Stefano Farina, Barbaresco

Over the hill. All fruit and tannin gone.

From a bottle kindly provided to our group by K.J., this medium garnet/amber wine was tasted in double-blind fashion. With a bouquet of tobacco, espresso, cherries and loamy earth, it follows with a medium-bodied, round palate delivering similar flavors. The tannins have fully melted away and the alcohol (13.5%) shows no heat. Solid in the middle and concluding with medium length, this fully mature Barbaresco should be consumed within the next couple of years. Drink now-2017.

Brickish. Nebbiolo. Light in the mouth. Earthy, light tannins.

Deep brick color with slight amber edges. Promising nose of mature nebbiolo. Initially on the palate, somewhat prominent alcohol masking mature dark fruits and resolved velvety tannins. Unfortunately out of balance with the noticeable alcohol, and probably 3-5 years past its prime. Update: at 24 hours after opening, much less alcohol, now revealing prevalent sour cherries and earthy soils. Certainly improved, now increasing my impression from 85 -> 87.

Attractive color of older wine, but lighter or transparent in glass. Wood, must and mushroom on nose. Black cherry flavors with pleasant, long finish. Drinking nicely now, but tannins remain showing a longer life.

I concur with previous reports. This took a little while to open but once it did it was terrific. This appears to be a real value producer in Piedmont.

Initially a little muted, but with 30 minutes of decanting opened up beautifully to a tarry, floral nose with some silkiness in the mouth and a fine finish.

Bricking, almost orange around the edges. Big cherry, earth, and slight wood nose. Cherry and dark orange flavors. Very balanced. Large, long finish. Peaking. Will last a couple years yet.