2004 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis- Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (3/11/2010)
A big, masculine, powerful wine. Rich and dark with sweet, intensely sappy fruit. Tons of tar and sweet earth, occasional glimpses of baking spice and menthol and reticent floral perfume. Very primary. More rich and soulful than “bright and lifted.” Very full bodied with tons of sweet fruit and tons of sweet but not over polished tannins. I like the fact this has a rustic edge to it, not everything need be polished to a high gloss, this is a hugely traditional wine that still has balls. Compared to a bottle ~18 months ago, definitely closing. Check back in 2020+
Piemonte is second only to Red Burg in my cellar, and together the two are well over half… Having just bagged a case of the 05 Bricco Boschis, I succumbed and opened another 04 in a moment of weakness, but I think that the rest will wait. I probably won’t open many more 04 Barolo, the last couple have been starting to get sleepy…
Nice note, Josh. Interesting to see the word “masculine” on a Cavallotto wine. I should try a bottle before it shuts down. Cavallotto is a terrific producer whose wines are mostly still quite reasonable in price. For younger folks, definitely worth stocking up when you see a good price. They will definitely reward aging.
Kevin and it appears Josh are big fans of Nebbiolo. I think Jeff is too. IIRC I remember seeing them post tasting notes during last harvest about some of the gems Kevin pulled out of his cellar. I just think it’s nice that these guys are so dedicated to producing Pinot noir but also have a passion for Nebbiolo.
Just noticed the typo from the iPhone spelling auto correct. I meant “be” not “benign”
And you know, it’s interesting but a LOT of people I know who have a passion for Pinot Noir also love Barolo and vice versa. It’s an interesting connection.
I’d hurry if you want to catch it before it goes to sleep. I had thought that the ripeness and lushness of 04 would mean the wines would be slow to shut down but this bottle was markedly tighter than two bottles about 12-18 months back.
I find the two grapes to be incredible similar when you get down to it. Sure the nebiollo based wines can pack much more intense tannins in their youth, but both grapes to me present using nuance, elegance and grace more than girth, power etc of Bord varietals. I’ve also found that with pinot and nebiollo I can really lose myself in the aromatics, something I have yet to find with the majority of other grapes.
Wonderful syrah (read primarily N Rhone) is my only other real red wine purchase at this point.
I see Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, and Syrah as being similar in the way that they interact with food. Whereas Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese tend to live alongside whatever you’re eating, PN, Nebbiolo, and Syrah tend to surround the flavors of the food, acting similarly to the way a great picture frame enhances the art (and the art brings things out of the frame).
Maybe it’s a right-brain/left-brain sort of thing, but wine drinkers and/or collectors seem to develop preferences for one camp or the other after having experienced wine for 5-10 years.
BTW, tasted both the 04 and 05 Cavalottos at the Robert Houde/De Grazia tasting in Chicago last week, and both wines were exceptional. Extremely young, but worthy of at least a couple of slots in the wine cellar if you’re not in a hurry.
I don’t think the 04 Riservas are released yet, at least not in the states. I managed to visit Cavallotto last spring. I tasted the 03, 04, 05 and 06 Bricco Boschis, 98 Vigna San Giuseppe and the 99 and 04 Vignolo. Essentially all of the the Barolos except the 03 Bricco Boschis were fantastic, the 98 VSG stealing the show as it was the most resolved and most pleasurable to drink.
All three Barolos are basically auto-purchases for me in good years unless I hear or taste otherwise.
Josh, I’ve had the 95, 97, 98, 99 and 01 VSG (I don’t know why I keep wanting to call it the San Giuseppi Riserva), and they’re all great wines, with the 99 and 01 currently seeming to be headed for the highest peaks for me. Haven’t had the 96 but am curious. The Bricco Boschis is usually great as well, I agree they’re a routine buy unless there’s a disaster of some kind.
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