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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2018 and 2026 (based on 8 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.8 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 23 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by cab on 5/10/2024: Very woodsy, cedar, moss earth. Calmed down after some time in the glass. Not very tannic at this point but a little acidic. Good, not sure I’m quite as effusive as prior tasters. (61 views) | | | Tasted by ATLKCellar on 11/18/2023 & rated 93 points: Fantastic. Long, rich, and complex. (285 views) | | | Tasted by Baudelaire on 9/3/2023 & rated 92 points: Very good. Initially very plush on the palate: plum, black cherry, ripe strawberry hints. There follows increasing complexity: notes of kirsch and tobacco and perhaps cedars tannins. Vino da meditazione. (373 views) | | | Tasted by SMHalps on 8/9/2022 & rated 92 points: Excellent QPR! I enjoyed this with my wine group at a Turkish restaurant and this was a big hit! (838 views) | | | Tasted by Aparritz on 7/23/2022 & rated 93 points: Perfectly integrated and singing. (836 views) | | | Tasted by anderegg on 11/9/2021 & rated 91 points: PnP. Deep purple-red in color with a tiny bit of orange at the edge. Aromas of cherry, dried cherry, eucalyptus, some petrichor, savory herbs and a bit of warmth. On the palate bright cherry, some heat, mild tannin leaving a neutral finish. Good. Improving as it warms. Drinking with dinner of bean stew with bacon, vegetables and Parmesan rind. May have some pepper flake from the pasta served under the stew. The wine softened through dinner and after. Quite good by the end of the bottle. (1060 views) | | | Tasted by Millennial Drinkers on 5/15/2021 & rated 93 points: Medium ruby red. Dark Cherry cola on the nose with violets, and floral herbs. Medium tannins (6/10) with a medium plus body. Well balanced acidity with black cherries, roses, hint of tar and minerality. Long finish. Drink till 2030. (1235 views) | | | Tasted by Baudelaire on 12/25/2020 & rated 90 points: Great aroma, lovely fruit, nothing closed down. (1146 views) | | | Tasted by Cochon74 on 8/12/2020: Very much the same experience as Silton with this wine.
It is indeed sturdy and leans a bit more on fresh red fruit than on tar and roses. I found the incredibly integrated tannins to be surprisingly shy, but they peeked out from behind the vibrant deliciousness about 40 minutes after the bottle was opened. Ok value for the money... as this wine delivers the goods, if without any surprises. Considering it was a lesser vintage, I enjoyed this wine thoroughly and it paired well with the grass-fed ribeye we ate with it.
This is my first V Borgogno wine and will be curious to see how my 10,12 and 13 Sarmassa’s compare. (909 views) | | | Tasted by silton on 7/3/2020: Sturdy and fruity but not especially tannic, although it dried out a bit with more aeration. Nice combination of red berries and rose hips with emerging secondary notes including tobacco leaf. Solid value. Terrific with seared tuna with braised red cabbage and mushroom polenta. (994 views) | | | Tasted by Francophile on 5/21/2019 & rated 91 points: This was drunk with friends alongside the 2012 Cannubi Boschis from Virna. This was easily the smoother of the two and although they were both opened for two or three hours before drinking this had opened up into a really lovely wine and was enjoyed by all four. (1399 views) | | | Tasted by cab on 3/1/2019: OK, I would say a little floral, a little tannic, maybe a little light tobacco, a little sage. Seems a little young yet. (1304 views) | | | Tasted by sms21 on 7/4/2018 & rated 91 points: - Brick color and aromas of dusty and has flavours of rose, dusty and cherry with a medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish. (1880 views) | | | Tasted by joraesque on 4/2/2018 & rated 90 points: No subtleties here, but pretty enjoyable on its own. 14.5% ABV.
90+ (1789 views) | | | Tasted by Danthejuiceman on 3/4/2018: Very tasty with meat, black pepper, black cherry and black olive flavors. Drinking quite well for such a young Barolo. Thank you Free Run for another winner. (1902 views) | | | Tasted by kdubler on 2/22/2018: No in depth tasting notes taken had at dinner with coworkers. This was very gamey with leather and tar notes. I know Nebbiolo is often described as tar and roses, but this stuck more to the animal side and had less floral notes. Nice, but not as nuanced as many of the great Barolos can be. For the price it was a steal... Tannins were also surprisingly in check for a young Barolo, present, but not ripping through the wine... (1345 views) | | | Tasted by NAS on 1/15/2018 & rated 94 points: Wow. I wish I had taken the time to make some thoughtful notes. However, I served this with family visiting and didn’t want to. Seriously good Barolo with dark fruit, earth, roasted meat and leather notes. I’ll take more time with the next four bottles. (1477 views) |
| Azienda Virna Di Borgogno Producer websiteNebbioloNebbiolo is a red grape indigenous to the Piedmont region of Italy in the Northwest. The grape can also be found in other parts of the world, though they are not as respected.
Nebbiolo is often considered the "king of red wines," as it is the grape of the famed wines of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, and Roero DOCG. It is known for high tannins and acidity, but with a distinct finesse. When grown on clay, Nebbiolo can be very powerful, tannic, and require long aging periods to reach its full potential. When grown on sand, the grape exhibits a more approachable body with more elegant fruit and less tannins, but still has high aging potential.
"Nebbiolo" is named for the Italian word, "nebbia", which means "fog", in Italian and rightfully so since there is generally a lot of fog in the foothills of Piedmont during harvest.
Nebbiolo is a late-ripening variety that does best in a continental climate that boasts moderate summers and long autumns. In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is normally harvested in October.
More links:
Varietal character (Appellation America) | Nebbiolo on CellarTrackerSarmassahttp://www.marchesibarolo.com/pagine/eng/vini/dettaglio.lasso?-idv=B002
Sarmassa Barolo
VARIETY
Nebbiolo 100%
PRODUCTION ZONE:
The southeast-facing Sarmassa vineyard is located on a hill with good slope. Despite the fact that the area is of Tortonian origin, there has been a significant amount of soil erosion, probably due to the steep slope of the hill. Since the erosion has been significant, the soil is calcareous and very compact.
The soil is composed mainly of clay and limestone and has a very substantial percentage of stones. The high percentage of stones, combined with clay, limit the growth of Nebbiolo grape and allow the vines to react quickly to climactic variations, enabling clusters to achieve perfect ripening. (On the sheet N.9 of the community of Barolo, lots 104, 143, 157, 303, 351).
CULTIVATION OF THE VINEYARD:
Low Guyot trellised system is used with a density of 4,000 vines per hectare.
YIELD PER HECTARE:
36 hectoliters
HARVEST TIME:
Sarmassa is the last of the Cru's to ripen and is usually harvested in the second ten days of October. Grapes are collected, exclusively by hand and quickly taken to the cellars for destalking and a soft pressing. The grapes then undergo a controlled fermentation in stainless steel temperature controlled tanks at 30-32° degrees C. (82-86° F.).
VINIFICATION:
Maceration of the skins lasts 11 days, with regular pumping over during which the fermenting must is regularly recycled from the bottom to the top of the tank in order to extract the color gently. Once the fermentation is finished the natural sugars of the grape are totally converted into alcohol.
AGING:
Then wine is racked into concrete tanks that are lined with fiberglass inside and insulated by cork. Here it maintains a temperature of about 22° degrees C. (72° F.) which will prompt the beginning of Malolactic Fermentation. Within two months, the Malolactic Fermentation will be complete and the wine will be ready to be transferred to barrels.
The wine is aged for 2 years in wood; a part in Slavonian or French oak barrels 30 or 35 hectoliters (789-947 U.S. gallons) and the other part in small French oak barrique (225 liters) that are moderately toasted.
The fining carries on in bottle for 12 months, before going into the market.
The Barolo Sarmassa reaches its first signs of maturity after 8 years from the harvest. It continues to mature elegantly for a period of time and the between 8 and 30 years.
The wine is, therefore, colorful, tannic and long-lived.
SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS:
Deep garnet red. Intense aroma with clean scents of wild rose, vanilla, licorice and spices. Feather the resin of pine and tobacco. Taste is full and elegant, full bodied, with tannins in evidence, with recurring olfactory sensations. Enjoyable are the spicy and woody notes that blend perfectly.
FOOD MATCHES:
With its big structure, this wine is particularly adapted to main courses of red meats, braised dishes and game in general. An ideal accompaniment for cheeses.
SERVING TEMPERATURE:
18° degrees C. (64-68° F.)
ANALYTIC DATA:
Alcohol degrees: 14,50 Vol. %, Total acidity: 6,10 g/l, Total dry extract: 30,60 g/l, Remaining sugars: 2,50 g/l
On weinlagenItaly Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorPiedmont Vignaioli Piemontesi (Italian only)
On weinlagen-infoLanghe Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Roero | Union of Producers of Albese Wines (Albeisa)BaroloRegional History:
The wines of Piedmont are noted as far back as Pliny's Natural History. Due to geographic and political isolation, Piedmont was without a natural port for most of its history, which made exportation treacherous and expensive. This left the Piedmontese with little incentive to expand production. Sixteenth-century records show a mere 14% of the Bassa Langa under vine -- most of that low-lying and farmed polyculturally. In the nineteenth century the Marchesa Falletti, a frenchwoman by birth, brought eonologist Louis Oudart from Champagne to create the first dry wines in Piemonte. Along with work in experimental vineyards at Castello Grinzane conducted by Camilo Cavour -- later Conte di Cavour, leader of the Risorgimento and first Prime Minister of Italy -- this was the birth of modern wine in the Piedmont. At the heart of the region and her reputation are Alba and the Langhe Hills. This series of weathered outcroppings south of the Tanaro River is of maritime origin and composed mainly of limestone, sand and clay, known as terra bianca. In these soils -located mainly around the towns of Barolo and Barbaresco -- the ancient allobrogica, now Nebbiolo, achieves its renowned fineness and power.
map of Barolo DOCG
An interesting thread on Traditional vs. Modern Barolo producers:
https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106291 |
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