Notes from a Barolo and Barbaresco (and Brunello) tasting

Here are some short notes from an excellent Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino tasting, with an Aussie nebbiolo from Giaconda thrown in at the end.

A well named wine from Borgogno.

Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Asili 2001, 14abv
Tar, roses.  Fine grained tannins, medium length, lovely balanced wine in its drinking prime. Fantastic start.  Rating: Very Good (★★★★)

Marcarini Brunate Barolo 2011, 14abv
Very youthful expression.  Redcurrant, prunes, pepper, earth, florals.  Palate is fruit driven and elegant but builds weight in the glass with air.  Still a baby, and enjoyed time in the glass. Good to Very Good (★★★☆)

Traversa Starderi Barbaresco 2010, 13.5abv

Lowest alcohol wine for the night.  Delicious too.  Tar, herbs, violets and rosemary nose.  Palate has flesh, good length, hints of raspberry and earth.  Joyous drinking right now.  Very Good (★★★★)

Cigliuti Vie Erte Barbaresco 2010, 14abv
Tar and roses again.  Licorice, earth.  On the palate some powdery oak tannin, medium length, plum skins, firm tanins, high acid.  May well age forever.  Good to Very Good (★★★☆)

Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino 2007, 15abv
A definite change in style on the palate heralding the first Brunello in the set.  Plum, earth, licorice, cedar aromatics.  Palate has earth, blackcurrant, licorice, cherry, towards long length. Good wine, youthful in impression, components coming together and 15abv in balance.  Good to Very Good (★★★☆)

Borgogno Etichetta “No Name” 2011, 15abv
Outstanding label: declassified Barolo labelled literally as “No Name”.  In fact, appellation of Langhe claimed on the back label.  Aromatics of roses and florals.  Quite pretty.  Some tomato bush too. Palate has very high acid, huge tannins and a strict impression. Built to last.  Very Good (★★★★)

Luigi Pira Serralunga Barolo 2010, 14.5abv
Classic aroma – tar and roses again.  The palate is fresh and has a lovely moreish balance to it with good length and floral intent, cloaking some serious structure.  Decant.  Very Good (★★★★)

Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2010, 14.5abv
Less obviously Brunello, although the spittoons didn’t receive much of a workout by this point of the tasting.  Licorice and earth aromatics.  Plum and cherry characters on the palate with some strawberry red fruit notes too.  Very good drinking.  Very Good (★★★★)

Giaconda Nebbiolo 2010, 13.8abv

And to complete an excellent benchmarking exercise, an Aussie wine to contrast. The aroma was immediately different, but with time reverted more to Nebbiolo type. Roses, wet rosemary, pepper, eucalyptus and some menthol on the nose. The palate didn’t have the framing acidity of the preceding wines, but nonetheless had attractive cherry characters, with a touch of fruit sweetness.  Good (★★★)