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One of the good bottles, and a beautiful reminder of why old Alto Piemonte is magic. Gorgeous mature nose of moss, seaweed, red roses, desiccated cherry, loam, chestnut, dried leaves and bark, with that old Nebbiolo road-tar thing hovering underneath. Palate still has real charge and life, with surprisingly youthful fruit, juicy cherry on the finish, and big 1989 structure, but the tannins are integrated and carrying the wine beautifully. Not refined like great Barolo or Barbaresco, but soulful, wild, alive, and deeply compelling. With air, the wine is getting more integrated and more beautiful. The nose has moved into that old Nebbiolo caramelized/seared register, with the desiccated cherry, roses, loam, moss, bark and chestnut now feeling deeper and more fused. The palate is gaining finesse, but this is not polished or refined in a Barolo/Barbaresco way. It is old Alto Piemonte: high-acid 1989 structure, big but integrated tannins, gorgeous fruit, and that wild, soulful mountain Nebbiolo charge still running through it. Still 9.4, maybe nudging higher if it keeps knitting together. — 24 days ago
Lyle Fass
Founder Fass Selections
One of the good bottles, and a beautiful reminder of why old Alto Piemonte is magic. Gorgeous mature nose of moss, seaweed, red roses, desiccated cherry, loam, chestnut, dried leaves and bark, with that old Nebbiolo road-tar thing hovering underneath. Palate still has real charge and life, with surprisingly youthful fruit, juicy cherry on the finish, and big 1989 structure, but the tannins are integrated and carrying the wine beautifully. Not refined like great Barolo or Barbaresco, but soulful, wild, alive, and deeply compelling. With air, the wine is getting more integrated and more beautiful. The nose has moved into that old Nebbiolo caramelized/seared register, with the desiccated cherry, roses, loam, moss, bark and chestnut now feeling deeper and more fused. The palate is gaining finesse, but this is not polished or refined in a Barolo/Barbaresco way. It is old Alto Piemonte: high-acid 1989 structure, big but integrated tannins, gorgeous fruit, and that wild, soulful mountain Nebbiolo charge still running through it. Still 9.4, maybe nudging higher if it keeps knitting together. — 24 days ago