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Fratelli Cella

Fratelli Alessandria

Monvigliero Barolo Nebbiolo 2017

Joel Lara
9.1

I had high expectations for this wine. Had the 2017 San Lorenzo a few months back, and it was at a really good place, so I was thinking this wine would show well too. Unfortunately, the Monvigliero is really disjointed right now. I decanted for three hours, and after the decant it was closed off. After a lot of air in the glass, it did seem to open a bit. The flavor profile reminded me of the San Lorenzo, with nice dark cherry, spice, and balsamic flavors coming through. It had good depth on the palate with a nice, autumn spice finish. But then the tannin monster decided it wanted to ruin the party. After a while the tannins seemed to completely dominate the palate and finish. Perhaps if it was paired with a more robust dish the tannins would soften a bit? I had it with a traditional bolognese, and the tannins were over the top. I saw glimpses of tastiness, so rating this at a 9.1, and I’m thinking the tannins will soften further in a few years. I left a glass worth in bottle for day 2 to see how it develops. At day 1 though it’s definitely not at a good place. Day 2 update: Had the final glass, which I had kept in the bottle rather than decant. Some interesting new notes of violets and white pepper that I didn’t notice yesterday. After the first few sips all seemed good, except perhaps the wine was somewhat closed. Then the tannins took over, and they started to completely dominate. There were also some mineral/iron notes that seemed to exacerbate the bitter astringency. — 2 days ago

Jean-Philip, Scott@Mister and 4 others liked this
Joel Lara

Joel Lara

Jay, typically I’ll decant a younger barolo for 2-3 hours. I think it worked for me for several bottles when I first started drinking barolo, and then I started always doing it. I’ve also gotten in in the lazy habit of decanting without even tasting upon opening, which is just bad on me. I wished I had tasted this initially to have a good reference point. How long would you typically decant?
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Joel Lara Nebbiolo is a strange, wonderful variety that often benefits from air, true. But it can often be a bit of a rollercoaster and I’m always down for the ride! That being said, I usually don’t decant young (between release and 10-15 years past vintage) Barolo and instead, only decant old Barolo, about 1 hour for every decade old. They can often be grumpy and seem past…but they really just need to wake up stretch their legs. All of that being said, I try and make a habit of trying everything first to assess the condition. If it’s singing right after pulling the cork, I won’t decant and instead, serve right away or just put the cork back in and wait for dinner or whatever later in the day.
Joel Lara

Joel Lara

@Jay Kline thanks for the insights. Yep I think your approach makes total sense. I will be tasting first and decanting as needed. Really interesting, as I had just been decanting all young barolo and barbaresco thinking they needed air to open up. It’s great to hear how others approach it.

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Rodney Miller
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Joel Lara
9.4

This is showing beautifully right now, with a beguiling blend of orange peel, cassis, and anise aromas that carry over to the palate, where black cherries, balsamic notes, and a delicate mix of earthy autumnal spices provide a sensuous background. Soft mouthfeel with fine tannins that peek out a bit on the long finish, where the spiced citrus seems to last forever. Paired perfectly with pan-roasted wild mushrooms and dry-aged ribeye. — 2 months ago

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Thy Guiley
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