Ageing Barlo and Barbaresco?

Mar 20, 2006 1 Replies
Y

Hello everybody,



as I am rather underwhelmed with some Piemontese wines that I left in the cellar for about a 6 years, I wonder if other contributors to this NG share my impression.



Among those wines tasted recently, there was



Barbaresco 1997 Coparossa, Bruno Rocca (RP 90+ points, drink now-2013)



Barolo Vigna del Gris 1997, Conterno Fantino (RP 93 points, 2004-2020, tre bicchieri in Gambero Rosso)



Not that those wines were flawed, they were just unexciting and especially the Barolo had a bit too much (volatile?) acidity for my palate.



IMHO cellaring of many Italian wines - esp. Tuscany and Veneto - is a very worthwile exercise, so I am a bit intrigued by the Piemontese. Or am I just expecting too much?



Thanks for sharing your impressions with me



Yves


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J

The wines you had are reliable wines but made under "modern" conditions, less time on the skins, smaller cooperage, more fining & filtering. This style was pioneered by Ratti, Vietti, Aldo Conterno, Ceretto in the early

1980's. At 7 years a traditionally made barolo/barbaresco would become approachable, a modern styled wine should be at its peak. Tannic wines go through stages whether they be from Bordeaux or Piedmont. Some people refer a wine that shows little as being in a "dumb" stage. Italian wines in general have more VA then those from elsewhere. Some of Quintarelli's wines from Verona virtually jumped out of the bottles in the 80's--ie the corks were pushed out. Going from Italy to another country in tasting emphasizes the disparity in the amount of VA. If you do not like that level of VA ask your merchant for some with less VA or move on.
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