Saturday 31 August 2019

Friday 30 August 2019

Sunday 25 August 2019

Two 1998 Baroli

1998 Barolo Capalot, Crissante Alessandria
This needs one hour in the decanter before really opens up with delicious notes of a moist mushroom forest, sweet/sour cherries, violets, shoe polish and dried flowers. Deep and very fine. Perfectly mature.
The taste is dry and salivating with notes of dried cherries, rowan berries, rosehips and asphalt. Fine, mellow tannins. Long. Very, very good.
91p   (tasted 2019/08)


1998 Barolo Vigna Enrico VI, Cordero di Montezemolo
From Villero, this 21 year old Barolo displays a large scaled nose with notes of pipe tobacco, ripe cherries, rose water and chrushed rocks. Taut and fine.
The taste is dry and steady with notes of dry licorice, dried strawberries, earth and cigarette ashes. Structured. A hint of dry oak at the end.
88p   (tasted 2019/08)

Thursday 22 August 2019

Six Bottles Of Chenin Blanc From South Africa


Håkan C arranged a really interesting tasting recently in our monthly tasting group. Tasted double blind, no one was even close guessing the grape and origin...

2015 Magnetic North, Alheit
A cool, sligthly grassy nose with notes of dried honey, rubber and gravel. Light and fine.
The taste is cool and rather elegant with notes of gravel, green table grapes and a touch of grass. A good acidity. Light.
87p   (tasted 2019/08)


2015 Radio Lazarus, Alheit
A cool fresh nose with notes of dried tropical fruit, birch leaves and gravel. Very, very good.
The taste is light and energetic with notes of dry melon, grass and chrushed rocks. A very fine acidity. Very fine.
90p   (tasted 2019/08)

2016 Granite, Mullineux
A finely tuned, refined nose with lovely yellow fruit, expensive soap, dried apricots and wet asphalt. Complex and fine. A kiss of oak.
The taste is tight and ligthly buttery with notes of yellow apples, dried honey, hay and minerals. A lovely wine.
92p   (tasted 2019/08)


2016 Quartz, Mullineux
Best in show. This beauty displays a handsome, crisp nose with notes of white peach, earth, matchbox and herbs. Distinct and very fine.
The taste is racy and fresh with notes of peaches, red apples, birch sap and earth. A very fine acidity. Very long.
93p   (tasted 2019/08)

2016 Chenin Blanc, Reyneke
A big, outgoing nose with notes of dry botrytis, autumn yellow apples. moist earth and glue. Became more refined with air, but still a bit to clumsy.
The taste is high and dry with lots of concentration but a bit unbalanced. Ripe yellow fruit, rubber and a hint of oak. Maybe time will help?
85p   (tasted 2019/08)


2016 Mev. Kirsten, Sadie Family
A deep, fine nose with notes of yellow summer flowers, birch leaves, warm gravel and linoleum. Very, very good.
The taste is full bodied and tight with notes of passion fruit, gravel, autumn leaves and sweet minerals. Long and juicy.
88p   (tasted 2019/08)

Monday 19 August 2019

Eating & Drinking In Piedmont - Impressions From November 2018

I published some pictures and notes from The Barolo Boys visits in March this year to our favourite eating places. The following are from our visit in November of 2018. Lets see if you spot any similarities...

Osteria Veglio
What to say that haven´t already been said about this gem of a restaurant? Stunning food, a great wine list and the most lovely people that owns and run this jewel. We will always come back!
(we actually went twice, one time on our own and once with the Pira´s and Marengo´s!)


A lovely bubble with smoke notes, grapefruit, herbs and mineral (91p)



Great wines! The 13 Produttori is earthy and cherry laden with lots of structure for the future (93p). The Rocche from Brovia is (again!) a magical wine with everything in place (96p)

The proud owners and managers of Osteria Veglio

The secomd visit - The Cavallotto, really fine with juicy tannins and earthy, cherry aromas (93p), the Poderi Colla is a more elegamt creature with roses and violets (92p), and the Porro displays firm Serralunga treats with firm tannins and gorgeous, ripe fruit (94p)

Spending time with The Barolo Boys will make you this happy!

Il Grecale
Located in Novello, this sea food aficionado (even though they have other food as well, as seen below) offers up sumptuous food, a wine list with Elvio Cogno´s magnificent wines (you can see the estate from the restaurant) but also more bottles of course, and as with Osteria Veglio, people who runs the restaurant with charm, joy and passion.

A Nascetta from Elvio Cogno is always a treat (91p)



A dark, juicy Barbera that really pleases the taste buds (91p)



I am not a fan of liqour but this Gin based drink was the best I have ever had!

Centro Storico
A visit to Ciccio is always a must! His grumpy charm is a treat and the down to earth food is to die for (as is the wine list, although you have to ask Ciccio when he is about to update it, that is always fun...:-))

A fine thirst cleanser! (90p)


The 16 Langhe Nebbiolo from Maria Teresa is a stunner! (93p)

La Coccinella
Our favourite restaurant, this time only a quick stop for lunch before going to Malpensa to fly home (sadly...).


A gorgeous 2016 Langhe Nebbiolo from Giuseppe Rinaldi (93p)


Saturday 17 August 2019

2016 Arneis, Vietti & 2015 Pelaverga Speziale, Fratelli Alessandria

Some medium spicy food on the plate. A white or a red wine? I coudn´t choose, so I opened both!

2016 Arneis, Vietti
Tasted at the estate two years ago, and today it displays fine notes of dried tangerines, grass, yellow flowers and gravel. Very, very good.
The taste is fresh and fine with steely notes of dry lemons, matchbox and oyester shells. Long and fine. A very good acidity.
89p   (tasted 2019/08)


2015 Pelaverga Speziale, Fratelli Alessandria
Tasted almost two years ago, the nose today is juciy and fine with notes of lingonberries, dried strawberries, earth and flower water. Very fine.
The taste is cool and elegant with notes of lingonberries, cranberries, white pepper and old, dry chocolate biscuits. A good acidity. Highly drinkable, but don´t keep them for long in the cellar.
87p   (tasted 2019/08)

Thursday 15 August 2019

Not So Long Overdue Notes - The Barolo Boys Visits Sergio Giudice & Renato Corino


Sergio Giudice
Everyone that have visited Centro Storico for lunch or dinner and parked their car just below the towering castle, have surely noticed a small window just opposite the parking spots, that have bottles of Dolcetto, Barbera and Barolo, with animals on the label, on display.
But has anyone ever gone in? The Barolo Boys now have, after passing the small tasting room/shop a zillion times.
We were meet by the most charming, eldery couple that greeted us like old friends. Some language problems were sorted out by hand gestures, notes on a piece of paper and the common love for the region and the wines.


2017 Dolcetto d´Alba
A fresh, herbal nose with notes of ripening blueberries, dry licorice and gravel. A good structure.
The taste is cool and fine with notes of blueberry licorice, gravel and dried flowers. Some perky tannins. A tad short.
85p   (tasted 2018/12)

The current winemaker, their son, was borned in 1964 (The Greatest Vintage Ever!)
2016 Barbera d´Alba
A good warmth on the nose with notes of ripe raspberries, scorched earth and some meat stock aromas.
The taste is tighter than the nose leads on, with notes of dried up raspberry jam, warm tiles and bonfire smoke. A good acidity.
85p   (tasted 2018/12)

2017 Langhe Nebbiolo
A fine, cherry laden nose with additional notes of bay leaves, licorice, rosehips and earth. Very good.
The taste is seedy and fine with notes of iron, ripe cherries and dry licorice. Medium long and fine.
87p   (tasted 2018/12)



2014 Barolo 
The 14 Barolo offers up a fine nose with lots of undergrowth, dried red berries and some balsamic notes.
The taste is old school structured with steady tannins and a fine cranberry/cherry fruit. A long, sandy finish. 5+ years.
88p   (tasted 2018/12)



Renato Corino
My first visit to Renato Corino. I have previously visited Giovanni Corino.

2017 Dolcetto d´Alba
A fruity, fine nose with notes of raspberries and blueberries, licorice and Asian spices. Fresh.
The taste is lightly peppery with fine notes of blueberries, sandelwood and spices. Perky tannins. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2018/12)


2017 Barbera d´Alba
An open, large scaled nose with notes of blackberry jam, salt licorice, smoke and moist earth. A bit rough around the edges.
The taste is big and brawny with notes of scorched earth, fried bay leaves and cherry jam. A long, warm finish that lacks some energy.
85p   (tasted 2018/12)

2016 Barbera d´Alba Pozzo
The Pozzo displays a big, lush nose with notes of dark perfume, cooked strawberries, ripe cherries and chocolate mousse. All over the place but keeps things together all the same. Highly likeable.
The taste is big, tight and complex with a multitude of flavours, a stern structure and a very long finish with a fine acidity. Not for the fainthearted but very, very fine.
91p   (tasted 2018/12)

2017 Langhe Nebbiolo
A deep, fine nose with notes of Christmas spices, ripe red cherries and some tobacco leaves. A tad withdrawn but has a fine character.
The taste is young and tight with notes of red cherries, asphalt and some green pepper notes. Long and fine. 3+ years.
88p   (tasted 2018/12)

2014 Barolo del Comune di La Morra
An open, fine nose with notes of dried strawberries, earth, rosehips and a hint of iodine.
The taste is medium bodied with notes of violets, earth, dried strawberries and spices. Delicate tannins. Very, very good. 3+ years.
88p   (tasted 2018/12)



2015 Barolo Arborina
The 15 Arborina has a deep, lovely nose with notes of mushrooms, fir wood, red cherries and allspice. A fine intensity.
The taste is structured and fine with notes of red and black cherries, licorice, spices and rosehips. Very long and fine.  6+ years.
92p   (tasted 2018/12)


Renato himself!