2009 Barolo Vigneto Albarella
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Tasting notes
Good deep red. Very reduced, slightly high-toned aromas of dark cherry and currant. Sweeter and more intense than the basic Barolo, with a liqueur-like ripeness and good depth to its dark fruit, coffee and musky oak flavors. The smoky finish features serious tannins and a hint of dryness.
Critic scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Smoky, sparky, seductive and open – really complex on the nose. So generous and delicious. Utterly compelling. (RH)
The 2009 Barolo Vigneto Albarella is inky dark and thickly extracted with oak-driven tones of spice, cinnamon and mocha. Cassis and dark fruit linger steadily at the back, waiting for their time to appear. The Barolo Albarella (a vineyard in Barolo) shows a firmer quality of tannins and shows the most longevity of this group. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Fabio Oberto and his family have done a fine job of capturing the best of Nebbiolo in a vintage that was arguably more difficult in La Morra than the other townships of Barolo. Various American Importers, including: Vinvino Wine Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 463-7880; Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500; Worldwide Cellars, Minneapolis, MN; tel. (612) 378-0316
2009 Barolo Albarella. A powerful Barolo with a Gevrey-like wildness to it, the 2009 shows the darker, more brooding side of Nebbiolo in this vintage. Despite its considerable richness and heft, there is an approachability to the 2009 that is striking for such a young Barolo. My preference would be to drink the 2009 over the next decade or so. At the same time, there is an attractive vibrancy and freshness on the finish that suggests the 2009 will also age gracefully. In 2009, the Albarella is an overachiever, something that can happen with lesser sites in warmer years.