1995: Barolo Retrospective

When speaking of vintage streaks in Barolo circles, most enthusiasts think of 1996 through 2001. However, what is often overlooked is a vintage that was considered excellent upon release by growers and winemakers but quickly overshadowed by the structure of 1996 and the sex appeal of 1997. That vintage is 1995.

After four years of lackluster vintages (‘91 - ’94), Barolo growers were more than happy with the results of 1995. Generally speaking, the weather cooperated, with the exception of two isolated hailstorms, which caused uneven quality for some growers. However, the majority of the Langhe Barolo harvest, although small, produced big wines with the potential for long aging. The problem is that for how good 1995 was, it was quickly forgotten as vintage after excellent vintage flooded international markets.

What does this mean to today’s Barolo drinker? It means that 1995 Barolo can still be found and normally at good prices. The catch is that one must be careful to only buy from trusted sources since these bottles have had over 12 years on the open market, and the chances of having been mis-stored or abused during that time can be high. Luckily, there is a higher emphasis on sourcing well-stored wine among today’s best retailers.

In the end, a little known secret among long time Barolo collectors is that 1995 Barolo is worth the hunt. These are drinking now Baroli that show well-resolved tannins and masses of fruit balanced by a solid core of lively acidity.

Before I move to the wines, special thanks go out to i Trulli Restaurant in NYC for allowing me to host such a large tasting at a single table. The food at i Trulli is excellent and easily stands tall against the best Italian cuisine in NYC. There were 16 bottles in all, served blind, and in the end (with the exception of one corked and one slightly off bottle), all the wines were fabulous.

On to the wines:

1995 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana - The nose showed an initial burst of sour cranberry, which turned sweeter with air. As time passed in the glass, the cranberry turned to black cherry with a dusting of minerals, dark chocolate and menthol. On the palate, the Pajana lost momentum with its full-bodied, yet one dimensional showing of sour cherry and hints of holiday spice. The finish was staying with tart red fruits that clung to the palate. (88 points)

1995 Roagna Barolo La Rocca e La Pira - Initially, there seemed to be a dirty note to the nose, but with time in glass it came to life, showing undergrowth and floral notes with cinnamon and bright cherry fruit. On the palate, it was lush with sweet ripe strawberry and dusty cherry, minerals, and earth on a structured frame with lifting acidity. The finish showed a hint of drying tannin against focused fruit, giving the impression that this wine may be a few years short of its peak. (93 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher

1995 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Ca d'Morissio Riserva Monprivato - On the nose, I found plum with fresh turned soil, floral notes, cherry and savory herbs. On the palate, notes of menthol filled the senses and gave way to red fruits and cedar. It was structured, showing enough balance of tannin and fruit to expect a number of years before it hits its peak. The long finish gave way to sour red fruits and hints of fennel. (92 points)

1995 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna d'la Roul - The rather expressive nose showed animal musk, menthol, mushrooms, saw dust and savory broth. On the palate, it was lush with a full body giving way to flavors of ripe cherry, herbs and spice. The finish was long and staying, carrying spicy red fruits to the close. (89 points)

1995 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito - The nose showed dusty potpourri with bright cherry, cedar and spice box. The palate was firm, showing masses of structure, as rich cherry fruit countered by earthy clay and dusty minerals swept across the senses. The finish was long and revealed crushed red fruits as the wine’s tannins slowly faded away. It was the utter balance and sheer focus of fruit that truly blew me away when drinking the 1995 Vietti Lazzarito. (92 points)

1995 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra - On the nose, I found dark spiced fruits with plum and hints of sweet vanilla sugar. The palate showed soft cherry with cedar in a feminine expression of Nebbiolo. The finish tapered off with notes of sweet herbal tea. (89 points)

1995 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc - The nose showed ripe strawberry with clove, sage and hint of vanilla, yet there were some underlying notes of dank wood which marred the experience. On the palate, it was voluptuous, with ripe cherry and sweet tobacco. The finish was medium long, but the fruit took on a hollow feeling and left me wanting a little something more. (88 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

1995 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala - The nose showed cherry liquor with dusty brown sugar, yet the initial sweet character of this wine was immediately put in check by welcoming notes of fresh earth and broth. On the palate, it was feminine, as dried strawberry and hints of honeyed herbal tea washed across the senses, only to explode into a juicy pure expression of red fruits and minerals on the finish. (93 points)

Even though its not a Barolo, the Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano, was included and showed that Barbaresco from 1995 is also drinking beautifully and showing amazing quality.

1995 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano - The nose showed dusty minerals with floral undergrowth, copper penny and sour, soft cheeses. On the palate, it was soft, yet its balanced acidity kept it fresh with flavors of dark red fruit, licorice and cinnamon. The finish was long with red fruits and hints of cedar. (91 points)

1995 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo - The nose showed dusty potpourri with fresh figs, plum and undergrowth. On the palate, I found cherries and hints of white mushroom, in a pretty but very light expression of Nebbiolo. The finish revealed its drying tannins with very little fruit in balance. (88 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

1995 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero - The nose showed black olive tapanade with rosemary and sweet cherry. On the palate, it was as soft as velvet with herbs, meaty broth, cherry and black olive washing across the senses. The finish left me satisfied by this wine’s wonderful balance, inner sweetness and remarkably unique profile. (93 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

1995 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - The nose showed cranberry, meaty broth, stone, minerals and something I can only describe as blood sausage. On the palate, I found a rich and dark expression of strawberry fruit and mushrooms that turned more angular and structured into the close with earthy notes. The finish was long with staying fruit, yet lacked dimension. (90 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

1995 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche dei Brovia - The nose showed stemmed strawberries, cinnamon and roses with a slight vegetal note. On the palate, it was full-bodied with focused black cherry and tobacco. The finish turned to a pretty expression of sour red fruits. (90 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

1995 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba - The nose showed savory and meaty notes with cherry and hints of acetone. On the palate, it was full-bodied with sweet overripe fruits and notes of green vegetables in butter broth. The finish was long, carrying the same odd flavors of the palate. This bottle was likely off. (reserving score) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

1995 Marcarini Barolo Brunate - The nose showed dark red fruits and moist earth with sweet spice and cedar wood. On the palate, I found a full-bodied expression of ripe, sweet cherry, cedar and herbs against a balanced structure of tannin, leading to a pleasant finish that turned the sweet cherries to sour berries. (92 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

For another perspective of this tasting, check out Greg dal Piaz, his review, a and great vintage synopsis at: Snooth!

1990: Barolo Retrospective

Those who know and love mature Barolo sometimes wait decades to finally open a bottle from their cellar. We patiently watch as the producers we know and single vineyard bottling we adore slowly collect dust until the day that someone gives us an excuse to pull that cork. Usually it’s a good, trusted friend or a professional critic that waxes poetic on how a vintage has started to drink well. Whatever the reason may be, what I know is this: when a vintage of Barolo reaches maturity, a small part inside of each Barolo collector blossoms with joy.

Paprika Restaurant, 110 St. Marks Place
The perfect location for our tasting.
Warm, inviting, and specializing in
traditional Italian cuisine.
Paprika Website

However, not every Barolo enthusiast agrees on what vintages are excellent or just good. The two most often heard vintage descriptions are classic and ripe. Classic describes, a vintage where temperate swings of hot and cold have found that perfect yin yang that gave the grapes great concentration mixed with a perfect level of acidity and well-defined aromatics. Where ripe, refers to an abundant year where the heat of the vintage sped the grapes to maturity too fast and often results in high concentration, low acid and often, high alcohol. Many often wonder about the aging potential of ripe vintages (the 2000 Barolo vintage comes to mind). The reality is, when taking global warming into consideration, that most vintages today would have been considered ripe twenty years ago. I guess we can argue that today’s producers are better skilled when dealing with today’s climate… but then again, 1990 was a ripe vintage.

Barolo from 1990 is certainly not as classic as 1989. It’s nowhere near as structured as 1996. However, 1990 Barolo is drinking beautifully and you may be able to argue that it’s not classic, but no one can convince me that isn’t an absolutely wonderful vintage that’s full of gorgeous bottles of Barolo that will give many more years of ageability and drinking. It’s a dark and mysterious vintage for Barolo that’s seductive on the nose with its rich fruit mixed with stunning aromatics. Most of these are like velvet on the palate with spicy dark wood tones and an array of forest and earth notes. In the end, it’s a vintage to seek out that will not disappoint.

On to the notes:

1990 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sori Ginestra - The nose showed honeyed tea, cocoa and dusty spiced cherries. On the palate, I found rich, ripe strawberry with earth and minerals. This wine was elegant and beautifully resolved but showed a bit more of its age than I had expected. The finish was long and fresh. (90 points)

1990 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Riserva - Deep, dark red fruit wafted up from the glass, followed by roses and undergrowth. As I explored further, the dark fruit turned to dusty black cherry as floral notes and a bit of iodine filled out the nose. To breath this in was like lying in a bed of spring flowers after a sun shower with fingers stained in sweet cherry juice. On the palate, the fruit was focused, as sour strawberry led to minerals and green pepper, driven by vibrant, coursing acidity that balanced out the massive structure of this wine. The finish showed like a fresh young wine with earth and red fruits against silky tannin. (96 points)

1990 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo - In a word, classic. The nose of the Barolo Mascarello showed focused red fruit with tobacco, florist shop, old parchment and hints of faded cinnamon. On the palate, this was silky smooth with crushed red berries and vibrant acidity that lent a cool, linger airiness that was almost menthol but not quite. The finish played a sweet and sour fruit act on the tongue and red fruit slowly faded from perception. Classic. (93 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher

1990 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia - The nose was utterly explosive and captivating as earthy tobacco and tar with raspberry wafted up from the glass. With further exploration, musky notes with roses and a hint of black olive tempted the senses. On the palate, this wine showed its rich yet massive structure with dark ripe strawberry, tar, savory broth, graphite and lead fading to a long staying finish. This wine is drinking beautifully yet should continue to improve for many years. It’s absolutely stunning. (96 points)

1990 Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello (from magnum) - On the nose, I found overripe red fruits with musk, dark chocolate, licorice and tobacco. On the palate this wine was at first lean but gained massive amounts of volume in the mouth, showing tea leaf and spiced dried cherry but turning slightly chewy into the sweet finish. (90 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher

1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero - The nose showed a very feminine expression of elegant, dark red fruit, spices, roses and plum skin. On the palate, I found sweet, round cherry that somehow came across as light on its feet but structured. This wine lacked some of the stuffing that was found through most of the wines tasted on this night, yet it was appealing in a very restrained and feminine manner. (92 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher

1990 Vietti Barolo Villero Riserva - The Vietti Villero Riserva was a beast of a wine that successfully walked the tightrope between rich concentrated fruit and an earthy, animal expression. The nose show honeyed herbal tea and ripe sliced fig, earthy mushrooms and tar. On the palate, this wine was bursting at the seams with massive dark red fruits, followed by honey, earth and tealeaf. It showed an amazing concentration of fruit without ever becoming tiring or chewy; instead it finished elegant and long. (94 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher

1990 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - The Monprivato was earthy in a way that only a true Barolo or Burgundy lover can understand. The nose showed fresh turned soil with roses and savory brown sauce. On the palate, I found sour red fruit, verging on cranberry, with leather and tealeaf, but as the wine matured in the glass, the fruit turned darker and sweeter with hints of violet candy and spice. The finish was long with red fruits and minerals. (93 points)

1990 Brovia Monprivato – The nose showed very closed with hints of red fruit pushing to the fore but little else. On the palate, I found sour cream and red fruits but with a turbulent level of acidity that ultimately left me wondering if this bottle was somehow flawed. (No Score) Find it: Wine-Searcher

1990 Bruno Giacosa Falletto Riserva – The nose showed dark red fruits with clay, earth, roasted nuts and hints of green peas. On the palate, I found sweet raspberry with spice, wood and a remarkable balance of elegance and concentration. This wine showed young yet still highly enjoyable. If it wasn’t paired against the Vigna Rionda, its qualities may have shown brighter. (93 points)

1990 Bruno Giacosa Collina Rionda Barolo Riserva (My wine of the night)

What a wine, a wine that you spend years thinking about when reading other tasters’ notes. You stare at the pictures and read through their experiences. You wonder if there's any chance that the wine could really be worth all the hype and poetry waxed upon it. How could a bottle really be worth such a price, you ask. Then the day comes that you finally taste it…and it's magical. It's a paradigm shift of sorts. I've had this happen with Quintarelli and now, I've added Bruno Giacosa's 1990 Collina Rionda Barolo Riserva to that list.

The 1990 Bruno Giacosa Collina Rionda Barolo Riserva was everything I ever wanted in a glass of Barolo. It was sweet yet sour, earthy yet fruity and rich yet with razor-like focus. The nose showed masses of ripe red berries with hot dried spices, gravelly moist earth, mushroom and hints of green stems. On the palate, this showed silky, sweet, ripe strawberry yet it also had a savory warmth, full with earth, menthol and leather strap on a beautifully structured frame. It was amazing how young the Collina Rionda seemed as silky tannin washed across the palate and soothed me into a long, seductive finish that begged for the next sip. (98 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher

Related Links:
For a great Italian meal or vino: Paprika Restaurant
For another take on this fine evening: Greg dal Piaz on Snooth & The Fine Wine Geek

1996: Barolo Retrospective

A while back, I polled a number of experienced Barolo collectors for their choice of the best vintage of the ‘90s. These days, we seem to have a great vintage every year, if not every other year, with ‘01, '04, and '06 being reported as great and '05 tailing close behind. Notice that I didn't really mention the highly acclaimed 2000 vintage, as I've found these wines to be far less impressive than originally expected. However, back in the nineties, Barolo only saw two good vintages between 1990 and 1995. It wasn't until 1996 when they hit their vintage streak with '96, '97, '98 and '99. These were all good-to-very good years, but there is only one vintage of the nineties that each of these experienced collectors believed to be the best vintage, and that's 1996!

Why? Structure and balance. The Barolos from 1996 showed that perfect unity of tannin, acid and alcohol with a core of rich fruit, that spells "cellar worthy." Most Barolo lovers look for the next 1989 or 1978 that they can squirrel away in their wine cellars and enjoy in their magnificent maturity; it's a big part of what draws people to Nebbiolo, the heights it can reach with proper aging. All signs lead us to believe that 1996 will be one of those vintages and it was with this in mind, and the fact that these wines are now nearing their fifteenth anniversary, that I decided a 1996 Barolo Retrospective was in order.

However, before moving onto the wines, I wanted to extend my gratitude to Tolani Wine Restaurant, in Manhattan's upper Westside, for an absolutely amazing meal, great service and wonderful hospitality. Tolani is a relatively new face in this uptown location, which has seen some pretty amazing restaurants over the last few years, but you'd never know they were the new kid on the block from the level of service and commitment to great food. The passion that the owners show toward making this restaurant great is infectious and if I lived in the neighborhood, you'd see me there weekly. I highly recommend visiting Tolani for a romantic dinner, wine with friends, or a group event. The atmosphere is rustic warm yet chic, dark, and mysterious--and the food from Executive Chef David Rotter? Inspiring.

On to the notes:

1996 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana – The Pajana showed very expressive on the nose with sour red fruit, primarily cranberry, and floral notes with lipstick, oak and leather. The palate was at first jammy, with red fruits but turned sour, and mouth-watering as cedar, spice and dark, dark chocolate came forward. This wine showed intense density of fruit against a large dollop of mouth-watering acidity and, hidden beneath all of this, a wall of tannin. Give it another four or five years and I think it may tame itself into something wonderful. (93 points)

1996 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra – The 1996 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra, at first, showed very rustic with mushrooms and undergrowth on the nose, but as it spent time in the glass, red fruit emerged with tar, tobacco and a hint of oak. On the palate, I found minerals and earth with tealeaf and dried cherries, which led to a medium long, with light tannin finish. It was highly enjoyable but took time to come to life in the glass. (92 points)

1996 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio – The 1996 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio showed cigar box, leather, salty sea air, sour cherry fruit and hints of toasty oak on the nose. On the palate, I found jammy strawberry that started linear but turned expansive with softer fruits, tobacco and earth. The finish was long and palate-staining with drying tannin at the close. I believe this bottle is a year or two away from its drinking window but a little too extracted for my tastes. (90 points)

1996 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio – The 1996 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio showed red cherries, animal musk and holiday spices on the nose with a rich rustic feel. On the palate, I found sweet juicy raspberry fruit with cinnamon and herbal tea. The finish turned to sour red candies with a smooth close. This bottle is ready to drink and, although it shows a very modern performance on the palate, I feel the nose is its saving grace. (91 Points)

1996 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cannubi – The 1996 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cannubi showed mushrooms and tar with wild berries and a hint of oak on the nose. On the palate, I found sour cherry, soil and leather strap with a bit of menthol. The finish was a little short but pleasant all the same. (90 points)

1996 Vietti Barolo Rocche – The 1996 Vietti Barolo Rocche gave a classic Barolo performance on this evening. The nose was fresh yet powerful all at once with a cool refreshing quality, as floral notes of roses, then tar and leather, red fruits and dusty ash came forward. The palate showed well-defined red fruits against a stiff structure of silky tannin and acid, as flavors of licorice and hints of tobacco showed through. The finish was fresh yet still restrained. This bottle will benefit from another five-plus years in the cellar before really starting to strut its stuff. (94 points)

1996 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne – The 1996 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne was very reserved on the nose as its fruit came across like watered down Kool-Aid with cinnamon and a little jammy dark fruit hiding in the depths of the glass. On the palate, I found a sweet and sour red fruit performance with holiday spices, but in the end, a fellow taster hit the nail on the head in noting that it reminds him of fruit punch. The finish was long but not cloying. (89 points)

1996 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo Cannubbio – The 1996 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo Cannubbio showed very rustic, yet highly enjoyable to a lover of traditional Barolo. The nose showed dusty cherry with animal musk and hints of mushroom and undergrowth. On the palate, I found dark sweet fruit with leather and tobacco leading to a medium finish with drying tannins. This bottle could use more time but is enjoyable now with proper decanting. (89 points)

1996 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo – The 1996 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo was, at first, very expressive on the nose but shut down quickly in the glass. Aromas of tar, roasted nuts, ripe strawberry and roses wafted up from the glass as if to tempt us and then sink our expectations as this wine suddenly turned off. The palate showed a tight structure as rose water and light cherry showed through. The finish was short with dried red fruit and hints of tobacco. This bottle needs more time, but I fear that it may never show the soft, rich, dried fruit of an aged Barolo. (90 points)

1996 Roagna Barbaresco Paje – The 1996 Roagna Barbaresco Paje showed tobacco with dates and sweet berry on the nose. The palate was, at first, soft and then turned to sour berry with, cedar, herbal tea and hints of cherry. The finish was medium long, still showing some tannic structure, yet perfectly fresh. I would leave these for another three years in the cellar but it can easily be enjoyed now. (91 points)

Other '96 Baroli Tasted in 2010

1996 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia- This wine showed a floral nose with roses up front, followed by cherry with beef broth and tar. The palate showed lots of cherry fruit, pipe tobacco and earth but all kept in check by a fine structure with streamlined acidity. I can see this wine being a classic as it leaves you lusting to taste it in a more mature state. The finish is refined and reminiscent of the roses on the nose. God what a gorgeous Barolo. (96 points)

1996 Mario Marengo Barolo Brunate - This showed deep ruby red color leading to brick with a slight orange rim. The bouquet could by smelled from four feet from the glass. Aromas of black cherry and rose petals rose from the first swirl. With a little more time I found forest floor, tar and red licorice in the glass. This is a Barolo that can be enjoyed entirely on the nose alone. The palate was full bodied with cherry fruit, minerals, undergrowth and old oak. A bit murky but still highly enjoyable. The finish showed soil with a lasting minerality. (91 points)

1996 Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca - Initially, the nose showed roses with new leather, tar, anise and sour red fruit hiding behind it all. The palate was very tight with savory beef broth, minerals, old cedar and cranberry. The finish showed sour red fruits with cheek puckering tannin lingering toward the end. As this bottle approached the fifth hour; the nose retained many of it's initial qualities but a rich (not sweet) cherry tobacco had moved to the front along with dusty dried flowers. The palate had taken on more body as a mix of red berries, cinnamon and sauté mushroom led to a slightly gravely tannin on the tremendously long finish. At the seventh, and last hour. This bottle had become almost impossible to ignore as the cherry took on darker, woody and mentholated tones in the nose. The roses had become sweet and the tar faded to the rear. On the palate, sweeter red berries with cherry liqueur, spice, and soil took over. The tannins on the finish had faded to a slight drying sensation and left me with cranberry and cedar, which lasted for a full minute. (94 pts.)

The run down:

Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia – 96 points
Vietti Barolo Rocche – 94 points
Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca – 94 points
Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana – 93 points
Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra – 92 points
Roagna Barbaresco Paje – 91 points
Mario Marengo Barolo Brunate – 91 points
Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio – 91 points
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio – 90 points
Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cannubi – 90 points
Bartolo Mascarello Barolo – 90 points
Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne – 89 points
Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo Cannubbio – 89 points