A good friend of mine had an incredible wine collection which he liquidated last year, as a rare medical condition meant that a glass or two of wine a week is all that he could consume. I bought a few of these from the auction knowing that it had been impeccably cellared.
Took this to dinner with my parents, who don’t really ‘get’ Barolo, but after this one I think that they do.
Intoxicating perfume, a veritable rose garden, dark cherries, earth. Quite powerful, with dark fruits, velvety texture and a floral mouth perfume. In a great spot, and despite the power, has an elegance to it. This bottle was close to the best Barolo to have passed my lips.
3 Likes
Interesting note Kent, not least because this is, if I recall correctly, a benchmark modernist producer from the height of the modernist period, and they often have the reputation of not aging well. Glad the wine was so good, and hope your friend is doing well.
Michael,
I have been buying a bit of Chiara Boschis from around 2016 vintage and was not aware of the modernist reputation.
Having said that the colour of the 2000 certainly supports this, but with time the oak was very much integrated. I suspect the three hour decant facilitated by my parents missing their plane certainly assisted.
I would have thought this had another 20 or so years left in it as it really is just entering prime drinking window.
Cheers,
Kent
Like most of the modernists, I think she’s pulled back over the years. I liked the '16 the one time I had it.
When I met her in 2005, I asked her about the modernist movement. She said something like, “We had to go to extremes to make a point.” I tried to get her to elaborate, but she wouldn’t.
Yeah…I visited her in 2003 and was offered a barrel sample that very likely was this exact wine. I have a strong memory that it was very oaky and modern and I don’t believe that those kinds of wines magically become classic Barolo in style. We all have our own tastes.
1 Like
Chris, I totally agree with you. yes we do have our own tastes.
I love wines from traditionalists, and my cellar is stocked with Cavallotto, Marcarini, Mascarello, Rinaldi, Giacosa, Poderi Colla, Brezza, Luigi Pira who I assume are considered traditionalists.
The Chiara Boschis that I judged on its own merits and although one could appreciate that small oak was used in the maturation, it worked well with the wine in question and perhaps has supported rather than destroying the fruit with time in bottle. The oak has notably fixed colour to some degree.
There are other wines like Grange and DRC that see new oak which subsumes over time.
I think there is room for both and I would be pleased to grab another bottle of this one soon.
I am now really interested to pop a more recent vintage of this wine.
Kent,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It sounds like you have a great cellar! And I think it is awesome that you and your parents were able to delight in a wine together.
1 Like