TN: 1998 Travaglini Gattinara Tre Vigne

Color is a darker translucent red. Awesome (and secondary-oriented) nose with smoked/roasted meat, mentholated cherry fruit, and a dash o’ funk. Another bonus is that it continues to evolve with the bottle to give you “different looks” every few minutes - very nice nose!

Sweet, ripe cherry fruit & acidity for structure on entry - really pleasant, with a modicum of tannin on the finish that holds out the promise for some future development. Quite nice right now - I’d say this wine has certainly entered it’s drinking window, where it will remain comfortably ensconced for at least another decade. I likee [cheers.gif] flirtysmile

Quite a coincidence ! Here, at Villa d’Este where I do prepare our next event “The Davos of The Wine”, Paolo, the Master-Sommelier, did serve to me and family the last 3 bottles of this wine, but in vintage 2001.
In fact, your precise comment applies nicely to this rare wine, not so well known, in its strange bottle, but the smoothness it develops without to be too “too”, is a great pleasure moment.

A reasonably priced wine that I frequently consumed over thirty years ago in Italian restaurants in Philadelphia, before I really got and enjoyed wine. The off shaped bottle was always a talking point when the wine arrived.

I’m actually surprised that they have stuck through the years with that wierd bottle. I used to like it when I was young and not collecting wines because it’s shape was different, but it doesn’t seem to fit any rack I use, which I why I don’t buy it much anymore. Still, when the PA LCB was closing these bad boys out at less than $20 a bottle, I couldn’t resist [wink.gif]

Agree wholeheartedly with M. Mauss about the 01. I’ve been loving the 01R. Richer than usual for a Gattinara, which often can be more leathery. This one has a range of winter spices and has allusion to a Santo Stefano barbaresco or even a Serralunga barolo, but so tasty now it will be hard to hold onto the wine to get an accurate comparion to the bigger boys…

The 03 which is $31 here was one of my reds of the year (08). I do not have a lot of experience with Italy but I lovingly look at the remaining bottles on the shelf downtown! Guess it is the Reserva?
The bottle is quite unique eh.

is Tre Vigne > Riserva, or is Riserva > Tre Vigne?

We’ve been drinking Travalglini Gattinaras since the mid-60s. Nostrani here now has both the Riserva and the Tre Vigne. I don’t think of one being better than the other, just different. Lately we’ve been drinking more of the Riserva at Nostrani, since it’s a better vintage.

Brian, I’ve always viewed Tre Vigne as Travaglini’s “modernist”-styled wine. I believe it spends at least some time in barrique, and I don’t think their other cuvees are subjected to the same elevage.

Bob, Dick … thanks for your replies. I guess my question should have been “how are they different,” not “which one is better,” but you guys aptly saw through that. [thumbs-up.gif]

I have a singleton '01 Riserva that I won at a poker game, and, up to now, knew nothing about. I suppose I’ll sit on it for at least a couple more years.