“The texture is silky, and while there’s still some structure here for further aging, this is drinking so well now, one can’t be blamed for pulling another cork soon.”
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Back when I first reviewed this wine in 2016, I wrote the following: “We don’t drink a lot of Barolo here at Gang Central, which is a shame, because it seems like every time we do, we ask ourselves why we don’t drink more.” After trying it again, 7 years later, I feel even more strongly in that regard. I pulled it from our cellar a few nights ago to open and enjoy with my wife Kim and our friends Shar Douglas and Ken Hebenstreit. I was very interested in seeing how it had developed during the intervening time, so when Shar took a sip and exclaimed, “Oh, this is nice,” I figured that the time in the cellar was well spent indeed. When I tasted it myself, any lingering doubts (not that I had many at all) were completely removed.
2009 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Tortoniano, 14% alc., $46.99: There’s a slight smoky tinge to the good dark color, and the pretty smoke and rose petal aromatics need little coaxing to emerge from the glass. The texture is silky, and while there’s still some structure here for further aging, this is drinking so well now, one can’t be blamed for pulling another cork soon. As it opens with air, it offers characteristics, ranging from the aforementioned smoke and rose petal to black currants and berries, earth, leather and even hints of Brasso. I may not drink as much as I used to, but this one demands another sip, and then another, and the best part is that it will only continue to improve with further bottle age, maybe as much as 5 or 10 more years. Find this wine
Tortoniano is named for the tortonian-era (9 million years ago) soils in which the vines are planted, rich in microelements such as magnesium and manganese. Grape clusters are thinned and harvested up to 15 days later than usual for the fruit to attain a higher concentration. Temperatures are strictly controlled during vinification and the wine is aged for two years in large oak casks and one year in bottle before release.
As I said, I purchased this 7 years ago, and it never fell into the $10-20 QPR category that I like to focus on these days, but it is so good, I feel compelled to post these few brief notes. I have a sneaking suspicion that a wine of this quality is still available out there, whether from an online source or in an out-of-the-way shop with a good inventory of back vintages. Highly recommended, and worth searching out!!!
Imported by Kobrand Corporation, Purchase, NY
Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo
