Jay Kline

9.4

Cascina Ornato is located in the southern portion of Serralunga d’Alba, right along the ridge. The elevation is higher here and the Ornato MGA falls to the west and south from there. Ornato is nearly a monopole for Pio Cesare would it not be for a couple of parcels that are controlled by Palladino. This bottle of the 1982 was generously provided from the cellar of a good friend; it was opened and enjoyed over two days. On Day 1, half the bottle was poured into a decanter and served immediately. The color was a slightly hazy garnet with an orange rim. On the nose and the palate, the wine came across rather tired. It wasn’t dead…and it definitely wasn’t vinegar, it just was...a bit dull. Since there were other wines open that were showing very well, we let it sit. At the end of the night, we poured what was left back into the bottle and I elected to take it home; hoping that it might wake up overnight. On Day 2, the wine had transformed. The color had deepened and everything had brightened up! The nose is loaded with tar, desiccated red fruits, sweet pipe tobacco accompanied by porchini, forest floor and dried, cracked leather ball glove…like after pitching 6 innings of baseball in the middle of July (IYKYK). On the palate, the wine is dry with surprisingly vigorous structure! The tannins are more pronounced than they were the day before and there’s also great acid to give everything a buoyant lift and some youthful energy. The fruit and non-fruit notes from the nose are confirmed with an added element of red rope licorice. Somehow, this is younger today than it was yesterday. At forty years old, this bottle clearly needed time to stretch its legs. Drink now with several hours of air but remarkably well-cellared examples could last for many more years. An illuminating experience in so many ways!

Something worth noting: Pio Cesare did not begin bottling single-cru Barolo “Oranato” until 1985. Curiously, this bottle was labeled “Vino da Tavola del Piemonte”. I reached out to Pio Cesare in hopes of getting some additional information and they were very kind to share some helpful detail. It turns out this bottling was an idea from their former importer, Terlato, with grapes for this wine sourced by Cascina Ornato. It was a traditional blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera! A long time ago they had a small amount of Barbera planted there. Now, Ornato is more or less 100% Nebbiolo. The “Vino da Tavola del Piemonte” was a sort of predecessor to the “Langhe Rosso” designation since there were not many appellations back in those days. The more you know!
— 2 years ago

Josh Graham

9.3

Great tropicals and no passionfruit. — 10 years ago

Dmitry Koutcherouk

8.9

Magnum! Very nice and enjoyable Shiraz, the way this grape should be like form the book. Serve it slightly chilled 17-18 degrees should do the trick. — 3 years ago

Matt Street

9.0

Enjoyed in resto with beef — 6 years ago

Sondra Bernstein

Owner of the girl & the fig, the fig cafe & winebar, Author of Plats du Jours, the girl & the fig's Journey through the Seasons in Wine Country and the girl & the fig Cookbook

9.4

Best forty barrels
Ripe coconut, rich cherry
Velvety tannins

#rhonehaiku in barossa — 7 years ago

Tom Wood

9.1

Blind picked for Pinot Gris, so much poached pear and noticeable barrel work. There is percentages of Pinot Gris in the blend but unsure what. Look a right fool after only having this a week or two ago. Good wine though, serve at 12 degrees or higher. — 8 years ago

Matt D

9.5

A great, refreshing wine — 11 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

We are stopping for a glass at the Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town after a day touring the nicer parts of coastal Cape Town as shown in the photos. It’s beautiful but, can’t wait to get to Stellenbosch tomorrow.

Newton Johnson is one of good SA producers in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in Hermanus, which is SE about an hour and forty minutes from Cape Town.

The nose reminds me of Sonoma Chardonnay without being hammered by new oak. Green apple, lime edging towards candy, pineapple, green melon, blended tropical fruit mix, white peach, butter but, not overdone, honeysuckle, light herbaceous notes, touch of saline, beautiful soft chalkiness, limestone minerals, fruit blossoms, yellow lilies & spring flowers.

The body is full, heavy and waxy. It’s rich. It also has a sense of tannins. The fruits are nicely ripened. Green apple, lime edging towards candy, pineapple, green melon, blended tropical fruit mix, white peach, vanilla, butter but, not overdone, honeysuckle, light herbaceous notes, touch of saline, beautiful soft chalkiness, palate penetrating volcanic minerals, limestone, some flinty notes, fruit blossoms, yellow lilies & spring flowers. The acidity is quite perfect. The finish is the definition of; rich, lush, elegant and well balanced. It’s persists for two to three minutes. Really nice! Also, appreciate the 13% ABV.

Photos of, The Mountains surrounding Camps Bay, the Waterfront area and the bar in the Cape Grace Hotel. — 6 years ago

October Cleveland

9.0

Lazy hazy washing down Peat's Bite. — 7 years ago

Tom Wood

9.1

Fruit forward nose of green apple, lemon zest, grapefruit and some slight yeasty tones and oak influence. Citrus palate, good to go — 9 years ago