Notes from a public tasting. Reds double decanted about 90 minutes in advance. Limited notes given the setting, but a generous gesture that was most appreciated by a great many people. This is a very special group of wines, and I do not mind admitting I broke my 9 month self-imposed moratorium on new purchases for a couple of them.
2018 Vietti Roero Arneis
light bright yellow color, attractive grass and lime nose, hints of peach, on the palate quite dry with a good firm slate finish, barest hint of dried figs, a fine Roero Arneis on the restrained side- will be excellent with food.
***, ready to go.
2016 Vietti Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza La Crena
if this is any indication- expect great things from Vietti in 2016, good purple color, lovely earth, raspberry and chocolate nose, ripe blackberries, a particularly intense note of crushed raspberries, fine dried herbs on a solid and substantial palate, chalk notes, tannins, dry cocoa powder tones, fine length, as generous as it is on the nose- this is still quite closed on the palate, great promise here.
*(**)+, 2025-2035
2015 Vietti Barolo Castiglione
light bright red color, subdued earthy nose, violets, on the palate a baby with drying tannins, ripe and enticing cherry notes, chalk and mineral notes throughout the closed palate leading into an exceptional finish with a wonderful after-fragrance, showing little but this promises to be a most endearing mid-weight charmer.
(****)+, 2025-2040
2015 Vietti Barbaresco Masseria
good red color, a bright nose of cherries with a hint of polish, roses, on the palate not quite as closed as the Barolos today- but close, pronounced mineral notes throughout, substantial yet silky tannins, blackberries and black cherries- overall a much darker fruit profile than the Barolos tasted today, excellent length, only hints of the future today- but as with the Barolo Castiglione I think this will be an irresistible mid-weight charmer with just a little cellar time. For my personal tastes, this was one of the stars of the day.
(****)+, 2025-2040
2015 Vietti Barolo Brunate
good young red and brick color, a quiet and calm nose with hints of cherries, with time a dazzling and intricate web becomes just barely evident- like a thousand stars in the sky almost covered by a thin layer of clouds, on the palate ripe plums and cherries, bracing chalky tannins with distinct mineral notes, dried herbs and spices of particular intensity in beautiful layers, this is far more closed than it may seem- and here the greatness of the future is quite evident, this will not be a big bruiser of a vintage as so many seem to want these days- but it needs at least a decade in the cellar and I believe in time it will be magnificently elegant and detailed.
(*****), 2030-2050+
2015 Vietti Barolo Ravera
good young red and brick color, here the nose is even quieter and more closed than the Brunate- but supremely elegant while showing little detail, light notes of cherry and blackberry with some coaxing, on the palate quite tight and showing very little fruit, but here all the underlying elements are present and dazzling in their layered presentation- cloves, dried herbs, dark spices, rose petals, violets, they are all here and as with the Brunate showing a remarkable intensity and persistence, superb finish with a long and intense after-fragrance, for my personal tastes it gets no better than this, but patience is a must.
(*****), 2030-2050+