Ferrando, Etichetta Bianca, Carema

Ferrando vertical (Chicago, IL) : A little bit cleaner and brighter than the 2010 alongside. Shows a little bit of meatiness on the palate, with the fruit not as bright as some of the other vintages we had tonight.

2009 vintage

Ferrando vertical (Chicago, IL) : A beautiful, aromatic nose with lovely floral nebbiolo tones. Red-fruited, delicate, and quite taut from the acidity and fine-grained tannins. Very streamlined and clearly showing some maturity as far as the tannins go, though the fruit is still very much acid/mineral-driven and fresh.

2004 vintage

Good to hear this sing. Soft and gentle, black cherry fruit forward with rich loam beside. Enveloping feel, billowy bouquet.

2009 vintage

Not quite as wonderful as a year or two ago, but still stellar. Same profile as described in March 2019, just less intense.

2009 vintage

Based on our last bottle, we opened and decanted this an hour or so before dinner. Served in Riedel Vinum burg stems. It had been standing up a few days and poured crystal clear with just a bit of sediment mostly caked along the side. At first there were some strong fecal notes, but by the time I poured they had completely blown off. In the glass, immediately expressive nose of black cherries, some licorice and savory herbs like rosemary …

2004 vintage

Still great, but maybe a tad less fabulous in this bottle. Still a joy to drink. See March 2019 notes, which apply.

2009 vintage

Definitely a leaner, high acid, mountain wine which has aged very well. Lighter ruby color and a thinly-textured palate but the finish brings a fresh and floral mineral crunch with succulent dark cherry fruit and complex spices. Just authentic and lovely and best at 2 hours of air as it opens slowly but then falls off after 3+ hours. Drink up now in my opinion.

2004 vintage

Astonishing

1990 vintage

90 minute decanting and this was singing.

2009 vintage

Over Zoom. What an impressive bottle. Started out a bit mute on the nose, showed young and a bit tight, startlingly so. Core of black licorice and red fruit. Jujubees. After almost an hour it really blossomed. Give it some time next time. Great consistency on these bottles, so glad we have more and some of the black label as well. Reference carema.

2004 vintage

Consistent with the bottle I opened in March 2019 -- a remarkable and great Carema. See notes then, which are still applicable.

2009 vintage

Decanted 4 hours before consumption. Quite different and more expressive than the Boca from Vallana we had before. Classical Nebbiolo, mushrooms, cherries and a sweet touch on the nose, on the palate dry, fresh, soft tannins, long finish. Already in a good spot but there is no hurry to drink the next bottles, it has enough structure to hold much longer, was great with the cheese plate we had, 92+.

2009 vintage

at least 10 years left

2004 vintage

Quite similar to the June bottle. Same notes. I think this vintage has reached its limit and should be drunk in the next year or so, while it is still outstanding.

2004 vintage

Limpid, fading red. Lovely Nebbiolo scents of herb, flowers, and dried cherries. Light, earthy, piquant, and long. Absolutely killer flavors that include orange peel. Gorgeous now.

2009 vintage

Again a lot of ripe fruit as before. Dark cherries and earth on the nose. Palate is rich nebbiolo fruit, some tar, earthy, with modest acid later on. And it ends with some tannic subtlety.

2004 vintage

The bottle earlier this year must have been a bit off. This one, which was opened for a few hours before drinking was fabulous. Nose is classic light tar and floral notes. Palate is rich with mineral nebbiolo fruit, great integrated tannins. An outstanding Carema

2009 vintage

So far a lesser year of this Carema. Certainly a very pleasing nebbiolo with a moderate nose and good fruit, but no big distinctiveness. Classic nebbiolo minerality.

2009 vintage

Since the last tasting a few years ago this hasn't developed much. Still a lovely expression of Carema, with big ripe fruit. Definitely a jammier version -- so I'm assuming it was a warmer year.

2004 vintage

Tasted blind. Ruby, very fruity with some VA. Medium weight, some wood, bright blueberry fruit, good acidity, more cool green as it goes, earthy feel and finish. Honestly, after all of the great older Nebbiolos earlier in the evening, this did not seem like the same varietal, and I thought it had New World aspects. Surprised when the producer was revealed.

2004 vintage

drank nicely and consistently for 4 hrs. I agree that it should be better in 3-5 yrs.

2009 vintage

Interesting comparison after having the black label a few days ago which was stunning juice. This shares some of the freshness and grippy acidity of that wine and also has similar flavors of mountain shrubs and dark berries but isn’t nearly as balanced and profound. There’s a bit of shrillness here that suggests this might have been better on the younger side. The finish is tight and dusty with dark mineral flavors but it’s much more rustic than the black …

2004 vintage

Still on the young side, and probably will be better in a few years. But drinking really well, with a elegant, hearty nose of tar and roses. Minerality on the palate with leather, dark cherries, and modest tannins rounding it out and extending it.

2009 vintage

Unfortunately, this bottle was too funky to enjoy.

1976 vintage

Consistent with previous note, if anything sweeter and more together with a particularly appealing spiciness on the nose. Terrific wine.

2004 vintage

A lovely mature carema that still possesses nice grip and solid, though no longer youthful fruit. This white label was showing the greatness of 2004, with much more depth and power than some other (still quite good) vintages. At peak I would say, and displaying a really impressive balance and structure - a testament to why one should age even these "lesser" wines to experience the full potential. Drank this over a cobbled-together lunch of leftover broccoli rabe and homemade …

2004 vintage

Ferrando Carema Dinner with Some Older Vintages (Heirloom Cafe, San Francisco) : Low shoulder fill. Sound, intact cork. No funkiness whatsoever, and just the barest trace of VA. Medium weight but still impressively constituted for Carema. Shocking gentle sweetness of red fruit that held up well in the glass. Poised, harmonious feel, well balanced but clearly with the acidity and remnant tannin to persist for another 10 years. All in all, pretty wondrous wine for a "minor" 45+ year old …

1971 vintage

I had high hopes for this wine as it ages but this bottle was correct but boring and a bit strict. Perhaps it needs more time but as I've been drinking through this case, I feel it should be showing more improvement. Surprisingly disappointing. 87-

2004 vintage

Byo at Dish in Pittsburgh...not the best glasses. Limited nose, prolly due to the glasses. Spicy drinking but elegantly masculine with a muscular body and long spicy finish. Plenty of tar and leather.

2009 vintage

Out of magnum-pretty Mountain Nebbiolo served dinner. Very pure and pretty wine, with ample fruit, striking acidity. Wonderful minerality, spice, with a floral component. This was served with multiple pasta courses, and was a beautiful match. Drinking great now

2004 vintage

Raspberry and menthol on the nose. On the palate, savory red fruit, a resinous note, and salinity and satiny tannins on the medium finish, with good acidity. A beautiful, elegant wine -- my wife liked it. Very good value for the money at about $45.

2009 vintage

Agree with last taster on the orange, crushed fruit and stones. Warmth of the vintage shows. This is great but not all in balance yet with high acidity. Try again in a couple years.

2009 vintage

This was a wine to mull over, as it evolved considerably. I don't know much about old vintages of Ferrando Carema but it was a lot better than a just ok bottle of the 1966 a couple of weeks ago. Double-decanted, the 1976 began to drink beautifully after 4 hours, turning plush in texture, then pleasantly bitter and medicinal in taste and smell.

1976 vintage

Won't assign a point-rating to this wine. It is past it's prime, showing lots of bricking and a nose that is softly perfumed with red berry fruits. In the mouth, some sour notes and acid but soft fruit, as well, though after about an hour it fades. Interesting to drink alongside the 2010, and to think where that one might be after 40 years.

1976 vintage

Quick note: was hoping for a bit more. Color is lightish red with a tawny edge. Nose is nice with a bunch of mature elements of tar, flowers, and medium light red fruit. Likewise, the flavor posses similar elements to the nose plus resolved tannins and a dry berry finish. Sometimes, a touch of tin at the end. Pretty good.

2004 vintage

Orange tinged translucent red. Crushed red fruit, pine and Stoney earth on the nose. This is light weight but powerful on the palate. Chiseled red fruits and stone with substantial tannins. These alto peidmonte drive me wild. So much elegance, value and power.

2009 vintage

Light garnet, clear. Intense nose of tar, deep, but airy too, rose water and red fruit. Beguiling. On the palate it starts immediately on darker tones, definitely less acidity than the 1978 drunk side by side, but it drinks well nonetheless. Very fine-grained tannins, felt mostly close to the lips. Savory and slightly salty finish. Very good and it drank well for three days, improving, in fact.

2009 vintage

Perfume. Elegant. Floral. Red cherry. Already starting too drink. One of the treasures of the wine world.

2009 vintage

The color is lightening to a soft ruby. Distinctive on the nose with notes of dark cherries, tree bark and fresh minerals. Still lean and crisp but after an hour of air it begins to show more concentration of fresh dark red fruits and minerals. Tastes like a mountain wine with great freshness and lift. Lighter-bodied and elegant but plenty of complexity and succulence on the finish with notes of crushed red berries and dark minerals. A real old-world wine …

2004 vintage

Nose of crushed red fruit, mineral perfume, light weight and elegant texture. Bitterness balanced with elegance. Like a cross between Beaune Teurons, gevrey Chambertin and volnay.

2009 vintage

Bracing acidity with stonefruit and minerality coming through, along with a floral component, after some time in the decanter. I will probably hold the rest for a while but with food this is still a treat right now.

2009 vintage

Decanted and let sit for 30 minutes. An oak aroma faded relatively quickly. Thereafter, the bouquet was textbook Alto Piemonte: ethereal, showing cherry, crushed flowers, strawberry, and tell-tale pine. So light in body, yet packing great concentration of red stone fruit flavor. Chiseled, with great acid and a bite to the finish. This is definitely at the start of its drinking window, but it's no crime to enjoy it now. Rated 2 on a scale of -1 to 3.

2009 vintage

Give this some time. Real tannic right now. Prior bottle was better day two.

2009 vintage

(from memory) Light ruby red, pungent nose of red cherry and rose peddles with undertones of mushroom and wet earth, tart on the on palate with red berry fruit, pomegranate, pepper and big earthy tannins, finishes big with strong mineral streaked red currants and jaw tightening grip

2009 vintage

Terroir : iniziamo con il Carema più alcolico mai prodotto: 13.70%. Il naso al primo approccio svela una grande profondità, se non me l'avessero detto non avrei pensato ad un'annata calda, c'è roccia scura, arancia amara e un timida profusione di fiori. Qualcuno nota anche un'idea di qualcosa di cerealicolo e maltato. La bocca imperversa con un'acidità graffiante che lascia spazio ad un finale sapido/amaro con un buco al centro.

2009 vintage

Terroir : Naso particolarmente floreale, poi sublima nell'alcool. In bocca ci sono ancora ben presenti gli agrumi ma è comunque un vino poco piacevole, meglio del 1996 ma non degno di particolare nota.

1990 vintage

Beautiful, and remarkably gentle Nebbiolo. There's plenty of floral and spice aromas, and still ample berry fruit on the palate. Good acids maintain balance and freshness. There's a bit of tannic dryness on the finish, but more than enough substance to age that away. So I guess I will leave my black label bottles alone for a while yet.

2004 vintage

Really liked this. Complex nose, mix of dark and red fruits and spice. Light and elegant palate, perhaps a bit too short. Nice finish with hint of heat.

2009 vintage

Still young. Out of the bottle (no decanting) this showed a vintage with a lot of very ripe fruit. Unlike most vintages this seems softer and riper than the general austerity that is the northern nebbiolo of Ferrando. However, it's a sumptuous bottle of wine. Earth and cherries on the nose. Tar on the palate with earth notes and atypical jammy aspects for Carema. A bite of acid comes in later on and works beautifully with the ripe fruit -- …

2004 vintage

This one seemed in between stages. More structure, less fruit, maybe slightly closed. I think its worth holding and not opening remaining bottles for a bit.

2004 vintage

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Ferrando, Etichetta Bianca, Carema

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