Another day in Paradise! In the morning I drove up to Verduno and visited three producers and got to drink Pelaverga and Barolo Monvigliero - life is good!
Diego Morra
A fairly new estate, started in 2009. Before Diego´s father sold the grapes. He owns 4 ha in Monvigliero (out of a total of 25,51 ha) and now he makes about 4.000 bottles. When the new cellar is ready he will be able to make 30.000 bottles of Monvigliero.
The total production today is 30.000 bottles that will increase to 80.000 when the new cellar is ready. Diego has land in 10 different Cru´s in Verduno and La Morra and some land in Roddi. For the Baroli he uses 500 liter tonneaux casks.
2018 Chardonnay
A cool, fresh, light nose with notes of melon, banana skin and yellow flowers.
The taste is crisp and fine with nots of lemons, melons and grass. Light and fine.
86p (tasted 2019/08)
2018 Mosca
A lively, pure nose with notes of raspberry soda, spices and a fine earthy aroma. Very, very good.
The taste is fresh and spicy with notes of wild strawberries, bay leaves and earth. Some nibbling tannins at the end. A very fine rosé.
88p (tasted 2019/08)
2017 Dolcetto d´Alba
A medium deep, herbal nose with notes of blueberries, ginger bread spices and dark soap. Very good.
The taste is upfront and juicy with notes of ripe blueberries, chrushed rocks and bakelite. A fine structure.
87p (tasted 2019/08)
2016 Barbera d´Alba
A high, rather light nose for a Barbera but with a good intensity and notes of raspberry licorice, violets and sage. Very, very good.
The taste is balanced and fine with notes of ripe raspberries, herbs and dried flowers. Long and fine with a very good acidity. The grapes for this Barbera comes from Roddi.
91p (tasted 2019/08)
2016 Langhe Nebbiolo
A fine, floral, sandy nose with notes of red cherries, rosehips and furniture polish. Pure and fine.
The taste is tight and fine with a sandy structure and notes of red cherries, chrushed rocks and dry licorice. Very, very good.
90p (tasted 2019/08)
2018 Verduno Pelaverga
I love Pelaverga! The low key intensity with high notes of incense, spices, earth and, in this case, dried strawberries, is intoxicating. Lovely.
The taste has that tell tale white pepper spiciness alongside notes of red currants and cool earth. Very refreshing.
89p (tasted 2019/08)
2015 Barolo
The Barolo Normale is a stunner. The nose soars up from the glass with notes of dried cherries, rose petals, paint and forest floor. A very fine perfumed note. Deep and fine.
The taste is racy and refined with a fine mix of strawberries and cherries with extra notes of dry licorice, rosehips, clay and dry tobacco. Silky tannins. Just lovely. 5+ years.
93p (tasted 2019/08)
2015 Barolo Monvigliero
Aaah, Monvigliero! Diego has fashioned a great one in 2015, with a deep, complex nose with notes of herbs, red sealing wax, ripening strawberries and sun warm rocks. Delightful.
The taste is handsome and balanced with a fine acidity, polished tannins and stunning red fruit. The mouth feel is velvety with a underlying backbone. 6+ years. Diego´s first vintage of Monvigliero was 2011.
94p (tasted 2019/08)
Cadia
The Cadia estate lies in Roddi, very close to the Verduno border. The firm started in 1996 and they own 12 ha in and around the hill "Cadia" that has given name to the winery.
Noemi, daughter of Bruno, met up with me, showed me the cellars and poured this nice line up.
2018 Langhe Arneis
A good, pure expression of Arneis with notes of spices, dried yellow apples and gravel.
The taste is young and tight with a good grip and notes of lemon, gravel and grass. A slight bitter note at the end.
85p (tasted 2019/08)
2018 Sauvignon Abrigàt
A stony, light nose with notes of grass, white pepper and road dust. Very nice.
The taste is grassy and fresh with notes of lemon juice, white pepper and dry herbs. A very good acidity. Has finesse.
87p (tasted 2019/08)
2018 Chardonnay Avnì
The Chardonnay shows some oak on the nose alongside notes of tangerines and sponge cake.
The taste is medium bodied with notes of spicy lemons, dry fudge and sand. The oak shows itself in the finish. Needs 2 years to integrate.
84p (tasted 2019/08)
2018 Verduno Pelaverga
The second Pelaverga this day! This version shows a cool, earthy nose with notes of Christmas spices, cranberries and old church wood benches - very nice!
The taste has a old viney style with notes of spicy lingonberries, incense and earth. A fine peppery structure. Another fine Pelaverga.
88p (tasted 2019/08)
2018 Dolcetto d´Alba
A stony nose with notes of dry licorice, asphalt and dried up blueberry jam. Very good.
The taste is spicy and iron laden with ripening blueberries and gravel. Medium long.
85p (tasted 2019/08)
2017 Barbera d´Alba Superiore Palazzotto
A big, deep, ripe nose with notes of raspberries, sweet balsamic vinegar and forest floor. Some oaky notes over the fruit that I am sure will integrate on one or two years time (see the Monvigliero´s below).
The taste is sturdy and concentrated with notes of raspberry licorice, cold coffee and warm gravel. A hint of oak bitterness in the finish.
85p (tasted 2019/08)
2018 Barbera d´Alba
The regular Barbera sees only steel and it shows on the nose, which is cool and fine with notes of spiced up raspberries, sun warm rocks and fresh herbs. Very good.
The taste is young and tight with notes of smoke, raspberries and Finnish licorice. A long finish with a fine nerve and acidity.
88p (tasted 2019/08)
2017 Nebbiolo d´Alba
A fine, warm nose with notes of ripe cherries, coffee powder and undergrowth. Fairly deep.
The taste is young and tight with notes of spicy cherries, tobacco and warm earth. Long. Very good.
86p (tasted 2019/08)
2015 Barolo Monvigliero
The 15 Monvigliero shows a deep, tight cherry-fruit on the nose with some earthy aromas and dry licorice as well. But there is also a layer of new wood over the fruit that disguise the fruit somewhat.
The taste is tight and rather locked in at the moment, with hints of fine cherry-fruit, licorice and herbs. But again, the oak muffles the character. But what happens in only one year? See below.
86p (tasted 2019/08)
2014 Barolo Monvigliero
A year older, the same oak treatment as the 15, but where has it gone? You certainly can´t sense it on the nose which is filled with notes of sweet lingonberries, cranberries, parsnips and roses. A lightish touch, very fine.
The taste is finely tuned and sandy with notes of cranberries, dried red cherries, spices and mushrooms. Medium long. Very, very good. And if a (on paper) weaker vintage than 15 can absorb the new oak in that short time, 15 will definitely will.
90p (tasted 2019/08)
Poderi Roset
A family owned estate that started to bottle their own label in 1993. The production then was 3.000 bottles/year. Now they produce 65.000 bottles/year. They have 15 ha of land, all in Verduno. Their piexe of Monvigliero is 0,4 ha.
Roberta, the export manager, poured this set of fine wines.
2016 Roero Arneis
A delicate, fresh nose with notes lemons, yellow flowers and white pepper. A fine lightness.
The taste is crisp and racy with a salivating acidity and notes of lemon juice, grass and white pepper.
87p (tasted 2019/08)
2017 Dolcetto d´Alba
A fine, upfront nose with notes of ripe blueberries, Finnish licorice and chrushed rocks. A fine, spicy character.
The taste is peppery and clean with notes of cherry pips, gravel and a hit of tobacco. A fine finish with a hint of bitterness.
87p (tasted 2019/08)
2017 Verduno Pelaverga
The third Pelaverga this day! This one sports a fine, juicy nose with notes of wild strawberries, white pepper and incense. A cool earthy character.
The taste is spicy and fine with notes of lingon- and blueberries, incense and a fine peppery note. High drinkability!
89p (tasted 2019/08)
2016 Barbera d´Alba
A open, direct nose with notes of spicy raspberries, Finnish licorice and a hint of barnyard. Very good.
The taste is earthy and warm with notes of allspice, licorice and warm gravel. A very good acidity. Long.
87p (tasted 2019/08)
2014 Barolo
A fine, crisp nose with notes of strawberries, rosehips, forest floor and a hint of incense. Very, very good.
The taste is finely tuned, light but a very fine intensity and notes of of dried strawberries, dried flowers and dry tobacco. Long and fine. 3+ years.
89p (tasted 2019/08)
2012 Barolo Monvigliero
A very deep, complex, lovely nose with notes of red plums, cherries, incense and moist earth. Refined. Stunning.
The taste is balanced and multi layered with notes of cherry pips, dried strawberries, dry licorice and spices. Very long and elegant. Just lovely. 5+ year.
93p (tasted 2019/08)
2013 Barolo Monvigliero
The 13 Monvigliero is all the 12 is, but even more aristocratic, more refined, more structured. This is one for the cellar. Great stuff! 7+ years.
95p (tasted 2019/08)
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