TN: 2004 Piedmont...the avocado of the wine world? (2004 Marcarini Barolo La Serra)

[Marshall_Manning]

So I pulled a bottle of the 2004 Marcarini Barolo, La Serra after Todd’s note and stood it up for a few weeks, wondering if his bottle was representative. In the glass, cherry red, with bricking at the edges, very typical for Nebbiolo at this stage, with no browning.

Decanted about 90 minutes before dinner, from the decanter it’s a bit tight. In the glass with dinner the nose shows tart pie cherries, mint, tar, fennel, and earthy aromas. Excellent on the palate, with tangy cherry fruit, fennel, tar, spice, and some serious tannins still kicking in on the mid/rear palate. I’ve never done it, but I imagine it’s like licking a brick, as it tastes like red earth and gravel. This wine is still far too young and nowhere near peak, at least if your bottle has had good storage. This was purchased locally in 2009 and has been stored in my temp-controlled cellar ever since, so I know the provenance (at least to the retailer and beyond). I have 2 more left and won’t touch them for 7 years or more…it needs it. Approx…91-93.

And, a bonus Tom Hill-style bloody pulpit: Lots of people say “Oh, wine is tougher than you think” or similar things. I don’t believe this is true. I think wine is more delicate than most people think, at least if you want your bottles to be the absolute best they can be. I’ve seen so many notes on wines over the years, on boards like this and on CT, where people say wines are over the hill, past peak, browning, etc. Yet when I try the wines from my cellar and others where the provenance is known and good, the wines always show younger, and better. This wine had no evidence of prunes, nor any other drying notes except for the still obvious tannins. That makes me think Todd’s bottle was damaged somewhere along the pipeline. I was in the distribution business for 10 years, and I know that a lot of importers don’t use reefers. A lot of distributors don’t have fully temp-controlled warehouses, at least here in Portland. No one wants to talk about this, but most wine that people buy isn’t kept in great shape along the route to your cellar. And that includes some pretty high-end names and importers. Don’t buy your wine you want to age from Costco, or any other retailer that doesn’t know how to take care of wine. Even if it might cost you a few dollars more. If you can, know your provenance, keep the wine controlled in your cellar and buy from importers, distributors and retailers that take care of the wine. It might take some research…but it’s worth it!

[Keith_A_k_e_r_s]

I’ve been buying/drinking Marcarini for 12 vintages or so, don’t have the depth of experience some folks do… but my preferences between the two are evolving- I love the rustic charm of the Brunate, but the Serra with age can have a delicacy and floral nose that is out of the world.

I’ve had 2 04 la Serras over the last 24 months, and thought both were excellent bottles of wine. One in 19 would likely make my top ten wines for the year (if I paid attention to things like that)… sounds to me like you had an off bottle. I have a 04 Brunate stood up, though unclear if I’ll get to it before the fall. I’d happily backfill more 04 Serra if I found them.

I opened an 04 Brunate last summer and gave it about 2 hours of air before dinner. You will be very happy with it when you get around to opening it😃

[ToddFrench]

I pulled an '04 Pira Barolo last night (again, with bolognese) and, dare I suggest this, too, is a ‘low range’ Barolo, as I paid $28 for it (my Marcarini purchase was a whopping $33, hence my ‘low to mid range’ comment, which I stand by, as Piedmont easily and quickly gets into triple digits).

Bottle variation certainly a possibility on the Marcarini, as witnessed above, as well as the difference in hue in the Pira, which was much more typical, like Marshall’s pic above. While musty and throwing a bit of bottle funk at first, to be expected, it opened up beautifully and showcased the magic of '04 Piedmont in the florals and cherries. It didn’t seem to last terribly long in the decanter, however, as it started to fall off about 3 hours in. I shan’t make a judgment lest I get flogged here for stating my opinion on the wine’s age-ability, however!

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

Oh come now - Disagreement isn’t “flogging.” And it’s the opinion folks disagree with, not your right to state it.

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

And, a bonus Tom Hill-style bloody pulpit: Lots of people say “Oh, wine is tougher than you think” or similar things. I don’t believe this is true. I think wine is more delicate than most people think, at least if you want your bottles to be the absolute best they can be. I’ve seen so many notes on wines over the years, on boards like this and on CT, where people say wines are over the hill, past peak, browning, etc. Yet when I try the wines from my cellar and others where the provenance is known and good, the wines always show younger, and better. This wine had no evidence of prunes, nor any other drying notes except for the still obvious tannins. That makes me think Todd’s bottle was damaged somewhere along the pipeline. I was in the distribution business for 10 years, and I know that a lot of importers don’t use reefers. A lot of distributors don’t have fully temp-controlled warehouses, at least here in Portland. No one wants to talk about this, but most wine that people buy isn’t kept in great shape along the route to your cellar. And that includes some pretty high-end names and importers. Don’t buy your wine you want to age from Costco, or any other retailer that doesn’t know how to take care of wine. Even if it might cost you a few dollars more. If you can, know your provenance, keep the wine controlled in your cellar and buy from importers, distributors and retailers that take care of the wine. It might take some research…but it’s worth it!

Marshall - I couldn’t agree more. In my neck of the woods, we are lucky to have Moore Brothers, where every bottle (or almost, not sure, but close anyway) is imported by their affiliate Sussex, whose raison d’etre, practically, is to keep wine temperature controlled every step of the way. I can think of probably a dozen instances when we’ve tasted a Moore Brothers bottle next to the same wine from another very reputable retailer and found the MB bottle to be fresher, younger-seeming, and more expressive. It’s why I’m willing to pay a reasonable premium to purchase some wines from them.

[Marshall_Manning]

I pulled an '04 Pira Barolo last night (again, with bolognese) and, dare I suggest this, too, is a ‘low range’ Barolo, as I paid $28 for it (my Marcarini purchase was a whopping $33, hence my ‘low to mid range’ comment, which I stand by, as Piedmont easily and quickly gets into triple digits).

Bottle variation certainly a possibility on the Marcarini, as witnessed above, as well as the difference in hue in the Pira, which was much more typical, like Marshall’s pic above. While musty and throwing a bit of bottle funk at first, to be expected, it opened up beautifully and showcased the magic of '04 Piedmont in the florals and cherries. It didn’t seem to last terribly long in the decanter, however, as it started to fall off about 3 hours in. I shan’t make a judgment lest I get flogged here for stating my opinion on the wine’s age-ability, however!

Todd, I hope you didn’t think I was flogging you? I just think your bottle wasn’t as fresh as it could have been, which obviously will affect the wine’s ability to age as well as its current showing.

[ToddFrench]

Was just using my best Hemingwayesque writing style, y’all!

[Fred_Bower]

It’s Hemmingway! Burn him!

This thread supports the connection between Burgundy and the Piedmont. The fervor of defense of the wine is fantastic (from this seat).

Todd, I know you are a delicate soul from the years of running this zoo. Treat yourself to some spa time with some SQN.

Cheers,
fred

[ToddFrench]

It’s Hemmingway! Burn him!

This thread supports the connection between Burgundy and the Piedmont. The fervor of defense of the wine is fantastic (from this seat).

Todd, I know you are a delicate soul from the years of running this zoo. Treat yourself to some spa time with some SQN.

Cheers,
fred

[Fred_Bower]

You’ll wash this board right out of your brain. Promise.

[Ian_Sutton]

I shan’t make a judgment lest I get flogged here for stating my opinion on the wine’s age-ability, however!

It’s your forum Todd, and that means you can post as many stupid opinions as you wish