore
91p (tasted 2018/05)
2014 Barolo
90p (tasted 2018/04)
2014 Barolo Bricco delle Viole
92p (tasted 2018/04)
2014 Barolo Brunate
94p (tasted 2018/04)
2012 Barolo Riserva Brunate
95p (tasted 2018/04)
1996 Barolo Brunate
But before we got started with the new vintages I opened this 96 Brunate which I had brought with me. Popped and poured. The nose is direct, mature and open for business with notes of rosehips, Finnish licorice, tobacco and lots of moist forest floor. A touch of menthol after a while. Very, very good. Perfectly mature.
The taste is mature and dry with notes of dried cherries, earth, tar and chocolate biscuits. A long, silky, dry finish. Very fine. Bottles like this will go on for 6+ years.
92p (tasted 2018/04)
2015 Barolo
A fine, open nose with a lovely warmth and notes of salmiak, hard cherry candy and forest floor.
The taste is playful and inviting with sweet fruit, sandy tannins and a long finish. 6+ years.
90p (tasted 2018/04)
2015 Barolo Bricco delle Viole
A high, pure nose with lots of violets (!) and additional notes of rubber, roses and gravel. Very fine.
The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of ripe red cherries, violets and licorice. Finegrained tannins. 7+ years.
93p (tasted 2018/04)
2015 Barolo Brunate
Deep and meaty with notes of dark flowers, ripe cherries and Christmas spices. Powerful.
The taste is tight and seedy with notes of ripe cherries, raspberry licorice, tobacco and tar. Very long. 10+ years.
94p (tasted 2018/04)
2015 Barolo Riserva Brunate
The nose is a dream with depth, concentration, elegance and height. Stunning notes of rosehips, sweet lingonberries, forest floor, tobacco leaves and iron. Very complex and fine.
The taste is very concentrated and intense with jaw gripping polished tannins and gorgeous cherry fruit. The finish goes on for minutes. Brilliant. 10+ years.
~97p (tasted 2018/04)
2016 Barolo
Again, 16 will turn out to be a exceptional vintage. This Normale shows what´s in store in just a years time. The nose is upfront and seductive with notes of raspberries, licorice, gravel and lots of ripe flowers. Very charming.
The taste is pure and structured with fruit, tannins and acidity in perfect balance. Energetic. Really fine.
~92p (tasted 2018/04)
2016 Barolo Bricco delle Viole
Aaaah, light and vibrant, yet with a low keyed power and intensity. Lots of iron, violets and tar. Plus heaps of ripe red cherries. Very, very fine.
The taste is pure and racy with brilliant fruit, sandy tannins and a uplifting finish that goes on and on. This is going places...
~94p (tasted 2018/04)
2016 Barolo Brunate
The 16 Brunate is a bruiser at this stage, with a deep, restrained nose with notes of black cherries, model clay, gravel and a hockey puck. Very, very deep.
The taste is very tight and concentrated with notes of iron, herbs, cool tobacco and warm sand. There is some rugged tannins at the end of the finish. This will need time to come around.
~94p (tasted 2018/04)
2016 Barolo Riserva Brunate
The 16 Riserva follows the 15 in its intensity, clarity and potential perfection. The nose is bottomless deep with gorgeous notes of ripe black cherries, sugared coffee, cigarr smoke, asphalt and earth.
The taste is brilliantly pure and vigorous with notes of cherry licorice, tobacco, tea and asphalt. The finish goes on for minutes. Just stunning.
~97p (tasted 2018/04)
2017 Barolo Bricco delle Viole
A fresh, luscious nose with notes of tobacco, violets, red apples and iron. A very fine energy. Classy.
The taste is fine and elegant with notes of ripe cherries, tobacco, rosehips and chrushed minerals. Long and lingering.
~94p (tasted 2018/04)
2017 Barolo Brunate
A fine, uplifting nose with notes of raspberries, some blueberries tossed in for complexity, herbs and warm gravel. Very fine.
The taste is cool and refreshing with ripe black fruit and additional notes of tar, damsons and cool tobacco. Very long and fine.
~93p (tasted 2018/04)
2017 Barolo Riserva Brunate
Another racy Riserva, the 2017 displays a deep, tight nose with notes of raspberry licorice, cold coffee, Finnish licorice and dried flowers. A wonderful sweetness to the fruit.
The taste is pure and concentrated with notes of rosehips, raspberry licorice, tobacco and asphalt. The finish is counted in minutes. Another fabolous Riserva.
~96p (tasted 2018/04)
The Barolo Boys visit Marengo in December 2016
The Barolo Boys visit Marengo in May 2017
The Barolo Boys visit Marengo in November 2017
Produttori del Barbaresco
My first visit to the Produttori. We was meet by the energetic Aldo Vacca who described the history of the cooperative and current state of affairs, before he hasted away and left us in the competent hands of Luca Cravanzola, who we also meet at BaroloBarbaresco (BaBa) in Turin a couple of days later (more of that in a coming post).
There are 54 wine growers that are part of the cooperative and the total area is 105 ha, which means that on average they are very small land owners and grape growers.
2016 Langhe Nebbiolo
A cool, earthy nose with notes of herbs, damsons and dried flowers. Very good.
The taste is young and tight with notes of lingonberries, earth and dry licorice. 3+ years.
87p (tasted 2018/04)
2014 Barbaresco
The 14 Normale offers up an elegant nose with notes of dried cherries, tobacco and nuts. Very aromatic and fine.
The taste is racy and refined with notes of ripe lingonberries, warm earth, tobacco and roses. Very fine tannins. Long. Really good. 4+ years.
91p (tasted 2018/04)
2013 Barbaresco
The 13 Normale is more subdued and linear compared to the 14 with cool cherry fruit and a tight, dry finish. Give this 5+ years and see what happens.
87p (tasted 2018/04)
2013 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagöta
The 13 Riserva´s is something else compared to the Normale. The Muncagöta (the dialect version of Moccagatta) is the name on the label since 2007. The nose is deep and spicy with notes of bonfire, ripe flowers, herbs and lots of hard cherry candy. Very fine.
The taste is tight and focused with notes of chrushed rocks, tobacco, hard cherry candy and earth. Long and lingering. 6+ years.
93p (tasted 2018/04)
2013 Barbaresco Riserva Pajé
The Pajé offers up a deep, distinct nose with notes of dried raspberries, licorice, violets and scorched earth. Warmer and rounder than the Muncagöta. Very fine.
The taste is taut and structured with lots of polished tannins and fine notes of dried raspberries, damsons, violets and cool tobacco. Very, very long. 8+ years.
93p (tasted 2018/04)
2007 Barbarsco Riserva Pajé
The six year older Pajé displays some maturity in the shape of canned mushrooms, a hint of truffle and leather alongside fine notes of dried strawberries, mosquito repellent and rosehips. A very fine warmth. Complex.
On the palate this semi mature Barbaresco shows a taut backbone and notes of chrushed strawberries, moist earth, dry licorice and bakelite. Very long and structured. Very fine.
92p (tasted 2018/04)
Rattalino
I met Michela in January 2018 when she worked at Brezza. Now she works at Rattalino, located in Barbaresco, so after our visit to the Produttori we headed there. Sadly, we were not that impressed by the wines.
2016 Langhe Nebbiolo 26
Dusty and earthy with low keyed lingonberry fruit and a correct yet simple palate.
82p (tasted 2018/04)
2015 Nebbiolo d´Alba 27
A warm, dusty nose with some cherry aromas and a tight, dry palate with a warm finish.
83p (tasted 2018/04)
2015 Barbaresco 42
This is rather good with earthy aromas intermingled with dried strawberries and licorice and the taste is warm, herbal and earthy.
85p (tasted 2018/04)
2013 Barbaresco Ronche 43
The 13 Ronche shows both depth and concentration on the nose with fine cherry fruit and chrushed rocks.
The taste is structured and fine with sandy tannins and ripe cherry fruit. Medium long. Very good.
88p (tasted 2018/04)
2013 Barbaresco Riserva 45
The Riserva mirrors the Ronche but the fruit is more of the dried kind and the tannins are a bit rougher, but it has a good length and some complexity.
87p (tasted 2018/04)
2013 Barolo 34
Plums, rosehips and old root vegetables in a dusty mix meets the nose when you put it in the glass. The taste is warm and compact with notes of plum brandy, rough tannins and it is rather hollow in the middle.
82p (tasted 2018/04)
2012 Barolo Bussia 35
A cooked concoction of almonds, ski wax and plums with some road dust tossed in. The taste is warm and concentrated with cooked cherries and gravel. Some alcohol in the finish.
79p (tasted 2018/04)
2013 Barolo Serralunga 91
A 2013 Barolo saves the day. The nose is refined and perky with notes of ripe red cherries, sweet minerals, licorice and violets. Very fresh compared to the rest of the line up.
The taste is young and tight with sandy tannins and a racy cherry fruit. A fine structure for aging. Very, very good.
90p (tasted 2018/04)
2011 Barolo Riserva Bussia 37
A big, mature nose with notes of (over) ripe cherries, spices and dark flowers. A bit top heavy.
The taste is big and warm and dries out a bit at the end. But the warmth and the dried cherry fruit is nice.
85p (tasted 2018/04)
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