A horizontal of Burlotto and vertical of Monvigliero

[Comte Flaneur]

A group of us gathered last night at 67 Pall Mall in London’s St-James’s, to sample the 2016 range of Burlotto Barolos, after the success of our 2015 dinner in 2019. We were going to do it in November but our plans were thwarted by the resurgence of Covid. Burlotto is now one of the most sought after estates in the Barolo region, and sadly prices have escalated ridiculously.

As with the 2015 dinner, we did it at 67 Pall Mall last night, but this time we secured a private room, which afforded plenty of space for 54 of 67PM’s voluminous Zalto burgundy glasses for the six of us. No need, then, to schlep over those bulky Conternos with all the protective packaging. But I suspect these wines would have tasted even better in these glasses, and we had one of Roberto Conterno’s wines in the mix.


Sharpener

Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002

More effervescent than bubbly, this nevertheless is bursting with energy and an array of citrus exotic fruits and nuances, with plenty of depth and length on the palate. Fabulous champagne. 95


Burlotto

Flight one: 2016

Normale

Crimson, bright ripe red fruits, rose petals and a melange of spices and herbs - sage mint; beautifully balanced - a fabulous generic Barolo: 92-94

Acclivi

Minty, mineral, herby entry, quite a tannic mid-palate, forbidding even, and good finish; more expansive mid-palate and weight than the normale. Like other Acclivis it has quite a stern personality, relative to rest of the Burlotto stable: 94-96

Cannubi

Creosote and haunting perfume, tannins and grip on the palate, sterner than the Monvigliero, and holding more in reserve; reminds me a bit of a young DRC; outstanding potential: 96-98

Monvigliero

Multi-faceted flavour profile. Has the weightlessness, delicacy and poise of truly great wines. Olives, cherry red, frankincense (?), gardenia (?); sensual and gorgeous; roses, herbs, spices, such finesse: 97-99


Flight two - older Monvigliero

2004

Relatively subdued nose, compared to the others, beautifully dextrous wine underneath - tobacco and olives, subtle and nuanced, beautiful equilibrium, fully ready now. 95

2006

More perfume than the 2004, and lovely herby note, such a beautiful wine. Captivating and so approachable now, so light on its feet, such equilibrium, superb wine 96

2010

Fabulous entry of strawberries, and myriad herbs, explosively aromatic, the most enthralling nose of the night; bigger, richer, fruitier than its flight mates; big structure below, can be broached now, but long life ahead 97


Flight three: some other 2008s

2008 G. Conterno Barolo Francia

Aristocratic, compact, fleet-footed, plays out in a relatively minor key; accessible, outshone on the night but still a classy wine in which you can sense the attention to detail 94

2008 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito 2008

Opened earlier in the day. Oxidative, but not oxidised. Comes across as a bit contrived, souped up and oaky, and outclassed in this company. On its own it would be a wine you would be more than happy to drink, however 90


Flight four: Dessert

Cappellano Chinato (2010 base)

This bursts into the room like the Spanish Inquisition, but doesn’t fluff its lines in the same way. It has herbs, spices and goodness knows what else added to the mix, but the recipe is a secret. Sweet herbs and spices almost overwhelm the senses, with clove, cardamom and camomile to the fore. Tough to get your head around and hence to rate.

[Chateau Vin]

Nice notes, Comte...

Looking forward to my very limited holding of 2010 Monvigliero.

Sadly, Burlotto is out of reach...I have never seen a wine price rise that much so quickly...

I got the 2010 version of Monvigliero for 43 dollars per bottle 5 years back, and I thought I had a great discovery tucked away... Now the cheapest 2016 version of the same is 900 dollars per bottle... Feel like saving my stash rather than drinking...Oh, F***

And sadly, Canonica Paiagallo is heading the same way...

[jckba]

Wonderful notes Ian and fully agree CV, its a crying shame how quickly pricing got out of hand and all prompted by some dumb 100 point AG rating.

[Comte Flaneur]

It is horrible when that happens CV because you get nervous about opening them and you are under pressure to sell them, particularly if the ‘trouble’n’strife’ finds out. I bought two cases of the 2010 and sold one for £2000GBP a couple years ago, having paid about £300 per case. I bought four cases of other Barolos with the proceeds, but now of course it has gone up a lot more and the stuff I bought hasn’t; but the other stuff I bought to drink anyway. You should drink your 2010s but there is no hurry. I am eating a pizza with my daughter tonight and I opened a 2016 Burlotto Pelaverga, original price £11.95 pb. Now that is a great wine. It is warm and balmy here now - putting on a show for Uncle Joe’s visit to Corn Wall - so I chilled it down, and it is pretty good too.

[Comte Flaneur]

Wonderful notes Ian and fully agree CV, its a crying shame how quickly pricing got out of hand and all prompted by some dumb 100 point AG rating.

Yes JC AG is the villain here. I was lucky in securing some 2013 Monvig before he slapped a 100 point rating on it; enough people listen to that sucker which meant it was the beginning of the end. Or the end of the beginning. Of course AG rated the 2016 100 points, a toxic symbiosis with J. Powell’s egregious money printing to ramp up his 401K.

In the U.K. we have the annual Wine Society (TWS) ‘Burlottery’ because TWS gets an allocation and because it is non-profit still sells it at £30 odd a bottle. So demand outstrips supply by something like 20 to one. I got lucky with the 2015s. I got 3 Monvigs and 3 Acclivi, but drew a blank in 2016, so I was writing protest letters to the Chairman of TWS because I have been a member since 1986, alas to no avail.

I think the best parallel is Noel Verset Cornas.

[Blanquito]

I think the best parallel is Noel Verset Cornas.

That's the same example that came to my mind as well...

I have four Burlottos, all 2011s, 2 normale and 1 each of the Acclivi and Cannubi, which I got at PC's fire sale a few months before chapter 11, all for $30-$55 (and basically for "free" given the source). When to drink?

[Comte Flaneur]

Patrick the 2011 vintage is warm but very forward so no problem in popping one now.

[JoelD]

What a fun tasting of top quality Barolo's. I would think a lot were quite young but your notes didn't read that way to me, mostly approachable. Were most of them decanted for a while?

[jal]

I loved the 2011 Monvigliero, paid about 45 euro for it in a Turin restaurant back in October 2015.
Ridiculous pricing now. That probably was my last Burlotto ever

[Blanquito]

I’m definitely of the opinion that barolo needs tons of time to really shine, as much as Bordeaux (maybe more). At the same time, I don’t like the profile of old barolo (stuff from the 70’s and older) nearly as much as old bordeaux, though I have had some truly wonderful old baroli.

But maybe this is no longer the case? Between a changing climate and changing wine making, maybe barolo these days doesn’t need 25+ years? I really have no idea as 95% of my barolo (and Barbaresco by and large) experience has come from 2004 and older vintages (which mostly still aren’t ready for prime time in my opinion, though some are just starting to soften and finally show some charm).

[jckba]

I loved the 2011 Monvigliero, paid about 45 euro for it in a Turin restaurant back in October 2015.
Ridiculous pricing now. That probably was my last Burlotto ever

Yeah, I am not chasing the Burlotto Barolo’s when there is still so much great Barbaresco and Barolo to be had at more reasonable pricing outside some of more revered names like Rinaldi, Conterno, Giacosa, Mascarello (both Bartolo and now Guiseppe too), Vietti and Voerizio. And I also happen to quite like all of Fabio’s more readily available offerings in the Dolcetto, Barbera, Langhe, Freisa and Pelaverga bottlings as I think they offer a wonderful, everyday kind of value for your money.

[AKR]

Very nice notes. It's nice to see people are getting back together again for communal tasting.