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Pira, E of Chiara Boschis

From an on site visit May 2017

As many of you know I am no fan of new wood on Nebbiolo. I feel it obscures more than it adds, yet there are a handful of producers who manage to bottle something that both smells of new oak and retains the appeal of nebbiolo. Chiara is one of these people, a real pioneer in Piemonte. A strong woman managing the rocky waters of the Barolo revolution, there is something that just ,makes you want to love her wines. And I do love here wines, even if I think they would be even better without the new oak!


The Dolcetto might be the base of my love as its light and fresh and what the market needs. But one can’t ignore the respect for terroir that is revealed in the three distinct expression of Barolo. All undergo the same vinification, and yet they reveal such different personalities that you know that Chiara is doing her best to allow them to speak. There is a huge market for Barolo with oak flavors and within that genre of Barolo I know of no better producer.

2016 Chiara Boschis Dolcetto d'Alba 13%
Fruity and floral but with a sweet overlay, this is very fresh and complex very perfumey with a big lilac tone along with lots of soapy floral aromas. Acid drives a thin layer of richness across the palate. A lusty wine really rich in fruit in the mouth though remaining tense and impressively vibrant, with nice tannins on the finish laced with violets and hints of bitter almond. Very nice with a gentle richness on the backend that flows through the finish. A lovely fruit driven fresh dolcetto. 91pts

2015 Chiara Boschis Barbera d'Alba Superiore 14.5%
From 2010 reintroduced in 2000 l barrels, in the future might use
This is a study in the graphite and ivy aromatics of Barbera that gain a hint of underlying sweetness to the nose along with a whiff of oak. Again a touch rich, this has a fine wrap of fruit over a linear and tense structure, offering an extract of Barbera on the palate and showing super length. Vibrant, rich, yet transparent and remarkably supple with tons of sweet black fruit all underpinned by important acids. There's real Barbera cut here, there's also a nice mineral accent that adds salinity to the very long fruit driven finish. A great Barbera Superiore. 93pts

2015 Chiara Boschis Langhe Nebbiolo 14%
A plot in Le Coste and plot in Mosconi that was just replanted,  30% rose clone
Nose smells a bit of raw oak, underneath one finds a fine sweet purple fruit core with real astringent character and assertive floral, rose bud top notes.  The oak is a bit too dominant today.  Rich in the mouth, medium plus bodied with a roundness to the lovely, juicy core of cherry and wild grape fruity that reveals a slightly foxy edge. This remains transparent and long with great palate feel though I am not convinced by the nose, but the palate is great, fresh, slightly fleshy and long with a gentleness and elegance on the finish where there's a hint of wood tannin here as well but not distracting. There’s plenty of fruit that is covering the tannins and oak on the palate. 91pts

2013 Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi 14%
So sexy it's the amuse bouche, PNP
A bit musky with dark fruit cocktail on the nose over sandy soil base notes. The oak is moderately prominent here. Absolutely silky in the mouth, with the wood notes offering a base of spice. Tannins are so fine and ripe with  seamless integration. The finish is very rich in limestone, lending length, and helping to bring the fruit  into fine focus. And yes the wood tannins are there, but not terribly conspicuous and one can see how they will melt into this firm, austere, and elegant wine. Rose petal aromas lend nuance and elegance on the finale. This has classic Cannubi austerity and really fine balance. 94pts

2013 Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 14%
Pnp
Body of monforte, nerves of Serrralunga an finesse and elegane of barolo
Six plots,  liste, terlo, for fruit and elegance, Serralunga energy and tannins, gabbuti, baudana, in lease,  monforte mosconi in two plots, the single vineyard is done from the plots under the vineyards, and Ravera di monforte
An earthier expression of Barolo with hints of moss and medical minerality, this seems to be able to absorb the oak a bit more completely, hidden as it is beneath candied dark cherry fruit, camphor and dark rose buds aromas that are bordering on tobacco. Round, yet bright up front, this delivers a wave of sweet dark red fruit to the palate, followed by by a dark mineral note on the midpalate with a late arrival of brewed herbs. Almost a bit chewy, the tannins are very tightly packed yet very finely textured with juicy acids lending this real brightness notwithstanding the bold, dark fruit. A bit rocky, rich and angular in the mouth and through the fairly long finish with lots of jammy cranberry fruit on the finale. 93pts

2013 Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi 14%
Pnp
Most baroque wine of the three
Lots of oak perfume on the nose, along with lots of dark herb notes laid over fruit that shows signs of prune and roasted strawberry. This is a bit matte in the mouth, there's plenty of acid but less energy than the two previous wines. Rich with tannins and almost luscious fruit, remaining fairly tannic through the backend.. There’s no doubt that the site is responsible for the dark muscularity here, and the dark cherry fruit along with nice inner mouth perfumes on the midpalate, but the wood really contributes to the masculine nature here. Long and fine, though wood tannin does emerge on the finish. 91pts

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