Barolo - 2006 Riservas 8 Jun 2012 09:05 by Walter Speller See the Nebbiolo guide for more articles and tasting notes from the 2012 Nebbiolo Prima. Although I had greatly looked forward to tasting the 2006 Riservas after the challenge of the very young and tannic 2008 flights, reminding myself that former would be flattered by comparison with the latter, I came away a little bit sobered. Several wines are nothing less than stunning in structure, complexity and length, but on more than one occasion I kept asking myself if the wine actually lived up to this highest of all Langhe wine categories. And the truth is, some just don’t hit the benchmark in terms of quality. I admit that I have grown wary of the Riserva category in any Italian region, if only for the fact that it is completely outdated. With viticultural and winemaking knowledge on an all-time high, there shouldn’t be a need to single out a selection of grapes to signify a great vintage. In addition, in quite a few cases, Riservas, irrespective of their origin, seem to be the same wine just aged longer. For the consumers (remember: all of this work is done for them in the end), it would be much simpler to have a regular Barolo, and a cru. The cru should always be the pinnacle of the range, and as such replace the Riserva. In modest years, the cru should be blended in with the ‘regular’ wine, which would mean a leap in quality and credibility at the same time. And the fact that most Riservas are produced year in year out, means it has completely lost its historic meaning and relevance. Nevertheless, the best 2006 Riservas should be snapped up as soon as they are on the market, and hidden in the cellar for a while. As I mentioned before, this is the time to invest in Barolo, now that so many wine lovers have been disappointed by Bordeaux and its seemingly wide divide between quality and price. In the Langhe you can get burgundian complexity matched by Bordeaux’s longevity in a uniquely, through-and-through Italian wine, incomparable with any other wine style in the world. The picture above is taken at the Serio e Battista Borgogno cellar. BAROLO 2006 RISERVA NOVELLO & VERDUNO Castello di Verduno, Monvigliero Riserva 2006 Barolo 16 Drink 2016-2026 Verduno. Deep ruby with orange-tinged rim. Good mouthful of fruit, with full extract and quite drying tannin on the finish. Needs more time. (WS) Armando Piazzo, Sotto Castello di Novello Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 20122020 Novello. Deep ruby with broad rim showing orange hints. Fine perfumed sweet fruit, but lacks a little bit of lasting power for the category. (WS)

Roberto Sarotto, Audace Riserva 2006 Barolo 15.5 Drink 2012-2020 Novello. Impenetrable dark ruby. Modern, oaked mouthful of fruit-cake fruit, but not the most elegant. And seems a little too ripe for the vintage as well as its age. Huge tannin. (WS) BAROLO Bergadano, Sarmassa Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2014-2028 Barolo. Deep ruby with bright orange rim. Real Nebbiolo fruit with fine raspberry. A little waxy. Gentle and fine and yet muscular. (WS) Serio e Battista Borgogno, Cannubi Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5+ Drink 2014-2028 Barolo. Deep ruby with broad orange rim. Sweet, intense and almost rich nose. Fragrant, sweet fruit palate. Linear with grainy tannic wave on the finish. Long and fragrant and intense and yet elegant. (WS) Virna Borgogno, Riserva 2006 Barolo 15.5 Drink 2012-2020 Barolo. Deep ruby with small orange rim. Iron, orange, spice and the merest suggestion of Moroccan leather. Complex nose with a lighter palate and rather big tannin structure. (WS) Bric Cenciurio, Coste di Rose Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2028 Barolo. Deep ruby with orange rim. Complex orange and cherry with lifted acidity. First signs of tertiary dried-fruit notes. Elegant palate weight, and with a firm structure. (WS) Giovanni Viberti, La Volta Riserva 2006 Barolo 17 Drink 2016-2030 Barolo. Very deep ruby with orange-tinged rim. Youthful nose with spice and hint of leather. Same youthfulness on the palate with sweet succulent raspberry. Grainy muscular tannin underlining a very elegant palate. (WS) Giovanni Viberti, Bricco delle Viole Riserva 2006 Barolo 17.5 Drink 2018-2030 Barolo. Very deep ruby, almost impenetrable with very small orange-tinged rim. Very closed strawberry fruit. Well-struck balance between fruit intensity and swathes of coating tannin. Very long and satisfying and complex fragrant finish. A real Riserva for laying down. (WS) CASTIGLIONE FALLETTO Fratelli Cavallotto, Vignolo Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2014-2028 Castiglione Falletto. Very dark, almost impenetrable ruby. Earth and iron and young, sweet raspberry with gripping but ripe tannin. Elegant mouthfeel and very long. (WS) Fratelli Cavallotto, Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2030 Castiglione Falletto. Very deep ruby with small orange rim. Feather-light mouthfeel with intense, sweet fruit. Firm stalky tannin to offset this intensity. (WS)

Livia Fontana, Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 2012-2020 Castiglione Falletto. Deep ruby with bright orange rim. Lots of dried fruit, seems almost a tiny bit oxidative. Not very precise. (WS) Franco Molino, Villero Riserva 2006 Barolo 15.5+ Drink 2016-2028 Castiglione Falletto. Dark ruby with small brickstone rim. Seems a little lifted and volatile. Ripe, quite complex sweet fruit and still rather tannic. (WS) Monchiero, Rocche di Castiglione Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2030 Castiglione Falletto. Deep ruby with orange tinges. Very compact. Minerally, iron note and orange peel. Shows youthful tannic muscle. Long and young. (WS) Francesco Sobrero, Pernanno Riserva 2006 Barolo 16 Drink 2014-2028 Castiglione Falletto. Deep ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Horse saddle and spice-dominated nose. Intensity combined with concentration and elegance, and with ripe grainy tannin. Just a shame about the bretty note. (WS) LA MORRA Enzo Boglietti, Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 2012-2016 La Morra. Impenetrably dark with narrow orange rim. Quite raisiny on the nose and on the palate. Not for the long haul, it seems. (WS) Casetta, Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 2012-2018 La Morra. Quite dark with orange tinge. Beginning of undergrowth and horse saddle. Has its grip on the fruit too. Good raw material, though. (WS) Ciabot Berton, Roggeri Riserva 2006 Barolo 17 Drink 2016-2030 La Morra. Very deep ruby with broad orange rim. Very closed on the nose. Very brooding and sweetly concentrated and so young. Real Riserva intensity. (WS) Gagliasso, Riserva 2006 Barolo 15.5 Drink 2012-2024 La Morra. Mid ruby with orange rim. Very sweet and oaky and with creamy oak on the finish. A bit popular, but has the stuffing. (WS) Paolo Scavino, Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 20162030 La Morra. Impenetrable dark. Lifted, raspberry compote nose. Intense and at the same time so very lightweight on the palate. Grating tannin cutting through the sweet concentration. Obvious, but well-handled oak. (WS) MONFORTE D’ALBA Silvano Bolmida, Bussia Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2014-2026 Monforte d’Alba. Deep ruby with orange tinges. Starts off a little bit leathery and herbal. Lovely, gentle palate weight. Lots of concentration and ripe, stalky structure. (WS) Franco Conterno, Bussia Munie Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 2012-2020

Monforte d’Alba. Very deep ruby with orange tinge – barrique ageing? Opulent fruit and, yes, sweet oak. Very good concentration and length, just a little too stewed for me. (WS) Costa di Bussia, Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2030 Monforte d’Alba. Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Very leafy, almost herbaceous, with a hint of leather. Restrained raspberry-powered palate with fierce tannin. Not ready for some time. (WS) Giacomo Fenocchio, Bussia Riserva 2006 Barolo 17 Drink 2014-2028 Monforte d’Alba. Mid ruby with broad orange rim. Already approachable on the nose, but on the palate it is a different story altogether. Light, full and richly tannic, with very fragrant and persistent fruit. (WS) Gemma, Giblin Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 2012-2018 Monforte d’Alba. Deep ruby with broad bright rim. Sweet, extracted and rather evolved vanilla and fruit cake. Intense but not very compelling. Highish acidity sits uncomfortably with the oak. (WS) Giovanni Manzone, Gramolere Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 2012-2018 Monforte d’Alba. Deep ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic and compelling nose. Creamy oak notes add also a dollop of drying tannin. Can be enjoyed now. (WS) Josetta Saffirio, Persiera Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2014-2024 Monforte d’Alba. Deep and still youthful-looking ruby. Compact, and doesn’t say a lot on the nose. Fragrant, generous fruit palate offset by acidity and ripe, coating tannin. Just gets the balance. Long aromatic, almost intense finish. (WS) SERRALUNGA D’ALBA Giacomo Anselma, Vigna Rionda Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5+ Drink 2016-2028 Serralunga d’Alba. Dark ruby with broad orange rim. Complex with dried cherry and hint of Moroccan leather. Much slower to open up on the palate but with a sweet, crunchy intensity. (WS) Ettore Germano, Lazzarito Riserva 2006 Barolo 17.5+ Drink 2020-2034 Serralunga d’Alba. Concentrated maturing ruby with orange rim. Noble, backward spicy nose. Very powerful and at the same time reigned in. Lots of grainy, perfectly built tannin. Pretty much for eternity. Endlessly long (WS) Bruna Grimaldi, Badarina Vigna Regnola Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 20142024 Serralunga d’Alba. Deep ruby with small orange rim. Rich dried-fruit nose. Same impression on the palate, accompanied by masses of dry tannin. (WS) Massolino, Vigna Rionda Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2028 Serralunga d’Alba. Almost impenetrable dark ruby with orange-tinged rim. At first stalky on the nose. Sweet raspberry and powerful but ripe, coating tannin. Quite big. (WS)

Palladino, San Bernardo Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2028 Serralunga d’Alba. Mid ruby with brickstone rim. Very closed on the nose, but palate shows ripe strawberry going hand in hand with huge tannin. Perhaps a little bit over the top, but will age, no doubt. (WS) Rivetto, Leon Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2028 Serralunga d’Alba. Dark, almost impenetrable ruby. Concentrated with that unmistakable dried-fruit character. Good complexity and ripe, persistent tannin. Still compact and yet to open up. (WS) Gigi Rosso, Arione Riserva 2006 Barolo 15 Drink 2014-2018 Serralunga d’Alba. Almost impenetrable dark. There is a little oxidative touch here, but otherwise masses of sweet fruit. (WS) Giovanni Sordo, Gabutti Riserva 2006 Barolo 16.5 Drink 2016-2028 Serralunga d’Alba. Mid ruby with the beginning of orange. Fine, fragrant and quite closed really. Very good balancing acidity and fragrant, long finish. Impressive concentration. Almost too much. (WS)

Tags: Barolo, Nebbiolo, Piemonte, Italy