Brovia
April 2023 visit
In 2019 Brovia bought land in Alberretta Torre 5 km for Brea as the crow flies. It’s 200m high than Alba, with weather like 15-20 years ago, same soil as Serralunga, more than 70% sand in some parts. They have planted Nebbiolo and a little bit of Freisa, part American roots, and part own-rooted in sand. With a south southwest exposition, the vineyard averages 2 degrees less than Serralunga with higher levels of rain and snow. Total surface area is around 2 acres, ends with cliff on two sides
2012 Brovia Dolcetto Vignavillej 14%
A bit of Castiglione fruit with most coming from Brea.
Bottled Thursday two weeks ago
Tight, showing just a hint of reduction, stone, plum skin, fairly spicy, gently floral on the nose. Bright, lovely balance, has just an edge of flesh to it. Bright and juicy though not terribly edgy, but long and succulent with some lovely tight little tannins, sapid, there’s a density here not plump but deep, Plummy and relatively dark cherry fruit with a red almost currant note gracing the finish. 91pts
2021 Brovia Barbera Sori del Drago 13.9%
Lower yields in 2021 so only produced Sori del Drago
Serralunga and Castiglione
Only ss
Tight but light and pure, love the way this is expressing itself, delicate, violet, leather, black cherry, soil, Fruity and entry, very good cut, fabulous freshness, great purity to the fruit, a little mulberry, very black cherry, great energy and cut and less weight than expected. Just great, so balanced and nuanced. It is fabulously drinkable, uncomplicated but not simple. 94pts
2020 Brovia Nebbiolo d’Alba
Bottled last Friday
Quite fruity, currants, raspberries, with a gentle menthol backdrop, good fruit, freshness and complexity, with hints of tar and licorice. Elegant, has a fine supple edge, great depth of fruit and purity of red fruit, a bright jump on the backend, good length and purity, gently balsamic, but the almost silky texture is what is most striking here and the moderate but impressive length, another absolutely delicious wine that is relatively open knit friendly and classic. 93pts
2019 Brovia Barolo Classico
Tank sample
A little hazelnut, tight rosebud, a hint of cocoa, dark soil tones, menthol, a bit of fruit, elegant with terrific balance, just great harmony with abundant but ripe tannins, drops off a bit of the midpalate where it turns a touch bright before ending on a soft gently lingering finish, a bit softer and more gentle than I expected, its a lovely nuanced, very youthful Barolo, very fine and ripe tannins. 90pts
2019 Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione
Bottled last year
I love this nose, floral, roses, elegant, lingonberry, small red fruits, so elegant, nuanced, and fine, with some sandy soil notes and a gently weedy herbaceous edge. Elegant, real depth of fruit, this is fairly rich, again ripe tannins, super tension, great vibrant length, long dark cherry skin and rose petal finale. Slowly emerging inner mouth perfumes, this will be very fine, a touch richer than normal, and quite perfumed. Really sneaky length. 94pts
2019 Garblet sue none because of hail, sept 5
2019 Brovia Barolo Villero
Overtly fruity on the nose, rose petals, a bit of herbaceousness, more pronounced, richer in the mouth, very well balanced great acids, lovely brightness to the tart red berry fruit., rich and a bit plump, easy to understand, slightly rustic tannins, plump, should perform well over the medium term, lacks the elegance and refinement of the rocche if offering more oomph and palate impact. 91pts
2019 Brovia Barolo Brea
A distinctly Serralunga nose, dark, slightly medicinal hinting at carob, a touch of nettle, quite complex, very intense, very intensely dusty on the nose as well. Knock out, gorgeous wine, rich seamless, deep, angular wine packed with fruit, tight, very short still, powdery tannins, elegant and powerful, it is short, the length is drawn out by the ripe tannins and there a dark cherry juicy burst of fruit on the finale. There’s also remarkable transparency. 96pts
2020 Brovia Barolo Rocche
Tank sample
Less ripe, has a green fennel edge to it, very verdant meadow freshness, has a gentle floral extraction, a touch loose, lovely wine lacking the depth and tension of the best vintages but showing a happy disposition, open character, lovely fruit, already approachable, already very harmonious tannins show a hint o firmness, dryness, typical Rocche tannin says Alex.
2020 Brovia Barolo Ca Mia
More intense and better suited to the character of the vintage, this smells fabulous, nuanced, complex, small red fruits a hint of cedar, more depth, great depth, angularity, power and elegance, deep and slightly chewy, elegant and refined, chewy tannins, this is great wine, really long, Already perfumed in the mouth, this is nearly perfectly proportioned and perfectly ripe with strawberry and tart cherry fruit, has extremely high potential.
In 2019 Brovia bought land in Alberretta Torre 5 km for Brea as the crow flies. It’s 200m high than Alba, with weather like 15-20 years ago, same soil as Serralunga, more than 70% sand in some parts. They have planted Nebbiolo and a little bit of Freisa, part American roots, and part own-rooted in sand. With a south southwest exposition, the vineyard averages 2 degrees less than Serralunga with higher levels of rain and snow. Total surface area is around 2 acres, ends with cliff on two sides
2012 Brovia Dolcetto Vignavillej 14%
A bit of Castiglione fruit with most coming from Brea.
Bottled Thursday two weeks ago
Tight, showing just a hint of reduction, stone, plum skin, fairly spicy, gently floral on the nose. Bright, lovely balance, has just an edge of flesh to it. Bright and juicy though not terribly edgy, but long and succulent with some lovely tight little tannins, sapid, there’s a density here not plump but deep, Plummy and relatively dark cherry fruit with a red almost currant note gracing the finish. 91pts
2021 Brovia Barbera Sori del Drago 13.9%
Lower yields in 2021 so only produced Sori del Drago
Serralunga and Castiglione
Only ss
Tight but light and pure, love the way this is expressing itself, delicate, violet, leather, black cherry, soil, Fruity and entry, very good cut, fabulous freshness, great purity to the fruit, a little mulberry, very black cherry, great energy and cut and less weight than expected. Just great, so balanced and nuanced. It is fabulously drinkable, uncomplicated but not simple. 94pts
2020 Brovia Nebbiolo d’Alba
Bottled last Friday
Quite fruity, currants, raspberries, with a gentle menthol backdrop, good fruit, freshness and complexity, with hints of tar and licorice. Elegant, has a fine supple edge, great depth of fruit and purity of red fruit, a bright jump on the backend, good length and purity, gently balsamic, but the almost silky texture is what is most striking here and the moderate but impressive length, another absolutely delicious wine that is relatively open knit friendly and classic. 93pts
2019 Brovia Barolo Classico
Tank sample
A little hazelnut, tight rosebud, a hint of cocoa, dark soil tones, menthol, a bit of fruit, elegant with terrific balance, just great harmony with abundant but ripe tannins, drops off a bit of the midpalate where it turns a touch bright before ending on a soft gently lingering finish, a bit softer and more gentle than I expected, its a lovely nuanced, very youthful Barolo, very fine and ripe tannins. 90pts
2019 Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione
Bottled last year
I love this nose, floral, roses, elegant, lingonberry, small red fruits, so elegant, nuanced, and fine, with some sandy soil notes and a gently weedy herbaceous edge. Elegant, real depth of fruit, this is fairly rich, again ripe tannins, super tension, great vibrant length, long dark cherry skin and rose petal finale. Slowly emerging inner mouth perfumes, this will be very fine, a touch richer than normal, and quite perfumed. Really sneaky length. 94pts
2019 Garblet sue none because of hail, sept 5
2019 Brovia Barolo Villero
Overtly fruity on the nose, rose petals, a bit of herbaceousness, more pronounced, richer in the mouth, very well balanced great acids, lovely brightness to the tart red berry fruit., rich and a bit plump, easy to understand, slightly rustic tannins, plump, should perform well over the medium term, lacks the elegance and refinement of the rocche if offering more oomph and palate impact. 91pts
2019 Brovia Barolo Brea
A distinctly Serralunga nose, dark, slightly medicinal hinting at carob, a touch of nettle, quite complex, very intense, very intensely dusty on the nose as well. Knock out, gorgeous wine, rich seamless, deep, angular wine packed with fruit, tight, very short still, powdery tannins, elegant and powerful, it is short, the length is drawn out by the ripe tannins and there a dark cherry juicy burst of fruit on the finale. There’s also remarkable transparency. 96pts
2020 Brovia Barolo Rocche
Tank sample
Less ripe, has a green fennel edge to it, very verdant meadow freshness, has a gentle floral extraction, a touch loose, lovely wine lacking the depth and tension of the best vintages but showing a happy disposition, open character, lovely fruit, already approachable, already very harmonious tannins show a hint o firmness, dryness, typical Rocche tannin says Alex.
2020 Brovia Barolo Ca Mia
More intense and better suited to the character of the vintage, this smells fabulous, nuanced, complex, small red fruits a hint of cedar, more depth, great depth, angularity, power and elegance, deep and slightly chewy, elegant and refined, chewy tannins, this is great wine, really long, Already perfumed in the mouth, this is nearly perfectly proportioned and perfectly ripe with strawberry and tart cherry fruit, has extremely high potential.
From a May 2017 on site visit
I don’t want to say too much about Brovia. These are brilliant wines and such deft traditional interpretation of terroir made in small qualities. The prices remain entirely reasonable though I am afraid that that is bound to change. Simply put these have been among the best wines in any of the last 15 or so vintages. Powerful, complex, well balanced, and ageworthy.
2013 late harvest started middle to late October for nebbiolo traditional average was probably ten October
2015 Brovia Dolcetto d'Alba Vignavillej 13.5%
Cast Ser SS bottled in March
Tight on the nose, just a little musky, stony, dry mulberry blackberry fruit, with a ragu thing going on, showing some tomato and some braised meat. Airing brings out the more typical violet and almond aromas. Brighter than expected in the mouth, medium bodied, with lovely richness here but it doesn't sacrifice any elegance. A little transparent on the center of the palate but a dark and slightly earthy example of dolcetto with a dusty toned finish. Developing quite fine and typical inner mouth perfumes, a touch clipped in the mouth due to the richness then finishing with a fairly intense wild berry blackberry note. 91pts
2015 Brovia Barbera d'Alba Sori del Drago 14%
Only SS
Compressed on the nose, very ivy toned with a little artichoke followed by dusty graphite note and a top layer of India ink and a hint of blue plum fruit. Vibrant and lovely in the mouth medium bodied but zesty with a lovely texture. There's a little fat here but so much acid that it's barely noticeable, just a little grape skin tannin adding flesh in the mouth as well, then this turns liquory on the long finish with tons of plummy fruit. This would be a bit chewy with slightly less acid, the sparse yet supple tannins pepper the very persistent finish. Very fine Barbera just a bit large in scale. 92pts
2015 Brovia Barbera Ciabot del Fi 14.5%
9-12 months in wood, sample from inox
Nose shows a bit of wood influence still, not clean yet, will be racked. With air graphite and balsamic aromas emerge along with a little hazelnut nuttiness on nose. Already has a lovely texture with less power and fruity fat than the regular Barbera.There's more floral character and a tauter nature to the wine, lovely layered clay notes on the palate, leaves the palate clean and fresh with some mineral notes on the finish. This is what super Barbera should be, such snap on the finish, not fair to score out of barrel but seemingly better than the base. Showing incipient balsamic and India ink flavors with fine sweet/tart balance and persistence to the notably fresh fruit flavors. 91-94pts
2014 Brovia Nebbiolo Valmaggiore 14%
22 two weeks on skin
Lightly stewy rosehips greet the nose followed by significantly sweet cranberry and wild strawberry fruit with sandy supporting tones. This is very good, moderately rich but bright and juicy with lightly burnished fruit showing some evolution already. A little jammy watermelon fruit on the front of the palate, then turning a bit nutty and sandalwoody on the backend which shows fine length. This offers an impressive nebbiolo experience for a low entry price, it's not for the cellar but is drinking well already. Licorice jumps out on the nose with air along with menthol and camphor. Very fine grained, slightly dusty tannins add some mouthgrab here. The finish is the only aspect that is lacking, a little short but then a little balsamic note adds some length. This is better than it initially comes off as, but I expect the good showing here is indicative of a relatively brief life. Still, this is complex, classic, well balanced, and delicious. 89pts
2013 Brovia Barolo 14.5%
Classic on the nose, deep with aromas of berries in alcohol. Liquory berry fruit, a little sandalwood, and some tarry top notes. Bright, red fruit driven in the mouth, with impressive balance and elegance. Fine, savory depth on the palate and a real pronounced mineral imprint. The tannins are so ripe, so supple yet remaining present with acidity that is pronounced making this quite lively in the mouth. Fine length with a dusty rose petal inner mouth perfume. A phenomenal Barolo Classico, complete with good length rich with woodsy spice and pure, fresh fruit. 93pts
2013 Brovia Barolo Rocche del Castiglione 14.5%
Mineral laced on the nose nose with detailed notes of limestone layered under aromas of root vegetables, amarena cherry, dried and pressed flowers. A bit compressed on entry, this starts off as liquid rocks on the palate with an almost silky texture. Elegance for days, this has svelte power in the mouth, nuance and incredible depth of fruit and again this marriage of fruit, minerality, and savory spice that seems to be the signature of the vintage. Yet with an underlying tenderness and approachability, this is seamless, nothing out of place and packed tightly on the palate tight so its not showing full potential yet though the long bitter cherry and limestone finale is compelling. 95pts
2013 Brovia Barolo Barolo Villero 14.5%
A slight herbal wash, a bit minty, on the nose followed by a peachy and dark toned fruit, this shows a bit of plumminess and a decidedly peppery spice. Broad and open on the palate, a bit loosely knit after the firm and coiled Rocche, the lovely plum skin fruit with wild grape flavors in the mouth are delivered in a broader and more supple package than the Rocche. Still tannic but without the sheer density of the Rocche, a bit shorter. Very pretty and poised with a nice dusty clay tone on the palate that leads to a dusty finish with the tannins and some dried herb nuance. Medium weight, and fine, silkier than the Rocche, bright acids a bit more pronounced, lovely inner mouth perfumes, again real persistence to the fruit, a less dense and less tense example but shares the intensity of inner mouth perfume and bright character of the Rocche. 93pts
2013 Brovia Barolo Barolo Garblet Sue 14.5%
Slightly vegetal on the nose with incipient tobacco notes, lots of rose hips and menthol, and earthy, making this really smell like a flower pot, soil, pot and all, with a white soil streak running through it. This is supple bordering on opulent with a roundness and lushness that is unusual. The tannins are spherical, downright seductive, and paired with the rich with wild cherry, bitter cherry fruit make for some easy drinking. This is a bit more evolved than one might expect but it complete and texturally leans a little more towards the La Morra style of Barolo. Rich but not chewy, the tannins snap together on the focused tapering finish which shows really fine wild cherry fruit, so long. 94pts
2013 Brovia Barolo Brea Vigna Ca'mia 14.5%
Planted in 65
Dark and earthy on the nose with rich tobacco, dried roots, black olive, and black pepper nuance adding detail to the core of strawberry and black cherry fruit. More savory than the other wines in this lineup. Ripe, rich, and yet so well balanced, this shows off incredible depth in the mouth with salty minerality and hints of iron and blood on the nose that slowly emerge on the palate. The ripeness of this fruit is nearly perfect, profound, bloody, red plumy fruit paired with tannins that are chewy but not aggressive. Perhaps lacking the detail of the Rocche but the depth here is impressive, with real cut on the palate, a touch shorter than Garblet or Rocche, but the intensity of inner mouth perfumes makes this undeniably attractive. 95pts
2014 Brovia Barolo Rocche Barrel sample
Top of vineyard hasten layer of sandy soil
A little astringent on thenose, with some green arugula bitter greens quality under freshly crushed bright red fruit. Smaller in scale but no less juicy or impressive for that matter than the 2013. The finish is shorter but shows fine fruit with lots of limestone character. Just lovely, well balanced, with a lovely, slightly burnished fruit character. Turning very floral on the nose, with aromas of rose petals and green floral high tones. Tough to score this barrel sample but this is not really far behind the 13, just smaller, and lacking the sweet fruit of 13. 88-92pts
2014 Brovia Barolo Brea
A little nutty on the nose, shares that dark earthy tone, very dark fruit, a little cooked though with a wet, dark tobacco quality and nice nettle top notes. Moderately rich in the mouth, with a round impression in the mouth. Rather cylindrical, with lovely nuances and a decidedly chiseled feel. It's small scaled, though with really fine tannin structure, firm, high on the palate. and fairly long, with a leathery aspect on the finish. Behind the Rocche. 86-90pts
Visit May 2008
Visiting Brovia was a real treat for me as I have been following there wines for years. Their compact home has a bit of almost Nautical/Prairie influence typical of a certain time in Italian design. Being greeted in that courtyard by a lovely Brovia sisters certainly alleviate the anxiety one feels as their lovely dog alerts everyone of our arrival.
Nestled as they are at the foot of the hill of Castiglione Falletto, this Hamlet of Garbeletto gives it’s name to Brovia’s Garblet Sue bottling, made from their South-Southwest facing portion of the renowned Fiasco vineyard. With a concentration of holdings in Castiglione the Brovia family produces two other Cru Barolo, Villero and Rocche as well as a Bottling from the Serralunga vineyard Brea that is called Ca’Mia.
Having undergone recent replanting efforts the Ca’Mia vineyards’ younger vines now make half of the blend for the Brovia Normale bottling with the remaining half coming from the odds and ends of the remaining crus that don’t find their way into the botti.
In addition to fine Barolo Brovia is well known for their full line of Piedmontese wines though on this occasion we only had time to sample the two excellent Barberas. The Sori del Drago Bottling is a blend of fruit from Castiglione and Serralunga that sees only Stainless steel ageing thus preserving it’s sharp, traditional feel. On the other hand the Brea bottling, entirely from Serralunga fruit, sees over a years ageing in smaller wood giving the rich fruit a bit of a softer edge.
Brovia wines have consistently flown under the radar and these unique, expressive wines offer a great opportunity to compare the great terriors of Castiglione with a consistent wine making style. All of the Barolos undergo moderately long, traditional fermentations and then spend time in similar, large sized oak boti. They deserve the attention of all who appreciate this style of winemaking and if one ever has the chance to try their mythic 1985 Monprivato please let me know. I’m still waiting for my turn.
2005 Barbera Sori Del Drago – 89pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Fruity and fresh on the nose with floral tones and an almost salty mineral notes 2+
Big entry with bright acidity and just a hint of tannin,excellent integration 2+
Really fresh fruit tones with good depth to the black raspberry notes 2+
Clean and brisk on the finish with very precise strawberry and mineral notes 2+
2005 Barbera Brea – 88pts
From a bottle open 2 days
Jammy on the nose with a terpene edge, very dark fruit, wood is hinted at but integrated 2
Softer acidity with a mouthfilling feel that has a touch of cocoa like tannin 2+
Richly fruited with dark mineral almost truffly edges to the dried strawberry fruit that is almost sweet 2+
The finish is a touch short and soft with an aggressive mineral note 2
2004 Nebbiolo Valmaggiore – 89pts
From a bottle open 2 days
Very floral nose with hints of peach skin, ivy, and tender rosehip note, very high toned 2
Light and elegant in the mouth with sweet tannins and integrated acidity 2+
A bit rochy, strongly mineral on the attack with slightly sour and astringent strawberry/lingonberry fruits and a very gentle vegetal top note 2
Very nice cheek grabbing tannins frame the long edgy finish with it’s strawberry notes and hints of hazelnut, sandy and a meaty finale 3
2003 Barolo Villero – 87pts
From a bottle open 2 days
Hightoned yet a bit pruny on the nose with a bit of nut skin and macerated flowers adding interest. Adds some feral animale notes and a touch of candle wax 2+
Medium full in the mouth and well integrated if seemly a bit hot with a touch of drying tannin 2
Herbal on entry with a restrained core of dried raspberry fruit that is a touch earthy and rustic 2
Finishes long and a touch hot with better poise but still a touch hot, a nice minty flourish on the finale 2
2003 Ca’Mia – 93 pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Dark and dense on the nose with reticent notes of dried cherry, leather, medicinal herbs and roots and a menthol top note 3
Rich and powerful in the mouth with serious tannins and bright acidity 2+
Big flavors of astringent red berries, spicy nettles, hints of brown tones leaning towards tobacco, cocoa, leather and dried orchard fruits 3
Finishes a touch clipped but with layers of mineral, earth and herb notes that gain a gentle dried orchard fruit sweetness and a subtly spicy finale 3
2004 Barolo - 92pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Intense notes of walnut shells, violets, roast meat, herb stem, sand, a touch of menthol, spicy and every so stewy wild berry fruit 3
Superb elegance in the mouth with a sweet entry and a steely midpalate showing superb balance and integration 3+
Fresh and cool flavors of mineral, licorice and wild berry are crisp and virtually ready to drink, delicious 2+
The medium length finish is tight and taut with just a hint of austerity and noteworthy transparency to the earth and tobacco tones 2+
2004 Villero - 91pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Dark and smoky on the nose with plums in alcohol and rich earth and sottobsco notes. Top notes of pollen, saffron and lilac add hight and lighten it up 3
Big and a touch viscous in the mouth yet with superb freshness with bright acidity and tons of soft tannins 3
Dark and a touch mysterious in the mouth with licorice and cocoa notes up front that yield to dark, reticent fruit that is tinged with balsam mid-palate notes 2+
Very tight and taut on the finish with very savory fruit that has a strong mineral/tarry character and ends with spicy notes of salame on the finale 2+
(5/2008)
2004 Brovia Ca Mia – 90pts
Shy on the nose with subtle rosehips, ripe herbs, layered with dried strawberry and dry soil tones 3
Gentle and elegant in the mouth, caressing and elegant 2
Tight, lovely rosehip core with slight dried soil, dried herb edges to the small red fruits, slight drying apple peels perfume in the mouth 2
Very crisp on the finish with a high toned appeal that blends the dried red currant notes with edges of slightly spicy dried meats/speck, very long finish 3 (5/2008)
2004 Brovia Rocche – 88pts
Slightly jammy fruits on the nose with a slight feral edge, a touch meaty with menthol and asphalt undertones 2+
Good acids in the mouth with a soft, gentle, approachable character 2+
Low intensity flavors with great transparency, slight sour berry fruit, uncomplicated 2
Finishes short and austere without great intensity 2 (5/2008)
Visiting Brovia was a real treat for me as I have been following there wines for years. Their compact home has a bit of almost Nautical/Prairie influence typical of a certain time in Italian design. Being greeted in that courtyard by a lovely Brovia sisters certainly alleviate the anxiety one feels as their lovely dog alerts everyone of our arrival.
Nestled as they are at the foot of the hill of Castiglione Falletto, this Hamlet of Garbeletto gives it’s name to Brovia’s Garblet Sue bottling, made from their South-Southwest facing portion of the renowned Fiasco vineyard. With a concentration of holdings in Castiglione the Brovia family produces two other Cru Barolo, Villero and Rocche as well as a Bottling from the Serralunga vineyard Brea that is called Ca’Mia.
Having undergone recent replanting efforts the Ca’Mia vineyards’ younger vines now make half of the blend for the Brovia Normale bottling with the remaining half coming from the odds and ends of the remaining crus that don’t find their way into the botti.
In addition to fine Barolo Brovia is well known for their full line of Piedmontese wines though on this occasion we only had time to sample the two excellent Barberas. The Sori del Drago Bottling is a blend of fruit from Castiglione and Serralunga that sees only Stainless steel ageing thus preserving it’s sharp, traditional feel. On the other hand the Brea bottling, entirely from Serralunga fruit, sees over a years ageing in smaller wood giving the rich fruit a bit of a softer edge.
Brovia wines have consistently flown under the radar and these unique, expressive wines offer a great opportunity to compare the great terriors of Castiglione with a consistent wine making style. All of the Barolos undergo moderately long, traditional fermentations and then spend time in similar, large sized oak boti. They deserve the attention of all who appreciate this style of winemaking and if one ever has the chance to try their mythic 1985 Monprivato please let me know. I’m still waiting for my turn.
2005 Barbera Sori Del Drago – 89pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Fruity and fresh on the nose with floral tones and an almost salty mineral notes 2+
Big entry with bright acidity and just a hint of tannin,excellent integration 2+
Really fresh fruit tones with good depth to the black raspberry notes 2+
Clean and brisk on the finish with very precise strawberry and mineral notes 2+
2005 Barbera Brea – 88pts
From a bottle open 2 days
Jammy on the nose with a terpene edge, very dark fruit, wood is hinted at but integrated 2
Softer acidity with a mouthfilling feel that has a touch of cocoa like tannin 2+
Richly fruited with dark mineral almost truffly edges to the dried strawberry fruit that is almost sweet 2+
The finish is a touch short and soft with an aggressive mineral note 2
2004 Nebbiolo Valmaggiore – 89pts
From a bottle open 2 days
Very floral nose with hints of peach skin, ivy, and tender rosehip note, very high toned 2
Light and elegant in the mouth with sweet tannins and integrated acidity 2+
A bit rochy, strongly mineral on the attack with slightly sour and astringent strawberry/lingonberry fruits and a very gentle vegetal top note 2
Very nice cheek grabbing tannins frame the long edgy finish with it’s strawberry notes and hints of hazelnut, sandy and a meaty finale 3
2003 Barolo Villero – 87pts
From a bottle open 2 days
Hightoned yet a bit pruny on the nose with a bit of nut skin and macerated flowers adding interest. Adds some feral animale notes and a touch of candle wax 2+
Medium full in the mouth and well integrated if seemly a bit hot with a touch of drying tannin 2
Herbal on entry with a restrained core of dried raspberry fruit that is a touch earthy and rustic 2
Finishes long and a touch hot with better poise but still a touch hot, a nice minty flourish on the finale 2
2003 Ca’Mia – 93 pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Dark and dense on the nose with reticent notes of dried cherry, leather, medicinal herbs and roots and a menthol top note 3
Rich and powerful in the mouth with serious tannins and bright acidity 2+
Big flavors of astringent red berries, spicy nettles, hints of brown tones leaning towards tobacco, cocoa, leather and dried orchard fruits 3
Finishes a touch clipped but with layers of mineral, earth and herb notes that gain a gentle dried orchard fruit sweetness and a subtly spicy finale 3
2004 Barolo - 92pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Intense notes of walnut shells, violets, roast meat, herb stem, sand, a touch of menthol, spicy and every so stewy wild berry fruit 3
Superb elegance in the mouth with a sweet entry and a steely midpalate showing superb balance and integration 3+
Fresh and cool flavors of mineral, licorice and wild berry are crisp and virtually ready to drink, delicious 2+
The medium length finish is tight and taut with just a hint of austerity and noteworthy transparency to the earth and tobacco tones 2+
2004 Villero - 91pts
From a freshly opened bottle
Dark and smoky on the nose with plums in alcohol and rich earth and sottobsco notes. Top notes of pollen, saffron and lilac add hight and lighten it up 3
Big and a touch viscous in the mouth yet with superb freshness with bright acidity and tons of soft tannins 3
Dark and a touch mysterious in the mouth with licorice and cocoa notes up front that yield to dark, reticent fruit that is tinged with balsam mid-palate notes 2+
Very tight and taut on the finish with very savory fruit that has a strong mineral/tarry character and ends with spicy notes of salame on the finale 2+
(5/2008)
2004 Brovia Ca Mia – 90pts
Shy on the nose with subtle rosehips, ripe herbs, layered with dried strawberry and dry soil tones 3
Gentle and elegant in the mouth, caressing and elegant 2
Tight, lovely rosehip core with slight dried soil, dried herb edges to the small red fruits, slight drying apple peels perfume in the mouth 2
Very crisp on the finish with a high toned appeal that blends the dried red currant notes with edges of slightly spicy dried meats/speck, very long finish 3 (5/2008)
2004 Brovia Rocche – 88pts
Slightly jammy fruits on the nose with a slight feral edge, a touch meaty with menthol and asphalt undertones 2+
Good acids in the mouth with a soft, gentle, approachable character 2+
Low intensity flavors with great transparency, slight sour berry fruit, uncomplicated 2
Finishes short and austere without great intensity 2 (5/2008)