Sunday 28 February 2021

2014 Barolo del Commune di Serralunga, Luigi Pira


2014 Barolo del Commune di Serralunga, Luigi Pira
In 2014 Giaonpaolo only made one Barolo, blending all the Cru´s into this regular Barolo. A huge mistake according to The Barolo Boys - read all about it in the links below... :-)
Now, seven years later it displays a still young, fresh nose with notes of hard cherry candy, asphalt, violets, orange peel and iron. A fine depth. High and fine.
The taste is cool and tight with notes of gravel, red currants, mushrooms and dry licorice. Fine grained tannins. Still needs 5+ years. Very, very good.
92p   (tasted 2021/02)




Friday 26 February 2021

2017 Langhe Nebbiolo, Giovanni Rosso

 

2017 Langhe Nebbiolo, Giovanni Rosso
A upfront, medium deep, fine nose with notes of strawberry licorice, chrushed rocks, rosehips and asphalt. Very, very good.
The taste is young and spicy with a fine warmth and notes of licorice, rosehips, gravel and violets. Very good but not in the same leauge as the 2016.
89p   (tasted 2021/02)

Tuesday 23 February 2021

2018 Langhe Nebbiolo, Franco Conterno


2018 Langhe Nebbiolo, Franco Conterno
A delicate, upfront, juicy nose with notes of red cherries, licorice, violets and Asian Spices. Very, very good. More delicate than the 2017, which I tasted at the estate.
The taste is young, pure and fresh with notes of red cherries, violets, fir wood and rosehips. Fine grained tannins. 4+ years.
90p   (tasted 2021/02)

Saturday 20 February 2021

2012 Barolo Roggeri, Crissante Alessandria


2012 Barolo Roggeri,  Alessandria Crissante
This needed some serious time in the decanter and glass. After some intense swirling notes of hard cherry candy, tobacco, ripe raspberries and asphalt oozes up from the glass. Tight. Forest floor and candle grease after some more time. Deep. Very, very good.
The taste is tight and iron filled with notes of hard cherry candy, violets, dark flowers and asphalt. Shows exactly those rugged tannins that Masnaghetti mentions as a trademark of this MGA. 6+ years. Another notch in my MGA belt. Just 37 left...
91p   (tasted 2021/02)

Wednesday 17 February 2021

1964 Barolo Riserva Cru Bussia di Monforte d´Alba, Prunotto


1964 Barolo Riserva Cru Bussia di Monforte d´Alba, Prunotto
A very low level. I had not much hope when I cut the foil. No cork? Well, it was at the bottom of the bottle.
Murky at first but after 30 minutes it showed a light, feeble nose with notes of red currants, gravel, glue and dried flowers. Not dead but on its last leg.
The taste is dry and thin with notes of dried red fruits, gravel and rosehips. Short. Not really bad but not enjoyable either.
71p   (tasted 2021/02)

Monday 15 February 2021

2017 Dogliani Superiore Maioli, Anna Maria Abbona


2017 Dogliani Superiore Maioli, Anna Maria Abbona
Another winner from Anna Maria Abbona. This Dolcetto sport a young, tight, focused nose with notes of ink, ripe blueberries, bakelite, iron and a hint of raspberry coulis. Handsome. Very young and fine.
The taste is young and structured with notes of ink, asphalt, spices and ripe blueberries. Very long with silky tannins that will need 6+ years. Very, very good.
91p   (tasted 2021/02)

Other wines from Anna Maria Abbona tasted:



Sunday 14 February 2021

2015 100.000 Shiraz, Blankbottle (magnum)


2015 100.000 Shiraz, Blankbottle
Tasted for the first time five years ago. I was impressed then and bought a couple of botttles (magnums). This was the last bottle. 
The nose is open and peppery with notes of bakelite, blueberries, violets and dried meat. Very fine in a low key kind of way. Has character. 
The taste is more expressive then the nose with fresh herbs, violets, meat and ripe blueberries. A fine acidity and juicy tannins. Some fine tobacco. Long, fine and balanced. Lovely. Should have bought more, this was a bargain for 60 Euro per mag.
93p   (tasted 2021/02)

Thursday 11 February 2021

A Beauty - 2018 La Mateo Rioja Blanco, Bodegas D. Mateos

 
2018 La Mateo Rioja Blanco, Bodegas D. Mateos
A tasting sample from Wine World.
When I started to drink better white Burgundies in the middle of the 90´s - Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Corton Charlemagne, Batard-Montrachet et al - this was the character I loved - an outgoing, large scaled yet refined nose with notes of grilled lemons, spices, peach, matchbox and a field of yellow flowers. And yes, a healthy dose of fine oak, which only highlighted the other qualities. This Rioja reminds me of those days. Gotta love this.
The taste is a bit more restrained than the nose with notes of matchbox, dry lemon fudge, birch leaves, chrushed rocks and dried peach. A long, lingering finish with a refreshing acidity. Drinking great today and the coming 8+ years. This gem will be released on the monopoly on the 23d of February. All oak neurotics should give this one a pass and let me buy these bottles. A real bargain at 20 Euro.
Made out 100% Tempranillo Blanco, a natural nutation of Tempranillo.
93p   (tasted 2021/02)

Wednesday 10 February 2021

1982 Barolo Castellero, Fratelli Barale


1982 Barolo Castellero, Fratelli Barale
A rather, large scaled, burly nose with notes of a dried up cherry pie, tobacco, a moist forest floor, dark sponge cake, diesel oil and leather. Complex, a bit rough around the edges but with a rugged charm. 
The taste is more structured and refined with notes of dried strawberries, dry licorice, forest floor and dried flowers. A very fine length with some silky tannins at the end. Very fine. Fully mature but in no hurry to drink any remaining bottles.
I visited Fratelli Barale in August of 2019 and meet Eleonora who was a gracious and kind host. 
Castellero is a 13,07 ha large MGA in Barolo and there are only four producers that bottle wines from here - Fratelli Barale, Francesco Borgogno, Giacomo Fenocchio and Brezza (which I visited on the same trip and tasted their 2013 Castellero).
92p   (tasted 2021/02)

Friday 5 February 2021

One Million Page Views - A Fine Barolo Needs To Be Opened!


Today I reached one million (1.000.000!) page views in the nine years and two months that this blog has existed. I posted my first tasting notes on the 2nd of November 2011. 

That makes approximately 296 views per day. And a total of 1.649 posts. 1.279 comments.

Is this cause for a celebration? Of course, and of course with a bottle of the best grape juice in the world - Barolo!

1989 Barolo Vigna Cicala, Aldo Conterno
Just woooow! From the first pour this gorgeous creature just got better and better, with air - it expresses a regal character with stunning notes of dried red fruits, linoleum, red tea, rosehips, allspice and truffle. Spine tingling. Harmonious. Ethereal. After three hours as good as a Barolo can get.
The taste is all about silk, velvet and, again, harmony. Perfectly mature. Notes of hard cherry candy, red tea, iron, dried flowers and autumn leaves. The finish goes on and on and on. A hint of cardamon in the finish. There is some structured tannins at the very end, suggesting that bottles like this would go on for another 6+ years.
98p   (tasted 2021/02)


Wednesday 3 February 2021

Two Spätburgunder From Weingut Ehrhart

2015 Eschbach "R" Spätburgunder, Weingut Ehrhart
A deep, warm nose with notes of chrushed wild raspberries, scorched earth, red tea and some balsamsic scents. A touch of oak. Very fine.
The taste is silky and structured with notes of raspberries, bakelite, red licorice and warm herbs. A very good acidity. Long and fine. Drink now and the coming 7 years.
91p   (tasted 2020/01)


2012 Leinsweiler Sonnenberg Spätburgunder Trocken, Weingut Ehrhart
A big, open, mature nose with notes of ripe red apples, raspberry licorice, smoke and moist earth. Tight and very good. A good depth. Sweet fruit.
The taste is tight and dry with notes of dried raspberries, rhubarb pie, bonfire smoke and herbs. A fine dryness in the finish. Fully mature. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2020/01)

Tuesday 2 February 2021

1980 Barolo, Fratelli Ferrero & A Desert Island Album


1980 Barolo, Fratelli Ferrero
An old scool, barnyardy, rustic nose with notes of dried red fruits, shoe cream, dried flowers and old leather. Somewhat heavy on the nose for a La Morra (or maybe the fruit comes from other parts in Barolo?).
The taste is mature and steady with notes of black olives, asphalt, leather and dried flowers. A long, taut finish with some unresolved tannins. A bit foursquare but with character and a high likeability.
88p   (tasted 2021/01)

Angel Witch / Angel Witch / 1980
1980. IMHO the best vintage ever for metal, just check out the list of releases below. But as the say in the movie Highlander - there can be only one!
And that one is Angel Witch with their self titled first album. Kevin Heybourne, lead singer and lead guitar has written all songs on the album. He is still very active, touring with the band where he is the only original member (I saw them in Stockholm a couple of years ago).
The album opens with the title track and from there this not a weak song, although my favourites are the title song, Confused and Angel of Death.

Other great releases in 1980:
AC/DC - Back in Black
Accept - I´m a Rebel
Blackfoot - Tomcattin´
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Budgie - Power Supply
Diamond Head - Lighning to the Nations
Gillan - Glory Road
Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
Judas Priest - British Steel
Motörhead - Ace of Spades
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Oz
Rush - Permanent Waves
Samson - Head On
Saxon - Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law
Scorpions - Animal Magnetism
Thin Lizzy - Chinatown
Triumph - Progressions of Power
Trust - Repression
Van Halen - Women and Children First
Whitesnake - Ready an´ Willing
and many, many more...