Light translucent red in the glass, with an intoxicating nose featuring roses, menthol, red fruits & spice. Sweet red fruit on the palate framed by brisk acidity - this is a full-bodied wine, yet still manages to keep everything in perspective. Really coats the palate. I do find it interesting that a number of arch-traditionalists like Cavallotto and both Bartolo & Guiseppe Mascarello all managed to make relatively accessible wines in this vintage. According to the label, 14.5% alcohol (although you would never guess that high given the way this wine presents itself) from a vineyard in Castiglione Falletto.
I think the essence of traditional winemaking is letting the vintage speak for itself.
I guess - although I continue to find the Conterno Cascina Francia to be very unevolved, and last week when I tried the Giacosa Asili that was certainly a very young & reticent wine. Maybe it’s more a product of the various microclimates in Piemonte (in terms of how they were affected by the weather that year), but that’s total speculation on my part.
I’ve had the 98 Vignolo and Riserva San Giuseppe in the past year or so and agree with your note and your assessment that they are quite accessible. In general, it seems most 98’s are entering their drinking windows, though obviously not all.
I don’t know anything about how Cavallotto wines are made, but I wonder whether the arch-traditionalist label is really accurate because to me they seem to have a foot in each camp. It’s not like they’re a barrique nebbiolo-as-merlot producer, but they do seem to have pretty vibrant, forward fruit at a young age and softer tannin - certainly there is a significant difference in style between Cavallotto and, say, either of the Mascarellos, which taste much more woolly, austere, and just in general less fresh. Is there anything about how they are made that might account for this (less time in wood, more reductive winemaking, riper harvesting, etc.)? If not is there any other explanation?