QOTD- Only had a couple but cannot remember year or vintages. Like them but pricey.
Glad you got a couple of winners and enjoyed yourself!

Gary,

I certainly hope that you are right about Barolo becoming more hip. I have had a passion for Barolo for quite some time; though I find myself trying to convince friends that these wines are spectacular. I think if you don’t like Barolo, you aren’t real wine people yet.

I have had the luxury of being able to buy a good stash of 96-98 vintage Barolo from a small producer called Giacomo Brezza who produces a few different single vineyard wines. My favorite is the 97′ Sarmassa which is drinking great right now. I am afraid that it wasn’t perfectly kept before I grabbed it, so I am drinking it earlier than I would like to have. It is already getting brickish and looks like it is older than that. It has the classic leather, earth and smoked meat aromas that make it a chef’s dream to complement a wide variety of food.

One note to Barolo novices who are thinking about trying one for the first time, open these wines waaaay early to allow for breathing. In many, if not most cases, these wines taste better the next day. Popping and pouring these wines dimishes their complexity quite a bit.

JZ

Great show Gary! Although I do not watch religiously every episode like I did before, I still keep a close eye on your shows.

WOTD: Definitely a 1978 Barolo Fontanafredda, which I popped last year for my 30th birthday. It was shocking because I could really taste the truffle that many times is used as a descriptor for an aged barolo.

Great episode. I’m a big fan of Nebbiolo but I think there is a lot more to it than Barolo and Barbaresco. I’ve been seeking out different Nebbiolos from around California (mostly the Santa Barbara/Ynez area) and I even found one from Baja, Mexico that are a lot less expensive, do not require quite as much age, and have their own unique thing going on (not the same as Piemonte, but totaly worth trying.)

The nebbiolo grape has changed my vine life. The first time I had one it struck my that this is something different. My last Barolo experience is on a tasting with winemaker Luca Roagna last month. Really a traditional producer with beautyful wines, both Barolo and Barbaresco. His Barolo Rocca e la Pira I´ve had twice, the 2000 this summer were easy dinking with a beautyful smell like a walk i a autumn forrest. Fresh and moist, earthy. The 2003 on the tasting had more of the classic tar notes. Now I´m waiting for the right moment to open up a Barolo from my year of birth: 1968.

I’m right there with you hoisting Barolo up on that pedestal it is my new goto special occasion wine… Which really means what I open when I don’t want to be disappointed. So where do you get unbelievable Barolo’s you ask, well that’s easy! Cinderellawine.com best I’ve had 2000 ALDO CONTERNO BAROLO GRAN BUSSIA RESERVA
The last one I had was, Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2005

QOTD: Probably one bottle a long time ago. I need to get back to Italy and pay attention to what I’m drinking when I get there.

My favorite wines used to be Rioja and Ribera del Duero some years ago.. When my palate got more experienced I found them too oaky with the same vanilla flavor….. When I tasted a Brunello di Montalcino I thought this was the best wine in Italy but some months ago I tried my first Barolo a Massolino 1999, Barolo are world class, the best wine in the world by far…. Elegannt, complex and structured wines, not fruit bombs or oaky…. I still don’t get why America likes fruit bombs and oak so much!!! I think I may have italian ancestry running in my veins…. Gary you’d be my idol if you taste a bottle of: Giuseppe Mascarello Monprivato, Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Le Coste, Bartolo Mascarello Barolo or a Vietti Rocche!!

QOTD – Haven’t had much Barolo at all. I have, however, started dipping my toe into the same pool with some tasty Barbarescos. Need more experience with them…

Matt should try to put two bottles of the exact same wine in the blind tasting contest… I´m sure Gary´s palate will notice but i´d love to see the look on his face…

Matt should try to put two bottles of the exact same wine in the blind tasting contest… I´m sure Gary´s palate will notice but i´d love to see the look on his face…

O Gary, what you said is a self-fulfilling prophecy about Barolos. 🙂

QOTD: Sadly, my Barolo experience has been minimal, but I am desperate to try more after all the touting you have been giving them. Mostly had Rivetto Barolo’s and probably a couple of cheapies years ago that I’m embarrassed to mention/forget the names.

However, for my wedding this year I was given an ’05 Barolo from the son of a producer in Piedmonte, and I’m going to hang onto that for a few more years at least.

I need to find a decent Barolo under $20 for my cheap wine review blog, WineWelfare.com. Help!

Great show!

QOTD: Sadly, my Barolo experience has been minimal, but I am desperate to try more after all the touting you have been giving them. Mostly had Rivetto Barolo’s and probably a couple of cheapies years ago that I’m embarrassed to mention/forget the names.

However, for my wedding this year I was given an ’05 Barolo from the son of a producer in Piedmonte, and I’m going to hang onto that for a few more years at least.

I need to find a decent Barolo under $20 for my cheap wine review blog, WineWelfare.com. Help!

Great show!

QOTD – I have only had 3 or 4 barolos, but they have all been very good. I have two more aging and hope they will be as good as the others. I like the earthiness in these wines that is rare in new world wines. If only they did not cost so much I would drink them more often.

QOTD: 1998 Pio Cesare just the other day. Nice wine indeed.

QOTD: 1998 Pio Cesare just the other day. Nice wine indeed.

I really do enjoy these head to head match ups. Please continue them as long as you can.

QOTD – Have only had a couple that I can think of in restaurants. While I cannot recall details, both were servicable.

qotd – only tried a few due to the high price… would like to taste more!

Hey Gary, great episode. Thoroughly enjoyed your passion for the two wines. I’ve been a huge fan for a while now, finally got around to making a comment. Look forward to the coming episodes.

Hey Gary, great episode. Thoroughly enjoyed your passion for the two wines. I’ve been a huge fan for a while now, finally got around to making a comment. Look forward to the coming episodes.

If you’re looking for Burgundy-like elegance in Barolo look no further than Poderi Aldo Conterno

Gary,

I love it when you talk about nebbiolo. I feel exactly the same about it.

Well, my latest experiences from October are something to be jealous of:

In A great new winebar at Monforte d’Alba, Franco Massolino of The Massolino estate shared his Vigna Rionda 1970 with me, because we both are born in that year. Well, I can tell you, only this bottle was worth the trip! You can imagine… And the fact that he opened this bottle for me makes him my best friend ever!

But then I had another surprise waiting the next day! In my favorite winebar in Serralunga d’Alba under the castle, I was treated to a bottle of Marcarini Brunate 1971! A glorious year from one of the most “traditional” winemakers of our favourite grape still to be found (40-50 days maceration on the skin!). Heavenly progression and complexity with a silkyness beyond expression. And that after 40 years. Believe it or not, the wine still had some years in front of it!

Well, as you said it too, there is nebbiolo, maybe also pinot noir from time to time, and then comes the rest.

All the best wishes,

Bart (importer in Belgium with Wineroute)

Gary,

I love it when you talk about nebbiolo. I feel exactly the same about it.

Well, my latest experiences from October are something to be jealous of:

In A great new winebar at Monforte d’Alba, Franco Massolino of The Massolino estate shared his Vigna Rionda 1970 with me, because we both are born in that year. Well, I can tell you, only this bottle was worth the trip! You can imagine… And the fact that he opened this bottle for me makes him my best friend ever!

But then I had another surprise waiting the next day! In my favorite winebar in Serralunga d’Alba under the castle, I was treated to a bottle of Marcarini Brunate 1971! A glorious year from one of the most “traditional” winemakers of our favourite grape still to be found (40-50 days maceration on the skin!). Heavenly progression and complexity with a silkyness beyond expression. And that after 40 years. Believe it or not, the wine still had some years in front of it!

Well, as you said it too, there is nebbiolo, maybe also pinot noir from time to time, and then comes the rest.

All the best wishes,

Bart (importer in Belgium with Wineroute)

Hi Gary,

I`m your Norwegian fan – I am also a fan of Barolo. One of my favourites is Guiseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato – so elegant and really quite Burgundian.