WTN: Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello 1998

[Ian Sutton]

Perhaps an odd choice for a wine focus on VFM/QPR, but I'll disclose the price at the end. I've also included previous comments and interestingly I suspect the price paid, reflects in the lack of detail in the notes - which really don't do the wine the justice it deserves.

1998 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (4/20/2009)
Opened at cellar temperature, hence initially quite tight.
Certainly showing brown/orange at the rim, but not excessively so, especially for the grape.

Fragrant nose with typical sweet & ''lifted' aroma.

On the palate, vibrant acidity and supple tannins give good structure, but still allow fragrant fruit to play out. As it warmed so it opened a little, but remained still remained pretty tight. More cellar time required here.

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The remaining half bottle, four days after opening (cork popped back in original bottle)

Slightly more lift to the nose, but not vastly different, if anything perhaps a touch more expressive.
Still very firm tannins, but seems a little more open. Also a suggestion of almond/popcorn on the finish which is unusual and I suspect an oxidative character.

Really should keep the remaining bottles set aside for another 5-10+ years

1998 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (7/19/2008)
Quite youthful rich purple colour. Expressive and slightly stinky nose. On the palate, quite classical nebbiolo with good depth.

1998 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (5/14/2007)
Still showing signs of improvement and still benefitting from significant time to breathe.

I'm pretty confident this is ageing well and I'd expect it to improve for another 5-8+ years

1998 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (1/28/2007)
Although used for cooking, the stove top Pigeon breasts cooked over 3 hours with a third of a bottle of this in the marinade was stunning. The first time I've seen how a good wine can make a difference in cooking.

Whilst the beef done in the oven also had this wine, I never got the sauce reduced enough, so the gravy was finished in a pan with some cornflour. It was still lovely, but the extra concentration in the other sauce showed the wine off much better. A cooking lesson learned!

1998 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (12/28/2006)
Somewhat less funky than our previous bottle, this one showed great balance and classical lines. Should be good for a few years cellaring, but enjoyable now nonetheless.

1998 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (12/22/2006)
A little high-toned and the oak treatment slightly obtrusive. Minor points though, otherwise fine.

The price....? From auction~ £110 for 23 bottles about two years ago. IIRC my commission bid was ~ £190 and I was slightly surprised to win the lot, but the hammer price was the real shock.

Worth? - I'd not feel unhappy at €25 a bottle, which is the sort of price you might find it at retail in Italy.

regards

Ian

[MichaelB]

Thanks for the extensive TNs, Ian! I bought a case of Cantina del Pino 04 "regular bottling" (said to contain some grapes from Ovello) for a good price and was put off by the wildly conflicting tar and vinagar, but your notes give me hope--maybe in a few years, the wine will be worth drinking. The 2001 version of basic Cantina del Pino was very, very good!

[Ian Sutton]

Michael
FWIW I don't mind a little volatile acidity in my Nebbiolos - but in moderation. I don't suppose the (perceived) level of VA in the 98s have changed much, if anything. If it was really vinegary, then my hope would be that was just a bad bottle.

IIRC the standard bottling isn't much cheaper than the Ovello (and 2004 is highly regarded), hence I would have expected your's to have been a decent bottle (with a medium to long term future)

regards

Ian