2012 Empreinte, Geoffroy
A stony, spicy nose with notes of red apples, ripe flowers and chrushed rocks. Very, very good.
The taste is chalky and fine with a steely acidity and a long, crisp finish. 5+ years.
90p (tasted 2025/05)
Thursday, 19 June 2025
Saturday, 14 June 2025
1982 Bordeaux - Twelve Bottles
"Nineteen-eighty-two is a vintage of legendary proportions for all levels of the Bordeaux hierarchy."
(Robert Parker)
"this was also a year when the crus bourgeois made some exceptional wines; indeed there were delicious wines at the humblest level."
(David Peppercorn)
A few weeks ago we tasted a line up of some of those wines at a more humble level. They proved to be, for the most part, alive and kicking, and offered up fine drinking pleasure.
Flight I
1982 Château Lalande (Listrac)
A light, fine nose with notes of tobacco, dried black currants, coffee powder and fresh stables.
The taste is dry and seedy with a fine matured structure, some autumn leaves and a nice warmth in the finish.
87p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château La Graviére Grand Poujeaux (Moulis)
Opens a tad dusty but that blows away and notes of damsons, red apple, tobacco and old furniture emerges.
The taste is dry and fine with notes of dried red and black currants, vintage leather and undergrowth. A very fine warmth.
89p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Larose- Trintaudon (Haut-Medoc)
A delicate, warm nose with notes of autumn leaves, plums, sugared coffee and stables.
The taste is round and fine with notes of sweet tobacco, leather and charcoal. A long, distinct finish. This is still on the young side of things.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Brie-Caillou (Medoc)
Corked #¤%&#¤!
Not rated (tasted 2025/05)
Flight II
1982 Château Carbonnieux (Pessac Leognan)
A damp. earthy nose with notes of green tea, dry tobacco and bakelite.
The taste is dry and angular with some dry red fruit, a hint of bitterness and a short finish.
78p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Le Crock (St. Estephe)
A cool, fine nose with notes of coffee, ripe black currants and autumn leaves. A very fine maturity.
The taste is dry and warm with notes of moist earth, dried black currants and sugared coffee. Very, very good.
88p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Les Ormes de Pez (St. Estephe)
A deep, forest filled nose with notes of tobacco, smoke and fir wood. Plums and black currants in spades. Very fine.
The taste is tight and fine with purity and finesse. Lovely fruit and a long, silky finish.
92p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Lynch-Moussas (Pauillac)
A somehat dusty nose that got a bit better with air, dried red currants, gravel and dry tobacco.
The taste is better with still some perky tannins, dried red and black currants and forest floor.
86p (tasted 2025/05)
Flight III
1982 Château La Grace Dieu (Saint-Emilion)
A deep, mature, almost meaty nose with notes of dried plums, fir wood, sweet tobacco and undergrowth. Very fine.
The taste is nicely concentrated, perfectly mature with ripe plummy fruit and a long, warm finish.
92p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château La Grace Dieu Des Prieurs (Saint-Emilion)
A nice, earthy nose with notes of graphite, damsons and violets. A nice sweetness to the fruit.
The taste is dry and mature with notes of dried plums, dusty earth and a medium long, warm finish.
89p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château du Mignon (Saint-Emilion)
A fine, mature nose with notes of tobacco, charcoal, plums and autumn leaves. Very fine.
The taste is rustic yet elegant with lovely fruit, a very fine warmth and still some perky tannins.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Grand Corbin (Saint-Emilion)
A somewhat dusty nose with notes of dried black currants, gravel and dry tobacco.
The taste is dry and seedy with notes of violets, dried plums and cigarette ashes. A long warm finish.
85p (tasted 2025/05)
Thursday, 12 June 2025
1977 Château Coutet
1977 Château Coutet
Broadbent on the 77 Sauternes vintage - "poor crop, poor wines". But as always, the proof is in the bottle.
The nose is deep, gorgeously mature with notes of detergent, dried mango, wet hay and orange peel.
The taste is medium bodied and elegant with notes of band aid, moist earth and candied orange peel. Ends on a semi dry note. A lovely drink.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
1982 - 2021 Barbaresco, La Ca Növa
M invited to a tasting recently. The hidden theme (there were other bottles in the line up that will be posted separately) was nine bottles from La Ca' Növa. Tasted double blind.
Notes from my visit to the estate - Barolista: The Barolo Boys in Piedmont - A Visit To La Ca´ Növa
2015 Barbaresco Montestefano, La Ca' Növa
A very nice, forest filled nose with additional notes of dried wild strawberries, licorice and sun warm gravel.
The taste is spicy and fine with a very fine red fruit, sweet tannins and a long, balanced finish.
90p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Barbaresco, La Ca' Növa
A handsome, elegant, mature nose with notes of undergrowth, dried strawberries and dried roses.
The taste is medium bodied and silky with notes of dried strawberries, smoke and violets. A tad light in the middle taste.
88p (tasted 2025/05)
1987 Barbaresco Montefico Bric Mentina, La Ca' Növa
A deep, rich nose with notes of sweet/sour raspberries, blue ski wax, veal stock and dried flowers. Very complex and fine.
The taste is tight yet silky and generous with notes of asphalt, violets, raspberries and assorted spices. Very long and lingering. A stunning bottle from a mediocre vintage.
94p (tasted 2025/05)
1993 Barbaresco Montefico Bric Mentina
A restrained, mature nose with notes of tobacco, moist earth and pomegranate. Very, very good.
The taste is more open than the nose with lovely notes of res cherries, salmiak and violets. Still some nibbling tannins.
90p (tasted 2025/05)
2019 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina, La Ca' Növa
A deep, elegant nose with notes of smoke, ripe red currants, rosehips and Langhe earth. High and fine.
The taste is young and structured with assorted red berries, notes of tobacco and leather, very long and fine. 7+ years.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
2020 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina, La Ca' Növa
An open, inviting nose with notes of ripe raspberries, Finnish licorice, smoke and warm gravel. Very complex and fine.
The taste is tight and forward with gorgeous fruit, silky tannins and a finish that goes on and on and on. Great wine. 5+ years.
95p (tasted 2025/05)
2021 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina, La Ca' Növa
A deep, layered nose with notes of ripe red cherries, asphalt, leather and rosehips. Very solid and fine.
The taste is young and tight with notes of hard cherry candy, cigarette smoke and earth. Taut tannins, this will need 8+ years in the cellar.
92p (tasted 2025/05)
2021 Barbaresco Montestefano, La Ca' Növa
Corked! #¤&#%¤&%¤!!
Not rated (tasted 2025/05)
2020 Barbaresco Montestefano, La Ca' Növa
A high, intense nose with notes of ripening strawberries, rosehips, a hint of tar and tobacco. Very fine.
The taste is warm and structured with gorgeous fruit, silky tannins and a long, long finish. 6+ years.
94p (tasted 2025/05)
Monday, 9 June 2025
1994 Vintage Port, Croft
1994 Vintage Port, Croft
A deep, velvety nose with notes of charcoal, fried nuts, blackberries and asphalt. Very fine.
The taste is rich and concentrated with notes of blueberry pie, asphalt, iron and damsons. Very long. Still on the young side of things, 8+ years.
92p (tasted 2025/05)
Thursday, 5 June 2025
2019 Brunello di Montalcino, Col d´Orcia
2019 Brunello di Montalcino, Col d´Orcia
A tight, herbal nose with notes of ripe cherries, violet pastilles, warm Tuscan gravel and smoke. A very fine depth. Opens up nicely in the glass.
The taste is young and strapping with lovely sweet cherry fruit, polished tannins and a long, warm finish. For the price, Col d´Orcia is a reliable, often very good Brunello, sometimes even great.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
More bottles from Col d´Orcia tasted over the years:
Barolista: In Search of Brunello di Montalcino´s Soul - Chapter XXII (vintages 75, 77, 80 and 85)
Barolista: In Search of Brunello di Montalcino´s Soul - Chapter XV (vintages 99, 04, 07)
Barolista: In Search of Brunello di Montalcino´s Soul - Chapter XXVIII (Poggio al Vento 82, 04)
Barolista: In Search of Brunello di Montalcino´s Soul - Chapter XXXV (Poggio al Vento 01)
Tuesday, 3 June 2025
Nine Bottles Of Barolo - Rocche di Castiglione
T invited to a fascinating tasting, consisting of nine different expressions of Rocche di Castiglione. T & P had amassed the bottles and an evening a couple of weeks ago it was time to taste them.
Great company, stellar food and nine bottles of Barolo, the recipe for a fantastic evening!
Flight I
2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Oddero
A handsome, balanced nose with notes of dried strawberries, black tea and, with air, some toffee notes. Very fine.
The taste is young and forward with a fine structure for medium aging, polished tannins and a long, silky finish. 5+ years.
93p (tasted 2025/05)
2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Paolo Scavino
A big, tight nose with notes of fir wood, asphalt, ski wax and a hint of dark chocolate.
The taste is rich and plentiful with notes of ripe cherries, chocolate biscuits and asphalt. A tad angular in the finish, I guess that this needs some time in the cellar.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Ceretto
A young, restrained nose with notes of cement, candle grease, ripe cherries and some balsamic notes.
The taste is is tight and seedy with notes of cherry pips, fir wood, forest floor and iron. Very long. 6+ years.
90p (tasted 2025/05)
Flight II
2015 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Roccheviberti
A deep, light meaty nose with notes of dried flowers, rust, orange peel and ripe cherries. Complex and fine.
The taste is tight and concentrated with sandy tannine, ripe cherry fruit and a long, intense finish. Needs more time in the cellar, 7+ years.
92p (tasted 2025/05)
2015 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Fratelli Monchiero
A damp cellar note came and vent, so it was not corked but something wasn´t right with this bottle.
Not rated (tasted 2025/05)
2015 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Vietti
A deep, velvety nose with notes of smoke, roses, dried raspberries and Lange earth. Very fine.
The taste is structured and fine with silky tannins, assorted ripe red berries and a long, juicy finish. 4+ years.
93p (tasted 2025/05)
Flight III
2013 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Arnaldo Rivera
Oak, oak and then some notes of hard cherry candy, tobacco, rosehips and....oak. I can stand a healthy dose of oak but the line up from Arnaldi Rivera contains too much. Too bad, they have access to lots of great raw material.
The taste is tight and dry with notes of leather, ripening cherries and undergrowth. And oak. Maybe 10+ years in the cellar will integrate the oak (as with Clerico´s wines), but I wouldn´t bet on it.
82p (tasted 2025/05)
2013 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Sordo
A deep, forward nose with notes of dried up cherry jam, ripe herbs, minerals and rosehip. Very, very good.
The taste is still young and perky with notes of hard cherry candy, sweet minerals, dried flowers and licorice. Long and fine. 5+ years.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
2013 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Brovia
My WOTN. A restrained, refined nose with notes of ripe cherries, licorice, violets and Langhe earth. Lovely.
The taste is rich and concentrated with brilliant fruit, a fantastic balance and a structure for longevity. Great wine.
95p (tasted 2025/05)
Sunday, 1 June 2025
2018 Barolo Gramolere, Giovanni Manzone
2018 Barolo Gramolere, Giovanni Manzone
A high, pure and intense nose with notes of roses, orange peel, violet pastilles and paint. Very handsome and truly fine.
The taste is tight and layered with notes of ripe red currants, bay leaves, violets and rosehips. Salivating tannins. Just gorgeous. Given the rise of Barolo prices the last 10 years, this beauty is a no brainer at 40 Euro.
96p (tasted 2025/05)
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