Gorgeously perfumed with tea leaves, cherries, tar and earth, moreish from the first pour. Not very complex and I've had deeper Barolos, but there's real character in there, just like in all Fenocchio's Barolos. From what I've read (I just haven't experienced enough first-hand), Nebbiolo-based wines came out too soft in 2012 for the vintage to be considered a top-flight vintage, and I can see that here. As much as the wine gains complexity and grip with time, it always feels like it lacks the same definition the 2012 Bussia showed earlier this year. Having said that, I could drink a bottle of Fenocchio's Barolos every week. (July 30, 2020)
A mature Bandol is something that's been on my wish list for a long time. Which is why I cellared this for over six years, until I finally decided I had had enough of waiting. The nose, at the very least, was well worth the wait, tertiary, meaty and loaded to the brim with of fat and blood, and along with the nose at least make for interesting experience. (July 31, 2020)
Domaine Bernard Baudry, Chinon, La Croix Boissée, 2011
Finally, after almost a decade of re-visiting Baudry every few years, I get a shot at their 'grand cru' at its peak, showing a lovely perfume of crushed raspberries, damp earth, lead pencil and violets and an excellent, savory balance of tannins, sweet/sour fruit and acidity. Baudry never seems to try to rein in the brett in the winery, but, although there are signs of it here, they're barely perceptible. Very lovely, Bourgeois Cru level or even higher in Bordeaux, but softer and more lyrical, and very tasty indeed. (Aug. 1, 2020)
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