Le Tastevin Wine Club - Barolo Tasting - September 18, 2013

    Starter

      2010 Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze (Bisol)

    Barolos

      1997 Prapo (Ceretto, Azienda Agricola Bricco Rocche)
      1996 Villero (Bruno Giacosa, Casa Vinicola Bruno Glacosa)
      1997 Brunate (Marcarini)
      2001 Nebbiolo (Breaux)
      2000 Vigna del Gris (Conterno Fantino)
      1999 Colonnello (Aldo Conterno)
      2000 Bussia (Aldo Conterno)
      2001 Bussia (Aldo Conterno)
      2001 Bric del Fiasc (Paolo Scavino)
      2001 Le Gramolere (Giovanni Manzone)
      2001 Pajana (Clerico)
      2001 Caibot Mentin Ginestra (Clerico)

    Dessert

      2009 Moscato d'Asti (Lodali)

    Barola DOCG (eff 9-2013, partial)
    Commune Cru Names Producers (modernists in italics)
    La Morra - aromatic, perfumed Arborina E. Altare, Bovio
    Marcenasco
    Monfalletto
    Cerequio M Chiarlo
    Brunate A. Voerzio, Marcarini
    Rocche dell' Annunziata R. Ratti, P.Scavino
    Barolo - most youthful Cannubi L. Sandrone, P. Scavino, Prunotto, Marchesi di Barclo
    Sammassa
    Cerequio
    Brunate
    Castiglione Falletta - middle ground Rocche Viette, A. Settimo
    Monprivato Brevia, G. Mascarello
    Villero Vietti, Brovia, G. Mascarello
    Serralunga d'Alba- dense, tannic Lazzarito Fontanafredda
    Vigna Rionda Giacosa, Oddere
    Prapo M. Sebaste, Ceretto
    Ornato P. Cesare
    Colombaro P. Cesare
    Monfortino Giacomo Conterno
    Monforte d'Alba - dense, tannic Bussia A. Conterno, Parusso, Prunotto, Poderi Colla
    Ginestra Dom. Clerico, E. Grasso
    Santo Stefano di Perno Rocche dei Manzoni
    Pajana Dom. Clerica

Host Ron's Notes

Year ratings in Barolo: '96: 98, '97: 93, '99: WE92/WS94, '00: WS93/WE95, '01: WS95/WE97; DOCG= 3,100 ac in 11 communes (Bsco=1,200) 100% Nebbiolo; land chages from ancient sea bed to rocky/mtn as approach Alps => terroir chg Monforte vs Barolo; typ 14% If you want this style but to drink now & low $, try DOC Langhe or DOC Nebbiolo. Hills facing S best; as facing rolls around for less sun exposure, they plant grapes which mature earlier (Dol & Barbera) - makes sense for cash flow, hence common for a wide variety by each Brio vintner; N & E of Brio DOCG are Gattinara & Ghemme, still nebbiolo but higher elev, stony soils = lighter, perfumed look for diff bet yrs, diff bet vyds (terroir), think of variation w/l vilgs of Beaujolais; Rel3 yrs > Jan ofyr after picking incl2 yrs in bbf; ris=Svrs (id est pick Oct 2000;;> reI 2004)

2010 Prosecco Superiore di Cartize (Bisol) Valdo=commune in NE Veneto; Cartize=village of San Pietro di Barboza, select cluster ofvyds approx 250 acres, DOCG; fr B21; Blsol=t'the original"; Cartize is on a hill, sells for $1mil/acre, 8 mil bottles; min 85 prosecco grape (name chg); "celebration grapes - don't spoil by thinking too much" changed grape name to protect use of "Prosecco" (as "Chanpagne")

1996 Villero (Bruno Giacosa) ran family biz since 1960, wonderful barbarescos, only bottles brio cru in bestyrs;, $$$ pos , $300, fr3 cru; Castiglione Falletto; last yr for this label as was purchased grapes fr Fratelli Sordo. Giacomo Fenocchino married Serlo's daughter & wine is made under his name since '97; when land purch was vogue in 70s he could still buy grapes of quality, hence label options

1997 Prapo {Ceretto, Azienda ... means winery at Bricco .. } 6 ac vyd; Bricco Roche is best winery of his 4; Castiglione Falletto vlg known for poor soil, denser wines (as Serralunga & Monforte), has sites in Bussia cru; r rel $88, 1,160 cases of tot Barolo 40K bot, "ruby-garnet ... plum dried mushroom, earth ... "; rustic style, farmyd aromas, unusual; fr 1930s} now 3«l gent 2 sons developed chgs toward modern starting in '60s; many plots, 15 ac or less in exc cru;style is sort of modern, for example Zonchera uses 50 300 L new Fr oak barriques for 12 mos. then ...

1997 Brunate (Marcarini) tradttionaltst, 14 ac vyd in La Morra (softer style as Barolo Commune), others in style Elio Altare, R. Ratti" M.chiario, ft Voerzio (Modernist); now s" generation, making Brunate (cru) since '58; we have 4 Brunate '04 for future tasting; also look for Marcenasco vyd 2000 Vigna del Gris (Conterno Fantino) WS93, Monforte; Claudio Cont & Guido Fantino '82, modern style, typ $75; Guido's son Fabio now in chg; "richness, minerality, structure";this is fr 0.6 ha old vines, added 2.5 ha CY2000, uproot some old; 24 mos Fr oak barrique; 125 -150K bot of var s & labels

1999 Colonnello (Aldo Conterno )A!do {(innovator) died 5/12; younger son of Giacomo Contemo, brother Giovanni (traditionist); Aldo's sons have been running the biz for several years; Co! vyd located in Bussia of Monforte d'Alba": also in Bussia cru , hi altitude; Korea as US soldier, ret to CA but uncle's vyd dosed, ret to Italy; WS90, rel $135, 550 cases made

2000 Bussia Soprana (Aldo Conterno) WS92, rei $105, WS92; his Cicala was #2 in LTV Brio tasting '07; Aldo has variety of sites in "Soprana area of Monforte", has multiple sites w/i Bussia (cru) w/I Sopr; ; Giacomo COnterno, brother, is traditionalist, now run by father/son team Giovanni/Roberto Contemo

2001 Bussia Soprana (Aida Conterno) WS90, rei $90; 3 yrsa Siavonian oak plus 12 mos in bottle; "floral aromas wi tobacco & earth, spice, red berries

2001 Brie del Fiasc (Paolo Scavino) "di Enrico Scavino", modernist, Castiglione Falletto, own grapes only, one of the first grand cru(1978}, Brie de! = vyd name, French oak bbl for 10 mos,; plots in 6 of 11 vlgs w/l Brio area, 23 hectares total; style for early drinking ("w/i mos of rel, soft & lush")

2001 Nebbiolo {BreaUX}105 acres producing 12K cases w/9 red & 9 wh grapes; Purcellville, (northern) VA, cooler than most of other VA; founded '97; voted "VA's favorite winery" '08 thru '11, available for weddings, etc.; tie to DSO player wI restaurant across street, carried bottle for me; look for precise aromatic character of nebblolo, spices, sweetness, not fruity or jammy

2001 Le Gramolere (Giovanni Manzone) own grapes only, 1925, this is 10K bot of 50K tot, Monforte is 2K people, no insecticides, no fertilizer, unfiltered, unfined, traditional Ig oak casks; approachable while young?; "Gramofere" is a hill name; son Mauro joined father in '05; Cathar heresy burning story 1028

2001 Pajana (Clerico) modernist (oak barriques), frined n the '705 of E. Altare, E. Scavino, Guido Fantino

2001 Caibot Mentin Ginestra (Clerieo) Monforte, first rel 1982:;"elegant, clean, captivating on the nose, intense & rich in the mouth ... perfect bal"; CY90 Parker hi rated vintage & brIo s up, up; 24 mos in barrlque: drink >10 yrs fr harvest; rep as the brio that chg world perception of brio

2009 Moscato d' Asti (Lodali) 5.5%

Page last edited: January 14, 2015 (EB)