We tasted this last week w/ Rick Thompson/Boulder some Nebbs, including this Chinato:
1. HarringtionWines bebe Chinato Aromatic Wine (16.5%; Aged: 8 yrs in oak barrels; 29 cs; Bttld in 2016) HarringtonWines/SanFrancisco NV: Dark rather brown color; strong aromatic quinine/herbal/grapey/earthy quite complex very perfumed nose; soft rather alcoholic quite sweet herbal/quinine/earthy/grapey/medicinal fairly alcoholic some bitter/astringent flavor w/ some astringentb tannins; very long/lingering quinine/astringent finish that tracks flavor; not as bitter/astringent/sweet as most Barolo Chinatos & rather more restrained; quite an interesting & well-done Chinato.
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More dintelfurt from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Barolo Chinata is a beverage not to everyones taste. It is made by soaking herbals & botanics in brandy, including Chinchona Bark from which Quinine is extracted. Chinato tends to be dominated by the Quinine character from this bark. This infusion is then added to fermenting Barolo Nebbiolo must, stopping the fermentation w/ some residual sugar. Because of the quinine, many people find it to be an unpalatable beverage. And tasted on its own, it is. But w/ savory appetizers of dense chocolate, it works quite well. Best of all, if you're attacked by a flock of mosquitos, you don't have to worry about picking up malaria.
I liked this Harrington better than most Barolo Chinatos (own its own) because it was not as intensely sweet/alcoholic nor as bitter. They are relatively rare & if you see one on the shelf, it's worth trying for the experience. Rather expensive for what they are.
Tom