Young barolo tasting is brutal- tips?

WINE TALK
1

I recently attended a 2004 Barolo tasting that was stacked. 12 wines ranging from $75 to $300 retail. I fell in love with Barolo on a trip to Italy in 2009 when I was bowled over by an amazing meal in Rome. I was very excited for this tasting and the vintage. As expected it started off a touch slow, but by the 4th pour we were drinking $200/btl smack. What I noticed right away, and this theme continued through the evening, was that I hadn’t the faintest clue as to the true characters of these wines. They were reticent and downright prude. Now I know Barolos are tannic and take forever to come together, but I was not being obliterated by grippy aggressive tannin. Well maybe I was but they were so innocuous that it was like a velvet glove treatment. I just couldn’t taste anything… I could sense generalities like elegance and structure, and a very wide fruit window, and whether there were flaws, but writing notes was downright frustrating. There were a couple new world style bombs at the end and they were just over the top, wayyyyy too much for me. So I knew I actually could taste, and in fact be overwhelmed.

So the question is- how do you divine the future from these Barolos that are tighter than a snare drum? I was counting on structure and hints of flavor to do it, but when it is so one dimensional and tight that is practically impossible. I dunno. Send Gilman to Piedmonte?

2

‘04 was available to know its future about 2 years ago, right after release. Amazing floral aromas, and all the ingredients on the palate to know it will be awesome. All the really good ones (meant to age) are shut tighter than a drum right now. I have no freakin’ clue why some place put together a tasting of '04 Barolo now, in this shut down phase. Just don’t touch them. At all, for a long while now.

3

Agree-the tip is to not even try. This is like having a Latour tasting at five years. Maybe an 06 tasting would work now, although some may have already closed down, or a 99, 96, or 90 tasting. Personally, I don’t think anyone, even the best in the business can accurately evaluate a wine that’s seriously shut down.

4

Hear, hear! While the 1997 are drinking well right now, and I’ve had some phenomenal '98 that probably won’t evolve much more, it’s difficult to justify opening '00, '01 or '04. I’m biased (as the importer) but the Germano Angelo 03 Vigna Rue is rocking right now (Vigna Rue is a cooler cru and didn’t cook) and the '06s are tannic yet “slutty”. That said, I’d only open an 06 to do some fortune telling…

I put blisters on my tongue tasting 06 Barolo, 07 Barbaresco this summer along with 08 and 09 barrel samples. I still have so much to learn, but at least I’m beginning to understand the basis from which one can begin to judge young nebbiolo.

5

Essentially I just didn’t know that '04 was closed off. This was at Hi-Times and I guess I assume they put some thought into their tastings, guess not. This was a good lesson though, I knew a wine could shut down tight from time to time, but I wouldn’t have guessed that an entire vintage could slam a door shut like this. Lesson learned. Apparently ethereal wine can taste like absolutely nothing, who knew. Tough biz!!

6

Serve with roast pork - problem solved!

7

John really knows his nebbiolo, so I’m surprised… Do remember what was poured?

8

I solve that problem by tasting 1978 Monfortino…

9

For me, I’d try to do two things:

  1. Not try to taste 12 of them together…maybe 2-3 max at one time (Tasting the Barbarescos from tank at Produttori and some other places in 2004 made me need palate-protection.)
  2. Focus on the finishes of the wines. Since they are unlikely to give true pleasure, except to masochists of the highest order, I try to determine from the noses and the finsishes what I think their future might be. If there’s plenty of fruit lingering on the finish, despite the tannins and acidities, I am optimistic. And, vice versa. (The same holds true from young Burgundies or barrel tasting…of most vintages…except, sometimes it is the alchohol that is dominant on the finishes…and then, like with the 2003s, I look elsewhere to satisfy my tastes.)

Sometimes, the pro tasters’ insights are ok…very often of no value.

10

…name dropper… [cheers.gif]

11

I agree. No point to drinking these young. Most wines I buy 1 to drink and 3 to cellar; Barolos I put 3 in the cellar without even bothering to try one.

12

I have very little experience with Barolo and Barbaresco, but it has become my favorite grape. I WISH that I had gotten into them years ago, as I really can’t afford to jump in and buy a bunch. But if I did, I would try to find older examples of what what might be available in the newest vintages. I would find out what I liked from trusted producers, and then I would read from one or two trusted palates, and then go out and buy the ones I zeroed in on. That is how “I” would do it. YMMV. [cheers.gif]

13

This is how most critics assess young wines. Also a bit too late for tasting the 04 as I would think most of them are shut down.

Were they Robert Voerazio wines? They may give misimpression as fruit bombs.

14

That’s way too young! Don’t touch another!


And leave them to me in your will. flirtysmile

15

Why would Bill waste his '78 Monfortino on a soulless taster like Ken - put me in your will, as I will truly cherish their soulfulness [wink.gif] .

16

That makes no sense. You run those marathons, so Bill will certainly outlive you. neener

17

Technically not ALL, just the good stuff - the wines meant to age, and from the price range you posted, I’m guessing these were primarily all old school, meant to be enjoyed in 30 years or so. Makes no sense why they’d do this.

18

Kenny’s dilemma sums up my former frustration in attending any large scale tastings. For my palate, being able to taste any nuances really ends after four different wines, and in many cases three. I can only eat so many crackers or pieces of bread and have become a very disciplined spitter.

It is a former frustration because I now approach dinners from a wine drinking/ social aspect and if I see a bottle I really want to taste, I just pour it and slip away and make quick notes on my phone before the evening ramps up. With this example being Barolo, it just exacerbates the situation. I don’t doubt people can make it through, but they are stronger tasters than I am. I think Stuart hits it on the head. Especially focusing on the nose. That, for some reason doesn’t break down for me.

19

John Downing at Hi Time is a good source on Italian wines, and I go to tastings there or sponsored by Hi Time pretty often, but they don’t ever seem to have the capacity for any decanting time for their wine tastings, almost everything is just open and pour.

I would think you could get a reasonable sense of 04 Barolo if you had the wines in a decanter for half the day, or better still, had the bottles open for a few days to slow ox.

20

Is it still name-dropping when YOU already know the name? I suppose that it is, but it hardly seems fair. It is more like the mention of a voluptuous and beautiful woman that a number of Barolo lovers have been married to! That’s it! 1978 Monfortino is the Elizabeth Taylor of Barolo!

P.S. Ken and Bob H.: per prior agreement, Bill B. is the executor of my Monfortino stash. I have left him non-binding instructions to share it with Ken Vastola, Bob Hughes and Rico Thompson, as he sees fit, PROVIDED that Rico is not ITB at the time of my death!