Comm. G.B. Burlotto, Barbera d'Alba, Aves

10/14/25 Found this in the corner of the cellar. Forgot I had it. Pop and pour, durnk over a couple hours. Lovely nose. It's ripe but not overripe with dark berry fruit, spice, a little bramble, florals and tar. Mid- plus weighted, broad and sapid on the palate with surprising freshness of fruit. This is ample, with plump yet snappy/crunchy fruit with terrific acid balance. Quite long on the back end with more dark berry tar and spice notes. Maybe …

2015 vintage

This was pretty disappointing. I've had these since 2017 but this was my first bottle opened (as I've found finely crafted, traditional Barberas usually to my liking around this age). No formal notes taken, but I found the wine rather flat and thin vs. expectations. The 15% alcohol was definitely poking through, but it didn't have nearly as much fruit to counter that as I expected. It was a rather thin Barbera all around. Still nice flavors, but nothing exceptional. …

2015 vintage

Dark red. This is the theme. Dense, dark, savoury, and rather heavy wine. Very tasty, and hides the 15% abv very well, but overall this came across as ponderous this evening. The red-fruited pleasure that the last bottle delivered did not come to the party at all this evening - however I did not decant and therein perhaps lies my problem. Too late now.

2018 vintage

92 is for day one, when it was fairly consistent with my previous note - intense and rich, complex and savoury and delicious. Worth noting though that this declined quite severely after a day open which was disappointing, still alive on day three but had become quite simple and a bit dull.

2018 vintage

Drank over three nights. Developed meatier and earthier flavours with time open, though I think I preferred the greater vibrancy and more prominent fruit on day one. Really juicy, intense wine all round. Darker fruit profile with some woody spice and smoke. Very vibrant and full of life, with some chew and nice acidity. In a good place to drink now.

2018 vintage

I loved this wine. A little shy out of the gun, so losing a little intensity since my last taste, but I should have decanted and let this sit a little before drinking it. Best sip was the last sip, of course.

2018 vintage

Piedmont dinner (Home) : I love the full-throttle style of Aves- it’s not a bruiser but it’s loud and generous- and packs a 15% punch. Purple fruits with a medicinal cough sweet tone, a dark chocolate richness and prick of black pepper. Not a lifted, floral style in 2018 - more about the ripe fruit. Big and relatively smooth on the palate, nice acidity, and heat from the high abv isn’t noticeable.

2018 vintage

Piedmont at Josh's : Friendly fruity plum crumble nose with a similarly sweet and charming palate with good acidity. Intense with a very long finish. Very well balanced.

2018 vintage

Piedmont chez Josh (Josh's house) : Medium red, cherry and cranberry, denser and darker than the barolos. Also things like enamel paint, old classrooms and maybe white-spirit on the nose - it seems to come and go. On the palate the wine is long and sweet, with nice fruity tartness, and you have to say does not taste of the 15% ABV it contains, very nicely balanced despite being a punchy wine. We had this between courses and my final …

2018 vintage

Another from the case to see how it was showing: Decanted off sediment, but there wasn't much. Nose of tart fruit, with complexes of black fruits, but very subdued. Not much ready to reveal. Palate was of delish berry and earth. Love this quality. Enjoyed the entire bottle with ground lamb over butter leaf drizzled with 12 year balsamic. Excellent wine. Looking forward to the other bottles in the years to come. Perfect acid. Excellent balance. Can't get a better …

2018 vintage

Medium red. Nicely aromatic on opening, cherry and cranberry, and a nice florality. Although 7 months since my last bottle, on the palate the wine is still tougher than the nose suggests, with some pretty punchy tannins and an acidic structure, and once this became apparent I did a splashy decant to allow it to open up a bit. This really helps calm the wine down and allow it’s fruity and more delicate qualities to shine. We then consumed it …

2018 vintage

Medium ruby. Sour red cherry, red plum with rustic black pepper spice. Dry, high acid with low tannin and medium body. High alcohol! Medium finish, still quite primary

2018 vintage

Still a bit younga nd need a splash decant. Good concentration. The wood is present but playfull integrated with the blackberry in the wine. The aftertaste is a bit touched by alcohol. Nice wine

2018 vintage

Dark violet red, resin-y nose, medium-bodied, black, plenty of vibrant acidity and a pleasing (if a bit astringent) finish.

2015 vintage

Velvety, dark and spicy: quite big in body but has freshness. Still, lacking something for it to be interesting.

2018 vintage

Not very expressive this evening.

2018 vintage

Quite dark. Tougher than I had expected, giving little away, needs more time. Quite fruit forward, but also sharp and biting. I found this unbalanced and not immediately pleasureable even with food. Reckon it just needs time to come together. Hold.

2018 vintage

Medium purple Medium red cherry, touch of plum and black pepper Touch of dried fruit and cloves? Refreshing acidity Medium tannins

2018 vintage

Just terrific on the nose, still rich with admittedly very ripe fruit, but this always shows intense aromas of damp earth, violet, jasmine, and a hint of pencil lead, and black spices. Rich up front, then leaner, transparent, holding its alcohol well. Beautiful wine, definitely shows the warmth of the vintage, but as a feature, not a defect. The alcohol is certainly present on the finish, which shows early sour cherry skins and some nice riverstone minerality. I would love …

2015 vintage

Very floral. In good balance. A little sharp to the end. Day 2. More soften to the end. Very enjoyable !

2018 vintage

Opened it way too young. Not going to rate it. It was playful and juicy, the good stuffing was there, and needs time to hit its stride.

2018 vintage

Initially almost austere, then opens up; dark, enticing fruit laced with a subtle herbal undercurrent blossoming as it relaxes (as do we!)

2015 vintage

Lovely moderate rich, graceful balanced wine. Dark red & purple fruit, blackberry, dark cherry, some backing earth/wood. Clean, nice finish. Decanted and it opened right up. Nicely done.

2015 vintage

Great, fleshy but too young 89+

2018 vintage

Väldigt varm och kraftig men väl balanserad, tydliga fat och fin frukt.

2018 vintage

PnP, then the second half of the bottle was vacuumed for a week. very nice nose, fresh red fruit, touch of spices. after a week, the fruit was still fresh, bacon fat appeared. would have guessed côte rotie? there was also a iodine touch (almost like ocean breeze), uncanny but pleasant. the palate was - as expected - quite tight but was opening nicely in the glass. after a week, the wine had loosened up and was more charming. very …

2018 vintage

通透而活泼的黑樱桃，紫罗兰的曼妙，具有悦动的酸甜，比较浓郁，令人愉悦的开头。桶味恰到好处，香草奶油，淡皮革和甘草衬托后段。入口柔顺，单宁细幼，酒体中等偏饱满，黑樱桃，李子，橘子软糖的果味清澈多汁，紫罗兰娇嫩感，微咸的金属感增添层次。中后段桶味合适，有些缭绕的烟草碎，甘草，淡淡皮革，西梅干，使得后段也不乏力。89/100

2018 vintage

Aerated in decanter one hour. Consistent with bottle of six months ago - it's not budged; I'm drinking this one too young. Will try again in another year. recommended http://www.italianwine.blog

2018 vintage

On PnP, the nose is rather severe, with most aromas limited to that of some wood influence. It wasn't until this had been aerating in decanter for some 45 minutes before a steady stream of powerful red fruits began to emerge. Med/Med+ body, with plenty of fresh acidity. While the tannins are capable today, I feel that either the fruit or acids will eventually outweigh, bringing this in to a period of imbalance that it may not counteract. That said, …

2018 vintage

Young and powerful as expected. It will be better in a few years. Keep.

2018 vintage

Last year of their oldest vines Drink in the next 3 years Perfect now Deep dark berry, bit of smoke Silky mouthfeel for the variety Takes time to open up

2015 vintage

Dark clear color. Cherry and vanilla. Medium length. Nice balanced Barbera.

2018 vintage

Just like the August 2018 bottle. Same notes -- delicious.

2015 vintage

Wish more Barberas were like this. Acidity, blackberry, great with food or on its own. Nothing harsh.

2015 vintage

Excellent bottle. Showing the warmth of the vintage but had complex materials.

2015 vintage

Another delicious bottle. Not much change aside from my previous TNs aside from some softening around the edges and a little darker fruit profile. Lovely and in the slot right now.

2015 vintage

Exact same notes as one year ago, this stuff is really good! This is truly great stuff. Okay, cannot say this would pass typicity muster, but maybe this is what Barbera typicity should be? A note from the Rare Wine Co aptly sums up the situation: "To the Neirane fruit is added concentrated, old-vine Barbera from Castagna and Roddi. The juice from all three vineyards is vinified together, with a 10-day maceration in oak vats, followed by aging in a …

2015 vintage

Definitely a more intriguing bottle than the first one. Seems to have lost it's gawkiness from 6 mo ago. Still a very fruit forward, bright barbera. Giving a sense of being bouncy and happy, not a brooding barbera. Lots of black fruit mixed with spice. Hard to stop drinking it.

2015 vintage

A big and bold Barbera. Showing some of the ripeness of the vintage with some alcohol on the finish.

2015 vintage

delicious but young.....definitely a buy

2015 vintage

2 hour decant this time per my last note (11/4/17); still just as expressive as previously recorded but the decanter did nothing to blunt the noted effects from the 15%. Sticking with the B evaluation.

2015 vintage

Seems young and gawky right now. First nose was candied fruit and floral -- a bit weird for Burlotto Barbera. The palate is rich, but lacking in complexity at this point, but seems to have something going for it. So may need a few years of cellaring to develop farther.

2015 vintage

My last bottle. I should have held it much longer but we were having di Fara pizza and I figured it would be perfect. It's somewhat shutdown from before, but still excellent - great perfume on the nose of violets, blueberries and dark spices. The palate isn't as open as the nose but it is deep and silky with blue fruits, purple flowers and dark spices again. It's got a great mouthfeel - it's not thick or overripe or heavy …

2015 vintage

this producer is doing everything right

2015 vintage

Tasty stuff with lots of structure. Glad to have more in the cellar.

2015 vintage

This is truly great stuff. Okay, cannot say this would pass typicity muster, but maybe this is what Barbera typicity should be? A note from the Rare Wine Co aptly sums up the situation: "To the Neirane fruit is added concentrated, old-vine Barbera from Castagna and Roddi. The juice from all three vineyards is vinified together, with a 10-day maceration in oak vats, followed by aging in a single neutral large barrel." This concentration comes through. Inky dark purple, tons …

2015 vintage

On the bolder side of the barbera spectrum. Wondering if a little time will make everything feel balanced instead of a bit disjointed as is the case right now. In any event it was versatile and went well with a few different dishes.

2015 vintage

On the Thanksgiving table Man did I underestimate this wine in May. It has kept its fuller body, but has terrific snap to the fruit, freshness, and with acid that perfectly carries the rounder yet precise fruit Terrific with Turkey and the trimmings. 93

2015 vintage

Strawberry and ether on the nose. On the palate, rich red and purple berry fruit and notes of violet and earth, with strong acidity. This is the richest and most powerful Barbera I can recall tasting; it's almost over the top. This will probably improve for a few years as it integrates. Good value at about $30.

2015 vintage

Pnp but let it sit in the glass for a bit before drinking. Ripe, primary fruit nose but no detectable heat even with the 15% abv. Big boy for a Barbera; bold black plum primary fruit and spices, a tart red plum mid-palate, and earthy plum and grape skins on the super long finish. Slight hollow spot near the back end and does have a hint of a medicinal finish; knocks it down a notch IMO. Looking at a full …

2015 vintage

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Comm. G.B. Burlotto, Barbera d'Alba, Aves

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