This year Nebbiolo Prima began with the 2008 Roero, followed by the 2008 Barbaresco and the 2007 Barolo; there were also a few Barbaresco Riservas, and on the last day a number of 2005 Barolo Riserva wines. The afternoons were structured somewhat differently, with Monday afternoon dedicated to the 2001 vintage, a retrospective if you will, Tuesday and Thursday dedicated to winery visits and tastings, Wednesday free, and Friday an optional visit to Diano and Dogliani to taste Dolcetto di Diano and Dolcetto di Dogliani/Dogliani.
A full week, and I learned quite a bit during the afternoon sessions, while the mornings were profitable as always.
To begin, a couple of words on the vintages.
2008: we tasted 2008 wines from Roero and the three Communes of Barbaresco, which are quite close to each other as the crow flies.
The two appellations produce very different wines, however. Roero continues to be the most uneven of Southern Piemonte's great Nebbiolo-based reds. The problem is related to the terroir, which is sandy and well drained, and yields -- if human intervention is kept to a minimum -- wines that are powerful, because Nebbiolo is, but revolve more around finesse and elegance within the Nebbiolo spectrum. These wines can be quite nice.
If, however, the winemaker decides to try for something more substantial, bulking them up either by going for concentration and complete polyphenolic ripeness, or through the use of new wood that imparts oaky accents, the wines feel bulky and forced.
Barbaresco extends over a larger area on the opposite bank of the Tanaro river, and the 2008 vintage is not of as uniform quality as some other recent vintages have been. Though there were some exceptions, I found that in general the wines from the Communes of Barbaresco and Treiso showed significantly better than those from Neive, with nice fruit and bracing acidity in a variety of styles; as always, you'll have to match the wines to your tastes but there are many fine bottles to be had. Neive is instead more uneven.
2007: With Barolo we had the 2007 vintage, which is more approachable than the 2006 we tasted last year, with many of the wines richer, more opulent, and readier to drink. This said, as vintages go it's not as good as the 2006, and though the bottles will work better in the short term (3-5 years and perhaps a little longer) the 2006 has, I think, much better potential for long-term ageing. This is not a bad thing; I found many 2007 wines that will be quite pleasant with foods (not as much in the way of meditation wines), and vintages that mature sooner are necessary, because they give us something to enjoy while we await the vintages that need time.
The wines that most impressed me, beginning with Roero, followed by Barbaresco and Barolo:
A full week, and I learned quite a bit during the afternoon sessions, while the mornings were profitable as always.
To begin, a couple of words on the vintages.
2008: we tasted 2008 wines from Roero and the three Communes of Barbaresco, which are quite close to each other as the crow flies.
The two appellations produce very different wines, however. Roero continues to be the most uneven of Southern Piemonte's great Nebbiolo-based reds. The problem is related to the terroir, which is sandy and well drained, and yields -- if human intervention is kept to a minimum -- wines that are powerful, because Nebbiolo is, but revolve more around finesse and elegance within the Nebbiolo spectrum. These wines can be quite nice.
If, however, the winemaker decides to try for something more substantial, bulking them up either by going for concentration and complete polyphenolic ripeness, or through the use of new wood that imparts oaky accents, the wines feel bulky and forced.
Barbaresco extends over a larger area on the opposite bank of the Tanaro river, and the 2008 vintage is not of as uniform quality as some other recent vintages have been. Though there were some exceptions, I found that in general the wines from the Communes of Barbaresco and Treiso showed significantly better than those from Neive, with nice fruit and bracing acidity in a variety of styles; as always, you'll have to match the wines to your tastes but there are many fine bottles to be had. Neive is instead more uneven.
2007: With Barolo we had the 2007 vintage, which is more approachable than the 2006 we tasted last year, with many of the wines richer, more opulent, and readier to drink. This said, as vintages go it's not as good as the 2006, and though the bottles will work better in the short term (3-5 years and perhaps a little longer) the 2006 has, I think, much better potential for long-term ageing. This is not a bad thing; I found many 2007 wines that will be quite pleasant with foods (not as much in the way of meditation wines), and vintages that mature sooner are necessary, because they give us something to enjoy while we await the vintages that need time.
The wines that most impressed me, beginning with Roero, followed by Barbaresco and Barolo:
Cascina Chicco Valmaggiore Roero Riserva DOCG 2007
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine in the rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with moderate sour berry fruit supported by considerable cedar, and some wet coffee grounds, that are another manifestation of cedar, with some savory accents as well. On the palate it's medium bodied with fairly bright sour cherry fruit supported by savory mineral aciodity and by tannins that have a slight cedary burr, and flow into a clean sour cherry finish a dry tannic underpinning that has hints of cold coffee to it. Pleasant, in a young key, and will drink quite well now with grilled or roasted meats, and will also age nicely becoming ethereal and lacy with time. It grew upon me.Score: 88
Casetta F.lli Roero Riserva DOCG 2007
Pale almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. It looks older than it is. The bouquet is moderately intense, with considerable brambles supported by some greenish accents and underlying savory berry fruit. On the palate it's graceful, with sour cherry fruit supported by brambly sour berry fruit acidity, and by tannins that are savory and rather splintery, flowing into a savory berry fruit finish. Graceful in a traditional key, and though it is beginning to show a degree of steeliness it's still quite young. I would give it time, because though it's pleasant now it will likely do interesting things.Score: 85-7
Rabino F.lli Roero DOCG 2008
Almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is a bit rustic, with balsamic accents and some wet stable straw mingled with slight gum Arabic and mineral acidity; as it opens sour berry fruit also emerges. On the palate it's fairly bright, with sour decidedly mineral berry fruit supported by tannins that have a distinct dusky bitter cedar and graphite shaving burr that's almost peppery, and flows into a fairly long rather bitter savory finish. It's bitter, and fairly aggressive, with tannins that are quite dry, but if you like the style displays pleasing grace, and will drink well with grilled or roasted red meats. But you have to like the style; if you prefer smoother softer more fruit forward wines it won't work as well for you. It will I think be fairly long-lived.Score: 85-6
Negro Angelo e Figli Prachiosso Roero DOCG 2008
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine in the rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with cold coffee and coffee grounds, supported by bitterness and slight shellac, but not much fruit. On the palate it's medium bodied, with moderately intense sour berry fruit supported by cedar laced tannins and some brambly acidity that flow into a fairly long rather dry finis with a bitter cedary underpinning. It's pleasant but needs a couple of years to get its bearings, at which point it will drink well with grilled meats or roasts, and it will become more ethereal with time.Score: 85
Cà del Baio Valgrande Barbaresco DOCG 2008
Deep almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with greenish accents that bring peach fuzz and almonds to mind, laced with red berry fruit and spice; it's very young and still coming together. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by dusky bitterness and sour cherry acidity, and by tannins that are steely though very young, and flow into a clean fairly bitter finish. Quite pleasant in a fairly traditional key, and it is drinkable, but it has a long way to go before it reaches its peak. I'd give it 3-5 years at least, and if I had more bottles give some considerably more.Score: 88-90
Rizzi Pajore Barbaresco DOCG 2008
Almandine with pale black reflections and almandine rim. One of the paler wines of the morning. The bouquet is elegant, with rosa canina and floral accents mingled with slight peach, red berry fruit, and some mentholated notes, and also underlying spice. Quite young but promising in a traditional key. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich cherry fruit that has slight greenish accents and is supported by warm vegetal acidity -- something Nebbiolo can display -- and by smooth sweet tannins that have a hint of steel to them, and work more with finesse than raw power. Pleasant in a very young traditional key, and will also age well for many years. By comparison with most of the 2008 wines it's more graceful, and if you're traditionally minded you will like it.Score: 88-90
Azienda Agricola Nada Giuseppe Casot Barbaresco DOCG 2008
Almandine with brownish black reflections and orangeish highlights and rim. The bouquet is balsamic, with leaf tobacco and some ml mingled with slight greenish accents and some rosa canina, and some sweetness that adds depth. Very traditional. On the palate it's full, with delicate rose-laced sour berry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity that has some leathery accents, and by tannins that are warm and slightly splintery in youth, and flow into a clean bright leather and dried-leaf laced sour berry fruit finish with tannic underpinning. Quite pleasant in a very traditional style, and though one could drink it now it will improve considerably with time, and age nicely for at least a decade. If you are traditionally minded you will like it, and even if you're of more modern tastes you will find things to enjoy, especially as it ages.Score: 88-90
Massimo Penna Sorì Sartù Barbaresco DOCG 2008
Black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with greenish minerality and spice supporting savory notes and some saddle leather. On the palate it's graceful, in a delicate key, with moderately rich berry fruit supported by deft acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean slightly mentholated finish. Pleasant, and will drink nicely with grilled meats or light roasts, and will also age nicely for many years.Score: 88
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco DOCG 2008
Pale almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense,with ith rosa canina and berry fruit supported by some cedar and pleasant floral accents; there's nice grace and dpeth in a young key. On the palate it's graceful, with delicate cherry and forest berry fruit supported by moderate acidity and by tannins that have a brambly burr and flow into a clean rather brambly finish. It's quite young, but shows well, and will become quite interesting in a fairly traditional key with time. It grew upon me.Score: 88
Cantina Del Nebbiolo Barbaresco DOCG 2008
Almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is decidedly brambly with greenish accents and is supported by some red berry fruit, though what really emerges now is the bramble. On the palate it's bright, with brambly berry fruit supported by savory minerality and tannins that have a steely youthful splintery burr, and flow into a warm savory finish; it's quick to write but pleasant and graceful in a fairly traditional key, and will drink well with grilled meats or stews now, if you must, and will also age well for many years. If you prefer the more traditional style you will enjoy it, and even if you are a modernist at heart you will find things to think about.Score: 88
