Barolo 2007 - Castiglione, Serralunga, Monforte, Roero and one more La Morra

This trip is starting to get very expensive for me. I left La Morra not only with an appreciation of a delicious raw spiced beef sausage produced in the town of "Bra" but also with a fairly sizeable personal shopping list of wine. Tuesday's and Wednesday morning's tastings have seen this list swell even further.

I wondered whether the sumptuous textures of the wines i had been enjoying so far were purely a La Morra phenomenon but it is clear this a feature of the vintage accross the region.

Scavino are a benchmark; their 2007s are serious and polished wines, the bric del Fiasc wine is a fitting tribute to this top cru, one of the first single cru bottled up separately back in 1978. It was exciting to go to Vietti for the first time, also in Castiglione, their wines are hugely intense and complex. And the last of the Castiglione trio, Azelia, are now the equal of anyone in the region. Marginally longer fermentations and less new oak have, over the last few vintages, seen them jump to the top division of producers. Apart from a great Dolcetto, the best there is, i also fell for the San Rocco.

Clerico, I am glad to report, is fit and well. Since 05 / 06 vintages gentler extraction has been a feature of the wines, his new range from Dolcetto to Barolo Cru is, in my view, the best and most refined he has ever made.

My visit to this wonderful region came to a happy end on Wednesday morning, a tasting at Azienda Matteo Correggia and a simply glorious Roero Riserva Rocche d'Ampsej 2007 and finally back to La Morra, to Giuliano of Giovanni Corino. Silky bright and totally seductive Barolo Cru 2007s and a memorable old vines 2006 Giachini. Those who like Barolo with a bit of extra grunt will prefer the wines of his brother Renato, those who like finesse in their La Morra Barolos will be totally seduced by those of Giuliano.

Now accross the nowhere lands passed Piacenza and into the beautiful hills of Soave and Valpolicella

2006 Barolos - day 1

For the first time in 10 years of coming here to Piedmont, there is snow in March. Apparently half a metre fell two days ago. It's a great opportunity to visually pick out the top vineyard sites, where the snow has already completely melted away.

Aside from tasting the new young wines, sumptuous and easy 2009 Dolcettos and Barberas, our main purpose here is, of course, to taste the latest Barolo releases. We have covered good ground today, most of it in and around La Morra - Marco Marengo, a Corino double header (Giovanni and Renato), Elio Altare, Matteo Correggia in Roero, finishing on a high with the trip up towards Asti to visit La Morandina, whose delightful Moscato d'Asti must be one of the best there is.

On today's evidence 2006 is a very good Barolo vintage indeed, the wines taste well now but clearly have great ageing potential. They have robust structures without being austere, crisp red fruit acidities, and that enchanting Nebbiolo aroma and ripeness. A classic style vintage, akin to 1996 but sweeter, fleshier and less chiselled, an extremely interesting proposition particularly for the purist.The only negative so far seems to be that very localised but devastating hail towards the end of the 2006 season meant that some wines have not been made, Arborina from Renato and Elio Altare, for example.

Today also saw our first glimpse of Elio Altare's new cru Barolo, Ceretta, a vineyard from Serralunga. We tasted 2005 and 2006, both very complex and moreish wines, different to the La Morras but every bit as impressive. Alas the 2005 will not be released until next year.

Now the hamlet of Annunziata La Morra beckons, where I will wash away a day's worth of tannins with some of Elio's, apparently very good, home made bread.

A presto !

Barolo Vigna Giachini, Giovanni Corino 1998

Two bottles served with the most delicious oxtail stew demonstrated with considerable aplomb what fine Barolo Giovanni Corino makes, and how refined and rewarding Barolo from La Morra vineyards such as Giachini can become given patience. It was aromatic, hightoned and elegant with tannins that are just beginning to melt effortlessly into the hedgerow scented, bittersweet Nebbiolo fruit. Anyone with 98 Corinos in their cellar might like to consider having some out now. You won’t be disappointed.