Castle Fine Wines

• February 2010

  There are a multitude of reasons (I think) that California cabs have become so insipid. The fist one is the rating system, the another is the people who follow the rating system. Since most of California can be used to grow grapes, especially along the sea board, is means that we... Read moreThere are a multitude of reasons (I think) that California cabs have become so insipid. The fist one is the rating system, the another is the people who follow the rating system. Since most of California can be used to grow grapes, especially along the sea board, is means that we (I'm a Californian) can grow more grapes than any other state, this doesn't mean that all the grapes that California produces will be fine, wine making grapes, but more to the likes of "Two-Buck Chuck" shit wine. However, if that Two-Buck Crap gets rated a 87 by Wine Spectator, it will fly off the shelves faster than the actual, fine wine (let's just say Spring Mountain's Sauv. blanc). This is the problem with wine: "Bordeaux should be serious, not fun or flirtatious like its California cousin (twice removed). Sadly, this is all starting to change, and even worse, I wasn’t even around when things were different. Now, the wines of Bordeaux are being exploited by their makers, the score-makers now dictate what action to take when making these wines, due to wine becoming an ever-present part of the American culture we have begun to buy more and more foreign wines rather than our own domestic wines, while this isn’t such a problem for wine makers, it is a problem for aficionados (wine appreciators). The American wine drinker likes full-bodied reds with tons of oak, full of easily describable fruit flavors, a splash of vanilla and spice and a dash of everything nice (sound familiar?); as it turns out, Robert Parker Jr. does too! I wonder: could this be some sort of coincidence? So, here we have a score giver dictating to the Americans which wine is “good” and which wine is “bad”. Now, the Americans have become quite influential in the wine world, and while the Americans do not consume the most wine per person (that title belongs to the French) the Americans have more people buying wine. This is just classic numbers: there are more Americans than there are French, just the same with the Italians, and Spanish. So, because we have more people drinking their wine in our country we can dictate what these wines should taste like. So, because of the score-makers, the score-chasers dictate the market: now there’s a dinner conversation. Over the years as Americans have become more and more influential in the wine market, the wines of the old world (France, Italy, Spain, Etc...) have begun to change, tailored to the International Market: homogenized, as to appeal to the large body of consumers rather than the smaller, but ever-growing body of appreciators. This is a depressing thought, but as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the more you will see the homogenization of things. These wines are hedonistic, full of pleasure, and tell me, what is wrong with that? It is more the case of the fear that is all we will see in the future: hedonistic wines. You can see the market osmosis happening, the American circle of influence expanding into uncharted territories, dictating to foreign dignitaries of what wine to make, this is almost an invasion; there are countries whose sovereignty is being threatened by the American consumer’s power; and as usual, there is no respect given to these foreign countries’ wines, they are simply given a poor score and put out of business, their lands absorbed by another winery in order to produce more full bodied red with the guise of an old Chateau razed centuries ago printed on the bottle, “Oh, that’s a pretty castle, I’ll buy that one, it must be good” The consumer thinks (or does he/she?). There it is, the generic plonk is then shoved into pretty bottles and thrown on the shelves of a supermarket near you. This is real Bordeaux, this actually happens; it’s nothing personal, it’s just business. This has happened here, what makes you think that this doesn’t happen over there? The question arises now, “where can I find good, real wine?” The honest answer is: you have to know the wines, their makers, and their ideals; you also have to drink wine, a lot of it." This isn't just happenng with California cabs, it is happening to every wine, everywhere. Wine is corporatized, and will whore itself out to the largest market, most old school wine critics and writers will tell you that, especially Henry Waugh, if he were still alive.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic What's wrong with California... by Matchupichu

  
  

• 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

  
  

• October 2008

  Wines tasted during this visit; 2005 Bussiador Chardonnay 91pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile 87pts 2004 Barolo 89pts 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo Il Favot 88pts 2004 Barolo Colonello 95pts 2004 Barolo Romirasco 95pts There are names in Piemonte that breed not only admiration... Read more Wines tasted during this visit; 2005 Bussiador Chardonnay 91pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile 87pts 2004 Barolo 89pts 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo Il Favot 88pts 2004 Barolo Colonello 95pts 2004 Barolo Romirasco 95pts There are names in Piemonte that breed not only admiration but also confusion. Conterno is certainly one of them with Paolo, Giacomo, and Aldo all producing fine yet distinct wines. Of these producers I can comfortably say I knew most about Giacomo, least about Franco, and was simply under the wrong impression about Aldo. During an earlier visit to the region I marveled at the castle under construction that is both home to, and winery for Poderi Aldo Conterno. The fantasy construction just added to the misconceptions I had about this famous estate. With first class marketing, and a distinct image, I had been under the impression that Poderi Aldo Conterno was approaching mass-market status. Their wines had undergone several shifts over the past few years, beginning with a lighter style adopted early in the 90’s, which was followed by a flirtation in the late 90’s with a decidedly more modern style. In a philosophical shift it was decided in 1998 to change methods in both the vineyards and the cellars to produce a fresher, more fruit driven Barolo. With a few years under their belt and the wholesale shift to neutral botte for the Baroli almost complete, Aldo Conterno has returned to the top rank of Barolo Producers in what can only be called an enlightened traditional style. As part of this shift it was decided to use only Slavonian oak botte for the ageing of Barolo. Due to the fact that several new botte were purchased in recent years people had the wrong impression that the wines had gotten oakier. Ironically the move to less oak did in fact have the opposite effect for several years. While this oak was obvious, the fact that it was from botte and Slavonian in origin has meant that it took only a few short years to integrate into the wines in question. I came away from the meeting with young Giacomo Conterno surprised at the small scale of the operation. Not that it is small but rather that it all seems much more personal than their brand image would have one believe. The quality of the wines was also a somewhat pleasant surprise but truth be known I had tried a pair of Baroli blind earlier in the year and was so impressed with them I figured I owed it to myself to investigate further. Of course this is a very storied family. Giacomo Conterno is arguably the most famous producer of Barolo and the grandfather of both Roberto Conterno who now runs that estate and the young Giacomo Conterno I had the pleasure of tasting with. Their respective fathers, Brothers Aldo and Giovanni, split due to philosophical differences in 1967. Aldo had spent a few years in the US during the late 50’s when seeds were planted that would eventually lead to the creation of Poderi Aldo Conterno. In 1969 Aldo purchased the Favot farm in Monforte. He had been searching for property in Monforte since he always remembered his grandfather had said there were two great terroirs in the Langhe; Serralunga and Monforte. Since Giovanni was already working in Serralunga, Aldo opted to start anew in Monforte, and more specifically in the subzone of Bussia. As part of the agreement made during the split existing stocks of Giacomo Conterno wines were to be shared by the two brothers so all that pre 1968 Aldo Conterno wine is in fact from the Giacomo Conterno stocks. Great wines indeed. The expansive Southwest-facing vineyard of the Favot estate is home to 3 great Barolo Cru bottlings, each with their own distinctive character, as well as the base bottling. This was until recently known as Bussia Soprana but now includes some fruit that, while part of the same vineyard, is actually located in the adjoining village of Barolo, thus the designation has changed to simply Barolo. I did not get the chance to taste the Cicala Cru on this visit as the 2004 was mostly destroyed by hail, but this usually is the most structured bottling and fairly screams Nebbiolo. This parcel of vines is predominantly Lampia blended with Michet. The ageworthyness of these wines in indisputable as attested to by a bottle of the 1978 had just a few years ago that was simply brilliant and still youthful. The Colonello Cru on the other hand is a wine that screams of the terroir and as Giovanni says, has a Teutonic character, it is strict and focused, predominantly Michet clone. The crown jewel of the three crus is undoubtedly the Romirasco. Rarely bottled on it’s own this vineyard has historically been the heart and soul of the Granbussia Riserva bottling. Fortunately for us they are now bottling a bit of the Romirasco separately and it must be experienced for it’s exotic spice character is simply like no other Barolo. Giovanni says this speaks of Conterno with its Asian character, coy and spicy. While Barolo is the star here there is a full range of wines worth tasting but be forewarned a much more modern approach is taken with them as is illustrated in the following notes. Bussiador Chardonnay 2005 Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations are done in 100% new barrique with a light+ toast level. The highest part of the Favot estate to the northeast of the property from 30 year old vines. Opened at cellar temperature this had fairly explosive and complex aromatics. Starting off slowly with a touch of banana and sandy soil notes this quickly adds a touch of incense, candle wax, some obvious toast notes and lightly candied pineapple. With air this gets progressively spicier with candied ginger notes and pie spice tones then top notes of apple blossoms/small yellow apples emerge. Very bright acids at first yield impressive concentration and while this is 14.9% alcohol it doesn’t feel hot and is well balanced. Richly flavored with complexity that matches the nose, layered with toasty notes accenting dried fruit tones followed by slatey, almost salty minerality. Giovanni comments that this is the terroir of Barolo after all. Finishes with good length and a touch of tannin. The wood is obvious but well integrated as is the mouth-watering acidity that leads to a finale of slightly salty butterscotch. Certainly an atypical Chardonnay but this is very interesting and well made. 91pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-langhe-chardonnay-bussiador-2005 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile 2005 Aged 12-15 months in 100% New Barriques The aromatics are intense here with immediate cigar box notes of feral, earthy tones. The fruit has a subtle foxy edge to the red plum/baked plum fruit but there is a spike of dark wood spice and ample tones of vanilla and baking spices. Bright acids right up front are refreshing and accentuate the red plum and bright wild berry fruit on the mid-palate. Elegant and balanced with a touch of minerality that balances the fruit and drives the cleansing acids of the finish. Just a touch of tannin becomes obvious on the finish with its jolly rancher cherry and watermelon tones ending on a touch of vanilla and cigar box. A nice Barbera with tons of ripe acids keeping everything lively and fresh but weighed down just a touch by the wood. 87pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barbera-dalba-conca-tre-pile-2005-1 Barolo 2004 This replaces the old Bussia Soprana bottling as with this vintage the fruit is now 80% Bussia and 20% from the commune of Barolo though they are contiguous parts of the same vineyard. The Barolo fruit used to go into the Favot but the vines have matured and are now producing juice worthy of being called Barolo. This macerates for 2-3 weeks in stainless before ageing for 2 years in Botte of Slavonian oak. A bit heavy on the nose with syrupy fruit, driven by soil tones with a touch of oyster shell then a hint of caper berry, turning a bit spicy with a touch of white pepper, not very giving aromatically. In the mouth this enters a bit block with gritty tannins and a nice traditional if tough feel. The tannins certainly need more time to integrate but the balance is good and the wine puts on weight with air revealing dark, chewy cherry fruit with medicinal herb tones and a touch of fudgy caramellato. The midpalate gains a bit of spice with notes of coriander, beetroot, and strawberry seeds adding complexity and brightening the red fruits. The finish is cut short by the rather imposing tannins which are a touch drying and allows the finale to be dominated by slight menthol tones and emerging minerality. A very solid Barolo Normale that looks to be an excellent candidate for improvement in the cellar. 89pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barolo-2004-1 Langhe Nebbiolo Il Favot 2005 Younger vines, up to 15-20 years of age, go into this 100% Nebbiolo wine that is aged for 18 months in 100% new barrique. This opens with intense and characteristic aromas of Nebbiolo, a touch of tamarind then floral top notes, slightly dried cherry fruit, and a hint of menthol but also has obvious wood tones of spice, toast and vanilla, which are balanced. The acidity pops out on entry followed by well managed tannins in a medium bodied package that offers up dark fruit with a touch of peachy overtones some herbal freshness and layers of medicinal spice and aromatic roots. With air the Nebbiolo tannins pop on the mid-palate offering more focus and mouthgrab that leads to a clean, fresh finish, which shows the fruit sweetening a bit. 88pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-langhe-nebbiolo-il-favot-2005 Barolo Colonello 2004 A 2 week maceration is followed by several months in stainless before being aged 28 to 30 months in Slavonian oak botte. A touch of drying grass greats the nose then is followed by very precise emerging notes of sea grass and menthol. The tight dark fruit emerge slowly and remain reticent in the glass but the menthol and mineral tones gain in impact. The mouth feel here is fantastic, cool and poised, power without much weight this feels facetted and chiseled and much like the nose remains tight though it does offer up glimpses of fresh fruit, earthy wild cherry and a touch of subtle pomegranate that is intriguing. The mineral cut on the long finish is refreshing and incipient vitamin/mineral notes are refreshing. While this is very tight a previous bottles was spectacular with classic fruit, sottobosco, and truffle notes that blew me away. Based on the two notes I suggest putting this away for years. 2014-2030 95pts. http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barolo-colonnello-barolo-2004/ Barolo Romirasco 2004 A 2 week maceration is followed by several months in stainless before being aged 28 to 30 months in Slavonian oak botte. Unlike the stern Colonello this is flamboyant with intense floral tones, layered sappy fruits, sweet, gentle spice tones and a touch of espresso foam. In the mouth this is downright suave with very fine tannins and a broad mouth feel that remains remarkably delicate. Spicy red fruits are complimented my tones of maduro tobacco, iron driven earthy tones and intense top notes of aromatic grasses, minerals and exotic spice tones. The wild cherry fruit is intense on the palate and turns darker on the backend leading to the finish with it’s unfolding layers of subtle tea, middle eastern spice notes and almost a touch of curry. This really has lovely clarity and amazing transparency with wonderfully ripe tannins. A bit outside the norm for Barolo with it’s spicy exotic character but completely compelling. 2010-2024 95pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barolo-romirasco-2004/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Poderi Aldo Conterno comes... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

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