Wondering if anyone has opened any of these recently. having a tough time gauging when to open. Not finding much great info on CT and I only have 1 of each of these stashed and never drank any before.
1996 Fontanafredda Barolo La Delizia
2004 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
2005 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys
2006 Sella & Mosca Marchese di Villamarina
2006 Giovanni Corino Barolo Giachini
2009 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron
2009 Antica Cabernet Sauvignon
Personal preference will obviously matter on how young or how old you prefer in drinking your wines. I don’t have experience with any of the specific wines you listed, but in any case here’s my take given my preference for wines with a fair amount of age.
None of the 1996 big Nebbiolo from Piedmont I’ve recently had had been at satisfactory-optimal drinking stage and I have decided to further cellar my few remaining bottles. They’re nowhere close in enjoyment experience to most of the ones from 60s/70s/80s that I’ve had the opportunity to taste in the last several years.
I was gifted and cellared for 14 years a bottle of 1990 Masi Amarone which I forgot about and finally drank in 2010. Not a blockbuster, but I recall it had a very high alcohol content on the label which was still evident, but clearly tasted tamed down and the wine was relatively smoother than any Amarone I’ve ever had. Still needed a big, heavy-sauced braised meat dish to enjoy with, or a strong hard cheese.
I’ve been wondering if that were the case. Don’t think I know enough on what barolos and barbarescos are modern vs traditional styles. Any tips on how you can tell from taste or is it just knowing the producer?
The traditional producers generally make wines that are more austere in their youth while the more modern style makes wines that are generally more approachable in their youth. Of course this is a vast oversimplification and vintage and site variables also play roles in all of this.
The Defaix is so good right now. I would decant to get full impact. It is made in a traditional style and will age another 20 years under optimal storage. But don’t see any particular upside from here.