Ghisolfi, Attilio
I have had little experience with these wines, all seemingly too oaky for my palate and this visit did little to change that impression, though the latest releases seem to be going in a slightly different direction that may bode well for the future.
Started bottling in 1988
Half of the estate was dedicated to fruit until 1994 apricot, peaches, pears, just not apples,
6-6.5 h not all in production
All in one piece the hill of Visette which was a distinct cru before being incorporated into Bussia
Was in conversion to bio then took a step back, a question of finances as the production was going down and he couldn't or felt as though he couldn't raise prices, try to do as little as possible
2012 Ghisolfi Spumante
60/40 pn/nebbiolo first vintage
Sweet on the nose, fruity nose, quite ripe fruit but very floral as well with aromas of apricot, custard and rose petals. Just a touch sweet in the mouth though with important structure, hints of bitterness and green walnut like flash across the palate before this finishes clean, crisp and assertive, with good focus and length, This has lots of flavor, a bit particular no doubt due to the nebbiolo but well made and interesting. that fruity, rose petal inflected palate pops on the backend with fairly large inner mouth perfumes before finishing on a mineral notes. 87pts
2015 Ghisolfi Barbera d’Alba 14.5%
6-7 days all sponti one part in Botte another in barrique and tonneaux, very little new
Very assertive nose, all black spice, soil, and black plum and black cherry fruit. In the mouth this starts off a touch tight but is very fine grained and linear, pure is an understatement with a nearly velvety yet weightless mouthfeel It delivers palate saturating flavor but with a lightness and a clean, edgy almost steely finish. Really very fine Barbera that shows compelling inner mouth perfumes. No sense of alcohol either. 92pts
2013 Ghisolfi Nebbiolo d’Alba
8 days ferment then a year in small wood, a part of the barriques that have been refreshed
From one parcel here facing north, one another in Montelupo and one in Treiso
The nose smells oaky, there's some nose rose petal here but the oak is aggressive and dominant. On entry the oak perfumes are quite noticeably, the midpalate shows more of a red fruited character along with graceful floral notes but the oak is omnipresent in both taste and texture.Wood tannin is present on the backend and dominates the finish with cedary, incense notes and dry wood tannins through the lengthy finale. There's a nice fresh wine under the wood but tough going for me, though it does add some sweetness lending a candied tone to the cherry fruit. 82pts
2012 Ghisolfi Barolo Bussia 14.5%
15 day ferment, aged in large Slavonian botte
There is some pencil shavings oak here in the nose though fair well integrated in a dark cherry and candied set of aromas, with something slightly vegetal and iron rich lurking in the background. Smooth, if a little chewy and quite rich, in the mouth. The wood tannins are obvious from the get go though the flavor impact of the oak is more modest though certainly evident, fairly fresh if a bit slender with a hint of vegetal like the nose on the modest finish.These botte must have also been refreshed. 84pts
2013 Ghisolfi Barolo Bussia
11k bottles or a little more
Quite similar to the 12 on the nose with even more apparent oak influence followed by some rose petal and rose hip notes though not a lot of fruit yet. There's another layer of fruit here in the mouth buffering the tannin, it's a rounder more opulent expression with a deeper core of ripe and succulent cherry fruit on the midpalate, not a lot of complexity yet though, with tannins that are more fruit derived though still dry and austere. Tight, well balanced and well made though the oak flavors are surprising, chewy and a little coarse still but at the same time embryonic. 86pts
2012 Ghisolfi Barolo Bricco Visette
The best positions and oldest vines are used for Visette, 18-20 day ferment,, a part 60-70% in botte the rest in tonneaux, with a little new wood, almost three years in wood, up to 55 year old vines,
Tight on the nose and quite balsamic with spicy notes, some obvious but well integrated oak spice accenting the natural spiciness of the wine. A much more impressive base wine here, rich yet not terribly weighty, delicate even. This highlights a core of slightly medicinal fruit on the palate and through the very long, clean, and assertive finish which is a bit minty, a bit mineral, and hides the oak well. Lithe and elegant wine with fine detail on the midpalate, relatively successful for the vintage. 89pts
2013 Barolo Bricco Visette Riserva
has seen the implementation of an even longer fermentation
A bit more mocha and cigar box on the nose, but at the same time this shows lots of spicy red fruit, rosehips, and a touch of coriander. lively in the mouth, a touch dense and chewy and still folded in on itself with more minerality than the 12 and a riper though not over-ripe fruit profile all underpinned with ripe but fine, noble tannins, Good length and focus to the finish, a bit of wood tannin is a bit off putting, yet this is able to retain a certain transparency in the mouth and detail to the fruit; it's sort of modern without a doubt but has the feel if not the flavor profile of a more traditional made wine. This has tannin to burn but is also endowed with solid acidity, dusty notes grace the finale, a touch medicinal with lots of cherry skin quality, well made but the finale is dry tannin and wood toned. If the wood integrates this could be quite good. It’s certainly powerful. 90pts
2012 Ghisolfi Barolo Riserva Ciabot Minat Nuova
18-25 day ferment followed by a year in tonneaux, then three years in 25hl botte
From a single vineyard the oldest vineyard, lowes piece under the old house full south
White soils with some clay but very lean
There is still a hint of wood here, hard to understand how or why but at the same time this shows terrific aromas of fruit, leather, blue flowers, and sweet spice notes, and more of that coriander and cardamom quality,. Almost opulent on entry, this has great presence in the mouth, it's pillowy, detailed, mouthfilling but not opaque with a lovely innate balance. Sour cherry fruit shows a fine delicacy and lightness on the palate, then a bit walnutty tannin typical of the vintage lends grip leading to a finely textured and long finish with noble tannins and layers of spice, fruit and soil driven flavors. Still very young but well balanced enough for an easy twenty years in the cellar. 92pts
First vintage was 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012
at most 3k bottles
15 has low acid
Started bottling in 1988
Half of the estate was dedicated to fruit until 1994 apricot, peaches, pears, just not apples,
6-6.5 h not all in production
All in one piece the hill of Visette which was a distinct cru before being incorporated into Bussia
Was in conversion to bio then took a step back, a question of finances as the production was going down and he couldn't or felt as though he couldn't raise prices, try to do as little as possible
2012 Ghisolfi Spumante
60/40 pn/nebbiolo first vintage
Sweet on the nose, fruity nose, quite ripe fruit but very floral as well with aromas of apricot, custard and rose petals. Just a touch sweet in the mouth though with important structure, hints of bitterness and green walnut like flash across the palate before this finishes clean, crisp and assertive, with good focus and length, This has lots of flavor, a bit particular no doubt due to the nebbiolo but well made and interesting. that fruity, rose petal inflected palate pops on the backend with fairly large inner mouth perfumes before finishing on a mineral notes. 87pts
2015 Ghisolfi Barbera d’Alba 14.5%
6-7 days all sponti one part in Botte another in barrique and tonneaux, very little new
Very assertive nose, all black spice, soil, and black plum and black cherry fruit. In the mouth this starts off a touch tight but is very fine grained and linear, pure is an understatement with a nearly velvety yet weightless mouthfeel It delivers palate saturating flavor but with a lightness and a clean, edgy almost steely finish. Really very fine Barbera that shows compelling inner mouth perfumes. No sense of alcohol either. 92pts
2013 Ghisolfi Nebbiolo d’Alba
8 days ferment then a year in small wood, a part of the barriques that have been refreshed
From one parcel here facing north, one another in Montelupo and one in Treiso
The nose smells oaky, there's some nose rose petal here but the oak is aggressive and dominant. On entry the oak perfumes are quite noticeably, the midpalate shows more of a red fruited character along with graceful floral notes but the oak is omnipresent in both taste and texture.Wood tannin is present on the backend and dominates the finish with cedary, incense notes and dry wood tannins through the lengthy finale. There's a nice fresh wine under the wood but tough going for me, though it does add some sweetness lending a candied tone to the cherry fruit. 82pts
2012 Ghisolfi Barolo Bussia 14.5%
15 day ferment, aged in large Slavonian botte
There is some pencil shavings oak here in the nose though fair well integrated in a dark cherry and candied set of aromas, with something slightly vegetal and iron rich lurking in the background. Smooth, if a little chewy and quite rich, in the mouth. The wood tannins are obvious from the get go though the flavor impact of the oak is more modest though certainly evident, fairly fresh if a bit slender with a hint of vegetal like the nose on the modest finish.These botte must have also been refreshed. 84pts
2013 Ghisolfi Barolo Bussia
11k bottles or a little more
Quite similar to the 12 on the nose with even more apparent oak influence followed by some rose petal and rose hip notes though not a lot of fruit yet. There's another layer of fruit here in the mouth buffering the tannin, it's a rounder more opulent expression with a deeper core of ripe and succulent cherry fruit on the midpalate, not a lot of complexity yet though, with tannins that are more fruit derived though still dry and austere. Tight, well balanced and well made though the oak flavors are surprising, chewy and a little coarse still but at the same time embryonic. 86pts
2012 Ghisolfi Barolo Bricco Visette
The best positions and oldest vines are used for Visette, 18-20 day ferment,, a part 60-70% in botte the rest in tonneaux, with a little new wood, almost three years in wood, up to 55 year old vines,
Tight on the nose and quite balsamic with spicy notes, some obvious but well integrated oak spice accenting the natural spiciness of the wine. A much more impressive base wine here, rich yet not terribly weighty, delicate even. This highlights a core of slightly medicinal fruit on the palate and through the very long, clean, and assertive finish which is a bit minty, a bit mineral, and hides the oak well. Lithe and elegant wine with fine detail on the midpalate, relatively successful for the vintage. 89pts
2013 Barolo Bricco Visette Riserva
has seen the implementation of an even longer fermentation
A bit more mocha and cigar box on the nose, but at the same time this shows lots of spicy red fruit, rosehips, and a touch of coriander. lively in the mouth, a touch dense and chewy and still folded in on itself with more minerality than the 12 and a riper though not over-ripe fruit profile all underpinned with ripe but fine, noble tannins, Good length and focus to the finish, a bit of wood tannin is a bit off putting, yet this is able to retain a certain transparency in the mouth and detail to the fruit; it's sort of modern without a doubt but has the feel if not the flavor profile of a more traditional made wine. This has tannin to burn but is also endowed with solid acidity, dusty notes grace the finale, a touch medicinal with lots of cherry skin quality, well made but the finale is dry tannin and wood toned. If the wood integrates this could be quite good. It’s certainly powerful. 90pts
2012 Ghisolfi Barolo Riserva Ciabot Minat Nuova
18-25 day ferment followed by a year in tonneaux, then three years in 25hl botte
From a single vineyard the oldest vineyard, lowes piece under the old house full south
White soils with some clay but very lean
There is still a hint of wood here, hard to understand how or why but at the same time this shows terrific aromas of fruit, leather, blue flowers, and sweet spice notes, and more of that coriander and cardamom quality,. Almost opulent on entry, this has great presence in the mouth, it's pillowy, detailed, mouthfilling but not opaque with a lovely innate balance. Sour cherry fruit shows a fine delicacy and lightness on the palate, then a bit walnutty tannin typical of the vintage lends grip leading to a finely textured and long finish with noble tannins and layers of spice, fruit and soil driven flavors. Still very young but well balanced enough for an easy twenty years in the cellar. 92pts
First vintage was 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012
at most 3k bottles
15 has low acid