Roger Ray

9.1

The Spanish tempranillo grape faces off against the Portuguese touriga grape in this complex but compelling blend — a month ago

Ira Schwartz

9.4

2004 base
Disgorged 2010
A very fresh nose of apricots, nuts, spice and brioche. Very powerful when it hits your palate. Apples, pears, and lemon zest battle for supremacy of your taste buds. Prominent acidic bite — a year ago

Roger Ray

9.4

94 point Wine Spectator
"A bright, dry berry flavor and warm, velvety mouthfeel while forgoing any chemical herbicides. The result is a wine with a complex, battle hardened nose of dark cherry and cacao, bright and spicy on the palate, and warm in the mouth."
"A handmade natural wine"
Beautiful wine and one of my favorites of the year. — 4 years ago

Victor Hsu

9.0

Baby Monte Bello, with big California Cab oomph and gripping tannins. This dark red also featured the typical fruit, earth and mineral notes that you would expect, but I just can’t get past those big, bruising tannins. Improved considerably after an hour of decanting. This 2017 vintage probably needs another half decade at least to soften and mature. Paired well with prime ribeye steak, cutting through the richness like a battle ax. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. This estate owes its name to Connetable Talbot, the English general & governor of the province of Guyenne who was defeated at the famous Battle of Castillon in 1453. Deep Ruby color, with aromas of black fruits, herb, tobacco and earthy notes. On the palate flavors of plums and black currants with cacao and tobacco spice, on a well balanced frame. Fine tight tannins, long finish ending with fruit, earthy spice and cedar character. Nice! — 3 days ago

MaJ CappS

8.9

Nose is that blackberry filling at the bottom of the yogurt cup.

Tart cherry, flinty fruits, lots of mineralogy here, citrus and red fruit battle royale..
A unique blend from a hot region. Literally and figuratively.

— 3 years ago

Will Stanley

9.4

My first time trying one of the wines from Cantina del Pino, an estate with greater ties to Barbaresco’s roots than most. The Vacca family were long a part of the Produttori but in 1997 branched out (yes, a pun: it was they who in the 1920s planted the now iconic pine tree on the highest point of the Ovello lieu-dit), and now produce two single vineyard Barbaresco bottlings (this, and an Albesani), as well as a generic Barbaresco and Langhe, Barbera and Dolcetto wines.

Tragically, winemaker Renato Vacca died in March last year after a yearlong battle with cancer. The 2016 vintage, just bottled, is supposed to be superb.

For now, though, the Ovello from the less lauded 2012 vintage. This is a knockout wine, still young, and with great promise. The nose is very exotic, quite heady & oaky even after a two hour decant, but opened up as the evening progressed, to give gorgeous aromas of macerated cherry, blackberry preserve, cinnamon, cedar and old leather. It screams Nebbiolo, and it’s the first Nebb I’ve had in a year or so.

The palate is very concentrated, with ripe and intense flavours of cranberry, dried cherry, cured meat and tobacco leaf. There is great tension and energy through the mouth, which only this village - or its neighbour - can achieve. The finish is long and impressive. A seductive, ageworthy wine.

94+ — 4 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.6

This is amazing. So much fruit and flowers on the nose. Continues on the palate with a battle of fruit punch with floral notes and some blood orange. Tomato, good acidity, a bit of spice. A bit of earth. Excellent with pasta. — 9 months ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.3

Old style wine
I love the detailed description attached to the neck of the bottle telling you all about the site, the winemaking and how to deal with the wine

This is a Barbacarlo's brother, not minor though

It starts quite fruit orientated, but it does unfold over many hours in the decanter

At first you can mistake it for a robust sparkling shiraz(given that it has a fizz when opened).
Day 2 the blue mineral it's all over and it is smoother and more enjoyable too( the tannin is more digestible too)
Very long and to review again in many years

Ps after a battle in Marengo(Italy) Napoleon stopped by in the area and sipped on this delicious nectar; from there the vineyard hill is also called Napoleon's hill(as well as Montebuono hill). — 2 years ago

Paul K

9.0

@Jason and Jennie in your neighborhood tonight before heading down to Bandon Dunes for four days of golf. Dropped by the storefront for Battle Creek. Nice Pinots and great people! Nose is really great on this. — 5 years ago