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1995 Cascina Ballarin Barolo
Looking my COVID finest!
Located at the base of the hill of La Morra, with vineyards in La Morra, Monforte, and Novello, Casino Ballerina continues to fly under the radar. I have my theories as to why that it is but I think the most likely reason is that the wines tend to embrace a very La Morra ethos. Not too powerful, full but fun, very ripe tannins, built on fruit and approachability. So much of what comes out of la Morra today continues to be marked by modernism, making the real thing harder to understand and appreciate.
This Barolo Classico, coming from the under-appreciated but quite fine 1995 vintage, is showing very well today. It’s a classic example of Barolo and one that punches above its weight class. The availability of Cascina Ballarin’s wines has been pretty spotty over the years, but if you want to try their current wines you can now find them on VDLTWine.com, available through their Italy Direct program. Order from the producer and get delivery direct to your door! https://vdltwine.com/collections/cascina-ballarin
A bit spicy on the nose but decidedly leathery and tarry with a floral edge and the dried herbal quality I often get from cappello sommerso. Spicy from older oak but also with note of pollen flowers. Still moderately tannic and certainly bright with plenty of acidity keeping thing fresh. There’s a fine aged quality here based on tobacco, tar, and licorice, but there is also a vein of cherry fruit pooping up and receding as the wine breathes. Quite a classic Barolo presentation, totally in tune with the vintage and coming across as something between Marcarini's la Serra and Francesco Rinaldi Barolo. There's a certain delicacy to the finish, which shows good length. Totally at peak, with tannins that might outlive the fruit, which shows some dried cherry notes on the backend before revealing a grapefruit pith note on the finale.
1995 Cascina Ballarin Barolo
Looking my COVID finest!
Located at the base of the hill of La Morra, with vineyards in La Morra, Monforte, and Novello, Casino Ballerina continues to fly under the radar. I have my theories as to why that it is but I think the most likely reason is that the wines tend to embrace a very La Morra ethos. Not too powerful, full but fun, very ripe tannins, built on fruit and approachability. So much of what comes out of la Morra today continues to be marked by modernism, making the real thing harder to understand and appreciate.
This Barolo Classico, coming from the under-appreciated but quite fine 1995 vintage, is showing very well today. It’s a classic example of Barolo and one that punches above its weight class. The availability of Cascina Ballarin’s wines has been pretty spotty over the years, but if you want to try their current wines you can now find them on VDLTWine.com, available through their Italy Direct program. Order from the producer and get delivery direct to your door! https://vdltwine.com/collections/cascina-ballarin
A bit spicy on the nose but decidedly leathery and tarry with a floral edge and the dried herbal quality I often get from cappello sommerso. Spicy from older oak but also with note of pollen flowers. Still moderately tannic and certainly bright with plenty of acidity keeping thing fresh. There’s a fine aged quality here based on tobacco, tar, and licorice, but there is also a vein of cherry fruit pooping up and receding as the wine breathes. Quite a classic Barolo presentation, totally in tune with the vintage and coming across as something between Marcarini's la Serra and Francesco Rinaldi Barolo. There's a certain delicacy to the finish, which shows good length. Totally at peak, with tannins that might outlive the fruit, which shows some dried cherry notes on the backend before revealing a grapefruit pith note on the finale.
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