A big, bold Barolo we would definitely drink again…
Name: Barolo
Vintage: 2012
Producer: Batasiolo
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Grape Varietal(s): Nebbiolo
Consumed: At La Cucina restaurant in North Vancouver, Canada
Recommended By: Picked it off the wine list
Cost: $72 CAD (although we found it for $29.95 CAD at the LCBO)
Bottle Presentation: A simple, classic label, with a touch of Italian class.
Appearance: Medium garnet-tawny.
Nose: A medium nose, with a mix of dark cherries, leather, dark chocolate, and earth.
Taste: A dry, medium-bodied red, with medium tannins and medium acidity. We particularly enjoyed the layered flavours, which included dark, sour cherries, dark chocolate, cigar box, grilled meat (possibly lamb), anise, leather, and earth.
Finish: A medium-to-long finish comprised of dark, sour cherries, leather, and earth.
Overall Impression: An impressive, balanced Barolo with layers of flavours. The colour of this wine, garnet, bordering on tawny, surprised us, especially for a 5-year-old offering. As expected, its pairing with a hearty lasagna dish proved stellar. It also paired nicely with Caprese salad and a prosciutto and melon appetizer.
The style of wine, a classic “old world” red, won’t appeal to everyone. But it struck a cord with us and certainly complemented the décor at the restaurant, which we appreciated, as well as the excellent food.
At $29.95 in the LCBO, this wine represents good value for the quality. We could definitely drink it again, this time with grilled steak.
Rating (from 70 to 100): 90/100
Value: 4/5 (based on $29.95 CAD per bottle)