Langhe nebbiolo in 2014
Nebbiolo tasted in Italy in 2014
2012 Chiara Boschis Langhe Nebbiolo $40
With awesome aromatics that savory, complex and deep with subtle woodsy red fruit aromas, wild strawberry, camphor, and just a hint of sweet, roasted wild cherry, this is absolutely alluring on the nose. In the mouth one finds a perfect middleweight Nebiolo, perhaps a bit on the sweeter side with all the fruit, camphor, and spice, and savory complexity found on the nose along with super purity. One barely notices the finely ripe tannins until they eek out past the big strawberry and orange peel flavors on the moderately long finish. Beautiful Nebbiolo. 93pts
2012 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo $55
Rose petals, camphor, sand, and light red fruit emerge on the nose along with a hint of black spice and a low innate sweetness. Soft and supple in the mouth, this flows over the palate with lovely bright fresh fruit with small tannins add a nice hint of firmness on the palate. Complex flavors of rosehips, burnished wild cherry fruit, a hint of watermelon rind, and those firm, dusty, little tannins linger on the long finish. This is so elegant and refined showing power and delicacy with a softness here that wraps around the palate. 92pts
2012 Scarzello Langhe Nebbiolo $30
Full west piece of Merenda, less sand, fresh hill that comes Vergne, more sand across the way in Merenda
Barrels for malo, bottled in september
A hint of cherry wood spice greets the nose which is very fragrant, pure , high toned and complex with nuanced women's perfume and rose petal aromas. Light and elegant on entry, this then turns pretty powerful with bright acids and round tannins that are opulent for a Nebbiolo. There’s great fruit here, fresh and deep yet transparent, a touch short today perhaps, but with such a fine texture. This is just beautiful Nebbiolo, gaining some complexity on the backend, a little sandalwood, savory nuance, slightly leathery and dry on the wild cherry toned finish with a hint of licorice on the finale. 91pts
2011 Cascina delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo $NA
Extract like aromas of fruit and roses greet the nose, followed by soil tones and hints of darker fruit. With lovely, spicy, cocoa tinged cherry strudel fruit on the entry, this is warm and supple on the palate, soft, and seamless with lots of depth and power to the extracty and slightly jammy wild cherry fruit that leads to back palate full of gorgeous raspberry strawberry and rhubarb fruit supported by fine grained tannins that lend just a hint of spice on the long finish. i would love to try this again in two or three years. 91pts
2012 Principiano Nebbiolo Montagliato $27
On year of big wood, outside of Barolo zone , higher 550m still in monforte,
20 days
Aromas of cherries in alcohol, camphor, rose petal, and pollen explode on the nose. On the palate this is supple and elegant, flowing across the palate with tarry fruit that show lovely subtle minty nuance and fine grained tannins on the palate followed by a very long finish rich with impressive spice and drive to the slightly dark berry fruit. This really combines complexity and drinkability. 91pts
2012 Cascina delle Rose Nebbiolo $NA
Shows a woodsy, butchers wax, watermelon rind aroma on the nose followed by a white cherry note, and then savory, briar wood top and emerging rose petal top notes. .A little tight in the mouth with a big tannic structure that sits just above the fruit today and just clips the finish. there’s great acidity here, which helps to lift the fruit on the plate and adds some softening material to help cover the tannins with big cherried fruit and spicy soil notes on the back end and through the moderately long, pure red fruited finish. Needs a bit more time but this should be very good. 90pts
2012 Einaudi Langhe Nebbiolo $NA
Tight and raw on the nose nose which is quite medicinal with aromas of camphor and barbershop antiseptic over a woodsy, cool, composed and focused Core. There's lovely wild raspberry fruit on the palate and fairly important tannins, great acids, but this, having been bottled in January, is still tight and a bit tough going but shows depth, power and balance, Long finish, lovely watermelon, wild,raspberry, and cherry wood flavors, really showing very well, this needs a bit of time but should be excellent, surprisingly rich. 89pts
2011 Vietti Perbacco $25
Very floral on the nose, filled with rose petals, red fruit, lingonberry fruit, a little nettle and minty. Smooth, juicy and very approachable and pretty Nebbiolo, easy going with bright berry fruit supported by crisp tannins, a hint of purple fruit, youthfulness along with spicy accents on the backend. rather full on the midpalate, with good length featuring nice dry tannins on the finish. 88pts
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2011 Prunotto Nebbiolo d'Alba Occhetti $NA
A subzone of Monteroero
Grapes are bought from a single vineyard
10 months in wood, almost all botte
Nice classic nose of rose hips, prune plum and cherry in alcohol. Smooth and nicely balanced in the mouth this is easygoing on the palate and very much in the style of the vintage. With good fruit, modest complexity, classic hints of leather appear early in the palate, this is rather a clean fresh finish, and classic Nebbiolo, with good acids and tannins that are notably ripe and almost soft here, typical of Roero and 2011. There’s good persistence to the fruit, as this turns a bit more complex and even firms up a touch in the mouth with nice perfumed wild sour cherry and dried red plum on the finish. 88pts
2011 Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo $25
Just a selection of less ripe, less powerful grapes, a little Barolo one to one and a half years in botte, very Barolo like elevage
Lovely fruity on the nose with aromas of wild raspberry in alcohol that are light and fragrant, followed by a bit of a jammy wild berry note. Opening with good acids and ripe tannins this displays lovely, burnished fruits on the palate in a super classic flavor profile. With a good hit of tannin on the finish this seems rather short and front loaded but at the same time quite complete. Should be better in a year. 88pts
2012 Burlotto Langhe Nebbiolo $26
A little sweet edge to the aromas of nettles, sage, crisp cranberry, and a bit of orange rind on the nose. While rather big on entry, this quickly gains some elegance in the mouth with very fine grained dusty tannins layered under rich, savory fruit, burnished red fruit. Airy, light and with attractive minerality on the palate, this reveals lots of soft, ripe tannins on the finish along with lingering strawberry seed and slightly chalky mineral notes. Simultaneously soft, supple and a bit four square in the mouth. 88pts
2012 Principiano Nebbiolo Coste $18
SS
40% le Coste, 60% the last rows of serralunga bosca retro, they don't age well enough to make Barolo,
bottled yesterday
Herbal and tight on the nose with a savory stemminess layered over frutti del bosco, wild raspberry, and red currant fruit. Delicate yet powerful in the mouth, this lacks a bit of harmony on the palate, it’s not rough, just disjointed from bottling. It is rich, juicy, full and fairly powerful with an innate sweetness to it and lots of fruit with notes of minerality adding some complexity already and the ripe tannins lending a spicy cast to the palate. There’s a hint of VA on the finish adding some lift but this seems to be quite an elegant expression of nebbiolo. 88pts
2011 Brovia Nebbiolo d'Alba $40
Valmaggiore
SS
Lovely aromas of rose hips, sandy soil, dark cherry, a little black tea and pollen spice come together on the very fresh nose which picks up a small prune in alcohol note on entry. This is a big, mouth filling wine that is a little hollow on the midpalate needs to flesh out. Rich, ripe and still quite structured, this shows all the ripeness of the vintage with its telltale freshness and perfume. The finish is moderately tannic and tobacco and earth laced, and while this stumbles on the midpalate today if it fills out it will be lovely. 87pts
2012 Brezza Langhe Nebbiolo $20
All SS. Mostly rose clone
Gorgeous aromatics of slightly jammy wild cherry and strawberry fruit are light and perfumed on the nose with rose petal accents. Pretty fresh and zesty on the palate with juicy acidity supporting just under ripe cherry and strawberry fruit framed with a hint of orange rind. Very clean, and even a bit lean in the mouth, this comes off as quite focused and refreshing with nice abundant but soft tannins emerging on the finish. Easy drinking 87pts
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2012 Francesco Rinaldi Nebbiolo d'Alba $NA
1 year in wood. Fruit from Roddi
Rose petals and chalk pop on the nose over a peach base note with a hint of va adding lift to the classic rose hips and raspberry/strawberry in alcohol aromas. Nice raw tannins on entry support lovey burnished sour cherry fruit in the mouth that is framed by hint of watermelon peel, and sandalwood accents. With good length and nice tense tannins making this just a little tough on the finish, this could use a bit more time but it’s already enjoyable for its purity and bracing, structured style. 87pts
2011 Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo $26
Soft on the nose with sandy soil tones, a hint of watermelon rind along with a touch of va adding lift to light rosemary, and even almost peppery spice notes. There’s nice depth on the palate which shows off subtle flavors of chalk, tart red berry fruit and gentle balsamic tones. and while this is a touch tough in the mouth, it does turn fresher on the backend and through the modest finish. Subtle but the balance is quite attractive with everything rather in harmony here. 87pts
2010 Francesco Clerico Nebbiolo $22
Nice, slightly herbal, and vaguely medicinal aromas of wild black cherry cough lozenge with hints of cola and licorice greet the nose. Much cooler on entry than the nose suggest, though this is big and fruity and has a hint of rs most likely. The solid acids keep this in balance with the quite ripe and slightly candied fruit on the palate yielding to a flow of green herbs and old wood on the backend and through the modest finish where fresh Nebbiolo tannins add a crisp snap. A bit chunky and firm in style. 87pts
2010 Scarpa Nebbiolo Bric du Nota $30
Monte Roero
Big raspberry aromas with a liquory edge first greet the nose followed by lots of strawberry fruit, a bit candied but fresh, with hints of black raspberry candy. Smooth and rich in the mouth with perhaps a hint of RS as well. There are rich if gentle macerated herb tinged black berry and raspberry flavors on the palate with just a hint of mineral adding detail through the moderately long finish, which is plush, fruity, and a bit sticky. Not my style of wine but one that has its appeal. 87pts
2011 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo $30
Light herb stem, rose stem, and hints of mint accent the sweet fruit on the nose that has a jammy wild raspberry quality to it and hints of chocolate chip cookies,Fairly tannic on entry and bright with lots of acids, in a moderately powerful style that is very front loaded with sour cherry fruit and then tight and tannic on the backend powerful, and dry tannins on the dry, herbal, and tough finish, though this remains very fresh and linear. 86pts
2011 Sordo Nebbiolo d'Alba $NA
Hugely balsamic on the nose, which is quite aromatic and fresh with aromas of red frutti del bosco, camphor, and a hint of something a little spicy. With high acids on entry, this comes off as a bit lean, with sour cherry, in a simple, clean and decisive style. the finish is long and fresh, if simple and easy going. 85pts
2012 Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo $20
Below 15 years old, 20-23 days on skins, 6 months in wood
Very balsamic on the nose with a huge pine resin top note, some sweet woody notes, sweet red fruit and a hint of mint. Rather sweet/tart in the mouth, though mostly tart with lots of cranberry and raspberry flavors. This is less balsamic in the mouth than on the nose, but it retains some of the woodland spice character through the modest finish, which lacks some fruit covering the dry finishing tannins. 85pts
2012 Chiara Boschis Langhe Nebbiolo $40
With awesome aromatics that savory, complex and deep with subtle woodsy red fruit aromas, wild strawberry, camphor, and just a hint of sweet, roasted wild cherry, this is absolutely alluring on the nose. In the mouth one finds a perfect middleweight Nebiolo, perhaps a bit on the sweeter side with all the fruit, camphor, and spice, and savory complexity found on the nose along with super purity. One barely notices the finely ripe tannins until they eek out past the big strawberry and orange peel flavors on the moderately long finish. Beautiful Nebbiolo. 93pts
2012 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo $55
Rose petals, camphor, sand, and light red fruit emerge on the nose along with a hint of black spice and a low innate sweetness. Soft and supple in the mouth, this flows over the palate with lovely bright fresh fruit with small tannins add a nice hint of firmness on the palate. Complex flavors of rosehips, burnished wild cherry fruit, a hint of watermelon rind, and those firm, dusty, little tannins linger on the long finish. This is so elegant and refined showing power and delicacy with a softness here that wraps around the palate. 92pts
2012 Scarzello Langhe Nebbiolo $30
Full west piece of Merenda, less sand, fresh hill that comes Vergne, more sand across the way in Merenda
Barrels for malo, bottled in september
A hint of cherry wood spice greets the nose which is very fragrant, pure , high toned and complex with nuanced women's perfume and rose petal aromas. Light and elegant on entry, this then turns pretty powerful with bright acids and round tannins that are opulent for a Nebbiolo. There’s great fruit here, fresh and deep yet transparent, a touch short today perhaps, but with such a fine texture. This is just beautiful Nebbiolo, gaining some complexity on the backend, a little sandalwood, savory nuance, slightly leathery and dry on the wild cherry toned finish with a hint of licorice on the finale. 91pts
2011 Cascina delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo $NA
Extract like aromas of fruit and roses greet the nose, followed by soil tones and hints of darker fruit. With lovely, spicy, cocoa tinged cherry strudel fruit on the entry, this is warm and supple on the palate, soft, and seamless with lots of depth and power to the extracty and slightly jammy wild cherry fruit that leads to back palate full of gorgeous raspberry strawberry and rhubarb fruit supported by fine grained tannins that lend just a hint of spice on the long finish. i would love to try this again in two or three years. 91pts
2012 Principiano Nebbiolo Montagliato $27
On year of big wood, outside of Barolo zone , higher 550m still in monforte,
20 days
Aromas of cherries in alcohol, camphor, rose petal, and pollen explode on the nose. On the palate this is supple and elegant, flowing across the palate with tarry fruit that show lovely subtle minty nuance and fine grained tannins on the palate followed by a very long finish rich with impressive spice and drive to the slightly dark berry fruit. This really combines complexity and drinkability. 91pts
2012 Cascina delle Rose Nebbiolo $NA
Shows a woodsy, butchers wax, watermelon rind aroma on the nose followed by a white cherry note, and then savory, briar wood top and emerging rose petal top notes. .A little tight in the mouth with a big tannic structure that sits just above the fruit today and just clips the finish. there’s great acidity here, which helps to lift the fruit on the plate and adds some softening material to help cover the tannins with big cherried fruit and spicy soil notes on the back end and through the moderately long, pure red fruited finish. Needs a bit more time but this should be very good. 90pts
2012 Einaudi Langhe Nebbiolo $NA
Tight and raw on the nose nose which is quite medicinal with aromas of camphor and barbershop antiseptic over a woodsy, cool, composed and focused Core. There's lovely wild raspberry fruit on the palate and fairly important tannins, great acids, but this, having been bottled in January, is still tight and a bit tough going but shows depth, power and balance, Long finish, lovely watermelon, wild,raspberry, and cherry wood flavors, really showing very well, this needs a bit of time but should be excellent, surprisingly rich. 89pts
2011 Vietti Perbacco $25
Very floral on the nose, filled with rose petals, red fruit, lingonberry fruit, a little nettle and minty. Smooth, juicy and very approachable and pretty Nebbiolo, easy going with bright berry fruit supported by crisp tannins, a hint of purple fruit, youthfulness along with spicy accents on the backend. rather full on the midpalate, with good length featuring nice dry tannins on the finish. 88pts
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2011 Prunotto Nebbiolo d'Alba Occhetti $NA
A subzone of Monteroero
Grapes are bought from a single vineyard
10 months in wood, almost all botte
Nice classic nose of rose hips, prune plum and cherry in alcohol. Smooth and nicely balanced in the mouth this is easygoing on the palate and very much in the style of the vintage. With good fruit, modest complexity, classic hints of leather appear early in the palate, this is rather a clean fresh finish, and classic Nebbiolo, with good acids and tannins that are notably ripe and almost soft here, typical of Roero and 2011. There’s good persistence to the fruit, as this turns a bit more complex and even firms up a touch in the mouth with nice perfumed wild sour cherry and dried red plum on the finish. 88pts
2011 Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo $25
Just a selection of less ripe, less powerful grapes, a little Barolo one to one and a half years in botte, very Barolo like elevage
Lovely fruity on the nose with aromas of wild raspberry in alcohol that are light and fragrant, followed by a bit of a jammy wild berry note. Opening with good acids and ripe tannins this displays lovely, burnished fruits on the palate in a super classic flavor profile. With a good hit of tannin on the finish this seems rather short and front loaded but at the same time quite complete. Should be better in a year. 88pts
2012 Burlotto Langhe Nebbiolo $26
A little sweet edge to the aromas of nettles, sage, crisp cranberry, and a bit of orange rind on the nose. While rather big on entry, this quickly gains some elegance in the mouth with very fine grained dusty tannins layered under rich, savory fruit, burnished red fruit. Airy, light and with attractive minerality on the palate, this reveals lots of soft, ripe tannins on the finish along with lingering strawberry seed and slightly chalky mineral notes. Simultaneously soft, supple and a bit four square in the mouth. 88pts
2012 Principiano Nebbiolo Coste $18
SS
40% le Coste, 60% the last rows of serralunga bosca retro, they don't age well enough to make Barolo,
bottled yesterday
Herbal and tight on the nose with a savory stemminess layered over frutti del bosco, wild raspberry, and red currant fruit. Delicate yet powerful in the mouth, this lacks a bit of harmony on the palate, it’s not rough, just disjointed from bottling. It is rich, juicy, full and fairly powerful with an innate sweetness to it and lots of fruit with notes of minerality adding some complexity already and the ripe tannins lending a spicy cast to the palate. There’s a hint of VA on the finish adding some lift but this seems to be quite an elegant expression of nebbiolo. 88pts
2011 Brovia Nebbiolo d'Alba $40
Valmaggiore
SS
Lovely aromas of rose hips, sandy soil, dark cherry, a little black tea and pollen spice come together on the very fresh nose which picks up a small prune in alcohol note on entry. This is a big, mouth filling wine that is a little hollow on the midpalate needs to flesh out. Rich, ripe and still quite structured, this shows all the ripeness of the vintage with its telltale freshness and perfume. The finish is moderately tannic and tobacco and earth laced, and while this stumbles on the midpalate today if it fills out it will be lovely. 87pts
2012 Brezza Langhe Nebbiolo $20
All SS. Mostly rose clone
Gorgeous aromatics of slightly jammy wild cherry and strawberry fruit are light and perfumed on the nose with rose petal accents. Pretty fresh and zesty on the palate with juicy acidity supporting just under ripe cherry and strawberry fruit framed with a hint of orange rind. Very clean, and even a bit lean in the mouth, this comes off as quite focused and refreshing with nice abundant but soft tannins emerging on the finish. Easy drinking 87pts
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2012 Francesco Rinaldi Nebbiolo d'Alba $NA
1 year in wood. Fruit from Roddi
Rose petals and chalk pop on the nose over a peach base note with a hint of va adding lift to the classic rose hips and raspberry/strawberry in alcohol aromas. Nice raw tannins on entry support lovey burnished sour cherry fruit in the mouth that is framed by hint of watermelon peel, and sandalwood accents. With good length and nice tense tannins making this just a little tough on the finish, this could use a bit more time but it’s already enjoyable for its purity and bracing, structured style. 87pts
2011 Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo $26
Soft on the nose with sandy soil tones, a hint of watermelon rind along with a touch of va adding lift to light rosemary, and even almost peppery spice notes. There’s nice depth on the palate which shows off subtle flavors of chalk, tart red berry fruit and gentle balsamic tones. and while this is a touch tough in the mouth, it does turn fresher on the backend and through the modest finish. Subtle but the balance is quite attractive with everything rather in harmony here. 87pts
2010 Francesco Clerico Nebbiolo $22
Nice, slightly herbal, and vaguely medicinal aromas of wild black cherry cough lozenge with hints of cola and licorice greet the nose. Much cooler on entry than the nose suggest, though this is big and fruity and has a hint of rs most likely. The solid acids keep this in balance with the quite ripe and slightly candied fruit on the palate yielding to a flow of green herbs and old wood on the backend and through the modest finish where fresh Nebbiolo tannins add a crisp snap. A bit chunky and firm in style. 87pts
2010 Scarpa Nebbiolo Bric du Nota $30
Monte Roero
Big raspberry aromas with a liquory edge first greet the nose followed by lots of strawberry fruit, a bit candied but fresh, with hints of black raspberry candy. Smooth and rich in the mouth with perhaps a hint of RS as well. There are rich if gentle macerated herb tinged black berry and raspberry flavors on the palate with just a hint of mineral adding detail through the moderately long finish, which is plush, fruity, and a bit sticky. Not my style of wine but one that has its appeal. 87pts
2011 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo $30
Light herb stem, rose stem, and hints of mint accent the sweet fruit on the nose that has a jammy wild raspberry quality to it and hints of chocolate chip cookies,Fairly tannic on entry and bright with lots of acids, in a moderately powerful style that is very front loaded with sour cherry fruit and then tight and tannic on the backend powerful, and dry tannins on the dry, herbal, and tough finish, though this remains very fresh and linear. 86pts
2011 Sordo Nebbiolo d'Alba $NA
Hugely balsamic on the nose, which is quite aromatic and fresh with aromas of red frutti del bosco, camphor, and a hint of something a little spicy. With high acids on entry, this comes off as a bit lean, with sour cherry, in a simple, clean and decisive style. the finish is long and fresh, if simple and easy going. 85pts
2012 Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo $20
Below 15 years old, 20-23 days on skins, 6 months in wood
Very balsamic on the nose with a huge pine resin top note, some sweet woody notes, sweet red fruit and a hint of mint. Rather sweet/tart in the mouth, though mostly tart with lots of cranberry and raspberry flavors. This is less balsamic in the mouth than on the nose, but it retains some of the woodland spice character through the modest finish, which lacks some fruit covering the dry finishing tannins. 85pts