Vietti - Barbera, Barolo & Goosebumps
Posted by Gary Walsh, Wine Front, Thursday 19th May 2011
An animated, good natured and humorous entertainer – Luca Currado – proprietor and owner of Vietti – threw out so many sound bites and anecdotal gems, that dazzled and distracted by the brilliance of his wines, I only caught a handful.
Bracket 1
1) Dolcetto d'Alba Tre Vigni DOC 2009 ($40)
There's a suspicion of cork taint on the nose and the palate shows minor levels of stripping. Looking through it, it seems to be a high quality wine with ample meaty dark cherry fruit. Not wanting to make a fuss, I didn't ask for a second pour. N/R
Luca Currado loves Barbera and related a story where a Grand Cru Barolo site was to be re-planted. He wanted Barbera but his father said it would be throwing money away. Luca relates that with that site you'd produce the best of anything – Nebbiolo, Barbera or even bananas, should you so wish. So the cuttings came from the nursery, were planted and a couple of years later, the vineyard workers, after laughing, rang Luca's father to tell him the vines were Barbara. A terse call was made to the the nursery who relayed the information that Luca had ordered Barbera. Sprung. Ouch. "We don't make money from these wines – they represent Vietti – they form the first impression people have of our wines. Like seeing a cigarette butt on the floor of a restaurant as you walk in.... "
2) Barbera d'Asti Vigne DOC 2008 ($45)
Fresh, touch of cherry candy and licorice. Has depth and smooth tannins. A mouthful of flavour with balanced acidity. Delightful. A fat lovely thing with a slick of tannin on a fresh finish. 91 points.
Bracket Two
1) Perbacco Nebbiolo Langhe DOC 2007 $58
Lift, licorice root, dark cherry – this seems better than the last bottle with its beautiful aromatics. Very dry and firm with powdery/chalky tannin and a good fresh finish. Very nice wine. Fresh acid on finish. 92 points
2) Perbacco Nebbiolo Langhe DOC 2008 $58
Lift. More jammy than the 2007 with a spicy, animal edge, fruit brighter and more to red cherry tempered with leather and spice. Lighter with a little less concentration but good still. Firm less ripe tannin – slightly gritty but a good fresh finish. I'd drink a bit of it I reckon. 90-91 points.
The best barrels of Castiglioni go into the Barolo of the same name, the others get blended away into the Perbacco. "To wear the Vietti team shirt our first level Barolo must be one step ahead of the others. Like Roberto Baggio".
3) Barolo Castiglione DOCG 2006 $140
An aniseed perfume, cherry/plum fruit. Lively, fine grained persistent tannin, lovely freshness – vibrant. Excellent length. A beautiful wine. Classic Barolo. 94+ Points
4) Barolo Castiglione DOCG 2007 $140
Spicy animal and tobacco notes, leather, almost to chocolate, floral notes. Ripe raspberry- ish – mainly red fruit. Concentrated, more depth but not the charm and typicity of the 2006. Swirls of tobacco and savoury flavours. Large scale. Give it a swirl and licorice comes up, as do other so many other things. Barolo is a nasal voyage of discovery. I like the 2006 a little better, but splitting hairs. 94+ points.
"Everything you add to a wine covers something. If you have a vineyard with no personality, you add it with wine making." Amen Luca Currado.
Bracket Three
1) Barolo Rocche Castiglione Falletto DOCG 2007 $280
Toast, sweet cherry, some vanilla, choc-licorice. A mesh of fine firm ripe melting tannin, sweet fruit, incredible length, intensity, concentration. Has richness. Has everything. Hold the phone, no grab the phone! I was texting my friendly retailer within seconds of tasting. 98 points.
2) Barolo Brunate La Morra DOCG 2007 $280
Wow. Fragrant, licorice root, tobacco and spice. Fine and very long. Light grippy tannin. The flavor of licorice root (the essence of great Barolo) and cherry. Fresh acidity. Captivation. Behold. Goosebumps. 99 points.
3) Barolo Lazzarito Serralunga d'Alba DOCG 2007
High lift, spice, lighter, more acid driven, less intensity. A touch floral and soapy. By any other standards, brilliant, but eclipsed by the two above. Oh it's warming up now. Slick of tannins – grainy and looser knit, fleshing out and revealing more power. So little time to spend with such wines, but my goodness this will be good. 95+ points.
Bracket Four
Six Riservas have been made to date not including the 2004 – 01 and 82, 89, 90, 96,97 – and when the vintage is not good enough, it's blended away into Castiglioni Barolo. Luca decided to make this wine after opening a bottle sourced from a late night grab in the cellar, at the end of a dinner party. The wine that came up with him was a 1918 Vietti Barolo. He relates that the wine was still drinking well, but showing its age. An emotional moment for Luca that gave him goosebumps – like he was sharing a glass of wine with his Great Grandfather, who made the wine. So this is a wine to keep in your cellar as long as possible. A reductive style that's not racked and not filtered. Made to drink with (or for) your children.
1) Barolo Riserva Villero Castiglione Falletto DOCG 2004 $500
Rich, chocolaty, rich cherry, some reduction, licorice, lift, flowers, tobacco, cloves – so much. The length is outstanding. Masses of powdery long fine grained tannin. A magnificent wine. Malty too. Ever changing. 25+ years . 97+ points.
Posted by Gary Walsh, Wine Front, Thursday 19th May 2011