Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Notes on 2010 Barolo - more than 110 wines


Barolo landscape, early May morning (Photo ©Tom Hyland)


I recently tasted more than 125 examples of Barolo from the 2010 vintage at the Nebbiolo Prima event in Alba, Piemonte. This event is held each year for a select few dozen journalists (about 70) from around the world, who taste the wines blind over the course of several days. This was the tenth year in the last twelve I have participated in this event and it's one I look forward to each year with great anticipation.
This was a year in which the majority - a great majority - of producers made excellent to outstanding Barolo. Believe me, this does not happen every vintage (for proof of that, one only needs to look back to last year when the 2009 Barolos were released).



 
I have put together a 20-page pdf document with my tasting notes on the 2010 Barolos, reviewing exactly 118 wines. My highest rating is 5 stars - outstanding. In this report, I have given this highest rating to 31 wines (26.2%). Yes, the 2010 vintage is that good! Among the finest were the Renato Ratti "Rocche dell'Annunziata", the Vietti "Rocche di Castiglione", the Paolo Scavino "Bric del Fiasc", Bartolo Mascarello and many others. These are truly classic examples of Barolo, so you might expect these wines to rise to the occasion in a great year such as 2010 and they most certainly did! These are wines that will peak in 35-50 years. I know I won't be around to see these wines at that stage, but it's nice to know they will last that long (it's also quite a pleasure and blessing to know I can at least try them now!). These wines will cost you upwards of $100 a bottle, but if you are a Barolo lover, you need to find a few of these wines! (Incidentally, the great examples of Barolo are priced much more reasonably than the finest Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa or examples of Bordeaux or Burgundy of similar quality. This is something that is rarely discussed, but it is a fact and it's something I need to point out; the best Barolo are under valued.)


If you would like to receive a copy of this 20-page pdf report (it was sent to contributors of my upcoming book "The Wines and Foods of Piemonte"), the cost is $10, a very reasonable price for this overview of these great wines. Payment is by PayPal - use my email of thomas2022@comcast.net (If you choose not to use PayPal, you can send along a check to me in the mail - email me for information).

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