Moccagatta, Barbaresco, Cole

Aromatic profile marked by cinchona, dark chocolate, tobacco and dried leaf, with touches of liquorice candy, a fading flower note, and dark-berry preserve (blueberry or blackberry), plus coffee grounds. The attack is taut: tannins ease off, giving way to a clearly defined acidity. Well-balanced savoury tension and a pleasant length that invites another sip.

Opened at 8:00 am and into a decanter around 3:30. Great nose of cherries that start the minute you pull the cork. A bit translucent and some bricking at the edges. My first dip was a bit lean and tannic. That tanic edge faded as the wine sits but remains a bit on the lean side. I’ve been drinking Moccagatta wines for 35+ years and I’m a huge fan. Based on my history this is a bit of an off …

In good shape. Wonderful aromas of cherry, suede, and wood smoke. Bright acidity, with enveloping soft tannins on the palate. Bone dry, but sweet and vibrant fruit, very enjoyable and lively.

Opened at 7:00 am. Cork was pristine (last bottle of original purchase of 6). Decanted for two hours. It is a bit brown at the edges but still has a very dark core. The nose is screaming tar, roses, cherries, dirt and cinnamon. Totally at its peek, but still beautiful. Soft strawberries, cherries, tar, burnt umber, subtitle smoke and fruit compote. Wow after almost 23 years this is still great and probably can go another 10 years. Wish I had …

WELL...after drilling out the exceptionally dry cork, then forgot my filter for the deluge of sediment.... a beautiful floral emerged quickly followed by lucious ruby red juice that frankly was quite delightful. Just had to leave a bit in the decanter due to the pound of unfiltered sediment. Always nice to enjoy a well aged Barbaresco!

Simple juicy ruby red Barbaresco. Perfect dinner table evening vino. Smooth and floral.

I enjoyed the 1996 Barbaresco vintage more, but this was certainly very good well aged Nebbiolo. Dark ruby red, still floral and lucious. Flavor profile fully evolved with decant and over night in the fridge.

Takes a few hours of slow-o to come to life, but shows very pretty once fully open. An expressive bouquet filled with lots of menthol, black cherries, minerals, a touch of VA. Tastes quite medicinal with iodine, char, lemon. Lots of brightness and still gritty tannins. Long, linger finish of menthol. Quite good, ready to go, but holding. 90-91 pts.

Drank at Andreas. Cork very dry. Dark ruby color. Feint nose. Still fairly tannic and a bit short on fruit. No surprise there. Sweetened a bit with air, some leather and some cherries on the palate. Wine's still drinking okay, but has definitely seen better days.

Drank last nite with Blanco at Fiamas. Feint nose of tar & leather. Medium bodied--bigger than expected--mostly tertiary notes here: leather, some barnyard, soft, mostly resolved tannins. Fruit/sour cherries is slightly faded, likely was better a few years ago but still enjoyable. An elegant, well-preserved barb with good length and complexity.

Very nice still but may be slightly past it's best.

On the nose wood and dark fruit. The palate is tart sour cherries and leathery notes. A decent wine, perhaps it needs more time to settle.

Fine tannins with a long finish of cherry cola. Good food wine. Elegant. Had with pizza at Otto in NYC