VINO FINO TASTERS
Mostly 1998 NEBBIOLO WINES
June 20, 2001
I thought we might need sandpaper as a palate refresher, rather
than the customary French Bread....but host Alex Hoeppen (right photo) assembled
a good set of Nebbiolo wines representing the full spectrum of styles....old
schools, modernists and sloppy schools of winemaking.
Piemontese vineyards.
Recent harvests have been very promising in Piemonte. The 1996 vintage
was very fine. The 1997 vintage provided big, ripe, deeply-colored wines
of extraordinary fruit. The 1998 vintage is regarded by the winemakers as
not quite as good as its two predecessors, but certainly above average.
We tasted wines of the Nebbiolo d'Alba denominazione (don't confuse these
as "declassified" Barolo or Barbaresco wines, please) as well as some
"Roero"-designated wines (Roero D.O.C. wines must be 95-98% Nebbiolo
as a minimum and the rest can be the local white grape, Arneis).
Here's what we found:
| The Wines |
Gerald's Rank |
GROUP RANK |
Total Points |
1sts/2nds/
LASTS |
CASCINA VAL del PRETE
1998 Roero
$39 |
1 |
1 |
21 |
7/4/0 |
CASCINA VAL del PRETE
1998 Nebbiolo d'Alba "Vigna di Lino" |
3 |
3 |
53 |
2/1/0 |
Luciano
SANDRONE
1998 Nebbiolo d'Alba
"Valmaggiore"
$38 |
6 |
6 |
70 |
1/0/2 |
MATTEO CORREGGIA
1997 Nebbiolo d'Alba
"La Val dei Preti"
$35 |
2 |
2 |
44 |
1/5/2 |
Cantina ISNARDI
1996
Roero
$7 |
8 |
8 |
78 |
0/0/5 |
| STEFANO FARINA 1998
Nebbiolo d'Alba $10 |
4 |
7 |
77 |
0/0/2 |
CASCINA CA'ROSSA di Ferro
Angelo
1999 Roero
$13 |
5 |
5 |
68 |
0/2/2 |
LUCA ABRATE 1998
Nebbiolo d'Alba
"Bricco Rotondo"
$23 |
7 |
4 |
59 |
2/1/0 |
"Is this really wine?" asks taster F. Allan Anderson.
8th Place: CANTINA ISNARDI 1996 Roero
Though modestly-priced, this wine was beyond "old school"
winemaking. This would be most kindly described as
"rustic." Old, feeble, weak red wine which fits the stereotype
of Italian wine. The outspoken Mark Naismith was disappointed this wine
did not have 13 last place votes.
7th Place: STEFANO FARINA 1998 Nebbiolo d'Alba
Displaying some attractive berry and violet fragrances, this wine is
moderately rich with a modest tannic bite. I gave it a one star (out of
three) rating.
6th Place: LUCIANO SANDRONE 1998 Nebbiolo d'Alba
"Valmaggiore"
Mildly earthy
with a note of cherry-like fruit, this is a good example of basic
Nebbiolo. Medium-bodied, standard flavors echoing the nose with a bit of
tannin. One judge (photo on the right) rated it "Damn, that's
good!" and gave it a first place ranking.
5th Place: CASCINA CA' ROSSA di FERRO ANGELO 1999 Roero
Having some up-front berry fruit, a hint of orange peel and a spice
note, this Roero is a bit astringent, but certainly a solid and typical example
of Nebbiolo. One star.
4th Place: LUCA ABRATE 1998 Nebbiolo d'Alba "Bricco Rotondo"
With fruity aromas of apples, a bit of tar and some wet earth, the wine
is, at best, of standard quality. Not unpleasant.
3rd Place: CASCINA VAL DEL PRETE 1998 Nebbiolo d'Alba
"Vigna di Lino"
Hints of berry fruit and a suggestion of a violet fragrance on the
nose....the wine is significantly bigger and richer on the palate than you might
imagine from the nose. The tannins are such that aging this for a couple
of years would not be out of the question.
One-and-a-half stars.
2nd Place: MATTEO CORREGGIA 1997 Nebbiolo d'Alba "La Val dei
Preti"
The sad
news of the day is that owner/winemaker Matteo Correggia just died this past
week in a horrible tractor accident. The 39 year old Canale resident
leaves behind a legacy of fine winemaking.
The fragrance of this wine is very complex, with plums, prunes, earthy notes and
a touch of oak. The tannins match up nicely with the fruit, balancing very
well. Better than some Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Two stars.
1st Place: CASCINA VAL Del PRETE 1998 Roero
While this
was the runaway winner of the tasting, I can appreciate the critics who might
argue this wine is all flashy oak and difficult to identify as any particular
grape variety. In this tasting, being the only wine of this style, the
wine won handily. Lots of sweet, oaky, vanillin notes to the nose and the
same elements are found on the palate. Of course, you need a certain
amount of fruit to make this work. While the wine succeeds at being a fine
example of "internationally-styled red," I was unable to say this is,
indeed, made of Nebbiolo.
Mark Naismith was disappointed this wine did not have 13 first place votes.
Two stars.
VINO FINO TASTING ARCHIVE
2007 RUSSIAN RIVER PINOT NOIRS February 2010
A
RANGE OF FRENCH CHABLIS WINES January 2010
HOLIDAY DINNER
& WINE MARATHON December 2009
ROSÉ
SPARKLING WINES November 2009
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS October 2009
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS September 2009
GREEK
RED WINES August 2009
2005
BUDGET BORDEAUX July 2009
CAMPANIAN
WHITE WINES June 2009
MIXED
BAG OF CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIRS April 2009
RIOJA
WINES, MOSTLY FROM THE 2004 VINTAGE March 2009
NORTH
COAST PETITE SIRAHS February 2009
SYRAH
& PETITE SIRAH COMPARISON January 2009
A
VINO FINO CHRISTMAS December 2008
MOSTLY
2005s: NAPA CABERNETS November 2008
SONOMA
COUNTY PINOT NOIRS October 2008
SANTA
RITA HILLS -2006 VINTAGE- PINOT NOIRS SEPTEMBER 2008
NEWLY
RELEASED ZINFANDELS August 2008
WHITE
RHÔNE VALLEY WINES JULY 2008
LOIRE
VALLEY SAUVIGNONS JUNE 2008
FRENCH
CHABLIS 2005-2006 MAY 2008
NORTHERN
RHÔNE SYRAHS APRIL 2008
SANTA
CRUZ MOUNTAINS PINOT NOIRS January 2008
ANNUAL
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS DINNER December 2007
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS November 2007
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ October 2007
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO WINES September 2007
SONOMA'S
2005 VINTAGE ZINFANDELS August 2007
CURRENT
RELEASE (2004-2005) ZINFANDELS July 2007
ROS
WINES FROM ALL OVER June 2007
ITALIAN
LAGREIN WINES May 2007
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS April 2007
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE PINOT NOIRS March 2007
MOSTLY
2004 CABERNETS February 2007
CRU
BEAUJOLAIS January 2007
A VINO
FINO CHRISTMAS December 2006
CALIFORNIA
ZINFANDELS November 2006
PINOT
NOIRS of VALUE-PRICING October 2006
WORLD
OF SYRAHS TASTING September 2006
AUSSIE
CABERNET-SHIRAZ BLENDS August 2006
ALEXANDER
VALLEY (California) and MARGARET RIVER (Australia) CABERNETS July
2006
CALIFORNIA
PETITE SIRAHS June 2006
2004
NORTH COAST PINOTS and a FRENCH INTRUDER May 2006
AGLIANICO
: BASILICATA & CAMPANIA'S MAJOR RED WINE April 2006
NERO
D'AVOLA - A TASTE OF SICILIA March 2006
UNDER THE
VINO FINO RADAR ZINFANDELS January 2006
HOLIDAY WINE
TASTING & DINNER December 2005
BUBBLIES FROM AROUND
THE WORLD November 2005
NORTH
COAST PINOT NOIRS October 2005
STATE
OF CONFUSION CABERNETS September 2005
TIM
ZAINER'S SIDEWAYS LOOK AT MERLOTS August 2005
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET
FRANCS June 2005
CALIFORNIA
SYRAHS March 2005
2002
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS February 2005
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY WINE MARATHON December 2004
CHARDONNAYS
OF MODEST PRICE November 2004
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO October 2004
2002
CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIRS September 2004
AUSSIE
SHIRAZ-CABERNET BLENDS August 2004
GEWRZTRAMINERS
FROM ALSACE July 2004
2001
SOUTHERN RHNES (7 Chteauneufs & a Vacqueyras) June 2004
AGLIANICO
WINES FROM CAMPANIA & BASILICATA May 2004
MONTEPULCIANO
WINES FROM THE ABRUZZO & MARCHE REGIONS April 2004
SONOMA
ZINFANDELS February 2004
1997
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO January 2004
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA 2003
2001
CTES du RHNES September 17, 2003
2000
OREGON PINOT NOIRS August 20, 2003
WEST
COAST SYRAHS July 16, 2003
2000
Bordeaux June 18, 2003
2000
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS May 21, 2003
OFF
THE BEATEN PATH SYRAHS APRIL 16, 2003
2002 NEW ZEALAND
SAUVIGNON BLANCS March 19, 2003
1999
California CABERNETS February 19, 2003
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA December 4, 2002
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ August 21, 2002
CHAMPAGNES
& SPARKLERS July 17, 2002
Interesting
Paired CHARDONNAYS
May 15, 2002
2001
Southern Hemisphere SAUVIGNON BLANCS Feb. 20, 2002
1999 ZINFANDELS January 16, 2002
HOLIDAY
SEASON BACCHANALIA
December 5, 2001
1999-2000
New PINOT NOIRS November 14, 2001
1999
CALIFORNIA ZINFANDELS October 17, 2001
1998
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 19, 2001
1999
LANGUEDOC REDS August 15, 2001
1997
SAUTERNES July 18, 2001
Mostly
1998 NEBBIOLO June 20, 2001
1999 PINOT NOIRS May
16, 2001
1996
SAINT-MILION Tasting April 18, 2001
CARNEROS
CHARDONNAYS March 21, 2001
1984-1985
NAPA CABERNETS/John Vignau Memorial Tasting October 20, 2000
1997
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 20, 2000
1998 CALIFORNIA
CHARDONNAYS August 16, 2000
WINES
FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: CLARETS June 21, 2000
WINES
FROM UNDER THE TUSCAN (and Umbrian) SUN Aprile 19, 2000
1997 BORDEAUX: MEDOC May 17,
2000
