It was time.
Several years of planning. Bringing the bottles from Sweden to Piedmont six months before the tasting. Getting three busy wine makers in the same place on the same evening.
Hard work, but on one April evening of 2018 we managed to get all together in our favourite restaurant in the Langhe area, La Coccinella (thanks Miran for all the work behind this).
Every bottle was in perfect shape, and the older ones was just marvellous, a testament to the old school of wine making (these bottles was probably undrinkable for the first 20 years...). We let Alessandro (one of the brothers who run La Coccinella) take care of the bottles and decide the pouring order so they would fit the food.
When I was sitting in La Coccinella on that evening, eating their fabolous food, drinking Cappellano from the 1947 up to 2004 and listening to Augusto, Maria Teresa and Roberto talking about wine making in the past and the state of wine making today in Langhe, I thought to myself, life can´t get any better than this.
A night to remember.
2004 Barolo Piè Rupestris
A deep, seedy nose with notes of juicy cherries, smoke and some stables scents. Very fine. Still young.
The taste is spicy and warm with notes of plums, mushrooms and herbs. A fine sweetness to the fruit. Compact. Very, very good. 5+ years.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
2004 Barolo Piè Franco
The 04 Franco is deeper and tighter than the Rupestris with fine notes of raspberry licorice, tobacco, ripe lingonberries and forest floor. Very complex and fine.
The taste is concentrated and multi layered with notes of ripe cherries, licorice, asphalt and spices. Very long and lingering. Great wine. 6+ years.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
2008 Barolo Piè Rupestris
A young, perky nose with notes of ripe red cherries, paint, chrushed rocks and fresh mushrooms. High and intense. Very fine.
The taste is racy and refined with noticable polished tannins alongside sweet cherry fruit. Very long and luscious. This will turn out fantastic with 10+ years in the cellar.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1990 Barolo
A fabolous nose flows up from the glass with stunning notes of Christmas spices, dried cherries, pipe tobacco, sun warm rocks and dried ceps. Amazing. Mature but oooh so vibrant and fine.
The taste is like liquefied velvet but at the end of the finish there is some small biting tannins. Lovely notes of strawberry licorice, tobacco, dried mushrooms, incense and leather. Top three for me.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1998 Barolo Piè Franco
There is lots of mushrooms, ceps and even a hint of truffle on the nose of the 98 Franco. Deep and fine. A lovely beginning maturity. Some smoky aromas and autumn leaves as well. Intoxicating.
The taste is firmer than the nose leads you to believe with notes of tar, hard cherry candy, rosehips and dry licorice. A long finish with silky tannins. 4+ years.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1999 Barolo Piè Rupestris
A refined nose with notes of a forest walk in the autumn, ripe lingonberries, herbs and bakelite. Opens up beautifully in the glass, becoming fatter and sweeter by the hour. Just lovely.
The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of ripe red cherries, rose petals, paint, cool tobacco and mushrooms. Very long and lingering with polished tannins. Will become glorious in 7+ years.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1971 Barolo
The 71 displays a lovely mature nose with notes of moist earth, dried wild strawberries, roses, old leather and dried up mulled wine. Fantastic too just sit and smell.
The taste is mature and dry, and at the end of the finish maybe a tad so, but it still has fine notes of dried strawberries, dried herbs, rosehips and earth. Very good with the food.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1974 Barolo
An impressive, vital, racy nose with notes of dried raspberries, expensive tobacco, iron and dried flowers. High and migthy with energy and intensity. Given this blind I would have guessed a 89 or a 90.
The taste follows suite with an ethereal quality and gorgeous notes of dried strawberries, iodine, ceps, tar and tobacco. Very long. Bottles like this will go on for 10+ years. Just outside of the top trio.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1985 Barolo
The 85 is a perfect mature Barolo with lovely notes of cinnamon, dried raspberries, sweet tobacco, roses and the scent of a warm Christmas tree. Perfectly mature. Ripe, round and rewarding.
The taste is mature and fresh with notes of undergrowth, dried flowers, tobacco, tar and Christmas spices. Very long with a perfectly dry ending. As with the 74 just outside the top trio.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1958 Barolo
I have written down several words of profanity when I sniffed and tasted this wine, since my vocabulary is to limited.... Words can´t do justice to this almost perfect wine, only eclipsed by the 52. Everything is in place, a high, etheral nose, a perfect maturity on the palate with still some perky notes and the taste just lingers on and on and on.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1961 Barolo
A very fine, mature nose with notes of rosehips, fresh stables, dried strawberries and warm rocks. Some smoky notes after a while. A very fine dried up sweetness. Very fine.
The taste is mature, dry and finely tuned with notes of dry licorice, gravel, smoke and undergrowth. Fully mature and drinking fine but I guess it was even better 5-10 years ago.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1967 Barolo
The nose of the 67 is a dream with gorgeous aromas of roses, dried strawberries, forest floor, sweet lingonberries and mild tobacco. Beautiful, racy and complex. Perfectly mature.
The taste is pure, high and multi layered with notes of chrushed rocks, dried wild strawberries, tobacco, black tea and spices. Long and lingering. I would love to drink this every day of the week.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
1947 Super Barolo
This is not your regular Barolo. This is a Super Barolo! Why the 47 have this label with that peculiar name, I have no idea. Anyone who knows, please leave a comment.
What about the wine then? Thanks for asking, its great! Not as marvellous as the 90, 85, 74, 58 or the perfect specimen below, but is surely holds its on. The nose is deep and warm with notes of dried lingonberries, asphalt, tobacco, dog fur and old leather. Complex and fine.
The taste is tight and mature with notes of lingonberries, undergrowth, dried flowers, tobacco and spices. The warmth of the vintage comes through in the long finish. A very fine bottle of mature Barolo.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
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| Augosto, Maria Teresa & Roberto |
1952 Barolo
Why not finish on top! Alessandro put this rightfully last, for no wine could top this. I have had my share of perfect wines through the years, but this is maybe the one that top the bill. How can a 66 year old wine appear so bold, racy, refined and perfectly mature? Everything is harmonious, every knot and bolt is in the right place, and the maturity, when everything has melted together perfectly, is just aaaaah. Not too old, not too young, just perfect. One of the best wines ever tasted.
Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do (tasted 2018/04)
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