Barbera d'Alba Superiore Wine

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  June 2009

  Barbera d'Alba Superiore Otin Mate Cascina Bruni 2003

  Snoothrank: Starting at $16^.57

  Really typical, rustic Barbera with very pronounced acidity (maybe why the 1996 has been scored low?). There's a lot of woody-vanilla oak, but balanced by searingly bright black cherry fruit and that really singeing acidity -- a bit daunting, but a fantastic food wine that'll cut... Read moreReally typical, rustic Barbera with very pronounced acidity (maybe why the 1996 has been scored low?). There's a lot of woody-vanilla oak, but balanced by searingly bright black cherry fruit and that really singeing acidity -- a bit daunting, but a fantastic food wine that'll cut right through an oily pasta or pizza and liven up a carpaccio beautifully. With a toasty tomato-sauced pasta, I could not get enough.    (hide)

  Wine review by Robert Johnston

  
  
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  January 2009

  Rocca Felice Barbera d'Alba Superiore 2004

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by acacia999

  
  

• December 2008

  Fratelli Monchiero is a little known producer based in Castiglione Falletto. For years they had been based at the Montanello Winery, also in Castiglione, that had served as the first great coop in the region. In 1966 the Fratelli began to specialize in selling wines as opposed to the... Read moreFratelli Monchiero is a little known producer based in Castiglione Falletto. For years they had been based at the Montanello Winery, also in Castiglione, that had served as the first great coop in the region. In 1966 the Fratelli began to specialize in selling wines as opposed to the grapes that had previously been their staple and in 1971 the bottled their first wines. In 1978 they purchased the current property and began converting the existing facilities into a winery in 1982, finally moving in 1990. With 9 hectares under vine there is lots to do for Vittorio Monchiero, the current proprietor. Yet with all these area under vines it is surprising that only several thousand bottle so f Barolo are produced her each year. Even more surprising is the decision in 1995 to bottle the Rocche di Castiglione and Roero from La Morra separately resulting in tiny quantities of each, about 400 cases of the Roero and just over 200 cases of the Rocche. That makes these wines a challenge to find but a; the wines here are worth a look and can be great values when found. They are not to be confused with Monchiero Carbone. 2007 Langhe Arneis from 8-year-old vines located just beyond the DOC boundary for Roero, 2002 was the first vintage Nice minerality on the nose with an apple blossom top not to the citrussy/grapefruit fruit. This is a bit languid in the mouth, lacking verve though there is decent apple-y fruit with nice almond and mineral edges it is simple and clean with decent length and a narrow, steely finish 84pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/fratelli-monchiero-langhe-arneis-2004/ 2007 Dolcetto from Castiglione Falletto - fermented for about a week with frequent pump-over of the cappello sommerso. Lovely nose with clean, precise, fresh fruit and floral tones. It is a bit simply and light but happy. Just as the nose promises this is a light, simple, fresh style with an easy yet appealing character. There is plenty of earthy, crisp fruit but the strength here is the wonderful inner-mouth perfume. In fact this seems more perfumed than flavored though it is angular and acid driven giving the nice mouthfeel. The fruit is gentle and pure with a light red berry character and slight mineral and apricot kernel notes adding complexity. It is a bit simple but the bouquet is very engaging. 88pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/fratelli-monchiero-dolcetto-dalba-2007/ 2006 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Undergoes 10-12 day fermentation, malo in stainless then into newer botte Very balsamic at first and full of dark fruit with a wild black berry background note. There is a touch of raw wood and quince with a light top note of green flowers. Fresh in the mouth with cutting acids, there is a bit of a granular quality to the tannins. The balance is decent though the intensity of flavor is a bit low with black plum skin notes contrasting the light wood spice tones. Uncomplicated and a bit short with a cleansing finale of black raspberry. 86pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/fratelli-monchiero-barbera-dalba-superiore-2006/ 2004 Langhe Nebbiolo - not from Barolo vineyards, undergoes at least 10-12 days fermentation but as long as 20-25 days in the best years then aged for 18 months in a combination of Botte and 4 tonneaux, ½ of which are new. Not overly complex on the nose but there are intense prune, watermelon, and raspberry preserve notes against a backdrop of damp forest floor tones. This is very fine weight for Langhe Nebbiolo, just a touch dense but really a mini-Barolo. There are intense dark fruit, earth, tea, and spicy red tones with top notes of menthol and ginseng adding complexity. This is very complete and even offers a hint of building sweetness on the backend. The finish is crisp and bracing with a nice flush of minerality washing away the sweetness leading to a finale with a nice camphor tone. Why I love Nebbiolo. 90pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/fratelli-monchiero-langhe-nebbiolo-2004 2004 Barolo Roere from a vineyard in La Morra on a hillside above S. Maria facing Oddero. Sandy soils that produce lighter wines but still are the equal of all Barolo. A bit musky at first with a fresh green edge to the raspberry fruit. There is a touch of toast in the background but the flourish of green herbs and fine soil tones beat it back. A bit closed in the mouth but this has great acids and really fine, ripe tannins framing pure feminine red fruit. There is a lovely dusty edge to the fruit but it lacks some complexity at this point. Again this has fine inner mouth perfume and while definitely not a blockbuster is very well done and elegant. Classic young Nebbiolo tannin on the finish, which is a bit taut but, shows good promise. 2012-2020 91pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/fratelli-monchiero-barolo-rocche-2004/ 2004 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione This is much more powerful than the Roere with a darker, hotter nose full of subtle leather, iron, and feral meat tones. It smells compact with a touch of sweet backing spice in the background. Powerful and big in the mouth with excellent balance to the very good acids and ripe, slightly chewy tannins. There is great freshness on the palate with a wonderful base of red currant fruit over which limestone, hard candy berry notes, and a slight medicinal edge are layered. This is not terrible expressive but still offers up a nice sense of terroir and finishes with a powerful punch though the tannins clamp down and cut it a bit short. 2014-2024 91pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/fratelli-monchiero-barolo-rocche-2004 2003 Barolo Castiglione to be released as a Riserva Sweet, hot and a bit jammy on the nose with a bit of vanillin with notes of sandalwood and caramelized beef adding depth. This has a curious neither fresh nor evolved character to the nose. Sweetly fruited on entry with good cutting acids and tannins that are a touch drying. This is a bit corpulent but not fat and delivers good flavor intensity though the fruit is a bit figgy with lots of tawny spice tones. On the backend the fruit gains blackberry candy freshness but the wood becomes a bit splintery and bitter with a bit of heat building and leading to the very tannins finish, which has a stemmy quality with bitter grape seed flavors. Seems to not have the freshness or balance I want in Barolo. 86pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/fratelli-monchiero-barolo-riserva-2003    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Fratelli Monchiero moving... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  
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  December 2008

  Fratelli Monchiero Barbera d'Alba Superiore 2006

  Snoothrank:

  2006 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Undergoes 10-12 day fermentation, malo in stainless then into newer botte Very balsamic at first and full of dark fruit with a wild black berry background note. There is a touch of raw wood and quince with a light top note of green flowers. Fresh in... Read more2006 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Undergoes 10-12 day fermentation, malo in stainless then into newer botte Very balsamic at first and full of dark fruit with a wild black berry background note. There is a touch of raw wood and quince with a light top note of green flowers. Fresh in the mouth with cutting acids, there is a bit of a granular quality to the tannins. The balance is decent though the intensity of flavor is a bit low with black plum skin notes contrasting the light wood spice tones. Uncomplicated and a bit short with a cleansing finale of black raspberry. 86pts    (hide)

  Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• December 2008

  Palladino is not a name familiar to most American buyers of the wines of Piedmont. But they should be. With a historic property that dates back to 1870, it may be surprising that Maurilio Palladino only began bottling his family’s wine in 1975. As is the case with many of the... Read morePalladino is not a name familiar to most American buyers of the wines of Piedmont. But they should be. With a historic property that dates back to 1870, it may be surprising that Maurilio Palladino only began bottling his family’s wine in 1975. As is the case with many of the historic properties of the region, they produced wine sold in bulk for decades before bottling the wine themselves. While this sense of experimentation began in 1975, it continues full force through today. The tidy cellars, just off the Piazza in Serralunga, offer fine evidence of this as one see’ the temperature controlled fermentation vessels lined up with botte and barrique of many origins, and even sizes. The style here is one that seems very well managed, an intelligent style for a market anxious for wine. That may leave some with an impression that these are not wines to be taken seriously since they may lack the ability to evolve and age but tasting through the line-up here this is obviously not the case. These are wines that will develop and do show positive development in the glass. While my notes on the older Palladino wines seem to have been misplaced it becomes perfectly apparent that, while these wines age relatively quickly, the age very well indeed developing greater nuance and depth with each passing year. The techniques used here really cover the entire spectrum of the range with plenty of barriques in evidence on one hand, yet with the use of natural yeasts, unless there is mold in the vineyards, on the other. Palladino is a great example of why wineries should be judged on the basis of the wines they produce rather than the techniques that they use. We began our tasting this afternoon working our way through the cellar tasting from various barrels. Barrel tasting notes 2005 Barolo Serralunga from a used Botte - Starts off with barrel stink then turns very gently autumnal with leafy notes and strong notes of dirt and medicinal roots. In the mouth this is full of sweet fruit with very fine tannins and good supporting acidity. There is excellent concentration with chewy, dense fruit accented with a touch of black spice tones. The acidity emerges a bit with air giving the backend a plum skin/apple skin edge that leads to an earthy, woodsy finale. A bit simple but complete 87-90pts 2005 Barolo Serralunga from a used botte redone in 2006 - This offers up a much cleaner nose than the previous wine with intense, sharp medicinal roots and dark fruit tones. In the mouth there is a stark difference, this is softer with less cut and blacker fruit though the length is noticeably greater. The range of flavors is quite broad with green melon top notes, earthy, mineral tones and fine seared cherry fruit. The tannins appear to be more drying and this wine lacks the balance of the previous wine. I can see how blending them can produce a sum greater than its parts. 87-90pts 2005 Barolo San Bernardo 2005 - from new Portuguese barrique - will be Riserva This has a base of dried flower and licorice tones with a leather edge but the cedar and spiced wood tones are obvious if not quite dominant. In the mouth there is good depth to the dark, cocoa tinged dark cherry fruit with some nuanced iron and soil tones emerging from the earthy fruit though this turns tougher with air as the wood tannins begin intruding a bit on the back end which is a bit tough and drying. 86-89pts 2005 Barolo San Bernardo 2005 - from new French barrique - will be Riserva This offers up intense incense/candle wax tones over a core of dark and earthy fruit that is surprisingly intense. With a background of light toast notes Very elegant in the mouth with fine wild berry fruit in a bright, juicy register. The tannins here are very fine and in harmony with the fruit. There is good length here and the final offers an array of fine tea notes. 88-91pts 2005 Barolo San Bernardo 2005 - from new French 114 liter barrel - will be Riserva Very spicy on the nose with a great aromatic array and while the wood spice is there the wine doesn’t smell particularly woody. Very bright and elegant in the mouth with wonderfully pure red fruit that are accented with spicy herb and mineral notes that recall fresh, bitter salad greens. Really an excellent mid-palate though the wood tannins begin to intrude on the finish and while the light toast notes emerge on the finish it really highlights the purity of the fruit in a curious way. 91-93pts We then moved out of the cellar and adjourned to the formal tasting room. The remainder of the notes are from freshly opened bottles. 2005 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Bricco delle Olive From 45-year-old vines, fermented for about 3 weeks in stainless steel then transferred to 500L Tonneaux for 12 months. The Tonneaux are refreshed once after 3 years, and then changed out. This opens with rather strong balsamic wood/pine resin notes then segues into tones of baked clay tile, light cigar tobacco, and hints of cinnamon toned backing spice. This is made in an easy, round style and lacks some of the acidic bite I look for in Barbera. There are nice red fruits and the feeling is very pure and fresh with cleanly presented red cherry and lingonberry fruit tones that lead to a finish with a touch more assertive acids and some red plum skin tones. 87pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-barbera-dalba-superiore-bricco-delle-olive-2005 2006 Nebbiolo d’Alba from vines in Roddi Fermented in Stainless steel for 16-18 days before being transferred to botte. This is really minty, so intense that it smells Icy though there are nice notes of raspberry, leather and calcium adding complexity. In the mouth this feels a touch relaxed even though the acidity keeps things bright and the rigid tannins are slightly obvious. The mid-palate offers up slightly jammy raspberry fruit with notes of dried earth, dried herbs and tobacco in particular adding complexity. The finish is nice and brisk as the tannins gain dominance and the fruit gains a fine juicy quality. Solid Nebbiolo 87pts. http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-nebbiolo-dalba-2006/ 2004 Barolo Serralunga Fermented in Stainless steel before being transferred to botte, with a few second pass barrique for excess wine. This spends 3 years in barrel then 1 in bottle before being released. The nose here is very expressive with excellent complexity and depth to the jammy nose full of melon rind and black raspberry fruit. There are touches of iron, oyster shells and smoke that float above the fruit. This has excellent balance but as is the house style, it’s a touch easy and relaxed with good structural balance between the soft acids and ever so angular tannins. There is a huge melon note on entry with good freshness to the black cherry fruit that saturates the palate and leads to a back end with subtle notes of mountain flowers and bitter licorice. This finishes a bit raw and young. Really illustrates the house’s relaxed style that really expresses the fruit of the grape over complexity or power. Very well done in this style drink 2012-2020 89pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-serralunga-barolo-2004/ 2004 Barolo Vigna Broglio - from a half-hectare vineyard just under the Castle of Serralunga, from 45-year-old vines, the 2005 was the last vintage before the vineyard was uprooted and replanted. Fermented in Stainless steel for 18 days then transferred to barrique, 50% new 50% second passage, for 2 years. This is not particularly giving with a feral quality to the dark wild berry fruit that is backed up by noticeable wood tones in the coffee bean register and typical hints of licorice and balsamic herbs. This enters the mouth with a soft and blocky feel though there is a sense of incipient sweetness that builds in the mouth. There are subtle dried hay and wild berry tones that turn gently medicinal on the back end but he wines feels light and transparent in the mouth. The grippy tannins emerge on the finish, which has low intensity but reveals a finale of pure, sweet fruit. 2011-2020 90pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-barolo-vigna-broglio-2004-1 2001 Barolo Vigna Broglio This still has just a hint of raw wood on the nose but it is amply backed up by a big, sweet, slightly stewy core of dark fruit with white soil and ash tones. There is a good, layered feel to this in the mouth with fine tannins and acids in balance with the dark, chewy, earthy core of fruit. While the fruit is big there is plenty going on in the background as well with a big spicy root, almost horseradish note, and black spice, medicinal, leather and bitter licorice notes offering support. This finishes with tooth grabbing tannins that clamp down on the finale a bit abruptly ending the slightly candied black cherry fruit that has a savory, tree bark almost truffly edge. 2012-2020 92pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-barolo-vigna-broglio-2001/ 2001 Barolo San Bernardo Riserva Fermented for 18 days in Stainless Steel then transferred for 2 years ageing in new barriques as well as an additional year in Botte. Offering up a sweet pool of finely ripe fruit on the nose this is in a cooler register with a touch of herb and sundried tomato in a clear, precise style. Big and bright in the mouth with great acids supporting an elegant mouthfeel. This has finesse as it delivers its dark, ripe fruit with its bitter/sweet edge offering tension between the fruit and tomato tones and the mineral, tar and herb notes. A bit of vanillin shows itself on the finish but an aggressive black minerality quickly gains the upper hand and offers great length. Impressive stuff 2012-2020 91pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-barolo-vigna-s-bernardo-2001/ 2000 Barolo San Bernardo Riserva Surprisingly cool and complex on the nose with a full array of classic scents that range from forest floor, tree bark, and damp tea bag to wildflowers, coal, orange rind roast herbs, and medicinal and backing spice tones. Super nose! In the mouth this is big and plush without a lot of excess weight, it is broad and mouth filling with very good balance. This pumps out layers of tea, chamomile, mint and herb notes over a still taut core of almost chewy, dark fruit. This opens further on the long finish, fanning out with a touch of coffee bean bitterness and a hint of dried porcini. More evolved than one would expect from a 2000 but with this sort of complexity one wonders why one need wait much longer. 2008-2018 92pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-barolo-vigna-san-bernardo-2000/ 1999 Barolo San Bernardo Riserva This opens with a tight edge, a very cool and focused nose that has excellent intensity and purity if not overly complex. The nose opens to reveal penetrating mineral and herb notes with a tea like eucalyptus top note over a tarry core of fruit. Flesh and almost sweet on the attack the citrussy acidity quickly grabs hold and keeps this cool and compact with sinewy, very red fruits that recall wild strawberry and wild cherry. This is very fresh but lacks some complexity though nice tones of cardamom and green anise seed offer some contrast to the fruit on the very crisp, long finish. Still youthful and bright this is simply delicious. 2008- 1020 91pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/palladino-barolo-vigna-san-bernardo-riserva-1999/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Palladino is worth the search! by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  
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  December 2008

  Palladino Barbera D"alba Superiore Bricco Delle Olive 2005

  Snoothrank:

  From 45-year-old vines, fermented for about 3 weeks in stainless steel then transferred to 500L Tonneaux for 12 months. The Tonneaux are refreshed once after 3 years, and then changed out. This opens with rather strong balsamic wood/pine resin notes then segues into tones of baked... Read moreFrom 45-year-old vines, fermented for about 3 weeks in stainless steel then transferred to 500L Tonneaux for 12 months. The Tonneaux are refreshed once after 3 years, and then changed out. This opens with rather strong balsamic wood/pine resin notes then segues into tones of baked clay tile, light cigar tobacco, and hints of cinnamon toned backing spice. This is made in an easy, round style and lacks some of the acidic bite I look for in Barbera. There are nice red fruits and the feeling is very pure and fresh with cleanly presented red cherry and lingonberry fruit tones that lead to a finish with a touch more assertive acids and some red plum skin tones. 87pts    (hide)

  Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• November 2008

  Rocche Costamagna Wines tasted Dolcetto d’Alba Murrae 2006 – 86pts Dolcetto d’Alba Rubis 2006 – 87pts Barbera d’Alba Annunziata 2005 – 86pts Barbera d’Alba Annunziata 2006 – 88pts Barbera ‘Alba Superiore Rocche delle Rocche 2005 – 89pts Langhe Nebbiolo Roccardo... Read moreRocche Costamagna Wines tasted Dolcetto d’Alba Murrae 2006 - 86pts Dolcetto d’Alba Rubis 2006 - 87pts Barbera d’Alba Annunziata 2005 - 86pts Barbera d’Alba Annunziata 2006 - 88pts Barbera ‘Alba Superiore Rocche delle Rocche 2005 - 89pts Langhe Nebbiolo Roccardo 2007 - 89pts Langhe Rosso Merlot 2005 - 87pts Barolo Rocche Dell’Annuziata 2004 - 88pts Barolo Bricco Francesco 2004 - 91pts The energetic Alessandro Locatelli has undertaken the continued restoration of the Costamagna cellars. With a history that goes back almost 150 years it was not a task to be undertaken lightly. Allowed to lapse into inactivity following the Second World War, Alessandro’s parents chose to begin anew in 1969. While it took awhile for the vineyard, 9 acres owned and 6 leased, to return to the qualitative level warranting bottling under the Costamagna Brand, finally bottling resumed in 1975 under the New Label Rocche Costamagna. Being in La Morra and having vineyards in the famous La Morra cru of Rocche del’annunziata, the Locatelli family wanted to reinforce not only the connection to the history of the old estate but also to the famed land of La Morra. This respect for history extends beyond the winemaking as the family compound includes not only the cantina with it’s panoramic view of the Langhe but also a treasure trove of books in their Cultural Center that serves as a reference center for the food, wine and history of the territory. The wines have a somewhat modern take to them. Respectful of the terroir of La Morra never forced and the style is seeing a move towards a more traditional expression. Currently the wines Dolcetto d’Alba Murrae 2006 - 86pts All in Stainless from La Morra, 16,000 bottles produced 4-5 day maceration Roasting plum on the nose, a sweet tarry core of fruit, slightly jammy with clay driven earth tones 2 Soft and easy in the mouth with small tannins and integrated acids 2 A bit on the dark and earthy side with an edge of austerity to the tannins, neither particularly fruity nor complex, but fresh 2 Finished in a more mineral register with plum and cherry pit notes 2 http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-dolcetto-dalba-murrae-2006 Dolcetto d’Alba Rubis 2006 - 87pts A selection of fruit from higher elevations and older vines, 35 years and up, 8,000 bottles produced 1 week maceration, ageing in stainless More mineral driven on the nose with greater depth and complicating floral and balsamic tones 2+ Gentle texture with ok acidity and well managed tannins 2 Soft in the mouth but elegant with good intensity to the dark berried fruit notes with an earthy edge 2 Light on the finish but with some length and a light floral finale 2 http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-dolcetto-dalba-rubis-2006 Barbera d’Alba Annunziata 2005 - 86pts 8,000 bottles produced, 5-6 week maceration, 12 months in barrique of second and third passage. Smoky on the nose with a dark, hot tar and light toast initial aroma under which are fresh notes of green ivy and light vegetal tones but the wood is a bit too assertive and obscures the core of fruit 1+ Big and plush entry with finely integrated acid and nicely managed tannins 2+ Intense candied fruit flavors, slight violet pastille note, good oak contrast in the mouth as it doesn’t dominate the almost chewy fruit 2+ Zesty acids pop on the finish refreshing the mouth and adding length to the asphalt finish 2 http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-barbera-dalba-2005-1/ Barbera d’Alba Annunziata 2006 - 88pts Fresh and crisp on the nose with green herbs, green tobacco, laurel leaf, and citrussy red berry fruit 2+ Elegant and juicy in the mouth with lovely acids and a whisper of tannin Juicy and pure amarena cherry and lingonberry fruit in the mouth with a balsamic edge 2+ Lovely bitter edge on the finale with strong notes of freshly cut red fruits and decent length, excellent typicity 2+ http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-barbera-dalba-2006-1 Barbera ‘Alba Superiore Rocche delle Rocche 2005 - 89pts Cigar ash and a bit of sour wood on the nose then very slightly fudgy with astringent red berry fruit accentuated by cigar, cigar box and a touch of dried juniper 2 Big and intense in the mouth without much weight, great acids, very fine tannins and a touch of sweetness 3 Dark fruited, coca tinged plums, slightly astringent, rhubarb note, layered but fresh 2+ Tight and a bit short on the finish with nicely integrated wood and a subtle ribbon of fruit that blossoms on the finale 2+ http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-barbera-dalba-superiore-rocche-delle-rocche-2005 Langhe Nebbiolo Roccardo 2007 - 89pts 8,000 bottles produced, 5-day maceration then ageing in wood for 6 month, half botte half used barrique A bit reticent on the nose with a sweetness to the ripe fruits, touch of watermelon rind and green herb offering freshness, just a touch of wood 2 Deceptively suave in the mouth, elegant with luxurious richness yet fine, measured structure underneath 3 Classic array of small red fruits in the mouth, a bit of nopale, spicy vegetal hints, dried tar, fresh hints of anise seed, very good Nebbiolo 2+ Tight and short with emerging tannins and succulent acid 2 http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-langhe-nebbiolo-roccardo-2007 Langhe Rosso Merlot 2005 - 87pts From vines planted in 2002, 18 months in barrique then 2 years in botte Cocoa, plum compote, maraschino sherry, just a whiff of vegetal notes then toast, cinnamon toast, a bit of cigar wrapper, turns a bit jammy 2 Sweet attack, almost velvety but the solid acidity keeps it lively, fine tannins, a bit weighty 2+ Deep and darkly earthy with a touch of licorice, bit of baking spice, blackberry, plums and a touch of graphite 2 Solid intensity of plumy fruit on the finish with gentle spice notes, long and engaging 2+ http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-langhe-rosso-2005 Barolo Rocche Dell’Annuziata 2004 - 88pts 23,000 bottles, 7-8 day maceration, 2 years in Slavonian oak botte Nice intensity on the nose with some dried fruits and rose petals but pretty shy 2 Feels right in the mouth, good acids, ripe tannins, slightly angular, Medium-medium full body and building tannins 2+ Slightly liquory wild berry fruits, a touch of clay driven earthiness, a savory edge recalling green tea and tobacco 2+ A bit tight on the finish with good length and a finale of tar and licorice driven soil tones 2+ http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-barolo-rocche-dellannunziata-1/ Barolo Bricco Francesco 2004 - 91pts A selection of 35 year old vines, massale selection, cluster trimmed before harvest, with a later harvest, 7-10 days, 7,000 bottles produced, 8 day maceration, 2 years in Slavonian oak botte Bette freshness on the nose, more calcium driven mineral tones, a touch of confiture to the wild strawberry/strawberry seed fruit, very aromatic, some dried rose and a bit of poppy seeds 2+ Elegant, refined and juicy in the mouth with medium full body and excellent balance 3 Freshly fruity, cherry juice, clay earth notes, a savory edge, a touch of woodsy licorice/angelica root 3 Lon finish with savory tannin notes, a touch of bitter rots, the acid peaks out a bit on the finale 2+ http://www.snooth.com/wine/rocche-costamagna-barolo-bricco-francesco/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Rocche Costamagna returns to... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  
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  November 2008

  Rocche Costamagna Barbera d'Alba Superiore Rocche Delle Rocche 2005

  Snoothrank:

  Cigar ash and a bit of sour wood on the nose then very slightly fudgy with astringent red berry fruit accentuated by cigar, cigar box and a touch of dried juniper 2 Big and intense in the mouth without much weight, great acids, very fine tannins and a touch of sweetness 3 Dark... Read moreCigar ash and a bit of sour wood on the nose then very slightly fudgy with astringent red berry fruit accentuated by cigar, cigar box and a touch of dried juniper 2 Big and intense in the mouth without much weight, great acids, very fine tannins and a touch of sweetness 3 Dark fruited, coca tinged plums, slightly astringent, rhubarb note, layered but fresh 2+ Tight and a bit short on the finish with nicely integrated wood and a subtle ribbon of fruit that blossoms on the finale 2+ 89pts    (hide)

  Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• November 2008

  Hi Greg, Yesterday I rang the doorbell of Scarzello. I took a chance and came unannounced. Federico opened the door and I was treated with a fabulous tasting. Federico and his mother sat down with me for an hour and a half, telling me about their vineyards, their wines and their... Read moreHi Greg, Yesterday I rang the doorbell of Scarzello. I took a chance and came unannounced. Federico opened the door and I was treated with a fabulous tasting. Federico and his mother sat down with me for an hour and a half, telling me about their vineyards, their wines and their philosophy in winemaking. I had the same wines as you apart from the 2004 Barbera d'Alba. And I must admit that I was very surprised to find such high quality from a relatively unknown producer. I have to agree with you, the wines were fantastic especially the Barbera d'Abla Superiore and the Barolo Merenda. I don't think these two bottlings will go unnoticed by the big critics for very long. That Merenda was simply breathtaking. The day before yesterday, I even had a glass of the 2004 Barbera d'Alba Superiore at Ristorante La Cantinetta in Barolo. The bottle had been open for a while, and the wine was spectacular. I sensed a bit of oak, which surprised me, but Federico told me that he used only new tonneaux for the 2004 vintage. Thanks for the great tip. /Nicolai    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Scarzello - An Emerging Star... by Nicolai Soegaard

  
  

• October 2008

  Wines reviewed 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba – 91pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba – 91pts 2004 Barbera d’Alba – 87pts 2006 Langhe Nebbiolo - 89pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba Superiore -92pts 2004 Barolo – 90pts 2004 Barolo Vigna Merenda – 95pts Meeting Federico Scarzello of the... Read moreWines reviewed 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba - 91pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba - 91pts 2004 Barbera d’Alba - 87pts 2006 Langhe Nebbiolo - 89pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba Superiore -92pts 2004 Barolo - 90pts 2004 Barolo Vigna Merenda - 95pts Meeting Federico Scarzello of the Azienda Giorgio Scarzello was as refreshing as it was intense. This young man is obviously a future star of the traditional movement in Piemonte. The 3rd generation of the Scarzello family to produce wine in Barolo, Federico inherits a winery with firm roots in the village. In fact Federico’s grandmother only started to make wine since she was the proprietress of a bar in the immediate post-World War II era. The need for something to drink was the simple motivation for turning the family’s grapes into wine. The history of the family is a little less clear than this post war break may indicate, as there had been a tradition of making wine in less exalted vintages. Counterintuitive perhaps, but the reasoning behind it has beautiful simplicity. Grapes sold well in great years, less well in problematic years. Thus in order to not loose a years worth of effort, these hard to sell grapes were turned into wine which could be sold slowly throughout the ensuing years, but sold it was. The 5.5 hectares of vines farmed by the Scarzello family are all on the young side, 12-16 years of age. The vineyards were replanted with a variety of clones that were selected for each microclimate in an effort to replace older clones that had been chosen for their high yields. The current clones were chosen to ensure that each vineyard was paired with the clone best suited to their specific conditions. This strategy seems to be working well as the production is deemed to be of excellent quality with little over-production typical of younger vines. In fact in light of the current string of unusually hot vintages with anomalous rainfall, the fact that the vines have not suffered from hydric stress and have given balanced wines in each vintage, resisting even the urge to pump up the grapes with water after a rain, seems to validate the clonal choices made. While these wines have very limited distribution in the US at the moment they are such compelling examples of their type that I expect that to change in the near future. If you are a fan of traditionally made wines keep your eyes peeled for the wines of Scarzello. They are great today and with every additional vintage Federico will no doubt move from strength to strength. He is one of the bright future stars of traditional wines in the Langhe! 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba - 91pts 3000 bottles produced, from a high vineyard, above Merenda to the west, surrounded on three sides by woods with a clay/rocky soil mix, 13-16 days in followed by a year in Stainless A bit doughy on the nose with a feral quality and a rusty minerality, a touch stinky still with layered minerality, oily clay and slate 2+ Cool in the mouth with nicely integrated very fine but substantial 2006 tannins and subtle supporting acidity all in an elegant package 2+ Spicy on entry with a touch of bay leaf/green herb notes, with a core of powerful, plumy fruit, still a bit tight but with plenty of stuffing and fringe blue fruits 3 Closes with blue fruits, long, important tannins then turning very mineral drinking. This needs another 1-2 years or so and is a usually structured style of Dolcetto in a very powerful vintage. Killer wine for those in search of this style 3 http://www.snooth.com/wine/scarzeloo-dolcetto-dalba-2006/ 2005 Barbera d’Alba - 91pts 3000 bottles. Also from a location above Merenda but with a SW exposure, planted in 1999. 12 day fermentation then in Stainless Dark and masculine on the nose with a touch of tobacco and ash, very crisp fruit with notes of rosemary stem and African violet 2+ Rich in the mouth for Barbera but silky with almost bright acids enmeshed in the fleshy fruit 2+ Offers cut plum fruit with a touch of blueberry on entry, great purity turning more towards blackberry on the backend, layered yet edgy 3 Offers great cut on the finish with authentic but not overwhelming acids, good length, and a lovely mineral twang on the finale after a length fruit profile. 3 http://www.snooth.com/wine/scarzello-barbera-dalba-2005/ 2004 Barbera d’Alba - 87pts The first vintage for this wine Perfumed and fruity on the nose with a spicy pomegranate fruit, cactus twang, a touch animal and nicely mineral 2 Rich in the mouth but still elegant with a leaner character than the 2005 2 Less fruit driven than the 2005 with a more obvious mineral core but still decent amount of blueberry/blackberry fruit 2 A nice touch of tannin on the finish which offers impressive cut with excellent length and a great depth to the savory fruit 3 http://www.snooth.com/wine/scarzello-barbera-dalba-2004-1/ 2006 Langhe Nebbiolo -89pts From vineyards just beyond the confines of Barolo towards Novello with S-SW exposure and light soils though in problematic years the Barolo vineyards are harvested a bit earlier and their juice is bottled under this label 13-15 day maceration, malo in wood for vintages with higher than average alcohol then into 600 liter French oak botte which are between 3-5 years of age Reticent dusty nose with a touch of rose, a touch of mineral, faintly balsamic with cool fruit and a slow to emerge touch of coal 2 Sweet entry with excellent focus, full of fine grained tannins and excellent supporting acids, bright without being obvious 3 Very pretty in the mouth with peach skin and light wild cherry fruit, a touch simple and a bit closed but with excellent purity 2+ Finishes crisply with a touch of tea edging the bright cherry/ wild strawberry fruit, then a touch of melon rind, gains god length and sweetness on the finale, impressive depth and length for Langhe Nebbiolo 3 http://www.snooth.com/wine/scarzello-nebbiolo-langhe-2006/ 2005 Barbera d’Alba Superiore -92pts From a select vineyard with full southern exposure at the base of the Merenda hill originally produced in 1997 but now also includes a bit of fruit from the Sangallo vineyard from just under the Castello in Barolo. 22 day maceration then into new 600 Liter botte for 16 months Minty at first then incredibly concentrated brambly blackberry fruit, a hint of juniper berry, dried beef, some furry animal, a touch foxy, deep red clay and chalk soil tones 3 Broad shouldered in the mouth with a fleshy feel and emerging acids with the backing of some very fine tannins 3 Full entry of bright black raspberry fruit with a hard candy edge to it, faceted and precise with gentle suggestions of rosemary and roast meats with a slight mineral top note 3 Finishes with an extension of the palate, a touch short but the acidity pulls out a wild blueberry note on the finish with a light mineral edge 2 http://www.snooth.com/wine/scarzello-barbera-dalba-superior-2005/ 2004 Barolo - 90pts 28-30 day maceration Soil, tea and roast wild herbs greet the nose with oily, woody herb stems, rosemary, bay leaf, and floral note giving a chinato tone to the nose, more roots, beet and parsley, not fruit driven but very complex 2+ Lovely texture in the mouth, open an almost delicate with medium light weight, very ripe tannins and good acidity 3 Open in the mouth with a touch of orchard fruits then more typical red wild cherry fruits, a touch of bay and a gentle medicinal top note, a bit simple but with good purity and intensity 2+ Offering a bit more spice on the medium length finish but pure if a touch simple 2+ http://www.snooth.com/wine/barolo-scarzello-italy-2004/ 2004 Barolo Vigna Merenda - 95pts 35 day maceration then 2 months in stainless followed by a few months in small wood to precipitate then into large wood for 30 months. Vigna Merenda is within Sarmassa Intensely aromatic, slightly chinato, drying grass, sweet warm cherry juice, deep almost profound depth of soil, herbs, mineral tones, lightly smoky top note with notes of black pepper and strong prosciutto fat 3+ Rich yet elegant in the mouth with layered very fine tannins and solid acidity, very fine balance 3 Dark tones to the cherry fruit on entry with a deep core of chalky earth and top notes of ripe herbs, touch tarry, still tight and reticent 2 Finishes with fuzzy but sweet tannins, big and round in the mouth then very long and focused with a mineral rich core of fruit and emerging yellow floral tones, tannins creep in but build alongside excellent length and persistence with a finale of fresh almond 3+ http://www.snooth.com/wine/scarzello-barolo-merenda-2004/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Scarzello - An Emerging Star... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

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