Wine Tasting

February 17, 2010

Nebbiolo

 

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Hosts: 

 

Bob & Heather Popple

 
Comments: A superbly organized tasting, with six Italian red wines.  Bob explained that he adopted a Wine Spectator technique to evaluate wines.  The idea is to start with a revealed reference wine  and then, tasting it before each of the five unknowns (labeled 1-5), evaluate the unknown wines - in comparison to the GIVEN evaluation of the reference wine.

The results were very interesting - and quite surprising!

Wines:

Code Winery Label Variety Vintage Points Source Cost
             
Ref. Frescobaldi Nipozzano Rufina Reserva Chianti 2005 91 BCLS $24.99
1 Che Storia   Barbaresco 2003 82.6 Trader Joe's - US $23.00
2 Fattoria La Loggia Barolo 2005 86.0 Trader Joe's - US $23.99
3 Casa Vinicola Fratelli Casetta Casetta Barolo 1997 86.9 everywine.co.uk $97.00*
4 Azienda Agricola Paolo Scavino Carobric Barolo 1999 90.3 Fine & Rare Wines $74.08
5 Mascarello Giacomo & Figili   Barolo 1990 86.8 Dr. RBI Sinclair unknown

* Note, this wine is significantly less expensive for more recent vintages.

Wine Notes:

Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Reserva, 2005

Sangiovese 90%, complementary varieties (Malvasia nera, Colorino, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon),  one of the historic wines produced at the Castello di Nipozzano.  This wine always retains its close relationship with the Castello di Nipozzano terroir.  Serving suggestions: barbecued meat and beef stews, aged cheeses.

Wine Spectator 91 points: "Fine tannins, vanilla and bright fruit flavours.  Clean and racy."

Che Storia Barbaresco, 2003

Good description by a wine blogger on the Web: "Nothing special or overly complex but the smoky oak, potent and long lasting licorice and consistent cherry flavor sit on your tongue long after the sip is gone.  Delicate and fun finish."

Casa Vinicola Fratelli Casetta, 1997

Everywine.co.uk: "Casetta Reserva is aged in 100% new barriques for five years and bottled with neither fining nor filtration, it is a full-bodied, rich structured garnet/ruby-coloured wine offering an emerging bouquet of rose petals cherries, leather, spice box and tobacco. Powerful concentrated pure dense and moderately tannic it is not as flashy and precocious as many of its peers but is unquestionably a classic."

Paolo Scavino Carobric, 1999

Wine Spectator 94 points (on the 2000): "Wonderfully fresh and floral, with strawberry, raspberry and cut cedar aromas. Full-bodied, with refined tannins and a clean, fresh finish. Builds on the palate. Very elegant and long. Not quite the 1997 or 1995, but clearly outstanding. Best after 2008. 1,945 cases made."

Mascarello Giacomo & Figili, 1990

Unfortunately, this wine was past its prime and had that older wine taste: a little musty and unpleasant.  Underneath, though, you could tell that it was a great wine in its prime.