TN: 2011 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti)

Translucent ruby. This has a beautiful, floral nose. Roses, balsam, cherry fruit and tar. On the palate it’s mid weighted for nebbiolo with beautiful inner mouth perfume. It’s sappy and broad, yet light on its feet. There almost has a hard candy sweetness to the fruit like Giacosa. It has a forward nature from the vintage but comes across focused and beautifully balanced. This has a sense of calm and harmony that is frankly terrific in any vintage, even more so in '11. Finishes with beautiful perfume, balsam and cherry fruit and fine, ripe nebbiolo tannins. This is drinking very well already. One of the best '11s I’ve had. I rarely drink serious nebbiolo this young, but I have to admit, this is pretty terrific today. While I don’t see it in any fear of decline soon, it is drinking fantastically well right now, and carpe diem!

FWIW, this was terrific with beef pie.

Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks for reading

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As I mentioned elsewhere, I agree this is just absolutely delicious right now. If I only had a little bit, I’d probably just drink it now, as who knows what aging will do to it.

2011 is the best vintage to drink young! Magnificent.

I’ve been going through my case of this, and it’s consistently fantastic. Opened another one about a week and a half ago, and it was great again.

If you can put up with the lingering after burn. The 15% abv detracts from an otherwise accomplished wine. Mind you I have seen worse. The Canonica 2016 Piagallo is 15.5% abv.

Thanks for reading everyone. John, Greg and Greg, I was struck by how well this is showing now. I think I will find a Pie Franco soon and see what is going on there.

Ian,
As a person pretty averse to high ABV wines, I must admit there was no perceivable heat in this wine. That is something I can say about very few '11 Piedmont wines.

I, like I suspect you are implying, also am apprehensive about future vintages. 15+ seems to be the impending norm. It is the rare nebbiolo that can handle 15%, and most seem more in balance well below that.

Time will tell.

I’ve never liked the Canonica wines, which I find have an overly roasted quality; the 11 Cappellano is nothing like that.

I couldn’t resist and opened one of my bottles about 3 years ago. I had a glass a few hours after opening and then let the rest slow ox for 24 hours. It was drinking beautifully even at that extremely young age.

Yes fair points Greg.

We had the 2011 and 2001 head-to-head for a Christmas lunch exactly a year ago. It was funny that the 2001 seemed to be hunkered down for the very long term, while the 2011 was all-singing, all-dancing. I think when I saw 15% abv on the label it may have triggered a chemical reaction in my brain, which detected heat on the back end. If the label said 14.5% I may not have noticed.

I have an unopened case of this so am following its progress with keen interest especially as the price continues on its inexorable ascent.

Has anyone recently tried the 09 Rupestris?

thanks for the note, Todd. Completely agree, this is wide open, has been since release to my palate. Outstanding on first sip, and got better after that - tightened up a bit, but in a good way, with more definition to the fruit, and an even longer finish. Going to find an '11 Pie Franco you say? bravo, I say!

The 2011 Pie Rupestris may well be the Barolo of the vintage. I love that wine so much.