Pelaverga and Freisa tasted in 2017
Pelaverga
2016 G.B. Burlotto Pelaverga
Tank sample to be bottled in two weeks
Very light delicate color/ Downright oily aromatics are verging on herbal with nuanced rosemary with green peppercorn and lingonberry fruit aroams with a distinct blue floral aspect; complex, but not fruity per se, In the mouth this is another story, precise, layered, almost elegant, with gorgeous precision to the tense. Fruit. It’s a bit wild in the mouth, fully ripe yet not quite plush with such purity and transparency on the palate. A hint of blueberry on the finish is testament to the ripeness here. The nose really opens with air, the intensity is fabulous here, a wine of intensity perhaps more than complexity, certainly at this stage. Tannins are present, ripe and not very rustic with a minerality to the finish that is often hidden. 93pts
2015 G.B. Burlotto Pelaverga 14%
A very spicy nose is packed nuanced pink peppercorn, balsamic notes, and very intense woodsy aromas and rose stem spiciness with a hint of juniper. There’s a bit of lushness here, along with a lovely slightly rustic tannin impression. Bright, juicy, savory, and intense with fine minerality and real peppery spice on eh backend and through the long finish which shows a candied Rainier cherry note. Less exotic and flamboyant than the 2016 perhaps but with more power and depth, though whether that is preferable is debatable. 92pts
2016 Diego Morra Verduno Pelaverga 14.5%
Nice berry fruit on the nose a touch wild with early pink peppercorn spice. It really does have a nice black and white peppery spice nose. Good acids lend this a fresh style with lovely fruit with good length and a peppery and mineral finale. Medium light bodied, tannins are present and a bit austere but not abundant. A bit of an easy going style but the pelaverga rusticity means that this is edgier than the other wines here, with more tension and clarity on the palate. Finishes with a lovely return of strawberry fruit and peppery spice on the finale. Long with very persistent fruit flavors. 87pts
Freisa
2015 G.B. Burlotto Freisa 14.5%
.6h, 3-4k bottles per year
Sweet smelling, with lots of depth to the red berry fruit and wild woodlands fruit here on the nose, which is also lightly stemmy with a sweet, medicinal, blue floral edge, and hints of sweet tobacco and ginseng. Ripe, tense, and a bit chewy in the mouth if not weighty. Tannins are noticeable in the mouth but not intrusive keeping this finely transparent. The palate is packed with savory elements blending in the mouth with red rusty fruit. Rose petals and iron, minty and medical with raspberry fruit on the backend. Aggressive today but super complex in a decidedly medicinal way. A bit short as well, which might just be a varietal trait. Give this 2-6 years in the cellar and serve with char grilled lamb Burgers shows good sneaky length. 92pts
2013 G.D. Vajra Freisa Kye 13.5%
This vintage had lower yields so some small barrels were used
The structure of the vintage comes from, early bud break, 12 coldest feminine than a century, snow on ten of April, still very long season in 13, second decreased yield due to rain flowering,
There's a little visual thickness to this. A bit earthy on the nose with predominant aromas of rose stem, hints of basil stems, dark fruit, mineral, and dark rose petal aromas. This is rich and powerful and just a touch thick in the mouth as well with a slightly rustic feel due to the pronounced acidity but really explosive flavors of floral extract, dark bitter cherry fruit, herb stems, and dusty white calcy minerality. Superb brightness from the acidity, the tannins are a touch dry, very typical of Freisa, a bit tight and short today. 92pts
2013 499 Freisa Costa dei Fre 14%
Two weeks kin contact, old barrique, now switching to orL of 12hl slavonian oak
More important aromas with greater depth to the notes of talcy soil, blue flowers, dark wild berry fruit, and lots of spicy, more pink peppercorn and almost cinnamon notes. Rich, rounded,with firm tannins are present, this shows great depth of dark cherry fruit in the mouth with a suggestion of blackberry. The finish is a bit clipped,with acid lending this freshness. Clear yet powerful in the mouth, powerful but not chewy,with lovely brushy tannins, a hint of mineraity emerging on the tart, bright finish, could use some more length perhaps that will come in time. 91pts
2014 499 Freisa Costa dei Fre 14%
Spicy, floral perfumed, a bit meaty and savory with more nettle, rosehips, and rose stem character on the nose along with lots of Chinese five spice and beefy notes. Bright and succulent with lovely tension in the mouth, ripe tannins washing stiffly over the palate which shows great cut and minerality. Vibrant and energetic on the long finish which shows of great intensity of spicy, red berry toned fruit. This is ready and I can’t imagine it getting any better. 91pts
2014 Giuseppe Mascarello Freisa 13%
Pink peppercorn on the nose, a bit reticent,has some camphor and briar aromas as well. Medium bodied and transparent in the mouth with lovely nuance, a bit subdued perhaps but with purity and ripeness to the crispy cranberry fruit. Fine acids keep this playful and classic in the mouth but this is not but not demanding with a sing song quality to the finish as the fruit and spice take turns center stage. 91pts
2015 499 Freisa 13.5%
Wow this is the fruity and spicy on the nose. In the mouth there terrific spicy entry that leads to great midpalate cut with an array of spicy and floral inner mouth perfumes lending complexity to the rich red fruit flavors. Tannins are supple and ripe lending this crisp transparency in the mouth and a gentle if long and slightly simple finish. Without quite the fireworks of the Costa dei Fre bottlings, this deliver wonderfully pure and intense fruit. 90pts
2016 Fratelli Alessandria Freisa 14% Speziale
Just planted 3000 meters to Pelaverga outside of Barolo zone, in vineyards that could be used for Langhe Nebbiolo
Vespolina has a similar but lower key spicy character
Bottled recently
Lovely aromatics feature a touch of herbaceous spice with chalky raspberry fruit. Delicate in style, though with great fruit in the mouth. An elegant Freisa, almost sweet then tart red fruit, sour cherry and raspberry flavors are all wrapped up in a gorgeous texture. A hint of lemon peel adds detail on the midpalate leading to a long juicy finish full of brushy tannins and gentle spice notes. There’s an attractive little bubble gummy quality to the nose. 88pts
2015 Claudio Fenocchio Freisa 13.5%
Six months in steel and six months wood, very near the winery, just under the wine redy with ns exposition, 25 years, planted by him, heal ready was producing freisa, they were in a be vineyard where he enlarged the neb planting but wanted to continue to produce 2000 bottles. Half is sold outside the region, feels it an age 15-20 year, 8-10 time to drink it
Deep and briary on the nose with a gamy meaty essence to it. There's some exotic floral qualities to this with almost a curry undertone. Rather soft in the mouth, broad and expansive with lovely flavors of salted plum and exotic plummy fruit in the mouth covering finely managed tannins. This is slightly loosely knit but still dry and with significant tannin structure that drives the fairly long and decidedly fruity in a slightly foxy way, finish. There’s a little red cherry core to the fruit as well. Supple yet ripe with the rusticity well under control, this has a little Teroldego wild grape wild blackberry note to it. 88pts
2015 Fratelli Manzone Freisa 13%
Nice color showing a bit of evolution. Briary and spicy on the nose with floral and gamy accent notes. A touch rich up front, nice and vinous with a full complement of blue and red currant fruit. Classic Freisa tannins lends this rusticity, there's tons of fruit here, lovely and almost gentle with a juicy quality and good length. A lusty medium bodied wine, with fruit and really fairly well packed with savory flavors, good length, nothing wrong here. 88pts
2014 499 Freisa 13%
Four days skin contact
Fruity and spicy, stemmy even with a green peppercorn and purple floral aroma. A boldly fruity wine, tense and spicy, that reminds me a little bit of mencia with its dark fruit, midpalate cut, and green spicy notes. A bit short but spicy and very attractive with a suggestion of gaminess on the palate. 87pts
2016 G.B. Burlotto Pelaverga
Tank sample to be bottled in two weeks
Very light delicate color/ Downright oily aromatics are verging on herbal with nuanced rosemary with green peppercorn and lingonberry fruit aroams with a distinct blue floral aspect; complex, but not fruity per se, In the mouth this is another story, precise, layered, almost elegant, with gorgeous precision to the tense. Fruit. It’s a bit wild in the mouth, fully ripe yet not quite plush with such purity and transparency on the palate. A hint of blueberry on the finish is testament to the ripeness here. The nose really opens with air, the intensity is fabulous here, a wine of intensity perhaps more than complexity, certainly at this stage. Tannins are present, ripe and not very rustic with a minerality to the finish that is often hidden. 93pts
2015 G.B. Burlotto Pelaverga 14%
A very spicy nose is packed nuanced pink peppercorn, balsamic notes, and very intense woodsy aromas and rose stem spiciness with a hint of juniper. There’s a bit of lushness here, along with a lovely slightly rustic tannin impression. Bright, juicy, savory, and intense with fine minerality and real peppery spice on eh backend and through the long finish which shows a candied Rainier cherry note. Less exotic and flamboyant than the 2016 perhaps but with more power and depth, though whether that is preferable is debatable. 92pts
2016 Diego Morra Verduno Pelaverga 14.5%
Nice berry fruit on the nose a touch wild with early pink peppercorn spice. It really does have a nice black and white peppery spice nose. Good acids lend this a fresh style with lovely fruit with good length and a peppery and mineral finale. Medium light bodied, tannins are present and a bit austere but not abundant. A bit of an easy going style but the pelaverga rusticity means that this is edgier than the other wines here, with more tension and clarity on the palate. Finishes with a lovely return of strawberry fruit and peppery spice on the finale. Long with very persistent fruit flavors. 87pts
Freisa
2015 G.B. Burlotto Freisa 14.5%
.6h, 3-4k bottles per year
Sweet smelling, with lots of depth to the red berry fruit and wild woodlands fruit here on the nose, which is also lightly stemmy with a sweet, medicinal, blue floral edge, and hints of sweet tobacco and ginseng. Ripe, tense, and a bit chewy in the mouth if not weighty. Tannins are noticeable in the mouth but not intrusive keeping this finely transparent. The palate is packed with savory elements blending in the mouth with red rusty fruit. Rose petals and iron, minty and medical with raspberry fruit on the backend. Aggressive today but super complex in a decidedly medicinal way. A bit short as well, which might just be a varietal trait. Give this 2-6 years in the cellar and serve with char grilled lamb Burgers shows good sneaky length. 92pts
2013 G.D. Vajra Freisa Kye 13.5%
This vintage had lower yields so some small barrels were used
The structure of the vintage comes from, early bud break, 12 coldest feminine than a century, snow on ten of April, still very long season in 13, second decreased yield due to rain flowering,
There's a little visual thickness to this. A bit earthy on the nose with predominant aromas of rose stem, hints of basil stems, dark fruit, mineral, and dark rose petal aromas. This is rich and powerful and just a touch thick in the mouth as well with a slightly rustic feel due to the pronounced acidity but really explosive flavors of floral extract, dark bitter cherry fruit, herb stems, and dusty white calcy minerality. Superb brightness from the acidity, the tannins are a touch dry, very typical of Freisa, a bit tight and short today. 92pts
2013 499 Freisa Costa dei Fre 14%
Two weeks kin contact, old barrique, now switching to orL of 12hl slavonian oak
More important aromas with greater depth to the notes of talcy soil, blue flowers, dark wild berry fruit, and lots of spicy, more pink peppercorn and almost cinnamon notes. Rich, rounded,with firm tannins are present, this shows great depth of dark cherry fruit in the mouth with a suggestion of blackberry. The finish is a bit clipped,with acid lending this freshness. Clear yet powerful in the mouth, powerful but not chewy,with lovely brushy tannins, a hint of mineraity emerging on the tart, bright finish, could use some more length perhaps that will come in time. 91pts
2014 499 Freisa Costa dei Fre 14%
Spicy, floral perfumed, a bit meaty and savory with more nettle, rosehips, and rose stem character on the nose along with lots of Chinese five spice and beefy notes. Bright and succulent with lovely tension in the mouth, ripe tannins washing stiffly over the palate which shows great cut and minerality. Vibrant and energetic on the long finish which shows of great intensity of spicy, red berry toned fruit. This is ready and I can’t imagine it getting any better. 91pts
2014 Giuseppe Mascarello Freisa 13%
Pink peppercorn on the nose, a bit reticent,has some camphor and briar aromas as well. Medium bodied and transparent in the mouth with lovely nuance, a bit subdued perhaps but with purity and ripeness to the crispy cranberry fruit. Fine acids keep this playful and classic in the mouth but this is not but not demanding with a sing song quality to the finish as the fruit and spice take turns center stage. 91pts
2015 499 Freisa 13.5%
Wow this is the fruity and spicy on the nose. In the mouth there terrific spicy entry that leads to great midpalate cut with an array of spicy and floral inner mouth perfumes lending complexity to the rich red fruit flavors. Tannins are supple and ripe lending this crisp transparency in the mouth and a gentle if long and slightly simple finish. Without quite the fireworks of the Costa dei Fre bottlings, this deliver wonderfully pure and intense fruit. 90pts
2016 Fratelli Alessandria Freisa 14% Speziale
Just planted 3000 meters to Pelaverga outside of Barolo zone, in vineyards that could be used for Langhe Nebbiolo
Vespolina has a similar but lower key spicy character
Bottled recently
Lovely aromatics feature a touch of herbaceous spice with chalky raspberry fruit. Delicate in style, though with great fruit in the mouth. An elegant Freisa, almost sweet then tart red fruit, sour cherry and raspberry flavors are all wrapped up in a gorgeous texture. A hint of lemon peel adds detail on the midpalate leading to a long juicy finish full of brushy tannins and gentle spice notes. There’s an attractive little bubble gummy quality to the nose. 88pts
2015 Claudio Fenocchio Freisa 13.5%
Six months in steel and six months wood, very near the winery, just under the wine redy with ns exposition, 25 years, planted by him, heal ready was producing freisa, they were in a be vineyard where he enlarged the neb planting but wanted to continue to produce 2000 bottles. Half is sold outside the region, feels it an age 15-20 year, 8-10 time to drink it
Deep and briary on the nose with a gamy meaty essence to it. There's some exotic floral qualities to this with almost a curry undertone. Rather soft in the mouth, broad and expansive with lovely flavors of salted plum and exotic plummy fruit in the mouth covering finely managed tannins. This is slightly loosely knit but still dry and with significant tannin structure that drives the fairly long and decidedly fruity in a slightly foxy way, finish. There’s a little red cherry core to the fruit as well. Supple yet ripe with the rusticity well under control, this has a little Teroldego wild grape wild blackberry note to it. 88pts
2015 Fratelli Manzone Freisa 13%
Nice color showing a bit of evolution. Briary and spicy on the nose with floral and gamy accent notes. A touch rich up front, nice and vinous with a full complement of blue and red currant fruit. Classic Freisa tannins lends this rusticity, there's tons of fruit here, lovely and almost gentle with a juicy quality and good length. A lusty medium bodied wine, with fruit and really fairly well packed with savory flavors, good length, nothing wrong here. 88pts
2014 499 Freisa 13%
Four days skin contact
Fruity and spicy, stemmy even with a green peppercorn and purple floral aroma. A boldly fruity wine, tense and spicy, that reminds me a little bit of mencia with its dark fruit, midpalate cut, and green spicy notes. A bit short but spicy and very attractive with a suggestion of gaminess on the palate. 87pts