Giovanni Viberti Barolo Buon Padre 1998
Thanks to Oliver. Garnet-ruby-black. Touches of brett and tree bark, Oli noticed. Ever so faintly grainy, and relatively dry tannin. A little red berries, plum. Tiny tar. Grey pepper. Faint anchovy. Medium body and length. Faintly sweaty with airing. Rating: 88+/89(-?)
G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 1998
Thanks to Oliver. Quite shiny-glossy ruby-black. Quite floral, clean, fairly sweet, more modern than the Viberti, fine and more mouthwatering tannin and acidity. Mature enough, but more inner-mouth perfume than on the nose. Partly dried rose petal. Elegant for Vergne. Harmonious, longer with airing, a bit more complex, fairly subtle. Rating: 90+/91(-?)
Massolino Barolo Parafada 1998
Thanks to Oliver. Medium ruby-black. Marzipan oak (partly new), touch of sweet asphalt. Partly dried black cherry. Youthful, but same as the other 1998s, sufficiently mature. More density to the fruit, more complexity, not necessarily more depth, let alone finesse. Quite flavourful tannin, a bit heavy-handed floral tea-like. More rustic, lacking in elegance, slightly crude use of oak, Oli says. My parents liked this least of the three 1998 Baroli that night. Rating: 89(+/-?)
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti