WTN: Barolo and Barbaresco at Kittle House

Jacques organized a Nebbiolo themed dinner (well, actually Barbaresco and Barolo, he banned my old Spannas) at Crabtree's Kittle House last night. A nice group of 8 got together, a nice mix for me of old friends and new. The staff at the Kittle House did an excellent job throughout night of wine service, the chef made a delicious tasting menu for us, and a good time was had by all.

Flight 1 (king salmon and mustard greens)

1971 Ceretto "Montefico" Barbaresco
Really a lovely bottle, ripe red cherry, very floral, some earth, a little citrus zest. Mature but not fading. A-

1974 Produttori del Barbaresco "Moccagatta" Barbaresco
A little concern was expressed when this was first poured, but with 10 minutes of air it showed well, and was one of my top wines of the evening. Some barnyard brett notes, but well within my tolerance level. Earth, red fruit, a hint of pipe tobacco. A-/B+

1978 Pio Cesare Barolo Riserva
I didn't write it down, but think there was a dead bottle of 71 Pio Cesare, and this was the backup. Bigger, a bit lifted, rounder than flightmates. Just a touch of pruniness to the fruit. Solid fully mature Barolo (I think favorite of those who like bigger). B+/B

Flight 2 (great duck breast, with farro, black radishes, cherry sauce)

1990 Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia Soprana
Really ripe, a bit of VA, some tannins. Some disagreement over this one, as some felt it needed 10 years, and I thought it might have just crested the hump. We're to meet in 10 years to decide. B/B-

1979 Cappellano Barolo
This edged the '71 Ceretto for my WOTN vote. Pretty red fruit, but actually dominated by notes of earth, herb, and orange zest. Elegant, long, fine. Like 79s from Bordeaux and Burgundy, this seems to have aged on acids more than tannins, but there's fine balance in any case. A re-sip at night's end was going strong. A-

1982 Ceretto "Bricco Rocche Brunate" Barolo
I wasn't loving this at first pour, but it really built up steam in glass. I actually didn't write any notes on this, but quite liked. B+/A-

Flight 3 (Venison with coriander, with butternut squash puree, Brussels sprouts, and "huckleberry port jus" )

1998 Giacosa Falletto Barbaresco
Lush, some tannins, just seems to be getting into drinking window. B+/B

1998 Giacosa Barbaresco (normale)
I'm getting just a hint of brett on this, but for Jacques this is undrinkable. I just assume this is differing sensitivities to different strains of brett. Good acids, spice, red fruit. B/B+

1999 Giacosa "Santo Stefano" Barbaresco
Tightest wine, initially just hints of black cherry and a little VA, lots of tannins. Needs time, lots of potential. B+?

Flight 4 (short ribs with polenta and spinach)

1999 Bussia Soprana Barolo
I was a little puzzled by this bottle, as to me Bussia Soprana is an Aldo Conterno wine, this seemed to be producer name. Mid framed, a bit oaky, vanilla over red berries. B/B-

1996 Giuseppe Mascarello "Bricco" Barolo
A little wierd funk when first poured, but it blows out. What is left is tough and monolithic, but underneath lurks what I think is a very very good wine. A B- for drinking now, but A- for potential.

1997 Sandrone "Cannubi" Barolo
Ripe, low acid, ripe, low acid. Some really loved, I felt it drank ok, but didn't offer much potential, I just prefer some zip. B/B-

Quite a fun night. Wines showed well overall - even my least favorites were quite drinkable. Food was very good, company better. Some interesting different takes on the wines, and how different preferences are just as valid. Thanks to Jacques for organizing, and to everyone for their generosity.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency. 

Great tasting. You were visiting some of my old friends that no longer exist in my cellar!

Amazing how long lived some fo these wines are.

Thanks for the notes Dale, it was a fun evening, with some strong personalities. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I mostly agree with your notes, but just a few observations:

That 1998 Barbaresco Normale by Giacosa just smelled foul. I couldn't get past the nose. Interesting that most people liked it.

I also am not a big Sandrone fan, I thought it was overly sweet and could have been anything from anywhere, Dale said Claude Dugat, but I was even going to Australia (ok, it was the last wine of a long evening)

The 1990 Aldo Conterno Bussia was the controversial wine of the evening.

We had two DOA wines, an oxidized madeirized 1971 Pio Cesare and a corked 1985 Ceretto Bricco Rocche Brunate.

Yes, sorry I forgot to note that 1985 Ceretto was corked, but Jacques had craftily brought the '82 as backup, good work!

I remembered that the 1999 Bussia Soprana was from Sherry Lehmann, a look at their site and then Cellartracker leads me to believe there is indeed a winery called Bussia Soprana, and this was their "Bussia"

I didn't note Riserva on 1974 Produttori, but all of the single vineyards are.

I also didn't note that Carrie had given the 1996 Mascarello an all day decant, and it was still most backward wine of the night. Immortal!

Thanks again Jacques for brilliant orchestration!

I remembered that the 1999 Bussia Soprana was from Sherry Lehmann, a look at their site and then Cellartracker leads me to believe there is indeed a winery called Bussia Soprana, and this was their "Bussia"

It said Azienda Agricola on the label. Same as Falletto but there the wine is made by Giacosa. I don't know who makes this one

Thanks for the notes Dale. Looks like a very nice tasting-dinner, especially with those nicely-aged Piedmonts.

i've had my personals controversies with the 1990 Conterno Bussia Soprana, with 2 of my 4 bottles being corked and finally ending the ups-and-downs just this summer wth my last corked one
Regarding the 1999 Bussia Soprana wine, I have come across one that also confused me and just like Jacques noted it had Azienda Agricola on the label but made by Mosconi. just to confuse things, another Bussia Soprana was made by another producer called Vigna Collonelo (very similar-sounding to Aldo Conterno's Colonello vineyard wines).

I thought Azienda Agricola just means farm/estate.

Cellartracker lists a "Bussia Soprana Winery" obviously it doesn't say winery on English on label, but looks like Eric or someone added to try and reduce confusion

I believe this is the wine we had
http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=611159

this shows their label from a different vineyard (Vigna Colonello)
http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=852954

I believe Vigna Colonello, Bussia, and Mosconi are the vineyards, Azienda Agricola Bussia Soprana is the producer.

But don't bet on it. We need a Greg dal Paiz here!

Azienda Agricola means (for the purposes of this discussion) farm or winery.

Bussia Soprana is the name of a piece of the Bussia cru (I can't find my Atlas of the Langhe Vineyards, unfortunately), and I assume they have named their winery after a piece of land they own, à la DRC.

More details at www.bussiasoprana.it

Check this link out. If you scroll down you will see the breakdown of the ownership of the Bussia Soprano vineyards (first black and white map you come to).

http://ubriaco.wordpress.com/category/other/maps/

As far as Az Agr., as Dale and Oliver pointed out all it means is farm estate or winery. But from our last discussion of Bruno Giacosa wines, those labeled Az Agr Falletto- di Bruno Giacosa means the fruit is grown on the vineyards own estate vineyards and produced in their own cellar. Wines labeled Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa means the grapes are outsourced from other growers but the wine is produced in Giacosa’s cellars.

Salute