Third Times a Charm! 95 pointer!
August 10, 2006
Many of you may recall last year at this time,
we spent a few weeks in the the Barolo and Barbaresco regions of the Piemonte in
northern Italy.....our purpose was to explore the local gastronomy, meet
with the producers to further our understanding of the wines, and to make some
new discoveries we might be able to provide to our customers.
One of the first wines I was very pleased
to offer last fall was the 2001 Manzone
Barolo "Le Gramolere" for $55.95. POOF! It was
gone....except for the case I kept for myself! Then a couple of more
cases showed up in March, and even at $66.95, how could I refuse?
Most of the best Barolo .....okay, Baroli!.....from the heralded 2000 and 2001
vintages are now fetching 3-digit pricing....if you can still find
them.....especially those wines exported for distribution directly
from the winery. Even higher pricing, if the wines are limited and
being resold by speculators at internet auction sites. Supply and
demand is fueling these price increases, as after the 2001 vintage (the last in
a string of consecutive successful vintages beginning in 1996),
consumers and collectors need to be very wary of the problematic 2002
and 2003 vintages as they patiently await the 2004s.
To my utter amazement, and owing to our
European networking, I just took delivery on five more cases of this profound
Barolo! I could easily charge more, but the price is an absurdly low
$59.95 a bottle!!
2001 GIOVANNI MANZONE - Barolo "Le
Gramolere" - $59.95
Gorgeous aromas of ripe fruit, spices and
light cedar. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long
finish.
This is balanced and wonderfully made, with great
concentration. Great value too. Best after 2007. 850 cases made.
(JS) - 95 points, Wine Spectator
Winemaker Giovanni Manzone's
seven hectares of vines, of which three hectares are
planted to Nebbiolo (a hectare = 2.471 acres), are mainly situated in the
"Gramolere" cru, on the hillsides of the commune Monforte d'Alba at one of the
highest elevations (450 meters) and steepest gradations in all Piedmont; the
view from the vineyards is stunning, seeming to overlook the entire
Langhe. This position and the sandy, calcarous-chalky soils
foster naturally low-yielding vines which produce wines that are approachable
while young, yet remain amongst the most concentrated and longest lived of all
Barolo. Manzone is an estate that has been extremely successful at
combining traditional with modern viticulture and winemaking practices,
producing a terroir-driven Barolo that expresses
ripe red fruits and spice, but with sublime
power. The grapes are macerated on the skins in stainless steel vats
for 7-8 days; the wine is aged in 7 hectoliters French oak tonneaux (a
hectoliter = 26.418 gallons), and medium capacity 15-35
hectoliters casks for 24 months. Only about 20% of the wine is
aged in new oak. Manzone's wines are bottled unfiltered.
Rich, warm, and full-bodied on the palate, the lush
integrated tannins and long finish pair best with wild boar or
roasted pork dishes, especially if accompanied with porcini mushrooms and white
or black truffles.
Also of note, a tremendous value is found in
Giovanni Manzone's just released 2004
Barbera, produced mostly from this same cru, but
designated by the village of Alba. A brilliant ruby red wine,
and because this Barbera is not aged in oak, it has a vinous
nose with notes of ripe plum, blackberry, jam and spice. On the
palate it displays refreshing acidity, and is rich and expansive with a softly
textured mouthfeel. An excellent accompaniment to savory tomato based
or olive oil/herb infused pasta dishes with pecorino
cheese. - $18.95/ORDER SIX OR MORE BOTTLES FOR
ADDITIONAL 10% DISCOUNT ($17.06).
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