Last fall I decided to have a tasting on Piedmontese reds that would not be on the usual suspect, Nebbiolo. As I had accumulated a nice bunch of non-Nebbiolo wines, we managed to have a solid bunch of Dolcetto, Freisa, Brachetto and Pelaverga from the last 15 or so years - although the emphasis was on the more recent vintages. From the wines we tasted you might also notice I’m not really a big fan of Barbera. 
We also had a few extra bottles the attendees brought with them - these were poured blind.
The first one of them turned out to be a 2020 “blend-it-yourself” Bordeaux from VINIV that I myself had been assisting in making the blend! It was an interesting operation: after my friend had commissioned the wine from VINIV, he was sent a batch of samples from a dozen vineyards: five Cabernet Sauvignons from the left bank, five Merlots from the right bank and two Cabernet Francs from the right bank.
I was planning on writing the whole background story on how my friend commissioned this wine, how we made the final blend and what kind of experience it was, but I guess this would’ve taken a lion’s share of this post, so maybe I’ll discuss it in more detail in some other post!
Anyways: some of my thoughts on these wines.
- Pelaverga is at its best young. I love Verduno Pelavergas, but they don’t seem to transform into anything interesting with age.
- Ditto for dry Brachetto (well, virtually nobody is making these wines).
- 2016 still remains an excellent vintage.
- I really don’t like 2018. As I prefer structure over fruit, 2018 is basically the polar opposite of what I look for in Piedmontese wines.
- Rinaldi and both the Mascarellos still seem to have made pretty nice wines in 2018. They might not be ideal for my preference, but still quite lovely wines in their own right. Especially that 2018 Giuseppe Mascarello Dolcetto Santo Stefano di Perno was a remarkably good wine for this vintage.
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2020 VINIV Vulpis de Vino - France, Bordeaux (22.10.2022)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot (30%) from six vineyards: Cabernet comes from Grande Catelie (30%) and l'Enclos (30%) in Pauillac and Demi-Lune (10%) in Saint-Estéphe. Merlot comes from Le Plateau (10%) in Fronsac, Les Terrasses (10%) in St. Émilion and Colette (10%) in Pomerol. All Cabernets were 13%, Le Plateau was 15%, Les Terrasses 14,5% and Colette 13,5% in alcohol, so the final blend should be around 13,4% alcohol. Winemaker responsible for the vinification was Nicolas Labenne. This was the first time I tasted a finished wine, blended according to our indicative blend and bottled in summer 2022. Tasted blind.
Youthful, very deep and almost completely opaque blackish-red with a faint blueish hue. The nose feels quite big and very youthful - almost primary - with dark-toned and somewhat oak-driven aromas of mocha, some ripe blackcurrant tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light bilberry tones, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of tobacco. The wine feels ripe, dense and pretty youthful on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and sweet, toasty oak, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light oaky notes of cedar and mocha, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of fresh red plums. The wine has a quite firm overall structure with its rather high acidity and ample yet ripe tannins that feel quite soft at first, but slowly make the wine feel enjoyably - not aggressively - grippy. The finish is ripe, somewhat grippy and quite oaky with a long, youthful aftertaste of mocha oak and ripe blackcurrant, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light woody notes of cedar and savory oak spice, a hint of bilberry and a sanguine touch of iron.
This is a big and ripe but still way too young Bordeaux that is still in an awkward phase where the oak is yet to integrate with the fruit and the sweet, primary fruit flavors still dominate. It's a shame the oaky notes overwhelmed the leafy, herbaceous Cabernet notes that were wonderfully present in the unblended Grande Catelie lot we tasted when we were making the indicative blend for the wine. However, it's certainly possible they will emerge once the wine picks up some age and emerges from its awkward adolescence. The wine is still a bit all over the place at the moment, but there's definitely good potential here - I'd let the wine wait for a good handful of years more so it will lose at least some of its polished oak sheen and let the more classically styled Cabernet aromatics get better to the fore. My score might be a bit on the modest side right now, but I have no doubts the wine will show much better once it ages some more.
(89 points) -
2012 Heinrich Mayr (Nusserhof) Elda - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Vino da Tavola (22.10.2022)
Officially this wine is a varietal Schiava, but as the wine is bottled as a Vino Rosso, it bears no mention of the variety or the vintage. However, actually only approximately 85% of the vineyard area is planted to Schiava, while on the remaining part grows some Lagrein, Merlot and some other unrecognized, local red and white varieties. All the grapes are harvested and vinified together as a field blend, fully destemmed and then spontaneously fermented in stainless steel. After macerating the wine with the skins for 4-6 weeks, the wine is racked into old 2000-liter French oak botti casks, in which the wine is aged for at least 20 months. Bottled after a light filtration. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous, quite pale and rather translucent pomegranate red color with a colorless rim. The nose feels fragrant and even slightly perfumed with nuanced aromas of wild strawberries and rose hips, some cranberry tones, a little bit of arctic bramble, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of raw meat and a touch of violets. The wine is fresh, airy and slightly round on the palate with a quite light body and nuanced, fine-tuned flavors of wild strawberries and fresh cranberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, light tart notes of red plums, a little bit of leathery funk, a subtly lifted hint of VA and a touch of floral spice. The wine is quite high in acidity with powdery, gently grippy tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and quite lengthy with flavors of tart cranberries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of leathery funk, light brambly notes of raspberries, a meaty hint of umami and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A very sophisticated, nuanced and attractive effort for a Schiava (-based wine). The wine does show some of the characteristics typical of Schiava, a variety known for its quite modest acidity and almost nonexistent tannins, but I guess a combination of good vineyards and the small addition of other varieties have helped the wine to retain great sense of balance and structure without overwhelming any of the fruity notes typical of the variety. Despite its 10 years of age the wine seems to show very little if any aged qualities and most likely the wine will continue to develop and improve for years more. Terrific stuff and probably the best Schiava / Vernatsch / Trollinger I've tasted.
(92 points) -
2016 Cascina Lo Zoccolaio Dolcetto d'Alba Vigna dij Sagrin - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
Made with fruit sourced from parcels in Monforte d'Alba. Macerated for 8 days with the skins. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 14% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar, 5,5 g/l acidity.
Dark, slightly translucent and somewhat evolved black cherry color. The nose feels quite ripe and somewhat restrained with a rather pronounced streak of licorice followed by notes of evolved dark berries, some sappy red berry tones, a little bit of dried bilberries, light evolved dusty tones and a ferrous hint of blood. The wine is juicy, airy and harmonious on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of licorice and ripe dark forest fruits, some crunchy notes of sour red plums, a little bit of sappy red berry, light bilberry tones and a hint of earth. The overall feel is pretty structure-driven, thanks to the high acidity and still relatively assertive and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, rather grippy and slightly warm with a dry aftertaste of forest fruits and crunchy cranberries, some fresh red plums, a little bit of licorice, light bilberry tones, a hint of earth and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A ripe yet enjoyably serious, dry and structure-driven Dolcetto that has started to develop some evolved characteristics, yet is still full of life, power and energy. It is starting to drink really well right now, but will continue to improve and resolve for at least a handful of years more. Great stuff, solid value at 14,98€.
(91 points) -
2016 Fratelli Brovia Dolcetto d'Alba Vignavillej - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
100% organically farmed Dolcetto, from vineyards in Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba, planted in 1981 and 1993. After crushing the grapes are macerated with the skins for 7-10 days in stainless steel, followed by 7 to 9 months of aging. Bottled unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Still quite youthful and rather opaque blackish ruby color with a faint purplish hue. The nose feels youthful, bright and fruity with slightly sweetish aromas of bilberries and chokeberries, some sappy red-toned notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light dried herb nuances, a hint of fresh cherry and a touch of earth. The wine is ripe, juicy and textural on the palate with a moderately full body and dry, crunchy flavors of bilberries and succulent dark plums, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of red licorice, light dried herb nuances, a hint of crunchy crowberry and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine is quite high in acidity with ripe yet firm and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is rich, ripe and somewhat grippy with a long, subtly sweet-toned aftertaste of bilberries and juicy red plums, some cranberry tones, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light earthy nuances, a hint of red licorice and a touch of dried herbs.
A very tasty and balanced Dolcetto that has developed a tiny bit of finesse and nuance since my last taste 2½ years ago, but still feels quite youthful as a whole. Although the wine has lost some of its primary qualities, the overall feel has maybe developed a bit of ripe-fruited sweetness at the same time, making the wine feel like it has gained a bit of breadth and weight as well. Good stuff - the wine is drinking very nicely already now, but there's still a great amount of room for further evolution. At 12,50€ this has been a superb purchase.
(90 points) -
2013 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Verduno Pelaverga (22.10.2022)
The fruit is sourced from several tiny plots in Verduno and Roddi. Vinified in stainless steel tanks and open-top oak fermentors. Aged in stainless steel tanks. 13% alcohol.
Pale and translucent brick-red color with a rusty maroon core. The nose feels fragrant and sweet-toned with seductive aromas of strawberries and rose hips, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of salty liquorice powder, light floral nuances, a hint of wizened red plums and a developed touch of vague autumnal character. The wine is dry, silky and somewhat evolved on the palate with a light body and delicate, delicious flavors of wild strawberries and red cherries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe raspberry, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a hint of licorice root and a touch of dried red berries. The structure relies almost solely on the high acidity as the tannins feel very nimble and almost nonexistent. The finish is ripe, juicy and harmonious with a layered, intertwining aftertaste of strawberries and cherries, some licorice root, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light crunchy notes of red currants, an autumnal hint of earth and damp leaves and a touch of dried aromatic herbs.
Four years ago this vintage was easily among the best Pelavergas I had ever tasted. This was still a wonderful wine, but it was quite apparent that Pelaverga doesn't really benefit from aging: the wonderfully heady, perfumed notes had for the most part just receded without developing much depth or character in their place. As the wine doesn't have much if any tannins to begin with, letting the wine to soften and resolve the tannins doesn't really make sense. While I found the wine still immensely enjoyable and attractive, it was this time just a lovely, fragrant and light-bodied Piedmontese red, nothing otherworldly anymore. So what did we learn today? Remember to drink your Pelavergas when they're still young! Anyways, this was still excellent value at just 13,90€.
(92 points) -
2016 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Langhe Freisa - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (22.10.2022)
The fruit is sourced from a southward in Roddi. Fermented in open-top French oak fermentors and stainless steel tanks. Aged in old, large French oak foudres for 10-12 months. 14,5% alcohol.
Rather deep and dark blackish-red color with a slightly evolved hue. Attractive, vibrant nose with aromas of ripe black raspberries, some gamey tones, a little bit of fresh black cherry, light sweeter notes of strawberries and bilberries, a hint of arctic bramble and a touch of licorice root. The wine feels dense, dry and quite textural on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of licorice root and ripe dark berries, some brambly notes of blackberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light blueberry tones, a hint of crunchy redcurrant and an evolved touch of wizened dark fruits. The wine feels silky yet firm and structured, thanks to its high acidity and tannins that come across as pretty ripe and gentle at first, but slowly pile up on the gums, eventually turning the wine rather grippy. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with an intense aftertaste of peppery spice and meaty umami, some juicy notes of ripe blackberries and black raspberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light blueberry tones, a hint of arctic bramble and a touch of licorice root.
A very firm, intense and enjoyably nuanced Freisa that comes across as a bit more open and less structure-driven as the 2013 vintage, but still packing quite a bit of structure - it just didn't feel that obvious at first. The wine is starting to show the very first signs of development now, but the overall feel is still very young with a lot of potential for future development. Most likely the wine will reach its peak at around 10 years of age or slightly afterwards, and stay there for a good number of years. All in all, a nice, clean and quite extracted yet very well-proportioned example of Freisa; excellent value at 15,90€.
(93 points) -
2007 Scarpa La Selva di Moirano - Italy, Piedmont, Vino da Tavola (22.10.2022)
A still Brachetto that is fermented dry. Aged for 12 months in stainless steel. The label bears no vintage designation, but the bottle came with a "2007" neck tag. Lot number L.08/183 - probably bottling year and day. Bottle #1344 of total 2503 bottles. 13,5% alcohol.
Evolved, moderately hazy raisiny-maroon color with a pale, almost colorless rim. The nose feels old and raisiny with tertiary, somewhat oxidative aromas of soy sauce, some beef jerky, light floral notes of dried roses and other wilted flowers, a little bit of wizened dark berries, a hint of fivespice and a touch of sweet syrupy richness. The wine is evolved, bone-dry and a bit tired on the palate with a light-to-medium body and tertiary flavors of raisins and dried dark berries, some oxidative notes of beef jerky and hoi sin, light floral notes of dried flowers and a little bit of dried boysenberry and pruney character. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with quite resolved medium-minus tannins. The finish is juicy, old and slightly grippy with a rather long, tertiary aftertaste of raisins, some dried figs, a little bit of beef jerky, light hoi sin notes, a hint of dried roses and a savory touch of developed umami character.
A nice and tasty but also noticeably tertiary Brachetto that is starting to get somewhat tired and past its peak. While this wine still offers some enjoyment, I can't help but think this must've been much better and more varietally correct some 5-10 years ago. Getting a bit pricey for the quality at 20€.
(86 points) -
2005 Scarpa Freisa Monferrato Secco La Selva di Moirano - Italy, Piedmont, Monferrato (22.10.2022)
Aged for 12-24 months in stainless steel, depending on the vintage. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #799 of total 1970 bottles.
Very deep, evolved and completely opaque blackish-red color with an aged maroon hue. The nose feels evolved and quite complex with aromas of wizened dark berries and meaty tones, some peppery notes of spices, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light floral nuances, hints of old leather and pouch tobacco and an oxidative touch of beef jerky. The wine is dry, crunchy and quite austere on the palate with a light-to-medium body and somewhat evolved flavors of cranberries and lingonberries, some sour cherry tones, a little bit of something metallic, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of Sichuan pepper and a ferrous touch of blood. The wine is high in acidity with quite noticeable and grippy tannins. The finish is rather dry and austere with rather grippy tannins and a long aftertaste of cranberries, some sour cherries, a little bit of stony minerality, light metallic notes of rusty iron, a hint of meaty umami and a sweeter touch of wizened dark berries.
An evolved and somewhat austere Freisa that is now at its peak, but also suffers a bit from the slightly metallic flavors that distract a bit from pleasure. Otherwise this would've been a quite nice, structure-driven and rather unapologetic Piedmontese red, but the metallic flavors really take a toll on the score. The wine isn't bad or undrinkable in any way, but it would've been so much better without the metallic notes. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 18€.
(88 points) -
2019 Elio Sandri Dolcetto d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
100% Dolcetto from vineyards in the Barolo appellation. Fully destemmed, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel and aged in old Slavonian oak botti casks. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, slightly translucent dark cherry red color with a pale red rim. At first the nose is ridiculously reductive with skunky, flatulent notes of reduction, taking actually several hours to clear up. After prolonged aeration, there are aromas of ripe, sweet-toned dark berries and black cherries, some smoky notes of reduction, a little bit of ferrous blood, light blueberry nuances and a succulent hint of plum. The wine is ripe, juicy and silky on the palate with youthful, sunny flavors of dark fruits and red plums, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of fresh blueberry, light meaty notes of umami and a hint of smoky reduction. The wine is moderately high in acidity with enjoyably firm and grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, long and rather grippy with intense, sunny flavors of ripe bilberries and dark plums, some funky notes of leather, a little bit of blood, light smoky reductive nuances and a sweet hint of fresh red cherry. The quite modest alcohol remains well-hidden throughout.
A very nice, firm and rather stern Dolcetto that is still very lovely that doesn't really suffer from it, coming across as excessively primary or anything like that. However, the wine does suffer from quite pronounced reduction, making the wine really call for prolonged aeration before it starts to be ready to drink. In our tasting of Piedmontese wines many people simply ignored the wine because it was so badly reductive at first, taking really long to come around. What I really think would be best, though, is to let the wine age in a cellar. It might be quite sunny in character, but not one bit too much, which means this is a great candidate for a Dolcetto that can be aged - and I'm sure that much reduction is going to do nothing but good to the aging potential of this wine. While the 2018 vintage (that we tasted at the same time) was much more open for business, it felt like it wasn't similarly built for aging - and after this 2019 opened up, I preferred it a lot over the softer 2018 vintage. A great purchase at 17€.
(92 points) -
2018 Elio Sandri Dolcetto d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
100% Dolcetto from vineyards in the Barolo appellation. Fully destemmed, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel and aged in old Slavonian oak botti casks. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, moderately translucent cherry red color with a pale red rim. The nose feels open, dark-toned and slightly funky with attractively complex aromas of ripe forest fruits and fragrant notes of orange zest, some leathery tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light floral notes of violets, red-toned hints of sour cherries and wild strawberries, a touch of phenolic spice and a whiff of crushed peppercorns. The wine feels big, noticeably ripe and very juicy on the palate with a rather full body and quite intense flavors of sweet black cherries and dark plums, some bretty notes of leathery funk, a little bit of ripe black raspberry, light fragrant notes of orange peel, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of chokeberry marmalade. The overall feel is surprisingly rich and rather soft for a Dolcetto, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and ripe, textural and rather mellow tannins. The sunny finish is ripe, juicy and sweet-toned with a little bit of tannic grip and a medium-long aftertaste of cherries and black raspberries, some soft dark plums, a little bit of raspberry jam, light bretty notes of leathery funk and a hint of earthy spice.
A nice, quite attractive and noticeably ripe Dolcetto that turns out to be a bit too soft, sweet and sunny on the palate. Unlike the heavily reductive 2019 vintage, which was just closed and skunky upon opening, this vintage was open for business right from the get-go. However, unlike the 2019 vintage, which was wonderfully serious, focused and even quite stern in nature - speaking volumes about its aging potential - this wine seemed more about immediate accessibility and enjoyment with quite limited cellaring capabilities. Although the 2019 took its time to open up, I preferred its drier and more structure-driven style to this vintage's soft, fruity and somewhat mellow disposition. This was good, but not really the kind of Dolcetto I like. Priced according to its quality at 17€.
(89 points) -
2018 Giuseppe Rinaldi Dolcetto d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
100% Dolcetto, fully destemmed, fermented spontaneously in open-top oak vats, aged in large oak botti. 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous, youthful and moderately translucent garnet color with a pale red rim. The rather solar nose feels ripe, rich and sweet-toned with aromas of dark berries and fresh bilberries, some cool herby tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light floral nuances of violets, a hint of juicy raspberry and a touch of strawberry. The wine feels ripe, fine-tuned and velvety in texture with a moderately full body and sweetly-fruited flavors of soft dark plums and juicy black cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of bretty leather, light blueberry tones and a floral hint of violets. The wine is a bit on the soft side for a Dolcetto, but it still retains good sense of firmness and balance thanks to its moderately high acidity and tannins that are quite ample but also very ripe and quite gentle. The finish is rich, juicy and gently grippy with a long and sunny aftertaste of black cherries and succulent dark plums, some strawberry notes, light leathery notes of brett, a little bit of perfumed floral character and a hint of fresh blueberry.
A very ripe and quite gentle vintage of Dolcetto that manages to retain enough balance and firmness not to appear too soft and flabby. True to the Rinaldi style, the overall feel is wonderfully fine-tuned and perfumed, yet having that hallmark subtle bretty funk lingering in the background. This is a quite successful effort for a 2018 Dolcetto and I did enjoy the wine quite a bit, but I still think both the Mascarellos succeeded better in this challenging, hot and sunny vintage. Furthermore, as we tasted the wonderfully serious 2016 vintage of Rinaldi's Dolcetto after this, it became quite obvious how ripe and soft this wine really was compared to the normal Rinaldi style. All in all, while a fine wine that can still age and improve for a good number of years more, this still isn't really a textbook example of Rinaldi Dolcetto. At 28€, this isn't particularly affordable for a Dolcetto, but it still manages to deliver for the price.
(91 points) -
2016 Giuseppe Rinaldi Dolcetto d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
100% Dolcetto, fully destemmed, fermented spontaneously in open-top oak vats, aged in large oak botti. 12,5% alcohol.
Dark, somewhat translucent and slightly evolved deep cherry red color. The nose feels ripe, nuanced and slightly sappy with sweet-toned yet not sunny aromas of dark forest berries, some licorice root, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light bilberry tones and a bretty hint of leathery funk. The wine is lively, wonderfully focused and very juicy on the palate with a medium-body and intense, fruit-driven flavors of fresh bilberries and ripe black raspberries, some gravelly minerality, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light crunchy notes of redcurrants, a hint of that leathery Rinaldi funk and a touch of tangy salinity. The structure relies more on the brisk high acidity, but the balanced, somewhat grippy medium tannins lend good sense of firmness and structure to the wine as well. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with a long aftertaste of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some blueberry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light funky notes of leather, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of salt-cured beef.
A fantastic, fresh and very focused Dolcetto that shows more depth, character and complexity than one would expect from this often overlooked variety. The wine shows more focus and intensity than many Barolos and Barbarescos I've tasted, yet comes across as more playful and weightless than any typical Nebbiolo does. It's great to see how the best Piedmontese producers can make exceptional wines even from grape varieties that are often used for simple everyday wines. Although I enjoyed the 2018 Rinaldi Dolcetto (that was tasted next to this), it was easily surpassed by this vintage, all thanks to its outstanding brightness, freshness and crackling energy. At 25€ this has been a screaming bargain. Easily among the best Dolcettos I've tasted.
(94 points) -
2018 Bartolo Mascarello Dolcetto d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
The grapes are sourced from two vineyards: Monrobiolo and Ruè (which is why the wine was formerly known as "Dolcetto Monrobiolo-Ruè"). Normally fermented spontaneously in concrete with approximately 1-2 weeks of maceration. Aged for 6-9 months in old botti casks. 13,5% alcohol.
Deep and very slightly hazy ruby red color with faint purplish highlights. The nose feels fine-tuned and somewhat restrained with layered, sweetly-fruited aromas of blackberries and ripe black cherries, some blueberry tones, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light leathery tones, a sweeter hint of boysenberry jam and a faint touch of apple juice concentrate (ie. nothing "natty", "cidery" or aldehydic - there's just a sweet whiff of juicy apples here). The wine feels quite ripe and velvety yet very dry on the palate with a moderately full body and juicy flavors of black cherries and black raspberries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of blueberry and a hint of fresh red plums. The overall feel is textural and balanced with the moderately high acidity and very ripe tannins that at first don't seem to offer any grip at all, but then slowly pile up on the gums, turning the wine somewhat grippy after all. The finish is rich, juicy and gently grippy with a layered, moderately lengthy aftertaste of blueberries and ferrous blood, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of meaty umami, light spicy earthy tones and a sweeter hint of ripe red plums.
A sophisticated, harmonious and tasty Dolcetto that both shows quite a bit of that solar 2018 character and carries that sunny disposition with effortless grace. Even if the wine is quite a bit on the ripe side, resulting in a somewhat softer and silkier style of Dolcetto, the wine is at the same time surprisingly red-toned for the variety (normally known for much "darker" flavors of dark plums, bilberries and black cherries). Although this vintage doesn't seem as ageworthy as the more "classic" vintages of Mascarello Dolcetto, this is still a very attractive example of 2018 Dolcetto and among the best 2018 Piedmontese reds I've tasted. Great stuff that will age and evolve for at least a handful of years more - although I wouldn't plan on aging the wine for extended periods of time. Good value at 26€.
(92 points) -
2018 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Dolcetto d'Alba Santo Stefano di Perno - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (22.10.2022)
A single-vineyard Dolcetto with the fruit sourced from Santo Stefano di Perno in Monforte d'Alba. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 13% alcohol.
Very slightly hazy, somewhat youthful and moderately translucent blood red color with a pale rim. The nose feels characterful, spicy and slightly roasted with fascinating aromas of lingonberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of licorice, light floral nuances, a smoky hint of charred game and a touch of allspice. Quite attractive overall impression. The wine is dry, clean and youthful on the palate with a medium body and rather intense flavors of allspice and more savory spices, crunchy notes of crowberries and fresh blueberries, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light floral tones, a hint of tart red plum and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feels is both fresh and firmly structured, thanks to the high acidity and quite assertive, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, juicy and moderately grippy with a long, harmonious aftertaste of blueberries and wild strawberries, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light bloody nuances, a hint of licorice root and a touch of peppery spice.
A very firm and classically styled Dolcetto from the very serious end of the spectrum. Like so very often, this ended up being one of the most impressive Dolcettos I've tasted and also one of the greatest 2018 Piedmontese wines I've come across. Despite the very warm and sunny vintage, this wine doesn't come across as noticeably ripe nor is it lacking in structure or freshness in any way. The wine is still super youthful and most likely it will continue to improve at least its 10th birthday. An outstanding effort for a Dolcetto and superb value at 23€.
(93 points) -
2018 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Langhe Freisa Toetto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (22.10.2022)
100% Freisa from the Toetto cru in Castiglione Falletto, planted in 1989. Macerated with the skins for 2-3 weeks in concrete and stainless steel tanks. Aged for one to two years in medium-sized Slavonian oak bottis and stainless steel tanks. 15% alcohol.
Very dark, brooding and moderately opaque blood-red color with a pale brick-orange rim. The nose feels weird and not entirely pleasant with odd, savory aromas of yeasty bread dough, some cherry tones, a little bit of swimming hall chlorine, light rubbery balloon notes and a hint of earthy spice. What on earth is going here? The wine is dry, somewhat dull and very structure-driven on the palate with a rather full body and intense, savory flavors of meaty umami and yeasty bread dough, some tart lingonberry tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light stony mineral notes, a hint of licorice root and a touch of boozy alcohol. The wine is high in acidity with very assertive and tough tannins. The finish is dry, robust and very grippy with intensely flavored yet rather short aftertaste of yeasty bread dough, some crunchy notes of redcurrants and fresh red plums, a little bit of blood, light tart lingonberry tones, a hint of dusty old wood and a touch of earth.
This was a very weird wine. I loved how the wine was so firm, assertive and structured and how its exceptionally high alcohol remained so surprisingly well-hidden. However, the wine was badly lacking in fruit and instead was dominated by a very yeasty overall character that made me think more of sourdough bread starter rather than anything remotely reminiscent of wine. It's a shame that the intense flavors here weren't particularly enjoyable, because otherwise this would've been a very impressive effort. I wonder if something must've gone south with reduction, since the wine had some odd rubbery tones. However, the wine didn't seem to improve much with air during the evening, so if this vintage is just suffering from reduction, it is going to call for a lot more aging before the wine starts to perform nicely. Based on how the wine performed in this tasting, I'd say it was a moderate disappointment and not really worth the price at 28€.
(82 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
(What they call Bonarda in Argentina has no relation to the Bonarda from Piedmont so I can’t say that I tried that one…)