2004 BARBARESCO
Barbaresco is made entirely of Nebbiolo and
it's grown in the towns of Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso and part of San
Rocco Seno d'Elvio. Following January 1st of the year after the
grape harvest, Barbaresco must be matured for two years, one of which
must be in wood. Some people consider it a "poor" little
brother or sister to Barolo, which is curious since many top Barbaresco
wines are the equal of Barolo.
It magically becomes a "Riserva" wine when it's 4 years old
following that January 1st-after-the-vintage date.
To
see a map of Barbaresco in Piemonte,
CLICK HERE
Famous wineries such as Gaja and Bruno Giacosa do not participate, but
we still managed to find many very good wines.
These wines are rated on a three star scale
and I've not included wines which were standard quality or "no
stars" in my notes here... |
ABRIGO (Orlando)
2004 Barbaresco
"Vigna Montersino" |
Nicely expressive with
good fruit fragrances and a mildly smoky note. I detected a faint note
of tar. Mildly tannic. Good fruit and nice tannic
structure. 2012-2020.
 + |
ABRIGO (Orlando)
2004 Barbaresco
"Vigna Rongallo" |
This wine is a bit closed
compared to Abrigo's Montersino bottling. I found nice depth and length,
though the wine is a bit reticent presently. Give this from
2012-2023+.
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VALLEGRANDE
Cascina del Baio
2004 Barbaresco
"Valgrande" |
Nice red fruit fragrances
here are framed by mildly oaky tones with a hint of pencil
shavings. It's mildly floral and features a hint of rose
petals. I liked it's fruit focus and found the wood a pleasant bit
of winemaking. 2012-2020
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LA GANGHIJA
2004 Barbaresco |
Some tasters may fault
this for being a shade over-ripe, but I found it quite
interesting. Some stewed fruit aromas and a touch of marmalade
with a hint of cloves. The flavors are fruity and lightly spicy,
too. Distinctive. It might not require long cellaring, but
from now until 2015, or so, this should be quite enjoyable.
 |
LA SPINETTA
2004 Barbaresco
"Vigneto Valeirano" |
Light fruit on the nose
with mildly woodsy tones, I found this wine to be resiny, stalky, stemmy
and mildly reminiscent of rhubarb. There's a hint of "tomato
leaves" in this wine, too. I don't find it especially flawed,
but it's not as grand a wine as its reputation might lead one to expect.
Parenthetically, their "Vigneto Starderi" wine was stemmy and
stalky, with notes of rhubarb and tomato leaves with a hint of
caramel.
??? |
MOLINO
2004 Barbaresco
"Teorema" |
Showing some dark fruit aromas and
light cherry notes, this is a medium-bodied, firm, moderately tannic
Barbaresco. It is a wine best cellared to allow it to blossom and
develop in the bottle. 2012-2015.
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NADA (Ada)
2004 Barbaresco
"Cichin" |
Here's a schizophrenic
wine...the aromas and bouquet are of a much older, more developed
bottle. Lots of tarry notes with leathery overtones. It
probably has a short lifespan, but will always be out of balance in
terms of tannins and its obviously lack of fruit. Still, for those
who like old, funky bottles of Nebbiolo, this may have some appeal.
() |
NADA (Ada)
2004 Barbaresco
"Valeirano" |
Apparently the Nada style
is that of very "old school" Nebbiolo wine. This is less
tarry on the nose than the Cichin bottling, but the overall family resemblance
is quite apparent. It has a bit more fruit and more potential for
cellaring. Not for everyone.
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PELISSERO (Giorgio)
2004 Barbaresco
"Nubiola" |
Good color, deep and
bright, with nice fragrances of red and black fruits. It's a
sweetly-oaked wine, with notes of vanilla and caraway seeds on the nose.
Good structure. Firm. Very deep on the palate with notes of
melon and cherries. Plenty of stuffing. I really enjoyed
this. Now-2020, or so.
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PERTINACE
2004 Barbaresco
"Vigneto Marcarini" |
This wine has a nice nose
showing light cherry fruit and a mildly dusty tone. It's
medium-bodied and a bit tannic, but seems to be a bit hollow or
shallow. It may develop a tad by 2012-2015, but it's not an
especially grand wine.
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PERTINACE
2004 Barbaresco
"Vigneto Nervo" |
Nice cherry notes on the
nose with some woodsy, forest-floor fragrances. Loamy.
Medium-bodied, this wine is simply deeper and more intense than its
sibling. It has more in the mid-palate and is more flavorful.
|
RIZZI
2004 Barbaresco
"Pajore Suran" |
Lots of sweet red berry
aromas are in the foreground here, with a nice touch of wood in the
back. Good flavors and nice depth. It will need from
2012-2017, or so.
|
RIZZI
2004 Barbaresco
"Nervo Fondetta" |
Bright red fruit
fragrances with some floral aspects to the nose. Bright and fruity
with nice cherry aromas. Tannic. Balanced, though.
2012-2017+. Long finish.
to |
VIGIN
2004 Barbaresco
"Noemy" |
Very nice red fruit
fragrances backed by some cedary tones and a touch of vanilla.
Floral. Quite good on the nose, but it's a bit lean on the
palate. Should be a nice wine through 2015-2020.
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ANTICHI PODERI dei GALLINA
2004 Barbaresco
"Vigneto Gallina L'Ciaciaret" |
The nose of this wine
starts out a bit pungent and odd, but it seemed to clear up with a few
minutes in the glass. The wine is prettier on the palate, though,
with a nice texture and some richness. Needs time and probably a
wine that's best decanted an hour or two before service.
|
FILIPPINO
2004 Barbaresco
"San Cristoforo" |
Mild cherry fruit on the
nose, this is brighter on the palate with good balanced and mild
tannins. Medium intensity, this is a pleasant Barbaresco for
drinking from 2012-2017.
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FILIPPINO
2004 Barbaresco
"Sori Capelli" |
Nice berry fruit on the
nose with some lightly woodsy tones and a hint of cedar. Its
flavor is of wood to start and it does have a woodsy element all through
the palate, but I found enough fruit to balance the oak. It has a
nice, long finish, too.
2012-2017+.
|
FONTANABIANCA
2004 Barbaresco
"Sori Burdin" |
Mildly vanillin
fragrances on the nose are followed by sweet cherry aromas. Good
depth, this is a very nice wine. Medium-bodied, it has good,
fruity flavors and a proper balance of tannin. 2012-2017+.
|
GIACOSA FRATELLI
2004 Barbaresco
"Gianmate" |
Some nice woodsy tones
here with good cherry fruit. Those same characteristics shine on
the palate. Nice now and for short-term cellaring.
|
LA CONTEA
2004 Barbaresco
"Ripa Sorita" |
Light cherry fruit and a
nice vanilla bean fragrance on the nose. It's refined and elegant
on the palate, with bright cherry and strawberry fruit. The
flavors have a bit of wood and a moderately tannic 'bite'.
|
MOCCAGATTA
2004 Barbaresco
"Basarin" |
Hints of brown spices
along with light cherry and some coffeeish, mocha notes.
Medium-bodied. Nice tannic structure. Drink now-2015.
|
NEGRO (Angelo)
2004 Barbaresco
"Basarin" |
There's a nice cherry
tone to the fruit here and a fair bit of wood...probably too much for
old-timers. Woodsy, oaky, but showing plenty of fruit. It's
got good flavors all over the palate, from start to finish. Showy
wine. Now-2018.
to |
RESSIA (Fabrizio)
2004 Barbaresco
"Canova" |
Mildly vanillin
notes...vanilla cream with nicely woodsy tones on the nose. Medium
bodied and mildly tannic...light berry fruit. Now-2015.
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RINALDI (Pietro)
2004 Barbaresco
"San Cristoforo" |
Bright cherry fruit, this
is a good, fresh, simple, clean, compact Nebbiolo. Nice 2010-2015.
|
RIVETTI (Massimo)
2004 Barbaresco
"Froi" |
Not exactly a classic,
but this shows aromas of vanilla and marshmallow. There's a nice
cherry note on the nose and palate with a nice balance of tannin and
fruit.
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SAROTTO (Roberto)
2004 Barbaresco
"Gaia Principe" |
Here's a very fine
example which highlights the Nebbiolo cherry tones on the nose with
lightly woodsy fragrances in the background. There's also a light
floral, rose tone...the wine is young, but has some aspects of a more
mature wine on the palate. Nice center and good length to its
finish. Now-2015.
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SOTTIMANO
2004 Barbaresco
"Cotta" |
Light cherry aromas and
some mildly woody fragrances are prominent on the nose. The
flavors show nice oak and a dusty, tannic quality. 2010-2015+.
|
SOTTIMANO
2004 Barbaresco
"Fausoni" |
The wood is quite
apparent on the nose, with nicely oaky fragrances. This is a
medium-bodied, mildly tannic wine that needs a few years to 'fill out'
and mature. Good potential. 2012-2018.
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TENUTA SAN MAURO
2004 Barbaresco |
The nose shows a mildly
floral element, but it's a bit quiet at this point. The flavors
are even better as the wine is lush and rich on the palate. Nice
fruit. Complete. Very good.
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VIETTI
2004 Barbaresco
"Masseria" |
A shade darker than most
in its color, this shows mildly cherryish fruits and a whiff of
oak. It's a bit closed presently, though it did seem to open with
aeration. Woodsy, dark cherry fruit. Elegant, intense and
yet there's finesse here. Tannic. Good potential.
2012-2022.
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CASCINA CASANOVA
2004 Barbaresco
"Sori Sartu" |
Unmistakable as a
Nebbiolo of old-school styling...intense, earthy and leathery, with some
gamey, tarry notes on the nose. Big, deep and dark...Concentrated
and nice. Tannic. 2012-2018.
to |
TALIANO (Michele)
2004 Barbaresco
"Ad Altiora" |
I felt this wine
was closed and quiet presently, but probably will start to blossom in a
couple of years. It shows some nice dark cherry aromas and has a
fine, tannic structure. Classic style. 2012-2020
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BOFFA (Carlo)
2004 Barbaresco
"Vitalotti" |
Though I liked their
Casot bottling, I felt this Vitalotti was the superior wine. It's
more open and shows bright cherry and berry aroma. Medium-bodied,
mildly leathery and showing good cherry notes on the palate. It's
a bit coarse, but will do well from 2015-2020.
to |
CA' DEL BAIO
Cascina Vallegrande
2004 Barbaresco
"Asili" |
Presently this wine
offers a nicely toasty quality from its maturation in small oak barrels,
but I found a lot of black-cherry fruit. It's very showy on the
nose and quite pretty on the palate, too. Good oak, but plenty of
fruit to more than balance. Nice tannic structure.
2015-2020.
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CA' ROME
2004 Barbaresco
"Maria di Brun" |
I often find eucalyptus-like,
resiny notes in the Ca' Rome wine and this wine sure had that
character. It's a bit tannic and mouth-drying. There's some
anise flavors on the palate of this hard-edged wine. I'm uncertain
if there's sufficient fruit to balance the tannins.
|
CANTINA DEL PINO
2004 Barbaresco |
Showing light cherry
notes of Nebbiolo, this wine offers a light hint of oak.
Medium-bodied. Straightforward and classic, it's a bit
over-shadowed by wines of greater intensity. Still, this is fine.
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CASCINA BRUCIATA
2004 Barbaresco
"Rio Sordo" |
The nose of this wine is
excellent! Classic Nebbiolo fragrances with loamy, earthy tones
along with cherries and leather and a hint of tobacco. Nice on the
palate, too. It's intense and balanced, with an optimum
drinkability of 2015-2022.
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MICHELE CHIARLO
2004 Barbaresco
"Asili" |
This wine displayed an
older, more mature color, being a bit brown on its robe. The nose
is rather developed, too, showing nicely tarry, mature fragrances.
There's wood and a peppermint element to this wine. Woodsy flavors
dominate. The tannins outweigh the fruit and it's probably at its
best now-2013, or so.
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MOCCAGATTA
2004 Barbaresco
"Bric Balin" |
Nutmeg and brown spice
notes are featured on the nose with a faint hint of cinnamon, followed
by woody, oaky notes. The wood dominates on the palate presently,
so a few more years of cellaring will be needed to bring this to a point
of balance. 2012-2015.
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PODERI COLLA
2004 Barbaresco
"Roncaglie" |
Hints of resin and faint
whiffs of eucalyptus are displayed here. Medium-bodied and the
flavors are very fine, showing dark fruits and a moderately aggressive
'edge.' This demands cellaring and should repay in five to ten
years. 2012-2017+.
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BRUNO ROCCA-RABAJA
2004 Barbaresco
"Rabaja" |
Cherry notes on the nose
are intertwined with nice woodsy, oaky elements. The flavors offer
a bit of oak, too...but this should arrive at a point of balance with
cellaring. Quite good. 2012-2018+.
to |
ALBINO ROCCA
2004 Barbaresco
"Vigna Loreto" |
We tasted their Vigneto
Brich Ronchi which was more austere and a bit shy and closed at this
stage, while the Vigna Loreto was nicely cherryish and mildly
woodsy. This Vigna Loreto is fairly tannic and quite cellar-worthy
having sufficient fruit to balance the tannins. Quite nice.
2013-2020.
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