2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba San Lorenzo 14.0%
We tasted three top-name Barberas on three successive nights and the pleasure level was disappointing. The first two for intrinsic reasons, and the third, the subject of this morning’s broadcast, because it didn't correspond to an internalized notion. I suppose one of the advantages of tasting blind is that you are not blindsided by expectations.
Aromas here were sour cherry and Nebbiolo tar, with some unwanted heat, though less than the Massolino or the Conterno. At least, the fruit was sprightly cherry, not dark plum, like the other two. Mouth feel is beautiful and immediately brings to mind the words Very Fine (Marcia puts it better: this really sits well). Good weight, correct acid/sweet balance. Acidity clearly natural, cut from whole cloth. Surprisingly, for such a traditionalist, a bit of wood is apparent. But, just as I don’t want my Bojos acting like Burgundies, this is a bit too Nebbiolo for what I want Barbera to be. Without blindfolds, I can safely say it’s me, honey, not you.
On the subject of loading the dice: I knew I was saving the most enjoyable for last because I opened them in order of descending alcohol level (the first two were both 15% bruisers). Though high alcohol levels do not, ipso facto, prevent a wine from being good, I always list the level prominently because it is, in my experience, the single most important predictor of whether any good will come of it (particularly when you don’t know anything else about a wine).
I also loaded the dice in a rather stupid way at the origin. Because we could only bring back a limited number of bottles with us from Italy, I looked for the “best” Barberas I could find. Best often means most serious, or biggest, when the most pleasure usually comes from the most light-hearted. If I had picked three “simpler” Barberas with, say, 13%, I would probably be a much happier camper today. Only a brown belt would pick a 2000 or 2005 Bdx from a restaurant wine list today. I chose my Barberas like a brown belt.