Before the Barolo Cerequio vertical, I interviewed Michele Chiarlo - see Interview: Michele Chiarlo brings Barolo to Beijing and Featured Tasting: Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio - and then tasted a number of other Chiarlo wines:
2006 Gavi, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: deepish green gold
Nose: lots of lemon, pear and apple fruit. Very clean on the nose.
Palate: lovely acidity, good fruit and refreshing length and finish.
Conclusion: a lovely expression of the Cortese grape and actually the most successful wine in Asia for the Chiarlo family. Good.
Rating: 17.5/20
2004 Barbaresco Asili, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: medium purple-red, slightly orange rim.
Nose: extremely perfumed and very delicate showing red fruits and slight spice.
Palate: lovely acidity, moderate slightly grainy tannins, good fruit, and very ‘refreshing’ (not something usually said about Nebbiolo).
Conclusion: Barbaresco, unfairly, is seen as playing second fiddle to Barolo, but its wines can show very pure examples of Nebbiolo in a delicate style. Asili is a single vineyard, but not one I’ve had before (most of the single vineyard examples I’ve had from the Produttori del Barbaresco).
Rating: 18/20
2003 Barbera d’Asti La Court, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: deepish purple-red colour, clear rim.
Nose: shows a lot of oak, even although the wine sees only 50% oak; but much would depend, of course, on what proportion of that is new oak and what happened in 2003 itself where very ripe fruit may have called for heftier oak. Has very attractive dark cherry fruit as well, however.
Palate: lots of alcohol here, but there’s good acidity, pleasant chewy tannins and impressive length.
Conclusion: obviously a very fine example of Barbera and a pleasure to drink now (with some modest ageing ability there too).
Rating: 18.5/20
1999 Barolo Riserva ‘Tortoniano’, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: deep purple-red, orange rim.
Nose: elegant red cherry and redcurrant fruit, violets.
Palate: not too tannic, ripe, possesses lovely acidity and the tannins that are there are grainy and also ripe. Good length.
Conclusion: A lovely expression of a readily drinkable Barolo; ready now, but one that will also improve.
Rating: 18/20
2006 Gavi, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: deepish green gold
Nose: lots of lemon, pear and apple fruit. Very clean on the nose.
Palate: lovely acidity, good fruit and refreshing length and finish.
Conclusion: a lovely expression of the Cortese grape and actually the most successful wine in Asia for the Chiarlo family. Good.
Rating: 17.5/20
2004 Barbaresco Asili, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: medium purple-red, slightly orange rim.
Nose: extremely perfumed and very delicate showing red fruits and slight spice.
Palate: lovely acidity, moderate slightly grainy tannins, good fruit, and very ‘refreshing’ (not something usually said about Nebbiolo).
Conclusion: Barbaresco, unfairly, is seen as playing second fiddle to Barolo, but its wines can show very pure examples of Nebbiolo in a delicate style. Asili is a single vineyard, but not one I’ve had before (most of the single vineyard examples I’ve had from the Produttori del Barbaresco).
Rating: 18/20
2003 Barbera d’Asti La Court, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: deepish purple-red colour, clear rim.
Nose: shows a lot of oak, even although the wine sees only 50% oak; but much would depend, of course, on what proportion of that is new oak and what happened in 2003 itself where very ripe fruit may have called for heftier oak. Has very attractive dark cherry fruit as well, however.
Palate: lots of alcohol here, but there’s good acidity, pleasant chewy tannins and impressive length.
Conclusion: obviously a very fine example of Barbera and a pleasure to drink now (with some modest ageing ability there too).
Rating: 18.5/20
1999 Barolo Riserva ‘Tortoniano’, Michele Chiarlo
Appearance: deep purple-red, orange rim.
Nose: elegant red cherry and redcurrant fruit, violets.
Palate: not too tannic, ripe, possesses lovely acidity and the tannins that are there are grainy and also ripe. Good length.
Conclusion: A lovely expression of a readily drinkable Barolo; ready now, but one that will also improve.
Rating: 18/20
Labels: 2003, 2004, 2006, Barbaresco, Barbera, Barbera d'Asti, Barolo, Chiarlo, Cortese, Featured Tastings, Gavi, Italy, Michele Chiarlo, Nebbiolo, Piemonte, red, white
posted by Wine Dragon
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