2016 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Gramolere, Italy, Piedmont, Wine review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight asphalt, slight rose and iron.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great acidity.  On the palate, this is tight but opens in the glass.  Cherries with some asphalt and minerals.  Deep.  This is just entering its drinking window and should be there for another eight to twelve years.  Nice on its own but better with food.  A plate of truffle pasta would be perfect.  

2020 Cascina Sòt Langhe Nascetta, Italy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

An interesting wine made from 100% Nascetta grapes.  The grapes are macerated for six days on their skins before being fermented (off the skins).  The result is a deep golden color.  Clear and bright.  The nose is light but shows nice minerality along with a touch of lemon peel.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, the lemon peel and minerality come thru.  This won't get better so drink up.  It will be better with food.  A nice wine to go with a Quiche.  

NV Viticoltori Acquesi Asti, Italy, Moscato d'Asti DOCG, Wine Review

Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This comes in a very attractive package with a mushroom cork and wired cage.  There is no vintage noticeable although the Lot number starts with L23.  7%abv.  Silvery/green/gold in color with a thick mousse of medium sized bubbles.  The nose has pineapple, some papaya and minerality.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is sweet.  Refreshing.  Long finish.  This is a nice wine to start an evening or a lovely way to finish a meal perhaps with some shortbread or other plain cookie.  Drink now.  

1964 Franco & Fiorina Barolo, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1964
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

A friend turned 60 and purchased this wine to share with his friends.  This was an excellent vintage and the wines at the time were meant to age a long time often not enjoyable in their youth.  Of course, sixty years is pushing it, and then add to that questions of storage, etc., but this wine was very  enjoyable if showing some age.  The wine is pretty in the glass but bricked all the way across.  Still, it was bright and clear.  There is some volatile acidity on the nose but not a lot and it helps bring out the aromatics.  The nose is dusty with cherries, dried cherries and dried floral n

2005 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$290.00USD

Great showing for this wine.  Light ruby with slight orange/brown near the edges.  Mostly clear and bright.  The nose is classic with cherries, slight dried cherries, roses and slight tar.  Medium to full bodied with medium tannins.  On the palate, this is complex and delicious.  Cherries, dried cherries with underlying char.  Layers of flavors that unwind in the glass.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This is close to peak at this point, but no hurry.  It should be at this level for ten or more years.  Better with food.  A perfect match for a mushroom or truffle dish.

2021 Riva Leone Piemonte Barbera, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

Barbera is an interesting grape and the wines produced from it cover a wide range of styles and price points.  This is at the lower end of the price range, but  the wine easily has the quality of wines three or four times as expensive.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries and slight dust.  Medium bodied.  Strong acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with great acidity.  Nice finish.  This wine demands food.  All of the classic "Italian Night" foods such as pizza, spaghetti, other pastas, etc.

2021 Riva Leone Gavi, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is a nice white wine from northern Italy.  It is made from 100% Cortese grapes and comes in around 12.5% abv.  It has a glass closure.  Pale yellow green in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lots of minerality with some pear.  Medium bodied.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, the pears come out more but there is still that nice underlying minerality.  Nice finish.  This is a nice lighter white on its own, but will work well with lighter foods as well.  This would be great with a vegetable Risotto.  Drink over the next year or two.  Great value.

2019 Ricossa Barolo Antica Casa, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$46.00USD

This is a more accessible style of Barolo.  Ruby in color with slight browning (normal even in a young Barolo).  Clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, anise, cranberries, and a very slight floral quality.  Medium to full bodied.  Very firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, cherries and slight rhubarb note with underlying char and slight anise.  Long finish.  This drinks easy for such a young Barolo, but this should continue to mature over the next five to seven years.  Either way, it should drink well of ten years.  Nice on its own, but this wine was made to go with food.  Pasta w

2016 Travaglini Gattinara Riserva, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$68.00USD

This is the wine that comes in an odd shaped bottle that almost looks like it melted and was disfigured.  Made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, this is the Riserva version which means the best parcels are harvested from Travaglini’s oldest vineyards (35-60 years).  The wine is aged for 4 years: 3 years in Slavonian oak casks of different sizes. The wine then rests in bottle for 12 months.

2010 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$266.00USD

A very nice, moderately priced (on release) Barolo.  With 13 years from vintage, this one is in a great place.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has hot tar, cherries, spice and char.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, nice cherry fruit with some complexity.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This will work better with food.  Pasta with a mushroom cream sauce was perfect.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

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