The Barolo Boys meet up a couple of weeks ago with one hang around who watched in awe when the Boys displayed their encyclopedic knowledge of the King of grapes - Nebbiolo - Hallowed Be Thy Name
2008 Cuvée Antique, P. Heucq
This 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier has a perky, fresh nose with notes of oranges, summer flowers, smoke and dark peaches. Very, very good.
The taste is young and focused with notes of orange peels, chalk and dried flowers. A long, lingering finish with a fine acidity. Really good.
92p (tasted 2017/08)
Flight I
1990 Barbaresco Montefico, La Ca´Növa
The first flight consisted of three bottles from La Ca´Növa. The first 1990 shows of a fine maturity with notes of canned mushrooms, spices, rosehips, paint and a hint of dog fur. A fine dried up sweetness. Kept very well until the next day.
The taste is dry and mature with notes of dry licorice, cranberries, forest floor and some tobacco flavours. Very long and fine. Perfect maturity.
92p (tasted 2017/08)
1990 Barbaresco Bric Mentina, La Ca´Növa
The Bric Mentina is even better with a deep nose with notes of hot cherries, rose petals, asphalt and some tobacco. Very deep and fine. Actually even better on the nose on day two.
The taste is tight, mature and focused with notes of dried cherries, undergrowth, dry licorice and fir. Still some steady tannins. Very long. Really fine.
93p (tasted 2017/08)
2011 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina, La Ca´Növa
The youngster from La Ca´Növa has a high, pure nose with notes of ripeining strawberries, spices and dark flowers. A fine depth. Kept the same until day two.
The taste is sandy and fine with notes of hard cherry candy, violets and warm gravel. A fine finish with polished tannins. Will need 5+ years.
90p (tasted 2017/08)
Flight II
1998 Barolo Gavarini Vigna Chiniera, Elio Grasso
The first 98 has a deep, gravelly nose with notes of Finnish licorice, raspberries and rosehips. A hint of paint with air. A fine balanced nose with some maturity.
The taste is more restrained than the nose leads you to believe with notes of iron, dried cherries, beet roots and undergrowth. A long, fine, distinct finish. Will still need 3+ years in the cellar. Behaved the same the next day.
92p (tasted 2017/08)
1998 Barolo, Altare
Aaaah, what a nose, deep, intoxicating and light as a feather at the same time. Gorgeous notes of ripe red cherries, rose petals, smoke and ceps. A lovely sweetness to the fruit. Handsome.
The taste is beautifully structured with a hint of maturity and boatloads of sweet cherries, asphalt, smoke and mushrooms. A long finish with sandy tannins. Drinking splendidly now but will go on for 8+ years. Great wine!
94p (tasted 2017/08)
1998 Barolo Bricco Fiasco, Azelia
The nose of the Bricco Fiasco is deep and compact with notes of dark cherries, almons paste, scorched earth and cold coffee. Very deep and refined. With air more undergrowth/mushroom forest and herbal scents come forward.
The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of ripe black cherries, asphalt, dark flowers and a hint of chocolate biscuits. A very long, taut, impressive finish. Will need another 4+ years.
93p (tasted 2017/08)
Flight III
2008 Barolo Cerretta Vigna Bricco, Altare
A glorious wine from start to finish. Very young of course but I could drink this any day of the week. The nose is very deep with a great purity and complexity, in the shape of ripe red cherries, ripe lingonberries, paint, roses, smoke and flowers. Layers upon layers. High and energetic. Stunning.
The taste is concentrated, ripe and two minutes long with notes of hard cherry candy, dry licorice, ceps, violets and autumn leaves. The tannins have been polished with the finest cloth. Give this beauty 6+ years and you are flirting with perfection.
97p (tasted 2017/08)
2008 Barolo Riserva Rocche, Accomasso
This I was looking forward to taste since I haven´t tasted anything from Accomasso. Judging from this bottle I don´t know if I will again, at least if I have to splurge out 100+ Euro for a bottle. For this was not fun.
The nose big and blowsy with notes of old red beets, paint remover, bakelite and not yet ripe lingonberries. But - there is a element of dirty barrels och dirty cellar here. Interesting enough it got a bit better with 24 hours of breathing, but it didn´t became good, just a tad less impure.
The taste is high strunged and linear with notes of earth, lingonberries, rust and cherry pips. A long, medium bodied finish that is a tad hollow in the middle. The taste also got a bit better after 24 hours.
The other Barolo Boys tasted all wines double blind and the verdict for this one was unanimous - a medium quality wine that has some problems from an unclean cellar/barrels. The score is from the day after, at the dinner I had it at 78p.
81p (tasted 2017/09)
2008 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra, Domenio Clerico
This is a brute in this stage of its life. The nose is tight and intense with notes of dark cherries, licorice, fir and lots of moist mushrooms. Very deep and a tad backward. Day two it has blossomed and shows a fine nose with spices, flowers and asphalt. Very, very deep.
The taste is broad shouldered and steady with notes of sweet/sour cherries, chrushed rocks, dark tobacco and a fine perfumed note. Very, very long and vital. Needs 6+ years. A great wine in the making.
93p (tasted 2017/08)
1997 Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu, Château Pierre-Bise
We finished of the evening with a sweetie from Loire. The nose is deep and multi layered with notes of wet wool, old rubber, vanilla cooked peaches and glue (björnklister for all Swedish readers). A fine maturity.
The taste is big and sweet with notes of white raisins, oil cloth, candied orange peel and rubber. A very fine acidity to counteract the high sweetness. Very long.
90p (tasted 2017/08)
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