2008 Archive

This is a summary of titles posted through 2008 :

Updated 2001 Barolo Scoreboard
1. 2008 Fall Inaugural Dinner (the 27th year of the Club).
2. COLORADO WINE TASTING !
3. Pictures of Special Events
4. Bob_Cassandra Engagement Dinner
5. More 2005 Red Burgundies
6. 2003 Brunellos
7. 2005 Red Burgundies--Part 5 (Vosne & Chambolle)
8. What is a GRAND VIN? 2005 GRAND CRU RED BURGUNDY TASTING
9. Wines of Atillio Ghisolfi
10. A Tale of 2 Barolos
11. 2005 Red Burgundies--Part 3

Updated 2001 Barolo Score card 12/2008

Update: Recently, I re-tasted a few 2001 Barolos to see how they were coming along and how I might score them today. There was NO VARIANCE from my original impressions, which is statistically a peculiarity. Maybe with a larger sampling pool I may find wines that I scored poorly to be better than I thought and vice versa. But, for now, it pleases me to find consistency in my ratings.

The re-tasted wines are in bold font in the scoreboard ( see below) with score alongside. My overall impression is that these wines will not follow the norm and will be ready to drink sooner rather than later. After all most of the wines were made in a far less reductive manner than in the past. Except for some concentrated examples, especially from Serralunga, I am inclined to think that most will be ready to be enjoyed (some may even approach their peak) starting soon (2010?). However, I do not think their "drinkability" window will be measured in decades, as in the past. The lower tannin levels will require them to be drunk before they (tannins) fade. A barolo without any trace of tannin is a boring wine. It may survive longer but that is not the point, is it? Unless of course you want your barolos to taste like port.

The wines rated are described in detail (tasting notes) in the March 2007 blog and in a November 2006 blog. Ratings from a subsequent May 2007 tasting have been back added to the scoreboard. There is some semblance of order of preference within categories but that is not of importance.

Most controversial are the wines of G.Mascarello and the Cannubi of Scavino , which were unanimously disliked by the tasting group. The Scavino wine for instance may have been a bad bottle (no corkiness or such though) but my own feeling is that the 1999 Cannubi is so much better. After 2 poor specimens of Mascarello Monprivato a third, and more typical (based on other's raves) bottle changed my opinion around. But there is a cautionary story for all of us who critique wines;which of the 3 Monprivato bottles was representative ?

Some wines have been also been added to the scoreboard subsequent to the tastings . If a previously scored wine is tasted/drunk again within a year of a previous sample a new score is added.

Outstanding:(>95 points)
None tasted so far.

Excellent : (92-95 points)
Conterno,G. “Cascina Francia"
Cavalloto Bricco Boschis
Vietti "Brunate"
Pira (Chiara Boschis) "Cannubi"
Manzone “Meriame” ( terrible corks may impact about aging potential)
Porro “Lazzaraisco” 92
Mascarello, G “Mon Privato” (original rating)

Very Good (89-92 points)
Grasso,E “Gavarini Vigna Chiniera”
Massolino “Parafada”
Einaudi "Cannubi"
Schiavenza “Broglio”
Marcarini "Brunate"
Grasso, E “Ginestra Casa Mate”
Marcarini “La Serra” 90
Rosso, G “Cerretta” ( poor cork--yet good for now)
Damilano "Cannubi"
Aurelio Settimo "Rocche" (9/07)

Fair to Good (85-89 points)
Manzone “Gramolere-Le Bricat” 88 (down graded after 2 other bottles tasted weaker)
Scavino "Cannubi"
Marengo “Brunate”

Principiano "Boscareto" (10/07; near term wine)
Cogno "Ravera"
Cucco "Ceratti" (10/7; start to drink-basically a Barolo suited for lunch)
Seghesio “La Villa”

Camerano "Cannubi" 87

Brovia "Villero" 87
Boasso “Gabutti” 86
Boroli "Villero"
Mascarello, G “S.Stefano di Perno”
Fenocchio "Villero"
Molino “Gancia”
Revello “Giacchini”85
Sebaste "Monvigliero"

Not To My Liking (less than 85 pts)

F.Borgogno "Cannubi"