QOTD: 2000 Aldo Conterno Cicala Barolo, and a 2004 La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi. (same night, 2 weeks ago)

Tasting Notes:
2004 La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi – Medium Body, Aromas of Chocolate, Raspberry, Licorice, Floral, and some nice oak showing. Finish was Very long but slightly bitter. I would say this needs a few more years in the cellar.

2000 Aldo Conterno Cicala Barolo – Medium body, with a nice burnt color. Strawberry, Rasberry, Truffles, and rose, but very acidic. Big Tannins and lots of acidity showing. Still needs time.

Slightly disappointed on both.

Very good show.

QOTD – Have only had one Nebbiolo, was at a Italian dinner with my daughter and son in law, cannot recall the name of the wine or the place but both were very good. I find if I do not write the notes immediately I cannot recall specifics. I did find it was well paired with a Tucscan beef medallion entree and grilled veggies.

QOTD: Yet another varietal I need to try. Excellent!

Great show, keep up the great work

qotd – i’m sorry to say it has been awhile (years) since i’ve had a nebbiolo based wine… not for long (i hope).

QOTD: Most recent was a 2004 Sandrone ‘Valmaggiore’ Langhe Nebbiolo. Better than most entry level Barolo’s and Barbaresco’s in my opinion. Little new world. Big black fruit, nice round tannins, still a little stinky Italian thing going on aromatically. 91+.

Kellen Clemens = best back up in the league. Go Ducks!

QOTD:

It was the 2003 Dezzani Barbaresco at a tasting in a wine shop. I found it quite decent and would score it aound 88/89 pts.

GV – Good stuff. It’s been too long, and I often feel priced out. But your show today is begging me to revisit…

my last nebiolo was al the years from the barollo from the wine house germano etore.

Great show – just love these wines and they are great values.

QOTD: Two weeks ago I had a 1961 Borgogno Barolo Riserva: Without a doubt this was among the very best wines I’ve ever tasted. Port-like nose. Lots of fruit (cherry) left and a fresh, lively finish that just went on and on. Got another one in the Eurocave for 2011! Barolo and Barbaresco wines from good vintages are built to last.

I have 2005 and 2006 Serra Boella, Paitin, Barbera D’Alba in the cellar but I haven’t tried them yet. They were recommended to me.

Great show !

QOTD: The barbaresco 2004 from Gaja. It was really great! I would easily give it 94 pts.

Back from vacation and trying to catch up on episodes…

QOTD: 2004 Pio Cesare Barolo. Powerful, full-bodied, massive blackberry, with earthy notes and a hint of wood. Very long finish, great balance. Still a bit young – probably best to lie down for a few years. Guessing it will be pretty long-lived.

Forgot to score . 91 pts.

The last nebbiolo I had was from Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe region 06′. It was a very nice value at 21 bones

Great show!!! Never tried a Barbaresco,will now. Keep the thunder coming!

Question OTD: umm.. What is this Nebbiollo you speak of? I’ll have to try one.

Quote OTD: “Where am I? Oh, in puckerville.”

QOTD: Two weeks ago my girlfriend and I enjoyed a bottle of “Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2000”

We drank this bottle over two evenings. Initially, the nose and palate were dominated by the alcohol and it took the wine at least three hours in the decanter to get around the alcohol. On day two, however, the alcohol was not noticeable at all.

The wine showed nice floral characteristics on the nose and palate, with cherry, dark fruits and herbs. Over time the wine got more and more balanced and finally was very smooth the second evening, with fine tannins, good acidity and good length. You cold tell that this wine has great complexity, but I got the impression that it was unable to show its best characteristics that weekend. This could be a real beauty in a couple of years and I will not open another bottle for at least two years. For the time being: 89+ points.

One question, when you noted the whiff of barnyard that blew off. Was that Brett?

Get away from the corn syrup! Whole Foods has some pretty good and well priced sodas made from sugar cane. Replacement?

I love these wines. I’ve got 6 of the same type in my basement. I’m afraid to drink them since the last time I popped one, the tannins kicked my ass. I’m putting them away for a long time.

QOTD: I had a Barollo recently that was a solid 89 points. Pretty big body, round mouth feel and delicious fruit. Not as tannic as these monsters you reviewed.

While for about ten years, now, I’ve recommended Nebioli from the former corner of Barbaresco now delineated as simply ‘Langhe’, and drink ,in that realm for about $20 (Fontanabianca, Nada) the last I’d had of great import was 1990 Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva, Santo Stefano Red Label, about 3 years ago. An extrordinary(and legendary) wine, universally praised from a remarkable vintage, This dream was only realized through the generosity of a client visiting from out of town, who’d done the research to find that specific bottle was at a wonderfully unassuming little ristorante which I was familiar with. (Shout out , and mille grazie to Robert Fatica and Primo Vino in Cleveland’s Little Italy. While I’d worked at a few fancy places ‘up on the hill’, his tireless efforts and humble demeanor make him the top man on the hill! Incredible Italian wine library, and lots done in large format.). The wine was every bit as unctious, subtle, yet regally grande, as the food we had with it. I remember that, though it was only the two of us, that bottle was CRUSHED, and though we lingered over it’s intoxicatingly expansive nose, we could not resist the continual pull on our glasses. Minimum of 94-95 points.

QOTD: The last two Nebbiolos I had were back in December 2003:
Prunotto Cannubi Barolo 1989 (29 bones)- “woody, weedy, gamey
black fruit flavors, OK”
Rinaldi Riserva Brunate Barolo 1989 (42 bones)- “woody, skanky,
tart, tannic black fruit flavors….$42 for THIS ?????”

And speaking of large format, back in ’92 after my final day, ending six years at a prominent jazz club, I took my band mates to a remarkable performance at Oberlin, then returned to the club to enjoy a 3-Litre of 1970 Barolo, Borgogno, which had been available for some years. I couldn’t believe that all these doctors, yuppies and professionals weren’t prepared to take advantage of the ridiculously reasonable price for the taking. My employer was a major patron of the arts, and would endow that possibility for customers to really enjoy themselves- just as GV professes- share the love. Several glasses were poured for my formerly regular customers, and the whole place looked on as me and some art school friends laughed from deep in our hearts, and picked at calimari, mushrooms, and mussels. Living well, they say, is the best revenge.

Love the poop!

Thanks for helping my customers to know what’s in the bottle once again! Bubble Brothers bring the Icardis’ wines into Ireland. Next time someone asks me what the Barbaresco’s like, I’ll show them this.

QOTD. Last Nebbiolo-based wine was August 3 at home with a beef strogonoff, specifically 2001 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d’Alba. Notes: very pale & brick-orange, almost rose, restrained nose of orange peel, Asian spice, and after that some tea & roses, palate is medium-bodied and elegantly smooth & supple, flavors of orange peel, cooked oranges, raspberry, notes of rose petals, tannins sneaking up in the finish, good long acidic finish. Rating: 4 (on a 7-point scale; for me that means better than meh, and probably worth buying, but not amazing. Probably roughly equivalent to your 88-point ratings.)