Now that I’ve satisfactorily chastised all those non-posting weenies out there, it’s time to get back to business. 
First up, the 1998 Travaglini Gattinara Tre Vigne. You know, every once in a while I see a fellow wine drinker post on a nebbiolo and mention soy sauce on the nose. To be honest, I’ve never really gotten that much before, but today when I pulled the cork that was without a doubt the first scent I identified. At any rate, very light translucent red in the glass, with a nose reminiscent of cherries marinated in soy sauce. Light-bodied on the palate, with nice acidity framing bright cherry fruit. I don’t think this will be the kind of wine to make old bones, but it is very nice tonight while tasting with a hunk of bergkase cheese. If I recall correctly, this cuvee is their more modernist, barrique-aged wine, but it is not displaying any overt woodiness right now.
Next up, the 1998 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia. If I got soy on the first wine, this one opened up to a bouquet of roses. Similar in color to the Travaglini, with a nose redolent of roses, balsamic and sweet red fruits. Off the nose, this wine is still a baby. Fuller-bodied than the first wine, with voluptuous sweet cherry fruit on the palate, but the finish closes down quickly via a wall of tannins. I just popped & poured this, so we’ll see if it closes down further with air or comes out of it’s shell, but there is a lot of structure surrounding the underlying material right now.
Love these notes, Bob - probably would love the wines, too!
Thanks, Todd - BTW, the Conterno has definitely fleshed out with time in the glass. My recollection is that Roberto Conterno really liked this vintage, and I can see why 10 years on. Clearly outclassing the Travaglini at this point, and there is still a lot of “growing” for the Conterno in the future.
Thanks, Bob. PMC tells me there is a store selling the '98 Cascina Francia for a very good price down his way. Your note is just one more gentle nudge to get me down there…
Bob, nicely done. Had that same Gattinara (PLCB?) a little over a year ago. I found the tarry oak (soy?) a bit intrusive considering the weight of the wine. Wish I had some of those Conternos. My limited experiences with 98 Baroli include: Azelia San Rocco, Silvio Grasso Bricco Luciani, and Corino Vigneto Arberina. I figure there’s no harm in giving them all more time.
RT
Rich, the Travaglini was in fact the PLCB close-out, and I think it was your note that prompted me to liberate the remaining bottles from the West Chester store inventory. I don’t think I ever really found the oak all that heavy-handed, but I am not a Brad Kane-styled oakaphobe. Given the under $20 a bottle tariff, I’ve been pretty happy with this purchase, but will clearly concede that we are not talking about the nth degree of complexity in this wine.
Th 98 Conterno is a baby… nice note and great to get an update, but I’d let the rest site for 5 more years… hit stuff really becomes special at about 15 or so.
Rick, I bought 5 cases of the stuff when Binny’s had their big blow-out with the Vin Divino inventory, so I can afford to check it out “as needed” .
I remember that sale… got a case myself. Yeah, 5 cases no issue in checking it out. SOunds like it’s just starting to come around…