TN: 2019 Visit to Brovia

WINE TALK
#1

A group of nebbiolo lovers headed back the Langhe this year to taste through mostly '15s. Here are my TN’s on our visit with Alex Sanchez at Brovia.


Deep color for dolcetto. Dark berry fruit violets tar. Black licorice, spice. It’s broad for dolcetto but with soft edges and good breadth. Still fresh fruit albeit rounder than usual. More structured with big tannins for dolcetto. An impressive dolcetto, yet, and this is my own personal bias her, it is not what i am looking for in a dolcetto.

Posted from CellarTracker

[*]2018 Fratelli Brovia Dolcetto d’Alba Vignavillej - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d’Alba (5/22/2019)
With Alex-

just racked yesterday

Grapey with bright fruit, violets, redder fruited. Good spice. Overall nice balance more freshness than the 17, but with less breadth and depth. Little herbal slant to it, especially on finish.[/list]
Posted from CellarTracker


[*]2017 Fratelli Brovia Langhe Freisa La Villerina Secca - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (5/22/2019)
With Alex

In tank

Dark fruited, tar and violets, with structured tannins that are not as cranky as common. Still with good minerality and freshness.



[*]2017 Fratelli Brovia Barbera d’Alba Sorì del Drago - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d’Alba (5/22/2019)
With Alex

Briary berry fruits, rich and ripe. Plump berry fruits that still have freshness. It’s full scaled bramble with breadth. A powerful barbera with some spice. That said, it has good lift and balance for its power, but too much for me when I would want to drink a barbera

[*]2017 Fratelli Brovia Barbera d’Alba Ciabot del Fi - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d’Alba (5/22/2019)
With Alex

More finesse than the sori del drago, with more lift and some spice.


[*]2015 Fratelli Brovia Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (5/22/2019)
With Alex

Savory, nettles, balsam, ricola on the nose. On the palate there is sap and density without heaviness. Rosewater perfume and tar on the palate with supple nebbiolo fruit and density without any heaviness. Outstanding base Barolo (90 pts.)




The nose is deep yet precise and pure. There is a stoniness to it, violets more than rose, caraway seed, tar, black licorice, and darker cooler nebbiolo fruit. On the palate is is powerful vertical, yet graceful. there is great sap and density, yet it is fine and perfectly poised. Power and grace with a sense of minerality and focus and clarity. A terribly complex savory Barolo. Seamless. Perfectly ripe tannins. Outstanding. (96 pts.)

Balsamic, rosewater, and cherry ludens on the nose. Very floral. More of the same on the palate with an undercurrent of cured meats. All of this with freshness and clarity.Very perfumed on palate. Finishing with firm tannins and balsam. Outstanding. (95 pts.)

Rose perfume, cherry fruit, and balsamic notes on the nose. Really beautiful. Cherry and rose and highly perfume on the palate. It’s expansive with great balance. Seamless. Power without weight. Firm tannins. A cohesive delicious Barolo (95 pts.)

Cured meat, balsam, ricola, nettles, and heme on the nose. Its structured and meaty, but with roses and lovely Serralunga fruit on the palate. Rich and expansive but still lifted, finishing with firm tannins and balsamic notes. (93 pts.)

Barrel sample

Balsam, tar and roses on the nose. Huge serralunga perfume. Pure red fruits, florals, depth and sap with excellent lift. Beautiful perfumed, deep wine. Wow

Barrel sample

Fresh and cooler fruited than the '15 with violets and a sense of minerality. Large fine tannins. Tar and black licorice on the palate. Still too young for me to assess.


Overall, this lineup showed very well. This year the wines were very impressive, with the Rocche, Villero and Ca Mia being especially wonderful, harmonious wines representative of their terroir. Well done again. Brovia continues to make wine at the highest level. To boot, tasting with Alex, it is impossible not to be happy. I look forward to the 16s next year.


Thanks for reading

#2

Great notes Todd, thanks for taking the time to report on these wines.

Tom