Friday, May 2, 2008

1999 La Spinetta Barbera D'Alba Gallina, Barbera D'Alba, Alba, Piemont, Italy

This wine has completely shut down or headed into a very dull phase. The fruit has limited space to show anything at all and blackcurrant fruit sealed in an iron/metal thing and it has a firm control over the wine. The taste is rock hard and lots of tannin present. After the first two glasses I rested it for a while and returned two hours later – Same result, with the exception of a distant plum fruit. Next day - still tight wounded. Knowing this is a Barbera I could fear that a comeback is out of reach. (86-87?)

Tasted 2. May 2005. Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux Grand Cru.

1999 La Spinetta Barbera D'Alba Gallina, Barbera D'Alba, Alba, Piemonte, Italy

My last experience back in may 2004 with this bottle was not particular nice. So when I lurked to cork out of the bottle I was eager to take the first test sip – talk about transformation. The first thing I noticed was the dark bold berries and the concentrated style of this producer. After the decanting time the wine had evolved some more liquorice, still with dark lush berries also with spices (thyme mostly) and smoked meats. The taste is classic Barbera, with lots of fruit and a mouth coating long finish. Still the wine is structural firm and not a jammy hell. Lovely stuff and very pleasurable to drink. As with many Barberas, the sexual healing is high, but the intellectual/Complexity layers are secondary. (93)

Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux Grand Cru

Thu 31 Aug, 2006

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