1. Balgera Dd'OC: Rosso di Valtellina (12.0%; www.ViniBalgera.com) Chiuro 2004:: Med.light color;
strong delicate floral/violets/rose petal slight strawberry slight pungent/earthy bit pencilly
very aromatic quite complex nose; very tart bit metallic quite floral/rose petal slight tarry/
earthy/pungent bit cedary/aged very delicate flavor w/ light gentle slight bitey tannins; very
long/lingering delicate strong floral/violets/rose petal rather tart bit earthy/pungent complex
finish w/ light gentle tannins; not as perfumed nor the depth of #2/3 but a beautiful example of
fully mature Nebbiolo; very delicate/ethereal/complex Nebb. $33.50 (OMvVB)
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2. Balgera Vagella Dd'OCeG: Valtellina Superiore (12.5%) 2003:: Med.light color; intensely fragrant
Nebb/floral/violets/rose petal slight earthy/tarry slight pencilly very perfumed complex nose;
delicate quite tart very floral/violets/rose petal/Nebb light pencilly/earthy quite complex old
Nebb ethereal flavor w/ light bitey tannins; very long/lingering very strong floral/Nebb/violets/
rose petal slight earthy/tarry/pencilly bit tart delicate/elegant finish w/ light tannins; a
beautiful example of a fully mature/complex Nebb at a very fair price. $41.50 (OMvVB)
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3. Balgera Inferno Dd'OCeG: ValtellinaSuperiore (12.5%) 2011:: Med.light color; very strong floral/
violets/lilacs/Nebb/rose petal more fruit lovely aromatic perfumed nose; quite tart/tangy youthful/
floral/Nebb/violets/rose petal bit earthy/dusty some complex flavor w/ some hard/bitey tannins;
very long/lingering very strong lilacs/violets/floral/rose petal/Nebb very slight tarry/pungent
slight earthy/dusty bit complex finish w/ ample hard/brittle tannins; stylistically the same as the
first two but more youthful Nebb fruit & harder on the palate; clearly needs age. $41.50 (OMvVB)
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4. ArPePe DOCG: Valtellina Superiore Sassella Stella Retica Riserva (13.5%; WCFields/Sausalito; 2000cs)
Sondrio 2011:: Med.light bit darker color; light pencilly/oak very strong floral/violets/Nebb/lilacs
bit spicy light earthy lovely aromatic nose; quite tart/tangy very strong floral/Nebb/lilacs/violets
bit pencilly/oak bit complex flavor w/ some bitey/hard tannins; very long/lingering very strong Nebb/
floral/lilacs/violets slight pencilly/oak bit earthy quite tart finish w/ hard/crunchy tannins; loads
of youthful floral Nebb fruit but quite young, needs age. $47.00 (BayGrape)
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5. ArPePe DOCG: Valtellina Superiore Grumello Rocca de Piro Riserva (13.5%; 1500 cs) 2011:: Med.light color;
very similar fragrant floral/lilacs/Nebb/violets bit brighter/cherry some pungent/tarry lovely aromatic
nose; very tart/tangy strong Nebb/floral/violets/lilacs slight spicy/cherry/bright slight tarry/pungent
bit complex flavor w/ some hard gritty tannins; very long/lingering stronf floral/violets/lilacs/Nebb
slight bright/cherry light tarry/pungent finish w/ some grippy tannins; more floral aromatics, more tarry
w/ an underlying bright cherry character; almost Pinotish in character except on the palate; beautiful
Nebb. $55.00 (H-T)
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6. Brezza Nebbiolo Dd'OC: Langhe (14%) 2017:: Med.light color; bit earthy some licorice/pungent strong lilacs/
Nebb/floral fairly deep & not as bright rather spicy quite perfumed lovely nose; very strong floral/
lilacs/Nebb slight earthy/tarry/dusty rather rich bit complex flavor w/ modest/ripe tannins; very long/
lingering quite floral/lilacs/Nebb bit earthy/tarry some complex finish w/ light ripe tannins; fairly
rich/lush for a Langhe w/ some depth and good tannin management; quite a nice Langhe Nebb at a very
good price. $28.00 (OMvVB)
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7. LePianelle Dd'OC: Bramaterra (80% Nebb/10% Vespolina/10% Croatina; 13%; lePianelle.com/en/) Dieter
Henskel/Peter Dipoli/Brusnengo/AltoPiemonte 2014:: Med.dark color; very strong floral/Nebb/lilacs/violets
bit earthy/licorice/pungent/light tarrt bit alcoholic some spicy quite lovely Nebb nose; fairly tart
rather rich strong floral/lilacs/violets/Nebb somewhat lush/rich lightly tarry/earthy flavor w/ modest
bit bitey tannins; very long some rich/lush strong floral/Nebb/lilacs slight tarry/earthy finish w/ some
bit crunchy tannins; lots of floral Nebb character but the Vespolina/Croatina tends to blunt the hard/
bitey character on the palate; still needs some age; a lovely Nebb if a bit pricey. $60.00 (OMvVB)
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8. Boniperti Barton doc: fara (12.5%; www.BonipertiVignaioli.com/eng) Gilberto Boniperti/Barengo 2014::
Med.color; very fragrant strong Nebb/floral/violets/lilacs slight grapey bit pungent/licorice/tarry
light pencilly/oak fairly rich/lush nose; lightly tart very slightly bitey/tannic fairly rich/lush very
strong lilacs/Nebb/violets/floral slight earthy/tarry/licorice bit complex flavor w/ modest round/ripe bit
bitey tannins; very long/lingering very strong floral/Nebb/lilacs very slight tarry/pungent fairly rich bit
complex finish w/ some ripe/slight bitey tannins; quite a good Fara w/ a lushness that must come from
Croatina/Vespolina blended in; lovely Nebb at a very fair price. $42.00 (OMvVB)
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8a. Pietrisco DOCG: Valtellina Superiore (13.5%) Boffalora di Giuseppe Guglielmo/Sondrio 2014:: Med.light
color; very fragrant Nebb/floral/violets light pencilly/charred/oak slight earthy/dusty somewhat complex
nose; bit soft strong floral/Nebb/lilacs bit charred/oak somewhat earthy/dusty bit complex flavor w/
modest slightly bitey tannins; very long strong floral/violets/Nebb bit toasty/oak some complex finish
w/ light grippy tannins; a rather attractive 4-square Valtelline Nebb at a fair price. $26.10 (BWS)
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9. Skerk Terrano IGT: Venezia Giulia (13%; OliverMcCrumWines) Prepotto 2010:: Very dark/near black color;
intense blackberry/black cherry cola/Refosco-like bit licorice slight earthy/dusty light pencilly/oak
quite complex beautiful nose; lightly tart/tangy very strong black cherry/blackberry/black cherry cola/
Refosco-like some dusty/earthy/licorice rather complex flavor w/ modest ripe tannins; very long/lingering
black cherry cola/blackberry/Refosco-like/bit licorice some earthy/dusty quite structured rather complex
finish w/ some ripe bit gritty tannins; maybe the best Terrano I've yet had; should still age at least
5 yrs if not longer; beautiful/complex Terran; world-class red. $36.00 (VB)
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10. Skerk Terrano IGT: Venezia Giulia (15%) Prepotto 2011:: Very dark/near black color; very ripe bit chocolaty
bit alcoholic strong very ripe/black cherry cola/boysenberry/licorice light toasty/oak slight pruney/late
harvesty much less complex nose; bit soft very ripe/black cherry/black cherry cola/licorice slight pruney
very ripe light toasty/oak flavor w/ light ripe tannins; very long very ripe/boysenberry/black cherry cola/
chocolaty slight pruney somewhat soft finish w/ modest ripe tannins; loads of ripe/overripe Terrano fruit;
this is how they would make Terrano in PasoRobles if they could; on the overripe/late hrvsty side but still
good drinking. $36.00 (VB)
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11. Skerk Terrano IGT: Venezia Giulia (11.5%) Prepotto 2013:: Very dark/black color; quite perfumey/floral/
violets strong black cherry cola/blackberry/Refosco-like/almost exotic some earthy/dusty/OV some complex
nose; very tart/high acid/screechy strong black cherry cola/blackberry/Refosco-like somewhat floral/violets/
high-toned some earthy/dusty flavor w/ some hard/green tannins; long quite acidic/screechy strong black
cherry cola/Refosco-like bit floral/violets some earthy/dusty bit complex finish w/ some hard/green tannins;
lots of exotic stuff in here but fierce acids on the palate. $36.00 (VB)
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12. Skerk Terrano IGT: Venezia Giulia (11%) Prepotto 2016: Very dark/black color; bit less intense some earthy/
dusty/OV slight herbal/underripe strong black cherry cola/root beer bit herbal/thyme strong Refosco/spicy
nose; very acidic/screechy rather dry/austere strong Refosco/black cherry cola some earthy/dusty/bit rustic
slight herbal/thyme quite structured bit complex flavor w/ ample hard/gritty tannins; very long/lingering
screechy/acidic/austere very strong Refosco/black cherry cola/root beer/RCCola some earthy/dusty/rustic bit
complex flavor w/ ample hard tannins; speaks strongly of Refosco but pretty hard/screechy on the palate;
needs much age. $48.00 (OMvVB)
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More sinzipple from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Balgera: This is Paola Balgera in Chiuro. Oliver's only Valtelline producer. He ages in large old/oak ovals,
well-seasond, for a goodly length of time. The wines typically are delicate/elegant somewhat old-timey and
a bit different from many Valtelline Nebbs. But Oliver is a stickler for clean wines and Paola's always are.
The '03 was my favorite of these three. It is a very delicate/elegant/ethereal, but still powerful,
example of what a mature Nebb can be. The '11 had much the same aromatics but more youthful and harder on
the palate, as expected.
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2. ArPePe: This is Arturo Pelizzatti scions. The Pelizzatti wines, back in the early '70's, were the ones that
first sparked my interest in Valtelline Nebbs. When Arturo died, the wnry was sold to NinoNegri. The Pelizzatti
(and NinoNegro) wines nowadays are not very exciting. The wnry was restarted by his daughter, Isabella
Pelizzatti-Perego. Though a bit pricey, her wines are some of the best being produced these days in the
Valtelline. The wnry is very modern as are the wines stylistically.
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3. Brezza: This is a new wnry for Oliver's portfolio, and a good addiution it is. The Freisa we had last week
was also quite good. I must try some of their higher-end Barolos now.
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4. Blending Nebb: I really like the Alto Piemonte Nebbs that often have Vespolina/Croatina. The mono-varietal
examples I've had of those two seem to bear a slight resemblence to Nebb but not that fragrant floral character.
Maybe the secret to making great Nebb is blending. That is, of course, anathema to the B/B crowd, which must be
100% Nebb. Any blending in B/B is easily detected because of the weird polyphenolics of Nebb (lacks pionidine).
The trick in blending Nebb is to not use so much other varieties that that magical/ethereal fragrance of the
Nebb is lost. Or use a relatively neutral smelling/tasting grape variety. I've long thought that they could
make great Nebb in B/B by blending in a small bit of PetiteSirah.
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5. Terrano: This variety is a member of the Refosco family, of which Refosco dal Peduncola Rosso is the most common.
It is primarily grown in the Kras/Carso plateau area of Italy/Slovenia. A recent ECM ruling limited the name
Teran/Terrano to only those wines grown in the Kras plateau of Slovenia, over the objections of the Terrano
growers in the Carso.
According to Wikipedia:
I have noWiki wrote: Traditional Kraški teran does not age well—notably, chemical analyses have confirmed that the content of bivalent
iron starts to diminish radically two years after fermentation—and should be consumed within its first year; after
that, the wine quickly loses its attractive vitality and can even become bitter and flat.
friggin' idea what the heck that means.
Of the Terans I've had, the SandiSkerk version is easily the best. The Slovenian versions tend to be a bit on
the coarse/rustic side. They have a close familial resemblance to the Refosco wines from elsewhere in Friuli,
mostly up by Gorizia. The '10 was easily the best Terrano that I've had and belies the claim that they can't
age. The '11 was clearly on the overripe side. Not sure what happened w/ his Terrano that year. But I liked a
lot of the things it had. The '13 and the '16 I really liked the aromatics and the flavors. But they were
both so acidic that they were rather painful to drink, on the palate. But, because of the fierce acids,
I'm guessing they will evolve into something pretty special.
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6. Mondeuse: This is the grape that originated up in the Savoie. Carole & Steve were attracted to Mondeuse because
it is the "bastard Uncle" of Syrah. Syrah originated up in the Savoie & then migrated downstream into the Rhone
where it found fame&fortune. It is a natural cross of MondeuseBlanche and Deureza...hence the bastard uncle.
The Savoie Mondeuses tend to be a bit on the rustic side, but show much that same herbal character that the
L-M shows so well. Way back when, FPS distributed a variety they called Refosco. There are still a few old
plantings in Calif of this old "Refosco". But DNA showed that FPS screwed up the indentification and that
their "Refosco" is actually Mondeuse. Antinori/AtlasPeak had a fairly sizable planting of Refosco/Mondeuse
but, alas, they tore it out some yrs ago. Big mistake.
The L-M Mondeuse is, without doubt, a world-class expression of Mondeuse. I buy it every year.
Tom