2001 Barolo Tasting

November 5th, 2006
Wines were decanted and poured back into bottles 6 hours prior to the tasting. Tasting was done blind in flights of 3 in the order below. After unveiling of the wines they were assembled in new flights of 3 and served with the following menu and reassessed. The first score is that of the blind tasting portion, the second score is that with food or even the next day.

MENU
1. Sauteed Penne with Foie Gras, Mushrooms and Duck Bacon
2. Roast Poussin with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
or Duck Leg Confit with Salad Greens and Radicchio Trevisano
3. Boneless Lamb Shank with Orzo and Sugar Snap Peas
4. Selection of Piemonte Cheeses: Testun, Castelmagno (aged)
and Mattonella

G.Mascarello, Monprivato: Garnet; still totally closed on the nose with aromatics that show finesse rather than power; quite broad in flavor and with great structure it is still puzzlingly shy of the depth and richness expected of this vaunted vintage. Even with food it is very much austere and unexciting. Is it the bottle? Judgement reserved. 89+

L.Sandrone, Le Vigne: Nearly 5 shades darker than the Monprivato it is also quite different in style, being modern and aromatically forward with classic notes of tar and of roses. Woodsy and soft on the palate it is impressively extracted and rounded out with fine and thoroughly ripe tannins. Magically even more alive with food. 92/93

E.Pira , Marenca: Also very dark; even though the nose has toasty oak and vanillin it is still somehow less modern than the Sandrone, showing restraint and minerality . Explosive fruit on entry suddenly subsides in the mid-palate under the weight of tannin; quite rich and full it develops dramatically with time to become a subsuming force on the palate with a sensationally long finish. Totally in harmony with the penne course and its rich foie gras sauce. 92/94

Veglio, Gattera: Medium dark; sports a lovely nose with essence of attar and new leather as well as a herbal element; intense and explosive on the attack it too, like the Pira wine, calms down in mid stride showing tremendous dry extract and a long finish. Later it shows more gentle and restrained but then also reveals some low acidity. No matter, this is excellent. 93/92

Manzone, Gramolere: Garnet colored; teasing scents of sweet, ripe black fruits with a faint perfume of flowers and candle-wax; medium-full with supple tannins, stylishly contoured fruit but with less than perfect balance due to its low acidity. Still this wine is excellent with the poussin to which it adds a nice anise counterpoint. This will be ready soon. 89/90

Revello, Giacchini: Quite dark; nose has rich fruit and mocha scents; palate is uncomplicated and rather linear with only an emphasis on fruit. Even with food the one-dimensional character of the wine continues. 86/85

Seghesio, La Villa: Very dark; mentholated fruit, "tartuffo" and spicy new oak--thoroughly modern style. So ripe is the fruit that this tastes like Barolo with some Taylor 10 year old Tawny Port. Coconutty and flamboyant this is not what I consider typical Barolo. And as it sits, and with food, it is overpowering and boorish. Not my style. 88/??

A.Conterno, Bussia: Excellent depth of color; high toned nose which veils the perfume and fruit scents rising from the glass--excitingly mysterious; lovely fruit with excellent balance and grip; outstanding acidity to the medium bodied flavors of red fruits and earthy mushrooms. Later on, with food the wine blossoms even more and is quite generous (albeit slightly chunky) and flavorsome to the end. 92/93

Clerico, Ciabot Mentin-Ginestra: Medium dark; the nose is tightly shut and totally unevocative; solid and stolid on the palate this has a roasted warm compote of blackberries and anise --nearly classic with its abundance of tannins which,even with food, was mostly unyielding. Possibly an excellent wine. 92/91

Azelia, Bric Fiasco: Medium dark; sweet tartuffo nose with fresh crushed rose petals; surprisingly tannic on entry but there is so much fruit that after the first sip the fruit appears to get the upper hand; excellent balance and because of its sound acidity the finish is long and interesting. Strangely it did not partner well with the lamb where it went "MUTE". Excellent wine. 94/92

Marcarini, La Serra: Quite dark; licorice, blackberries and lemon verbena on the nose; rather tight and not much going on now; it has rich acidity and ample fruit but even with food it was not very revealing. My guess is that this is a butterfly waiting to take wing. 90

Marengo, Brunate : Dark, almost bluish; nose is totally modern and is more reminiscent of a Priorat wine than a classic Barolo; rich and intensely fruity (the blue color was a tip-off) it is also very supple and forward. An excellent restaurant wine. To my palate this is on the simple side. 87/??