1999 Barolo and Barbaresco Tasting

WINE TALK
1

Last week our tasting group got together to taste through a lineup of 1999 Barolo and Barbaresco. For me, this was the first time tasting a large group of '99s at one time.

1999 has always been a hard vintage for me to understand. I bought them so that I’d have the vintage in my cellar to taste down the road. I never had a chance to taste them on release (I wasn’t even buying wine when they were released). What’s more, over the last few years, each time I tasted a '99 they were packed with potential but locked down by tannin, essentially closed for business.

Then about three months ago, after hearing from more than a few trusted palates (many from this forum), I decided to open a '99 Aldo Conterno Colonnello, and I was floored. What a beautiful wine.

It was with this in mind that I put it out there to the group, to taste 1999 Barolo and Barbaresco.

I just posted my notes at The V.I.P. Table

Check it out if you can, or scroll down for my notes posted from Cellar Tracker.

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And my tasting note from the '99 Aldo Conterno that turned my head.

  • 1999 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (2/19/2012)
    The nose was dark and seductive with cherry tobacco, plum, dusty potpourri a hint of musk and medicinal herbs. On the palate, it was velvety and perfectly balanced with masses of fruit. Sour cherry sauce and a hint of cedar filled the senses and warded off the silky tannins that were still present but not out front. On the finish, the fruit turned dry yet still intense with hints of sweet spices. (94 pts.)
3

Thanks for the notes. I’m a big fan of the vintage. I’m not afraid to open them, but I’ve been in no rush.

I had a terrific bottle of the Ghisolfi - Visette three years ago and bought some. It was hard at first, but then opened up and was terrific with food.

The Produttori “Torre” has been splendid for years. It’s the real thing, and so elegant. I’m down to my last bottle. Sniff, sniff.

Your note on the Schiavenza Riserva was very interesting, as I tasted that at the cantina in 2005. I thought it had VA then and wasn’t crazy about it, but Daniel Thomases was reviewing Italians for the Wine Advocate still (at least in theory) and he’d given that wine a high-90s score in Veronelli, for whom he also worked. I bought some figuring I’d flip it. Then, for whatever reason, his scores never ran in WA, and so I’m stuck with the wine. I liked their regular 01 bottlings that I tasted at the time much better and, luckily, bought them, too.

As for other 99s, I had the Rocche di Manzoni - Santo Stefano in February that showed well and was enjoyed even by people who aren’t accustomed to nebbiolo tannins. The oak is prominent on those wines, but this was very much in balance. There were some hard tannins at the back, but it wasn’t painful at all to drink this with food.

The Aldo Conterno - Bussia in the same flight was luscious – plush and more ready to drink. Classic Conterno.

4

Thanks for the notes. Reassuring to hear about the 1999 Mascarello Barolo Monprivato. Bought a couple without tasting based on previous barolo discussions here.

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Thanks, this is all really good info for comparisons. I had thought that the Ghisolfi might have been damaged at some point in its life but I wasn’t sure and no one else commented on it. It came from a good source but where they got it from is the question. Lastly, the Schiavenza definitely had a problem.

I also had thoughts of checking out the Rocche di Manzoni - Santo Stefano. I’m not a big fan of oak but I’ve heard these integrate well over time. They are also still available.

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From my recent tastings, one of the number one things I’ve come away with is that I need to buy more Monprivato.

7

Great notes Eric. Sorry I missed it!

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+1 [cry.gif]

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+2 … always a damn shame to see these great nebbiolo tastings with no seat at the table [wow.gif]

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Eric - it was my only 99 Monprivato and good enough but what I came away with is that I need to buy more Produttori. Those wines were wonderful. And every time I open one at home, from the basic Nebbiolo to one of the “better” ones, my wife says “This is pretty good! This is what we should buy. Do we have more?”

I bought some figuring I’d flip it. Then, for whatever reason, his scores never ran in WA, and so I’m stuck with the wine.

John - for some reason I laughed out loud when I read that. You of all people! Trying a little arbitrage in a market that didn’t materialize?

At least unlike penny stocks, you can consume your wine! [cheers.gif]

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Supposedly the big deal about the 1999 Monprivato was that no Riserva Ca’ d’Morissio was made in '99 and that whatever fruit would have gone into the riserva went into the Monprivato. How did the '99 Monprivato compare with the other Monprivatos you’ve had recently?

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It’s the only time I’ve ever done it – really! And it was only two bottles! I figured the spread would help pay for other purchases. I bought four of the 2001 Prapò.

There: Is my reputation restored? (I was there with Justin on a frigid December day: We had to traverse a thick sheet of ice on the street to get to the cantina.)

And how could I know Parker would can Thomases? (Thank goodness he did and that WA never ran a review of 01 Barolo/Barbaresco, allowing us nebbiolo lovers to feast on the many bargains from the vintage.)

Eric – The Schiavenza is in the old-style riserva mode, from particularly ripe fruit and aged longer in tank, where the risk of VA is higher. For the record, it’s a blend of fruit from Prapò and Broglio.

13

You make a really good point.

I felt like it was still opening up. These bottles were opened at 3pm. Most were double decanted but the Monprivato was not. However, it was left open to breath. When I first poured my glass, it was very muted but when I revisited it, after only a few minutes, it had opened up beautifully. It was also one of the first bottles to go that night. As for other vintages, I find this wine is usually very hard to understand in its youth, but this one was exceptional good even for its young age. I’ve had the '89, '90, '95 and '01 and looking back, I scored this a point higher than my highest score on the '90 at 93 points. The '01 I had last December was incredibly hard to judge. The '95 I had earlier that year was beautiful, for a '95. As for the '89, I scored it right behind the '90.

Greg’s right about the Produttori wines. They really shined on this night but I feel that the Monprivato might have gotten even better with time.

14

That’s interesting. When I visited in late 2005, they didn’t let us taste the 01 Monprivato, even though we spend several hours and tasted perhaps 15 wines, including older things. We asked and I got the feeling that Mauro wasn’t happy with it – at least at that point in its evolution. I’ve never had it so I don’t know if it turned out OK.

15

I’ve only had it once. I think it’s ok, but it seemed in a lighter, more red fruited style than the wines from the 90’s and before. When we did our tasting, I wondered if the style had changed in the 2000’s because the 96 and the 99 were darker, fuller and had more depth, but I think it’s just that the wines from the 2000’s were young.

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One of our more experienced tasters mentioned that Monprivato has a way of misleading you in it’s youth. Seeming light and tannic but that when it matures, it reveals layers of depth that you couldn’t see in it’s youth. (Not an exact quote but pretty close). This bottle was much more expressive than I expected it to be.

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Sounds like … a lot of good, traditional Barolo/Barbaresco.

18

touché

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I’m not sure about that. Schiavenza owns a big chunk of Cerretta as well, which is what I think makes up a significant part of this. This does stay in wood for a long time, 3 years in 3600 liter barrels followed by 2 years in 2000 liters. It’s also racked rather aggressively, twice a year at least, probably 10 to 12 times before bottling, which exposes it to an awful lot of air.It is bottled unfined and unfiltered because of all the racking. I brought the wine and was much more impressed with it when I opened it than when it was served.

As far as Monprivato, the 1999 does include the Ca’ wine, as do the other vintages when Ca d’Morissio is not produced. Monprivato almost always disappoints for the first 10 years or more of its life, though very early on it’s can show wonderful precision and perfume. I though this bottle showed quite well, notes are at home and I’ll come back with some opinions tomorrow if at all possible.

Brezza’s wine simply rocked this evening, following closely on the hills of the exceptional Produttori.

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Thanks for the notes.
I haven’t opened a 99 in a couple years.