This is my first attempt at working in CellarTracker notes. Here goes. As a point of reference, the best wines to me are the ones that maintain varietal integrity even as they crank it up. And while Giuseppe Mascarello is my Barolo sweet spot, I can take a ride in both worlds.
Didn’t have much to do the last few days, so decided to head for the cellar and slaughter some infants.
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2000 Bruno Rocca Barbaresco Rabajà - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (1/3/2010)
Hedonistic but hardly recognizable as Nebbiolo. The nose evokes some of the hot vintages in the southern Rhone, with fig cake and jam. Dense, with rich and chocolate-covered fruit. The finish is halted by a wall of drying tannins that clearly need to settle in. Needs time, and it needs a consumer who doesn’t care too much for a wine’s sense of place. Just please me, baby! (87 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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2000 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (1/3/2010)
Not as elegant as I had expected, but perhaps understandable given the vintage. Very perfumy, with stewed fruits and tar leading from nose to palate. A twinge of crowbar would keep the blind taster in Piedmont, as would the tannins, which are still choppy and aggressive. This is like judging Bob Ross’ painting before he adds the happy little trees and the rocks to the mountain stream. Needs time, and probably needs a subtle tug back toward the more classic style of Nebbiolo. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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2000 Moccagatta Barbaresco Basarin - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (1/3/2010)
Long, dense, and generally not my style of Nebbiolo… but this wine turns the trick of amping up without losing the varietal character. A nice current of iron flows through to make sure the sweet fruit doesn’t become cloying. It gets pretty oaky without being a jerk about it. Beautiful with butternut squash / beef stew. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
