2004 Barolos and Blind Cabs - RM & SR

WINE TALK
1

2004 Oddero Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (1/30/2009)
Loving this right out of the gate. Fantastic notes. From flowers to strawberries. Burgundy like. Big tart red fruit at the front. This showed a lot of complexity. Long finish and firm tannins. Enjoyed the first sip and last sip. Probably not full enough through the middle for some but it worked for me. (91 pts.)

2004 Mauro Veglio Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (1/30/2009)
A bigger more brash Barolo. Oak and spice. Very enjoyable but does not have the elegance or class of the Oddero. Across the palate this is fairly broad and round. Tasty dark fruits with a bit of chocolate. I went back and forth on this one. At times really liking at other times I just didn’t want anymore. (88 pts.)


TASTED BLIND over 3 days
The aromatics never woke up on this. Nice level of ripeness. Not too heavy but heavy all the same. Some bell pepper showing. The wine does seem heavy handed. Alcohol popping solidly through. Nice herbal and bell pepper elements. Cuts through better than the other wine while still being more silky. Long finish. Less fatiguing. By day two it showed less oak and alcohol. Acid is there but structure seems to be lacking. Tannin is light or buried under oak. Wait 1-2 years before revisiting this wine. (88 pts.)2006 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/12/2009)

TASTED BLIND over 3 days
Interesting. Aromatics show lighter ripeness. Spice, oak, cream, a little bit of leather and bell pepper. More going on aromatically. Maybe a little too much going on. Thick like a fur ball. Smelling milk chocolate and prunes. On the palate this is very different. Lots of oak and very full bodied. At first this wine showed better balance. Mouth-feel is powdery and coating. Somewhat sweet. Light acid. Getting very fatiguing. Intense but not great. Finish is very sloppy. Second day it was starting to go off. sweeter and waterier. Much richer than the other wine but not flavors I would look for. This is in the enjoyable but “hard to finish” category. Pour me one glass I would be happy. Try to give me two or serve food with it and I would think someone was playing a joke on me. (85 pts.)2005 Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/12/2009)

2

Disappointing on the Switchback '05 Cab.

3

Don’t say the Barolo was like a Burgundy. That’s SO disappointing!

…yet completely predictable. I think you would love them Bill.
[sorry…can’t do the smielys at work for some reason.]

4

i would have expected the 2004 baroli to have shut by down. that’s encouraging as i have been tempted to pop one open.

5

Great note on the RM I agree totally, but I liked it more than you seemed to- Big but not tiring perfect description.

6

Really … and that is just the thing that drew me to Barolo … maybe Barbaresco more so but the aromatics and to a certain extent texture remind me of Burgundy. Different … but reminiscent.

Jason

7

I haven’t tried any single vineyard stuff, that I recall, but for my taste buds these were both very open. With the Oddero you have to enjoy youthful structure.

J

8

FWIW many in Langhe compare/contrast Nebbiolo with Pinot Noir.

9

Interesting…I could see perhaps Dolcetto as a comparison, based more on the body/mouthfeel (even though it is far less complex), but Nebbiolo seems to be so much bigger on the palate, and with more tannic structure to me.

[Obviously I’ve had SO much Nebbiolo in my lifetime - I’d count at LEAST 2 bottles, so essentially I should be writing professionally about it]

10

I don’t think any Oddero would be call “big on the palate”. Maybe the Mauro. For me Nebbiolo should not be big on the palate. Where would all the wonderful tannin fit it.

So you have had a few Nebbiolo, how may Burgs have you had. Neb is obviously legendary for it tannic structure but many Burgs can hold their own unlike Cali pinot that almost never has tannin.

Jason