1967 Bertalo: Barbaresco Riserva Specialè (Piedmont, Italy).
This was one of the bottles that I opened from my cellar for a friend at dinner. It was my last bottle of this wine that I had bought years ago from a UK source. I had stood up the specially shaped bottle, which was made of thick glass and looked hand blown, for one week to allow the tannins to settle. I carefully opened the bottle, the original cork and wax having done an excellent job. A deep strawberry red colour, with a light red rim. No hint of brown whatsoever. The nose started off as dried flowers like violets, then moved to fine Cuban cigar, red fruits, and other nuances. The mouthfeel remained fresh and energetic throughout the 3 hours that we drank it. The tannins were ultra fine and fully resolved, the crunchy red fruits pairing well with the extremely tasty dishes. A stunningly good wine in a historic bottle.
