This wine is one of my favs. It’s a go to wine for me. Barbaresco’s in case your not aware is made from the same Nebbiolo grape as the mighty Barolo. I consider them a cheap man’s Barolo. They tend to big bold wines. This one is an essential in the LCBO so can be found regularly. I’ve had this particular one in my cellar since 2008 so I thought it was time to crack it and see what age has brought to the table. Pale almost garnet in color (as it always is), with a mild nose. The cork looks good. So I am getting anxious. On first taste out of the bottle … bam, there it is, that horrible realization you’ve waited too long. It’s basically vermouth like. Nasty. Crap, it wasn’t so bad as to be undrinkable but not long off. I cracked a second one I had in the cellar and it too was past due. I am inside the recommended keeping length, but that is at best a guess. There’s no science behind that estimate. Sad 🙁
From the LCBO web site from when I bought the wine (keeping records is key for maintaining a cellar!:
CASTELLO DI NEIVE BARBARESCO 2004 DOCG (Az. Agricola Di Italo Stupino) TASTING NOTE: The 2004 Barbaresco is textbook Nebbiolo. It is a small-scaled wine, but everything is in the right place. Made in a delicate, feminine style, it offers floral, spiced aromatics and pure, clean fruit, with excellent balance and well-integrated tannins. I can’t ask for anything more from a wine at this level. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2014. Score – 89. (Antonio Galloni, www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2007) 674044 (XD) 750 mL $21.80
