TN: Gala Dinner at La Festa del Barolo

WINE TALK
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GALA DINNER AT LA FESTA DEL BAROLO - Del Posto Restaurant, NYC (2/3/2017)

This was the Friday evening gala dinner at Antonio Galloni Vinous Media’s 2017 La Festa del Barolo. I sat with members of my old Barolo group at the Massolino Winery table with the Franco Massolino. Franco is the co-owner with his brother Roberto and co-winemaker together with his brother and Giovanni Angeli.

More details and photos can be found on my website:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/tn/2017-02-03_AG_LaFesta-Gala_delPosto/

Champagne Tasting

Dinner
The wines just came, one after another. No flights, just wines.

  • 1970 Massolino Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Actually two bottles of the same wine generously brought by Jon:
    Bottle 1: Smoky, mature, but holding up. Long, dried cherries and fall leaf mulch. 91 points
    Bottle 2: Much younger and richer. Gorgeous nose and long in the mouth with fruit and complexity. Has to be one of the best bottles of this wine which is a blend of Rionda, Parafada, and other vineyards in Serralunga. (94 pts.)
  • 1989 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Brought by Franco Massolino. Decanted around 6pm.] Dark smoky black fruit in the nose and mouth. Rich, tannic, still young and tight. Needs time or a longer decant. I think it was only open for an hour or two. 94-96, perhaps more when it finally reaches its peak. (95 pts.)
  • 1958 Cantina Mascarello Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [1.9 liter bottle. Double decanted at 1pm. Brought by Jamie Wolff.] Surprisingly dark color. Ripe nose. Rich, but still has rough tannins. Great length. Slightly odd in some way I can’t put my finger on, but quite youthful and delicious. (94 pts.)
  • 1990 Oddero Barolo Mondoca di Bussia Soprana - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Magnum brought by Greg dP.] Tart black fruit nose. Silky smooth, rich with good acidity. A tasty wine that is ready to drink. (92 pts.)
  • 2013 Lucien Le Moine Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
    [Magnum brought over by Alex Michas of Vintus. This is one of the wines they import.] Lots of new oak in the nose. Crisp and complex up front, a touch of sweetness in the mid-palate, then a long dry finish. Appealing, esp with the pasta in butter. I suspect that this will age well for at least a decade or more. 93-95 (94 pts.)
  • 1985 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Brought over by Carl Klapper.] Thick, rich, ripe. Still tannic, but the fruit is overwhelming. Incomparable length. Easily the wine of the vintage. This is so young, while most 85’s are heading downward. (96 pts.)
  • 1996 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Ca d’Morissio Riserva Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Some nail polish in the nose. Backward and strangely sweet. Not sure what to make of this. An off bottle? NR (flawed)
  • 2010 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Brought by Franco Massolino. Decanted around 6pm.] Tight nose of smoked beef and blackberry jam. Sweet red and black fruit. Stunning! Super long. This is one of the wines of the vintage and maybe the best wine ever made at this winery. 97-100 (98 pts.)
  • 1990 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Magnum brought over by Carl K.] Sweet fruit, complex. I could drink this all night. (96 pts.)
  • 2001 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Magnum brought by Todd Tucker. Floral nose. Ripe black fruits. Complex. Still quite young. Great future here. 95-97 (96 pts.)
  • 2010 Domenico Clerico Barolo Aeroplan Servaj Serralunga - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Sweet oak, and not much else. Yuck. (63 pts.)
  • 2000 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [From a 3L bottle.] Sweet oaky garbage. (56 pts.)
  • 1955 Cappellano Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    I’m not sure who brought this to our table, but God bless them. One of the best bottles of 1950’s Cappellano I have had. Sweet fruit. Long and complex. A terrific old wine. (95 pts.)
  • 1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
    [Brought over by Marc DiBella.] Super ripe nose. Thick, ripe, still oaky. I know others like this vintage, I’m not a fan. Still, this is a well-made wine for the vintage. (92 pts.)
  • 2003 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [3L brought by Alex Michas of Vintus. This is one of the wines they import.] Intense, super-ripe. I think the combination of the vintage with the winemaking is just too much for me. Cali Barolo. (86 pts.)
  • 2004 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
    [Brought over by ???] I remember telling whoever brought it that it was seem out of place, but it really is a lovely, complex wine. Quite refreshing after 2 wines that were too ripe. (94 pts.)
  • 1969 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
    [Brought over by Antonio Galloni.] Ethereal, complex, a bit of oxidation. Clearly on the downslope, but wow, what a wine. (94 pts.)
  • 1980 Cappellano Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Brought over by Iggy Melito.] Amazing what Teobaldo could do in such a weak vintage. Lovely with dried red fruit and great length. (93 pts.)
  • 1982 Gaja Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
    [I bought this magnum from Morrell’s and they delivered it to Del Posto. It was only opened when dinner started, so it was open about 2.5 hours when we tasted it.] Stunningly complex nose. Gorgeous fruit in the mouth. Classic Gaja Barbaresco, it has a great purity to it. A joy to share this with friends. (96 pts.)
  • 1990 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [From a magnum brought by Dan Petroski.] Dark rich smoky nose of black fruit. Rich, young, complex in the mouth. Some licorice and herbs on the finish. Could use another 10 years in magnum. (95 pts.)
  • 1996 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Brought by me (from Dan M). Not opened until dinner started, so decanted for about 2.5 hours.] This wine is just reaching the beginning of its maturity, but it still has a long way to go. A great beast of a wine, this is classic Serralunga. Long, rich, and so intense. I love it. (98 pts.)
  • 2007 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [A 3L bottle brought over by Giuseppe Vaira.] Gorgeous, lush, and delicious. Complex with rich black fruit and licorice. Has the appealing ripeness of the vintage, but not the least bit over-ripe. (95 pts.)
  • 1970 Cappellano Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Brought over by Josh Leader.] Mature nose of forest floor. Sweet mature fruit. Lovely. (93 pts.)
  • 1995 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Not sure who brought this.] Classic Burlotto Monvigliero with olives and black fruit and flowers in the nose. A terrific wine to drink tonight. (94 pts.)
  • 2008 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Gramolere - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Brought over by the winemaker Vittore Alessandria.] Rich, sweet fruit. Quite ripe. Complex and appealing. (92 pts.)
  • 2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Seriously? Where did this magnum come from. Far be it for me to look a gift Giacosa in the mouth when I can pour in my mouth! Tar and rose. Still young and tannic, with tons of black fruit and a hint of the classic fruitcake. Obviously a great wine, even this late in the evening. (97 pts.)
  • 1990 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Magnum from Keith Edwards.] Gorgeous, floral, black fruit. Another wine I could drink all night. Classic 1990 and classic Aldo Conterno at his best. (95 pts.)

Another amazing evening at La Festa del Barolo.
Posted from CellarTracker

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thanks for the great notes, Ken.

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Well done!

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What an expansive list! Great notes, Ken. Did you get the impression from the 10 Massolino that it would have some of the 96’s frame when it gets to a comparable age? Love how youthful some of those older bottles showed to you.

Slainte,

Mike

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Funny to see the cameo names, sorry I missed a great event.

I’ve had 96 Ca D’Morissio a couple of times, and either it’s REALLY not ready, or it never will be.

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Thanks for the notes, Ken,

Great to read as always. I have some of that '07 Vajra; so you think it’s good to go or better to wait longer (which was my sense)?
Also, you seemed really down on the Clerico; I think I know why, but doesn’t Galloni love these, at least in some vintages? Do you think he’s just missing the boat?
(FYI, opened another Giacosa '98 last week, the Rabaja–great but much younger than the Barolos; won’t open another for a while.)

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Antonio thinks more highly of these 2 wines than I do, but he does mention the French oak. I don’t know if that is the sole culprit, but it is certainly a contributing factor.

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2000 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[From a 3L bottle.] Sweet oaky garbage. (56 pts.)

Ha, loved that note

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Aeroplan is expressly an oaky, modern wine (designed to be that way), and amongst their prime group of wines, the Percristina has always been the oakiest. I’ve bashed the wines a number of times in these forums, but for some reason Antonio and Steve Tanzer have played down their oak and extraction and give them good reviews. The non-Aeroplan more recent wines (eg 2010 on) are reported to be less oaky, but I’ve not tried them. I never dump wines or sell them, and I have a fair number of Clerico wines from 1999-2004, so anyone who needs a data point, swing by the house.

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so anyone who needs a data point, swing by the house

Thanks, John, I’ll make a note of that (LOL).
What you say is helpful and appreciatedn though.
I have some of the Ciabot Mentin Ginestra and Pajana from the mid-2000’s; maybe I’ll have to pop one soon and get a better read on them for myself.

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I have had the 89 Ciabot Mentin Ginestra and it hold the oak pretty well.

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Ken, you would likely know better than I, but I suspect, as with many estates, that the 89’s and 90’s were before the big ramp up in oak and new extraction techniques. I had a 96 CMG recently, and while the oak is there, it doesn’t dominate like it seems to later (although it may be hard for anything to dominate a 96). I’m holding the wines I have mostly as a science experiment as I really am not sure what they’ll be like in 10-15 years.