Barolo and Barbaresco, What's the Difference?

Source: Wikipedia

Are Barolos and Barbarescos perceptibly different? Shouldn't the same grape (Nebbiolo), grown in appellations less than 20km apart, produce nearly indistinguishable wines? This Friday I once again seek to answer the question I posed more than two years ago - is there a defining difference between these wine regions?

Most books and web sites describe the wines made from the earlier-ripening (typically) Barbarescos as softer, elegant, more approachable. I like Bastianich/Lynch's comment in Vino Italiano, The Regional Wines of Italy:

Traditionally, Barbaresco was thought of as finer and more feminine than Barolo, the "queen" to Barolo's "king."

Most other writers feature a similar line of broad characterization - Barolos are heavier, more tannic, and require more cellar time to soften up, while Barbarescos are more approachable, perfumey, refined.

Of course, these comments are generalizations - with a plethora of producers working miniscule plots (not to mention different techniques in the winery) is it truly possible to define "Barolo-ish"? And will our small sample of '98 and '00 bottlings from Barolo and Barbaresco (four bottles) give us enough information to find that "sameness"? (Or will we simply drink a lot of wine)

I will let you know after Friday....

Do Whites Age? Lopez de Heredia and Chateau Musar

Ok, so my last post on aging dry white wines was pretty lame - after all those whites barely four and five years old. Big deal? Fine, here's some really old s%$t - a 21 year old Rioja, and a "youthful" 9 year old from Lebanon...

The 1989 Lopez de Heredia Rioja (white) Dark, dark amber amber in the glass...dusty, minerally, on the nose...papaya, dried apricots and fresh lemons in support. Youthful, with crisp citrus and creamy almond - surely the vintage on the label is a typo? Terrific structure, elegant and complex with a terrific finish. Vintages has a few more bottles on line (and for $4 less than I paid) - buy some.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$59 (LCBO)

The 2001 Chateau Musar (white) was more yellow gold, visually not showing its age despite nine years in the bottle. But it was more oxidized on the nose, with almonds and melted caramel, buttery. Softer, creamier on the palate with luxurious, spicy (nutmeg) finish - terrific, if only slightly less structured than the Lopez de Heredia above.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$35 (LCBO)

Wow, what an education - astonishingly good, well-aged, dry whites from Spain and Lebanon - and surprisingly affordable! I'm going to clear some place in the cellar..

(PS - I have to thank Neil for plugging the Lopez de Heredia - if it weren't for him I would never have responded to this recent Vintages offering...cheers, Neil)

Do White Wines Age? An '05 and '06 from Rioja

Do dry white wines "age"? The answer is yes, of course - any wine book will tell you that certain whites can improve with some quality time in the cellar.

But who actually gets to taste aged dry whites? Recall your last trip to your favourite resto - how long was the 'vintage white' section? Probably didn't have one. Did the sommelier recommend a five or ten year old white "from their cellar"? Probably not. And chances are that your buddy with that 4000 bottle cellar only has a few sweet German wines in his/her "white" section (if there any white wines at all).

So this mythical wine - the Well-Aged Dry White - became a bit of a quest for me a few years back. Realizing that the wine shops and restaurants would not satisfy this curious corner of my wine mind, I made a concerted effort to squirrel away some whites - Aussie, German and Alsatian Rieslings, some Chablis, some Champagne, and tonight's two bottles of Spanish Viura...

The 2005 Palacios Remondo Placet started all funky, seemingly tired and past its peak, but wow - did this ever open up - dried apricots, dark caramel, butter cream, canned pears and guava, some almonds and floral/soapy notes. The first sip mirrored the first nose - tired, past its prime - but as it opened some tangy citrus and minerality showed up, revealing tremendous finish and persistency for old wine ... wow, she's still got it! Even more impressive, it tasted better on day 2 and day 3.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20

The 2006 Palacios Remondo Placet barely showed any sign of age - crisp and fresh from the get go, adding funky papaya, soapy floral, citrus peel and quince. Notably minerally on the palate, with tasty bitters, difficult to find a more delicious, smooth, and complex white - with enough acidity and minerality to indicate that it is nowhere near its peak.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20

There is no doubt that a few years in the JoeCave did not harm these wines, with the '05 gaining nuance and '06 seemingly newborn. And Palcios Remondo has made a tremendous case for Rioja whites from the Viura grape.

But four or five years is not "age" - for that you have to wait for my notes on a 20 year old white Rioja...

(both were impeccably paired with a homemade seafood paella)

Happy Father's Day

A Father's Day gift from my kids, and proof that wine is still top of mind around here...

Salon des Vins

Despite my reservations I actually enjoyed myself at this year's Salon des Vins. Kinda odd, as it was exactly what I expected - crowded, overwhelming, and too much "so what, I can get that anywhere" - maybe my expectations were set to such a level that I was bound to have fun...

Yes, it was crowded on a Friday night, but I didn't really have any trouble tasting the wines I wanted to taste (and talking with the Industry folk can be hit and miss anyway). Yes it was overwhelming, but by keeping focused I manged to explore some new stuff...

The highlight of the night was a tasting with Jorge of Catena wines. Readers know I love Catena, from the great price:quality Alamos line, the great value Catena line to the uber-awesome Catena Alta series - Catena's wines consistently meet or exceed the quality of competing wines at similar or even higher prices. There is something to be said for consistency and an addiction to quality!

Jorge first poured for me a cross section of his Malbecs - the Alamos Seleccion, the Catena Malbec, the Catena Alta Malbec, and his latest offering - Catena's ultra high end "Malbec Argentino". The Seleccion is no slouch (see here), the Malbec a house favourite, and the Alta - stupendous! You really need to taste a Catena Alta Malbec to realize that the true potential for serious Argentinian wine based on this grape that is far beyond the fruity $10 offerings most consumers associate with Argentina. And if that wasn't enough, we tried the Catena Alta Cabernet and the Nicolas Catena Zapata. That Nicolas Catena is seriously good stuff, amongst the best "Meritage" wines I have EVER tasted. Note that Jorge will return to Montreal this fall for a tasting at Westmount's Wellhouse (more on Wellhouse in a future post).

We also had a really great time at the Bonny Doon booth. I have always liked Bonny Doon's more rebellious take on California wine - yes, he has playful marketing like so many other wineries, but he also has serious old world tendency in his wines - lower alcohol, more modest fruit, fresh and reserved wines. First we tried an odd Nebbiolo offering, crafted from grapes that were half raisinified (a la Ripassa/Amarone) - an odd nose and just to raisiny for me. The Birchino Malvasia was a delicious find - very floral, flat and flavourful, perhaps an American take on VdP Cotes de Gascogne. But the star was the Le Pousseur - the best Shiraz I have had at this price point (~23$), it will be released at the SAQ in early May - watch for this!

Another great find was the Constantia Glen "Saddle", a Cab Sauv/Cab Franc/Merlot blend - the only wine that made it home with me tonight.

A couple of oddities - a Rosso Gaglioppo, for example - and a serious disappointment at the Marc Anthony booth where I paid serious $$$ for a pour from a cooked bottle of the Falesco Montiano - when I complained he said it just needed to breathe. I'll remember that as I go to stock my cellar next time...

My main regret was not having more time to scope out some quirkier wines, but I think I'd need a few hours on my own to really poke around the show and taste quirkier things (I tend to drive people - i.e. my wife - crazy with my "intensity" at these events).

That's all to report, two more years to go....

Montreal's Salon des Vins

The Salon des Vins, Montreal's biennial wine extravaganza, runs this week from Thursday, March 25th to Sunday March 28th. Two years ago I was nearly giddy with excitement, but this time around I'm rather "uninspired", as the thought of muscling my way through vast crowds in desperate search of some undiscovered gem seems tedious, the prices can be steep for rather modest pours, and forget about having time to talk to the producers - they're too darn busy.

But I cannot ignore it completely - the list of producers is not so bad, and you can buy stuff at the show that is simply not available in local stores. Two years ago I went for three of the four days, but this time 'round I'll simply stop by on a Friday and hope it is not too frustrating...

2002 Elderton The Ashmead Cabernet

I show a lot of love here for Elderton, so it was a bit of a no-brainer for me to pick up this 2002 Elderton "The Ashmead" Cabernet Sauvignon. Very Barossa - vanilla, cloves and tobacco on the nose, lots of fresh, ripe blackberries, violet and flint, spicy oak and green pepper. Incredibly soft and smooth on the palate, it started simple but filled out over the evening, offering spicy fruit and silky tannins. A beautiful, long finish, rather fresh for the age, but left me wanting something more...
Score: 17/20
Price: C$69 (SAQ)

Two Takes on Cahors

For my 41st birthday I thought I'd break out of a rut and try something quite random - two random bottles of Cahors, that is. Not entirely random, as these bottles offered two entirely different takes on Cahors and held the promise of something very different from Argentine Malbec.

The 2006 Chateau de Gaudou sported a traditional label and a Decanter silver medal, so I had no idea what to expect. Very austere, Bordeaux-like, so green and earthy with gobs of leather and spicy new oak, late hints of vanilla. Crisp, fresh, and lengthy - far to light and elegant to be a Malbec!
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$23.25 (SAQ)

The 2007 Un Jour sur Terre intrigued me, as the back label spoke to this wine's aging in clay, not oak. That's right, malbec with NO oak. What that gives you is a big nose of ripe blueberries, (much fruitier than the Gaudou above) with intriguing notes of wet stones, mint and oregano, liquorice, and hint of vanilla. Much crisper and lighter than the fruity nose suggested, feeling hotter and just slightly less balanced on the palate. So very different from every Malbec you've ever tasted...
Cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$25.50 (SAQ)

2006 Cumaro Conero Riserva

A definite oddity, the 2006 Cùmaro Conero Riserva was a Christmas gift that has been sitting in the cellar as I had no idea what to serve it with. I gave up tonight and opened it for a wonderful pairing with a prime rib roast. An enticing, satisfying nose of currants and old leather, cigars, damp earth, wet stones and a hint of vanilla. Rather rustic on the palate, with dry, sour curranty fruit. A great food wine - light, crisp and minerally. Delightful without being overpowering, definitely more my style these days, but big fruit lovers may wish to look elsewhere.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: gift

Washington State Merlot: 2003 Wilridge Merlot Red Mountain Klipsun Vineyards

We don't get much wine from Washington State in Montreal, so when my travels took me to Seattle I thought I'd sample some of the local offerings. Seattle's Tasting Room, located in the Pike Place market, had a quaint, but serious ambience - perfect for an extended stay, but I only had time to grab a few bottles and run....

The staff was rather busy serving tasting customers and didn't offer much assistance with the wines on offer, so I was left to random picks and some customer suggestions (lots of helpful winos there!). Tonight's Merlot made it into the bag as I have taken to buying wine in reverse order of alcohol content, and this 13.7% bottling was probably the lowest alcohol red in the shop (and conveniently selling at a large discount to the rest of the offerings).

The 2003 Wilridge Merlot Red Mountain Klipsun Vineyards was a wonderful surprise, with fresh, earthy fruit, green pepper, milk chocolate and cassis on the nose. Spicy, and a bit rough around the edges at first - a shag carpet of tannins - but it sorted itself out with some air. Smooth, balanced, a nice long finish...a lot of heart put into this. And this merlot did NOT taste 7 years old, still fresh and vibrant, it never got flabby. Cellarworthy? A rare question at this price point - wish I had some more to find out!
cork. 13.7% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: US$19 (Tasting Room Seattle)

2006 Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin "Combe aux Moines"

My buddy Cosme is legendary for his love of Burgundy, so it was no surprise that he brought one by when I invited him over for a drink. His 2006 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Combe aux Moines" Vielles Vignes was tremendously complex on the nose, with notes of cola and green nuts, wildflowers, strawberries, pencil shavings, cocoa and a hint of honey. Ample velvety tannins - drier than most burgs - with a notable minerality. Very fresh, and very well balanced, another gem from Cosme!
Score: 18/20
Price: gift

A Castelgiocondo Brunello Vertical

Ever since he visited my cellar in December, my buddy Guy and I have been plotting an evening of Brunellos. According to Guy we had a complementary vertical of the Castelgiocondo, but that wasn't really true - I had the "regular" Castelgiocondo, while he had a bottle of the higher-end (and pricier) "Ripe al Convento". An "imperfect" vertical, but a perfectly enjoyable blinded tasting!

The 1999 Castelgiocondo was showing its age - a pretty nose of prunes and leather, vanilla and cherries. Soft and silky smooth, a palate of minerally cooked fruit. Delicious, but simpler than the other two. Drink now. cork. 14% alcohol, Score: 16.5/20

Guy's 2000 Castelgiocondo Riserva "Ripe al Convento", the estate's top bottling, impressed with a complex and ever-changing nose - flint, violet and tobacco, some fresh cherries and fruity hard candy. Delicious cherry fruit and a long, long, finish of soft, velvety tannins. Very balanced, nearly flawless. cork. 15% alcohol, Score: 18/20

The 2001 Castelgiocondo had a big dose of tobacco and smokey ashes, vanilla - a tad too heavy with the oak. Younger, fresher, cherry fruit with a beautiful finish - everyone's 2nd favourite and a winner considering the price differential vs. the Ripe al Convento. cork. 13.5% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20

A wonderful evening of wine (all in their prime), paired beautifully with great friends and a tasty prime rib roast.

2004 Olivares Dulce Monastrell

My first bottle of this was a gift from my friend Andreas, but after an unfortunate accident I HAD to go out and replace it (it was a Mourvedre dessert wine from Spain, for crying out loud!).

The 2004 Olivares Dulce Monastrell (Jumilla) was rather odd for a dessert wine - blueberry jam and almond liquer (amaretto), pruney and some aromas that could easily have been single malt scotch. Soft and and pruney on the palate - an odd juxtaposition of sweet, syrupy fruit and dense, grainy tannins. Nice, with a very long finish, but just a bit too sweet.
cork. 16% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$30.25 (SAQ) 500mL

Exploring the Reds of St-Chinian

St-Chinian is the 4th largest Languedoc appellation, with 3300 hectares under vine. The reds, approximately 90% of production, are fashioned from the grapes Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault and Lledoner Pelut grown in hillside vineyards trapped between the Mediterranean and the mountains. While the climate and grapes point towards big, heavy wines, tonight's offerings were surprisingly light - only one had 14% alcohol.

My brother-in-law picked up this 2007 Le Secret des Capitelles in Ontario, a blend of Grenache and Shiraz. A terrific nose of peppery cooked meat, leather and blackberries, violets and sour cherry, some wildflowers, rubber and ink - very complex for a wine at this price. Hot and peppery with a lengthy finish, it softened up as it aired out, but it was not as balanced as the Hecht et Bannier below. But what a great price! I may have to cross the border to get a few more bottles.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Cost: C$14.95 (LCBO)

The 2006 Les Fiefs d' Aupenac sported a "Decanter" sticker on the bottle, which was good enough to entice me into an experiment. This wine was a "St-Chinian-Roquebrun", from the village of Roquebrun in the St-Chinian region. Mostly (60%) Syrah, with some Grenache and Mourvedre, it was less complex than the others. Deeper, darker, with peppery meat and leathery notes, some blackberries, creme brulee and violets to follow. Softer, hotter (cherry liqueur came to mind), with a good, fruity finish.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$19.95 (SAQ)

I loved this 2006 Hecht et Bannier, a négociant-éleveur specializing in the Langueoc-Rousillon offerings. The nose starts off slowly - nice, but subtle. A little air and it opens beautifully, showing minerally black earth, peppered meat, vanilla and grenadine. Probably the smoothest and best balanced, with a soft velvety touch, yet tight and minerally at the same time. A plum and blackberry finish that felt lower alcohol than the others. Did I say very very very well balanced? Drink now.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$24 (SAQ)

It was a perfect blind tonight, as all were random selections and never tasted before this evening. Be forewarned, as my preference for the H&B not shared by the others who preferred the fruitier Aupenac.

Key take away? A fairly random sample of St-Chinian shows wines that recognize the big fruit available, but the winemakers have deftly crafted this fruit into more balanced wines than I have seen in other Languedoc appellations - give these a try!

2008 Moulin de Gassac "Elise"

"Un Vin Comme Autrefois" declares the label of the 2008 Moulin de Gassac "Elise" Vielles Vignes, a Merlot-Syrah blend from the Vin de Pays de l'Hérault appellation. A mouthwatering nose of ripe blackberries enveloped by a distinct, green earthiness, with some vanilla and new leather added later on. Soft and grainy, with a smokey, flinty finish. A terrific wine for decanting, the oxygen helped this open very nicely over the evening - blinded this wine could fool many into thinking they were drinking a much more expensive wine.
Cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$15.45 (SAQ)