NOSE: raisins; dirty cherry; swirling the wine in the glass releases a faint whiff of cement; about 5.25 hours after uncorking, there’s a sweet red licorice note, with a little dash of rolling tobacco.
BODY: color is garnet with slight bricking throughout; color is of medium-shallow depth; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: tannic; bitter; fruit is falling away; somewhat green/weedy; seems to be on its way down; no sweet cherry or balsamic; no tar; hint of camphor; little bit of aged funk; on the lighter side as far as concentration of flavor is concerned; alc. not noticeable; overall, this wine is “fine” — perhaps even “good” — but it’s not excellent or memorable. Drink Now.
I have only seen the Giovanni Manzone through flash site retailers - Last Bottle, WTSO and Cinderella wines, as I recall.
I bought through WTSO and Last Bottle.
The website indicates the family is in its 4th generation of winemakers.
I have had a few of the 09 Le Gramolere and found them generally decent or, as you write, good but not excellent or memorable.
A 2016 Langhe Il Crutin was also ‘fine’ but extremely tart.
Curious to see if other board members have had better experiences with this producer.
Hi T
Yes I’ve had Giovanni Manzoni wines and also visited the winery. I liked them and their wines and still have a couple of 2006 Barolo Bricat bottles from the visit in 2012. I’d not contemplated opening them at this point as they felt reasonably solidly built when I tasted them back then, but I suppose it’s approaching that time where they are an option.
Regards
Ian
Ian - Thanks for the input.
The wines seemed reasonably priced and so caught my eye.
I have one of the 2016 Langhe Nebbiolo left. I’ll revisit that one soon.
My best answer is “I don’t remember.” That said, about 99% of red wines we consume are consumed with a meal, and Barolo is a wine I usually wouldn’t consider without food, so it must have been with food. I usually get a full slate of “initial impressions” written down before I start in on the meal, as the food may alter my palate. I’ll enjoy the wine with food — if the pairing is particularly good or bad, I’ll usually comment on it; if the pairing is just “fine” then I usually don’t. There’s usually one post-meal glass, too, to wrap-up the TN. This whole process usually takes 2 to 3 hours, which is why the vast majority of my TNs indicate “non-blind over 2 to 3 hours.”
I assumed from the time period that there was some food involved. I just asked because it makes such a difference with nebbiolo and occasionally someone posts notes on a bottle consumed without food.
Understood. I try to make my TNs exist without the influence of food, even though the wines are typically enjoyed over a meal. Sounds contradictory, I know, but {see above}.
I had a half case of the 2000. All gone. I thought that they were very good with nothing negative but not outstanding… I am surprised you had a Meh experience with 2006, also a good vintage. I wrote 2 notes on the 2000. Here they are:
2000 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Bricat Le Gramolere- Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (9/20/2014)
Double decanted at 1 pm back into the bottle, the brought to the midtown wine destination - Peking Duck House - for dinner with 5 non-geeks. Used Bormioli Barolo Riserva glasses (my own, I decided to go full geek wth my friends and bring glasses for everyone). Textbook barolo but still had time to go before it reaches its peak. Earthyness, road tar, dark fruit, violet on the nose a bit of mushroom in the earthyness. Very smooth, almost silky presentation. Tanins are somewhat subdued, probably due to the decant. Delicious. It disappeared fast. (90 pts.)
2000 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Bricat Le Gramolere- Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/6/2010)
Label says “le Gramolere” but that designation is not in CT. One hour decant. Needed more air time because it opened up more over the next two hours. Unmistakable nebbiolo characteristics with tar/creosote and earth. Bright cherry, neither sweet nor tart, and plum. Definitely plum. I had made a fruit sauce with fresh plum preserves for dinner and an hour after we finished eating, I tasted the same plum flavor in the wine. The wood was way in the background. There was some spice, but not a lot; fruit wins out over spice. Finish was quite long. I could still taste it after thirty seconds. Very smooth to drink with no rough edges. This wine is right in the 89/90 point category. In other words, it doesn’t get a WOW but it was very pleasurable to drink and had no negative characteristics. (90 pts.)
2007 Giovanni Manzone ‘Castelletto’ [Barolo] 14.5% with lots of dark color on a medium bodied frame. Texturally, the tannins have never resolved, and this remains grippy and structured – a style for enthusiasts rather than hedonists. Aromatic orange peel and ferrous bouquet, which grew over three days open, even if the tannins never softened. This well flavored nebbiolo snuck up on me, and has character even if owners might now underwhelmed by the (on release) critics enthusiasm, both for this bottling and the vintage overall. For my ledger, I’d give this an A- even if it may never harmonize. As others mention upthread, this Manzone was acquired during the GFC from WTSO.
I had it with beer battered cod, which meets all pairing requirements since ‘beer’ sounds like ‘barolo’, especially if one slurs/mumbles them, after having good portions of both. This is the J Kenzi Alt Lopez recipe, which is a favorite, even if it makes me uncomfortable because it requires both baking powder and baking soda. Those trigger great trauma since they were once mistaken for the other, in a batch of donuts, whose metallic taste remains unforgettable decades later.
Opened the '04 less than a month ago. Sort of a de-tuned version of what was expected. All parts were there, but the intensity and volume was tempered.
I had an 05 recently, here are my impressions:
2005 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Castelletto
Pretty, delicate nose of violets and dusty-earthy Nebbioloness, and menthol appearing after a little air. Sappy, bright palate showing foremost its tartness but with enough fruit (dried, unsweetened cherries) and silky texture to remain balanced, and a good dry, mentholated finish. Classic profile yet this eschews the rusticity than can render some Barolo charmless or shrill (for me). Ready to go, drink and enjoy. 90-91 pts
You may be right. I don’t have massive experience with '04 Barolo’s, as I enjoy Barbaresco more from this vintage. In the last 12-14 months I’ve tasted or opened maybe 6 or 7 and apart from a too modern Ratti Marcenesco in January, the ones I have tasted over the past few years feel ready to go, if not quite mature, so had higher hopes for this one. Could have just been a bad night (or a root day) too.
I wouldn’t say right. To be honest, I have no idea, but I am curious and your description of a “lack of intensity” made me think it is possible. Hopefully it is just dumbish and will show great one day. From what I see they use 30-40 days of skin contact and a mix of 500L for most and 20hL for a smaller portion of the wine. With that and being from 2004, I would hope it has more time. Would love to hear your verdict if you ever get to revisit it.
Since folks are digging up old tasting notes, I will add an old note. I have one bottle remaining and might have to hunt for it to see what’s what.
2016 Giovanni Manzone Langhe Nebbiolo Il Crutin - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (9/20/2019)
Pop and pour and tasted without food. Deep ruby color. Clear. Nose offers some floral notes, cherry, hint of cedar and fresh cut lumber. Shows some alcohol notes that needs to blow off. With a little more air, it shows a teriyaki dried beef jerky note. Very tart and dry, with high acidity and not much fruit. Touch of sour cherry and unripe plum. Oak notes on the finish. Will let this sit open for some time and see if things open up. At first impression, this is closed and not giving much enjoyment.
The following day, this has opened up a bit to show some sour cherry and plum. Still quite tart and highly acidic, with an overlay of oak. Meh. (84 points)
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