Matthew if you ever get to San Francisco I’m sure a few of us would happily gather to assist your Barolo education. We recently talked about doing a review of '97s which are in a good place now.
Matthew, I posted a similar question a few months ago and, not surprisingly, got similar responses. Based on my limited tastings of some of the producers Gary mentioned, I have been diligently buying 2010’s focusing on traditionalists with well received, moderately priced wines. I have also picked up several mixed cases of 2010’s in the higher rent district that I feel comfortable will hold their value should I decide they are not my thing as they evolve. Finally, I’ve cherry picked some aged Nebbiolo to get a sense of how they age. If you focus on what is available it’s surprising the deals that are around on the Internet.
Not to turn this thread into a commercial (and in full disclosure, I have attended numerous wine tastings/dinners with Jamie), but if you want to check out some mature Barolo to see if it’s something that you like and want to get serious about, Chambers Street is a great resource, and you can find wines at many different price points.
Hi Matthew
I’d agree with Pat in terms of steering you to ‘modernist/modernist leaning producers’. The likes of Sandrone, Scavino and Aldo Conterno he suggests might be right up your street. There are some very decent modernist leaning producers at slightly cheaper levels somewhat clustered around Altare in Annunziata. The likes of Corino and Mauro Molino spring to mind.
I wouldn’t target ultra long ageing (but see * below), and if you place some value on intensity, then 12-15 years seems like a good target point, so if you see any 1998s, 1999s, 2000s or 2001s that aren’t very traditionally made then it might be worth buying a bottle or two to see if this is decent age for you. 2000s should be the most open of that lot, and that opens up trying some traditional-leaning producers as well in that vintage. *It is possible that tasting something genuinely old and ethereal might be a game-changer but that would seem to be a ‘try before you buy in quantity’ / change cellaring approach.
It would also be worth trying some modernist wines on current release. There are people who adore young Barolo and there are quite a few where the fruit in youth is standing up to the tannins. Those with shorter maceration times (say 2 weeks or less - TBH I’ve no idea on the average these days). You’ll get more intensity, but for many it would be a mouth-drying battle against the tannins even with food.
Good luck
Ian
This is great advice and just what Amber and I need to get started. I may reach out to some of you folks for further advisement via private message.
Apart from what has already been said, I would suggest buying the traditionalist too as your palate may move in that direction and you may be left with wine you may no longer appreciate
You can buy and drink all of the Sandrone, Scavino and A. Conterno you want. But B. Giacosa has made more great wine than all of them put together.
Thanks Gary I’ll add those to the list of wines I’m in the process of tracking down this morning.
This. Anyone starting a Barolo adventure should be wide-eyed about how long these wines often/usually/always need to show their best. Otherwise, it will be a lot of infanticide and disappointment.
Mostly true. But make sure that the wines are worth the time, effort and money.
Don’t know if you missed this, but it might be of interest to you.
No substitute for sticking your toe in an trying various btls. My first Barolo was a Damalino which is on the modern side and inexpensive but very tasty. Today, I wouldn’t drink that wine but it was nice bridge for my then more CA palate. Also sort of modern and assessable are Vietti and Sottimano ( don’t skip Barbaresco). I also like Vajra a lot too. Vajra Albe is a great value. My top experiences so far have been the white label 2001 Giacosa Barolo Falletto and Giacosa Barbaresco Asili and Stephano. Giacosa makes some killer Barbarescos and the white labels are almost affordable. The 2007 Giacosa Barbaresco Asili was amazing on release and very assessable for early drinking, then anyhow.
I bought the O’Keefe book and have made it all the way through. I tried 8-10 Barolo’s over the holiday:
Paolo Scavino
Elio Altare
Gianfranco Bovio
Aldo Conterno
Natale Verga
Wow am I in over my head, lots to learn. Plus the selection at my local wine shop is fairly limited, so I’ve got to find a better supplier.
Normale bottling or single vineyards?
Hi Matthew
What was your view on the Natale Verga?
I’d never heard the name before last week, but it’s available in UK and priced low, with Cellartracker comments being quite positive (along the lines of ‘Not stunning, but genuine Barolo at a price where you usually get a pale imitation’).
regards
Ian
Ian those mirror my thoughts, but remember you can fill a thimble with my Barolo knowledge
Thanks Matthew
You can say that, but sometimes the lack of specific knowledge equates to a lack of label bias, and hence the most honest assessment of all. It is all too easy to read too much, and taste too little - I know because I’m guilty of that.
regards
Ian
p.s. As it happens I popped into the shop after work tonight, and they’d just sold out of the Natale Verga, so I can’t offer my own impression of the wine. C’est la vie, plenty of other wines out there.
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