Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Consistent both days but this needed at least 3 to 4 hours to really start to strut. Day 2 this kept pulling like a freight train with no stop in sight. The 2019 Classico pours a garnet color with a slightly orange tinge and a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe Morello cherry, roses, tar, new leather, dried sage, old wood and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. I will say again, this really benefits from serious patience and air, but this is a beautiful Classico that has a very long life ahead. Drink now through 2059+. — 13 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2020 Classico pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Morello cherry, pomegranate, red flowers, old wood, and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. My first time trying the 2020 vintage of Produttori’s Classico and it’s another really lovely, benchmark example of Barbaresco. Drink now through 2040. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three hours. The 2012 Villero pours a pale, slightly hazy garnet with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing and initially a little grumpy with the fruit showing a touch stewed and everything a little muddled. However, with about 30min of air, it started to freshen up! This is a trait I find common with traditionally made Nebbiolo from Barolo and Barbaresco in solar years. Morello cherry, raspberry, bruised strawberry, dried roses, tar, dried green herbs, talcum powder, and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and grippy. There is so much nuance and yet, the quality is undeniable. Hard to stay away from. Drink now with patience to let it freshen up in the glass after opening but this should drink well through 2037. — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

A continuation of sharing my early impressions of the 2021 vintage in Barolo; Cavallotto is one of those benchmark producers for me, inextricably connected to Bricco Boschis, which they have farmed for nearly 100 years. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2021 Bricco Boschis pours a brilliant garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of Morello cherry, dehydrated orange, cumin, tar, roses, talcum powder, fresh sage and fresh mint, and dried gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with structure like that of Helm’s Deep; the tannins are absolutely rippin’ and acid at medium+. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is extremely long, savory and drying, to the point that you feel it in your gums several minutes. A brilliant Barolo that has a very long life ahead. Drink now with plenty of air and patience through 2071. Pairs well with hearty lasagna and baseball. — 15 hours ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two hours. The 2019 pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart red fruits: strawberry, raspberry, Morello cherry, roses, dried green herbs, and gravely earth. On the palate the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. From one of the lesser known Conterno’s…but still quite lovely. Drink now through 2039 — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90min. The 2019 “Serralunga d’Alba” pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with beautiful notes of red and black fruit: Morello cherry, fresh raspberries, pomegranate, orange zest, fresh cut red roses, talcum powder, tar and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Massolino is on a roll! Drink now with patience through 2044+. — 5 months ago

Rachel Retallick

9.2

2019 vintage — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of four hours. The 2021 Bricco Ambrogio pours a deep garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with a mix of tart and ripe, mostly red fruits: Morello cherry, strawberry Jolly Ranchers, pomegranate, lingonberries, a whole freaking rose bush, dehydrated orange, tar, talcum powder, dry gravelly, earth, and a gentle mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. At this point, I’m convinced that the Scavino’s are making the most interesting Barolo from the Roddi commune and they have nearly single-handedly put Bricco Ambrogio on the map. Drink now with patience and through 2061. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. In the 2005 Albesani pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of tart and ripe red fruit: Morello cherry, pomegranate, red roses, cedar chest, a touch of leather, dried green herbs, and gravity earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. All around delicious. Drink now through 2035. — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Consistent throughout, but this really needed air in order to get going. Initially, this was quite wound up and somewhat backward. However, after about an hour in the glass, a real beauty emerged. The 2017 Costa del Salmino Riserva pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe, mostly red fruit: raspberries, strawberry, Morello cherry, red flowers, red rope, licorice, talcum powder, dried green herbs, new leather and cedar box. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and chock full of savory minerals. I mean…this bordering bone broth levels of savory, lol. My opinion: these need time to show their best. Drink 2027 through 2047. — 5 months ago