Not So Long Overdue Notes - The Barolo Boys Visits Attilio Ghisolfi & Aurelio Settimo

Some more notes from the Barolo Boys trip to Langhe in November of 2018.

Attilio Ghisolfi
My first visit to this Monforte winery. We met up with Gianmarco who showed us the cellars, the surroundings and opened these fine bottles.

2013 Spumante Extra Brut
The nose is steely and dry with notes of lemon peel, tangerines and birch leaves. Very good.
With 3 gr/lit this bubbly comes of as very dry and fresh with notes of chrushed rocks, lemon juice and gooseberries. A good acidity.
87p   (tasted 2018/11)

2016 Pinay
100% Pinot Noir. A cool, spicy nose with notes of earth, dried raspberries and red cherries.
The taste is herbal and fine with notes of earth, dried strawberries and a hint of tobacco. Long and fine.
87p   (tasted 2018/11)

2016 Langhe Nebbiolo
A deep, earthy nose with notes of Christmas spices, dark cherries and rosehips. Very, very good.
The taste is young and tight with notes of tar, cranberries and pomegranate. Long and stern, with a old school Nebbiolo feeling about it.
90p   (tasted 2018/11)

2016 Barbera d´Alba Maggiora
A rather large scaled, juicy Barbera with notes of licorice, ripe raspberries, root vegetables and moist earth. Very, very good.
The taste is juicy and seedy at the same time with a fine acidity and notes of raspberry licorice, damp earth, ripe flowers and a hint of tobacco. Long and fine.
88p   (tasted 2018/11)

2014 Barolo Bricco Visette
This 14 Barolo displays a fine, earthy nose with notes of Christmas spices, lingonberries, chocolate biscuits and a hit of mint. Very, very good.
The taste is tight and concentrated with ripe tannins and notes of red cherries, mosquito agent, earth and spices. Medium bodied and fine.
89p   (tasted 2018/11)

2012 Barolo Riserva Ciabot Minat
A big, smoky nose with notes of ripe cherries, dried up strawberry jam, bay leaves and rosehips. There is lots of things going on here and they are all good.
The taste is tight and steady with notes of ripe cherries, dry licorice, smoke and mushrooms. Very long and intense. A lovely structure. 5+ years.
93p   (tasted 2018/11)

Aurelio Settimo
Situated in the midst of Rocche dell´Annunziata, which we have drove past many. many times, proved to be a interesting visit, with a rustic feeling.

(2016) Sétt Rosato
This rosé sports a cool, light nose with some strawberries and rhubarb aromas.
The taste is pure and simple with a fresh acidity. A bit short.
84p   (tasted 2018/11)

2017 Dolcetto d´Alba
A young, upfront nose with notes of sour/sweet cherries, earth and a hit of tobacco.
The taste is fresh and ripe with notes of blueberries, earth and fresh herbs. Very good.
87p   (tasted 2018/11)

2014 Langhe Nebbiolo
14 was a wet and cold years until the late days of autumn, and this Nebbiolo is a bit unripe and unbalanced on the nose. Some cooked fruit and stable scents.
The taste is dry and one dimensional with notes of dried red fruits, dusty earth and rosehips.
80p   (tasted 2018/11)

2011 Barolo
A earthy, old fashioned nose with notes of cooked cherries,, undergrowth, dried flowers and a hit of dog fur. Rather interesting but a tad one dimensional.
The taste is broad and stern with notes of dried raspberries, asphalt and herbs. Long and sturdy. Old school. Not charming but good.
85p   (tasted 2018/11)

2011 Barolo Rocche dell´Annunziata
A big, deep nose with notes of cooked red fruit, earthy raspberries, dry leather and asphalt. Rather big. Very good.
The taste is tight and seedy with notes of dried cherries, licorice and violet pastilles. Old school dry tannins. Long.
87p   (tasted 2018/11)

2009 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell´Annunziata
5 years in concrete and 3 years in wood. The nose is big and perfumed with fine notes of figs, violets, moist undergrowth, dog fur and a hint of coffee. Complex. Very old school in a intense, fine way.
The taste is dry and steady with notes of dried up cherry jam, forest floor, rosehips and iodine. Very, very long. Ends dry and energetic. Very fine.
92p   (tasted 2018/11)

2006 Barolo
A big, mature nose with notes of cooked red beets, ripe cherries and sweet licorice. A bit all over the place.
The taste is more dry and seedy with notes of salmiak, dried cherries, cooked root vegetables and mushrooms. Old school in a somewhat dried out way.
85p   (tasted 2018/11)

2017 Dolcetto - Luigi Pira & Ceretto

2017 Dolcetto d´Alba, Luigi Pira
A fine, earthy nose with notes of blueberries, modelling clay, geranium and warm rocks. Deep and fine.
The taste is young, tight and racy with notes of violets, blueberries and bakelite. Cool, fine tannins. Some chrushed rocks. Serralunga structure. As I have said before, maybe the best ever Dolcetto from Gianpaolo.
91p   (tasted 2019/06)

2017 Dolcetto d´Alba Rossana, Ceretto
A fine, spicy, cool nose with notes of ripening blueberries, violet pastilles and earth. Lighter than the Pira but very, very good.
The taste is seedy and fine with notes of dried herbs, blueberries and violet licorice. Easy going tannins. Direct and very satisfying.
89p   (tasted 2019/06)

Midsummer Bottles

A sunny midsummer for a change... Great food with friends, and these bottles were opened.

Not as creamy as last time, but a apple, toasted bread nose and a racy, stony taste with a really fine length. Glad I have more (92p)

2008 vintage. A deep, smoky nose with butter biscuits, sandel wood and rubber carpet. Very complex and fine. And the taste is even better with notes of green tea, almond paste and summer flowers. Stunning (94p)

The 2009 NZ Pinot displayed a fine sweet raspberry nose and a long, tight taste with asphalt and licorice (91p). The 2002 Corton from Comte Senard is a beauty, with a deep, meaty nose with rosehips and beet roots to the concentrated palate with cran- and raspberries en masse. Very structured and fine (94p)

This 19 year old Côte-Rôtie is open for business with notes of violets, smoke, warm tiles and animal aromas. Long, dry and intense. Very, very good (92p)

To finish the evening of, this beauty is poured. The nose is light, fresh and somewhat mature with notes of banana peel, vanilla ice cream, saffron and wet asphalt. The taste is long and refined with a lovely sweet/sour element (92p)

2007 Barolo Vigneto Brunate, Andrea Oberto

2007 Barolo Vigneto Brunate, Andrea Oberto
The first sniff is of wood. Wood in a Andrea Oberto wine? But I guess they also introduce some new botti akong the line. Maybe so for this vintage. Besides the wood notes there are fine aromas of cranberries, rhubarb licorice, sour cherries and sunwarm warm asphalt. Open and fine. Very, very good.
The taste is tight and warm with notes of dried raspberries, cranberries, dried sage and licorice. Some tobacco notes in the finish. Some maturity. Long. 5+ years.
91p   (tasted 2019/06)

Tasting Dinner With Our Tasting Group

Time again for our semi annual tasting dinner in our tasting group, and yeat again lots of great food and wine!

2002 Rare, Piper-Heidsieck
A fresh, mineral laden nose with notes of lemon zest, steel and herbs. High and fine.
The taste is cool and elegant with notes of lemon fudge, minerals and chives. Balanced and fine but lacks a bit of oomph.
90p   (tasted 2019/05)

2002 Brut, Jean-Paul Morel
A pure, refined nose with some signs of maturity and notes of dried apricots, detergent, honey pastills and a hint of coconut. Very complex and fine.
The taste is tight and yet with a velvety feel, with notes of dried up lemon curd, sweet minerals, grass and gravel. A high dosage - 10g - but it doesn´t show. Very fine.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

1995 Blanc de Millénaires, Charles Heidsieck
Tasted three times before in recent years (2018/10, 2017/04, 2016/11), this bottle showed more open and direct, with fine notes of fried bread, red apples, matchbox and malt. Very deep and fine. A fine maturity.
The taste is broad and balanced with a high acidity and notes of blood oranges, red apples, smoke and toasted bread. Very long.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2005 Chablis Grand Cru Valmur, Raveneau
14 years old and still a baby. The nose is restrained and seedy with notes of linoleum, rose water, lemon zest and lot of chalk. Opens up some in the glass but this is for the lang haul.
The taste is racy and refined with notes of star fruit, gooseberries, lemon juice and a mountain of chrushed rocks. Very long, very taut and very structured. 10+ years.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2014 Chardonnay Art Series, Leeuwin Estate
Every time I drink a Art Series wine I am impressed, especially with the Chardonnay. This is a beauty, with a deep, elegant nose with notes of lemon cream, cold butter, sage and wet asphalt. There is lot to like here.
The taste is balanced and seamless with notes of smoke, lemon peel, butter cookies and a touch of ginger. Very pure. A long, long finish with a perfect acidity. Great wine.
96p   (tasted 2019/05)

2005 Bienvenues Bâtard Montrachet, Jean-Claude Bachelet
A open, spicy nose with notes of dried pine apple, bakelite, bonfire smoke and warm herbs. An oily character. Big. Some maturity. Very good.
The taste is big and intense witn notes of dark lemon fudge, diesel oil, fried bread and herbs. Very long and warm. Needs a couple of more years to settle.
90p   (tasted 2019/05)

2013 Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard, Kistler
A deep, crisp nose with notes of grapefruit, dried mango, smoke and hand cream. Complex and fine.
The taste is tight and concentrated with smoke infused lemons and mango alongside notes of ripe summer flowers and wet rocks. Long and very, very fine.
94p   (tasted 2019/05)

2009 Volnay 1er Cru Les Brouillards, Domaine Bernard & Thierry Glantenay
A bit laid back on the nose with, after some heaby swirling, notes of earth, ripening raspberries and beet roots. Very good.
The taste is cool and elegant with notes of red beets, cranberries, herbs and forest floor. A fine acidity. Needs 5+ more years in the cellar.
90p   (tasted 2019/05)

2009 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
A lovely, deep, flowery nose with notes of damsons, strawberries, earth and a hint of ink. A fine, dense character. Still young.
The taste is tight and racy with notes of red currants, earth, tobacco and fresh herbs. Very long ans structured. 6+ years.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2009 Latricières-Chambertin, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
This Grand Cru displays the most mature feautures in the line up, and maybe therefore it is the most pleasing wine tonight. The nose is very deep and displaying a lovely sweetness, with notes of ripe strawberries, forest floor, cooked root vegetables and pipe tobacco. Very fine.
The taste is silky and multi layered with notes of ripe strawberries, red currants, forest floor, tobacco and a hint of leather. Luscious. Very, very fine.
95p   (tasted 2019/05)

2009 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des 60 Ouvrées, La Pousse d´Or
A very balanced, spicy nose with notes of earth, red currants, iron, smoke and damsons. A taut backbone. Still young. Very, very good.
The taste is racy and refined with notes of red currants, raspberries, dry licorice and iron. Very long and finely textured.  8+ years.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2003 Château Suduiraut
A big, concentrated nose with notes of apricots, warm grass, detergent and a touch of red basil. Deep and heavy. Very young.
The taste is thick and sweet with notes of apricot purée, red plums, muscovado sugar and burnt grass. A tad fiery at the end. Needs to settle down for 8+ years.
90p   (tasted 2019/05)

2001 Château Suduiraut
A high, intense nsoe with notes of root selleri, orange jam, lemon pie and a light smoky scent. Very fine.
The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of band aid, almond paste, orange jam and hand cream. Very long and fine. 5+ years.
92p   (tasted 2019/05)

1999 Château Suduiraut
A deep, elegant nose with notes of saffron, dried pine apple, warm grass and concentrated fish stock. Very complex and fine.
The taste is large scaled yet delicate and fine with notes of mango, warm grass, orange jam and band aid. Very long. A very fine balance. 4+ years.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2013 Barolo Brunate, Claudio Boggione

2013 Barolo Brunate, Claudio Boggione
A delicate, low keyed, traditional nose with fine notes of iron, cranberries, rosehips and sage. Open up nicely in the glass. Very, very good.
The taste is young and tight with salivating tannins, a firm structure and great red cherry fruit. Long and cool. Very fine today but will be even better in 8+ years time. A new, interesting acquaintance for me.
90p   (tasted 2019/06)

Dinner At Friends With Krug, Trimbach, Keller, Miani, Faiveley & More!

Spring dinner! Sounds tempting, don´t you think? And that was exactly how it was. Tempting beforehand and spectacular during.
All wines tastes double blind.

MV Grande Cuvée 166eme Edition
A deep, fresh nose with notes of dried lemons, ripe flowers, dry fudge and lots of chrushed rocks. Refined.
The taste is steely and stony with notes of minerals, dried flowers, lemon cream and spricots. Very long. A very fine acidity.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2013 Hegoxuri, Arretxea
A blend of Gros and Petit Manseng from the south of France that displays a dry, seedy nose with notes of chalk, rubber and blood oranges. Good.
The taste is waxy and warm with a fine acidity and notes of oranges, dried honey and gravel. Long. Very good.
87p   (tasted 2019/05)

2010 Cuvée Fredérick Emilé, Trimbach
A cool, lightly smoky nose with notes of birch leaves, spices and chrushed rocks. A hint of petrol. Very, very good.
The taste is somewhat mature with notes of red currants, chalk and dried flowers. Very long and fine.
91p   (tasted 2019/05)

2009 Morstein, Keller
A very deep, finely tuned nose with notes of oyster shells, eraser, grass and summer flowers. Very fine.
The taste is tight and distinct with notes of lemon peel, basil, flint and some petrol notes. A very fine acidity. Very long.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2008 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle GG, Dönnhoff
A warm, stony nose with notes of dried up lemoncello, sage, asparagus and chrushed rocks. A tad heavy.
The taste is dry and tight with notes of dry lemon, a hint of licorice, minerals and green tea. Very good but lacks a bit of nerve for great.
89p   (tasted 2019/05)

2014 Bussia D´Or, Aldo Conterno
A very fine, smoky nose with notes of dried apricots, bonfire smoke, peach and a touch of banana peel. A fine depth.
The taste is tight and complex with notes of apple jam, bonfire, lemon cream and minerals. A fine touch of bitterness at the end. Lovely now and the coming 5+ years.
92p   (tasted 2019/05)

2014 Chardonnay, Miani
A big, forward nose with notes of yellow apples, grass, white currants and some matchbox aromas. Very good but a tad foursquare.
The taste is cool and fresh with notes of chalk, white currants, lemon peel and dry butter cookies. Better on the palate. Long and fine.
89p   (tasted 2019/05)

2015 Chardonnay, Planeta
A deep, racy nose with notes of dried up lemoncello, yellow flowers, almond paste and sun warm rocks. Very fine.
The taste is velvety and elegant with notes of grilled lemons, dried flowers, minerals and matchbox. Very long and fine. Great wine.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2010 Latriciéres-Chambertin, Domaine Faiveley
A deep, floral nose with notes of ripe wild raspberries, heather, licorice and smoke. A very fine perfumed aroma. Lovely.
The taste is high and fine with notes of dried strawberries, wet earth, spices and smoke. Long and lingering with a fine acidity. 6+ years.
93p   (tasted 2019/05)

2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers, Domaine Faiveley
A deep, compact, multi layered nose with notes of forest floor, strawberries, Asian spices and root vegetables. Very complex.
The taste is spicy and refined with notes of fried parsnips, strawberries, spices and smoke. The finish goes on for over a minute, leaving a mark of sandy tannins. 8+ years.
95p   (tasted 2019/05)

2010 Pinot Noir, Vivier
A rather large scaled nose with notes of ripe raspberries, scorched earth, swede and some rubbery aromas. Very good in a open, direct style.
The taste is open and warm with notes of cooked root vegetables, moist earth and Finnish licorice. A hint of bitterness in the finish. Very good.
89p   (tasted 2019/05)

2004 Merlot, Kirnbauer
Two Austrian wines followed but that was not the guesses... The 15 year old Merlot sports a deep, somewhat mature nose with notes of plums, bakelite, green peppers and a hint of dog fur (in a positive way).
The taste is soft and fine with some mature features and notes of plums, black currants, leather and tobacco. Very, very good.
90p   (tasted 2019/05)

2006 Das Phantom, Kirnbauer
The Phantom is a blend of Blaufränkish, Merlot, Cab Sauvignon and Syrah. The nose is big and brawny with notes of violets, ink, ripe black currants and dark soap. Big, juicy fruit but a bit all over the place.
The taste is concentrated and muscular with dense black fruit and more structure than finesse. Dark fruit and some alcohol at the end. A good wine but not really my cup of tea.
86p   (tasted 2019/05)

Three more wine were poured and I had a quick tasting of them before I had to leave - 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Broman (~92p), 2008 Estate Cuvée, Kapcsandy (~92p) & 2010 Red Slope, Keplinger (~94p).

2011 Barolo Gattera, Mauro Veglio

2011 Barolo Gattera, Mauro Veglio
The 11 Gattera displays a deep, concentrated nose with notes of morrels, licorice, tar and leather. A fine warmth. Rich för a La Morra wine. Very, very good.
The taste is young and powerful with notes of black cherries, licorice, asphalt and a hint of dark chocolate. Very long. Broad-shouldered. 6+ years.
92p   (tasted 2019/05)


Notes of other 2011´s from Mauro Veglio:
Arborina
Rocche dell´Annunziata

Leakers - 1973 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots, Jean Grivot

1973 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots, Jean Grivot
The next leaking bottle, and this showcased a deep, mature, soft nose with notes of (over) ripe raspberries, dried herbs, root vegetables and some barnyard scents. A fine dried up sweetness. Very, very good.
The taste is medium bodied, dry and elegant with notes of dried red berries, bonfire smoke, dried flowers and forest floor. A fine acidity. Has matured fine, even with some leakage. Much better than last time...
85p   (tasted 2019/05)