TN: 1985 Cantina Terre Del Barolo Barolo Riserva (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo)

WINE TALK
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  • 1985 Cantina Terre Del Barolo Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (3/7/2015)
    decanted 3.5 hours at the time of this note. Classic nose of tar and floral elements- not quite just rose, but some herbs are mixed as well. The tannins remain clear and present on the palate but some fruit, bordering on a sense of sweet is also evident. A relatively short finish and less acid than I’d hope for (not that its absent).

edit: I decanted the remainder for 24 hours in total (covered) before revisiting. The nose remains largely the same. However, the color has darkened and the body has picked up in intensity. Dried mushrooms, tar, black cherry and more. I need to decant older Barolo longer.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Hi Pat
Thanks for the note.
My only ‘mature’ experience with Terre del Barolo was a mixed auction lot including 1996/7/8. Of those the 1997/8 wines definitely didn’t merit the name Barolo, though they could have passed as a mid-range level nebbiolo d’Alba. The 1996 was more interesting / substantial, but maybe no better than a 25 dollar wine. The lightness of weight wasn’t a problem, but without length, great fragrance or complexity, they just came across as dilute.
I hear words about them trying to improve, but I must admit I’d definitely be in ‘try before you buy’ territory, and a more recent vintage tasted was uninspiring.
regards
Ian

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Ian, I am not sure what the cutoff is for the change in style, fruit or whatever other factors impact the quality of the Terre del Barolo wines (and I concur that the more recent vintages are very pedestrian), but many of the older ones from the 60s and 70s have proven to be really worthwhile. (It seems like Pat’s is an old-regime wine as well.) In the best vintages, they made a number of riservas and riserve speciale that have aged beautifully. I much prefer them to Borgogno wines, and the old Terre del Barolo wines are cheaper here as well, although perhaps more difficult to source in the U.S.

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I wonder if this wasn’t a case where the coop wine went downhill as more growers and producers began bottling under their own names. I can’t remember the last time I saw one of their wines on a shelf here in the U.S.

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Ian, I bought this specifically because it was produced in the era preceding the barolo boys and their ilk. I’ve not tasted any other wine of theirs but their current reputation would keep me away, if I actually came across anything on the shelves.

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I would think that has to be a factor. I think that the wine has become a supermarket wne here…