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Subject: 2004 La Spinetta Barbera d'Asti Superiore Bionzo

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whiner

Second star to the right, and straight on till morning

Wine Thief
Posts:2875

11/22/2006 8:14 AM
WTFIS this?! On first pulling the cork the nose is like Korean BBQ turning into blue and purple fruits on the palate... After a while the wine begins to settle down. The nose still has a roasted meat quality to it but not so overpowering. Blu and purple fruits -- maybe some black raspberry. Tar and clay, too. Talk about clay... the palate has tons of it, along with cassis, blueberry and black cherry. Tar and licorice from oak. The flavors turn to pronounced black and blue raspberry on the tannic (but not at all astringent) very long finish. This wine is best consumed within 15 minutes of pour otherwise it will oxidize in the glass. 92 Irrespective of one's opinion of their Nebbiolos (which I think are world class) there can be no debate as to the incredibly high quality La Spinetta consistently achieves with their Barberas. While I've certainly had some Braidas and Sandrones better than some Spinettas, on a whole, this must be the greatest winery for this varietal in the world -- at least according to my palate and experience.

I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland. -- Woody Allen

jaimetown

DC area

Wine Bottler
Posts:3478

11/22/2006 2:24 PM
Thanks for the TN whiner. You know I love Barberas - and I am always on the lookout for discovering good ones - you should also try Vietti's Barbera Scarrone (which runs $30ish) - higher priced is his Barbera Scarrone V.V. 2003 (at around $60) which was the best Barbera I've had in about a year. Not as blockbuster in style as Spinetta, but more precise and perfumed. There's also a crazy Barbera made by a consortium of Piemonte winemakers (Vietti, Braida, maybe Spinetta too) Called Hastae Quorom which is ridiculously expensive at around $90, but very fine. And then there's Roberto Vorezio, whom I haven't tried (because of $$$$). $100+ Barberas are just too much!

jaimetown

DC area

Wine Bottler
Posts:3478

06/18/2007 5:07 PM
I had a bottle of this last weekend, and I have to say I didn't enjoy it very much. In fact, I found it kind of oaky (even for Spinetta style), lacking the perfume and precise minerality of previous vintages. Is the Spinetta Barbera style changing? I thought this would be more in line with previous vintages (say the 2001s), but it showed similar dark, almost roasted fruit qualities as the 2003 Gallina (which has yet to transform into anything spectacular - and I've gone through 6 bottles!) and without the focus and verve of previous vintages. You can't say it's the vintage (or can you?), so what gives?

whiner

Second star to the right, and straight on till morning

Wine Thief
Posts:2875

06/20/2007 12:14 PM
dunno what gives? Possibly off bottle? But I have to say, I've been liking the Ca di Pian as much as the bigger boys in recent vintages...

I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland. -- Woody Allen

jaimetown

DC area

Wine Bottler
Posts:3478

06/20/2007 5:07 PM
It was not an off bottle - not cooked, corked or closed. I found a lot of same elements as the 2003 Gallina, which is why I raise this question.

dbw4

Grape Puncher
Posts:902

11/12/2007 7:40 PM
The Hastae Quorum is available here for $55. My wine store lady has been raving about this wine since last year.... I had her put 3 aside for me. This is a TON of $$ for me on a Barbera... but.... DBW

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Forums > Tasting Notes -- Europe > Italy-TNs > 2004 La Spinetta Barbera d'Asti Superiore Bionzo