1997 Tenuta Riserva Barolo "La Loggia"

In the Fearless Flyer from TJs, lots of hype about 97 Piedmont and this bottle being "right in there!" - and only $13.99 - so I got one.

Had it last night - can still taste it today -even after rinsing with some Paringa and brushing my teeth twice! Yuck! - would not score it a 70. Wine was heavy bodied, very light colored, candied cherry nose, no mid palate fruit - very hollow, and short unpleasant acidic finish. The bottle was not spoiled, this wine was just truly terrible.

It left me curious about who duped who in the tasting, choice or packaging of this "Barolo". (It did have its DOCG Barolo ring around the foil for authenticity even) Guess I wasn't expecting much from TJs and $14 for a "Barolo" but this one is a wine to avoid for sure - even at $2 a bottle!

[This message was edited by RedMountain on Nov 19, 2002 at 08:45 PM.]

[This message was edited by RedMountain on Nov 19, 2002 at 08:46 PM.]

I picked up the 1998 Franco Fiorina Barolo from Trader Joe's today for $22. WS gave it 90 points.

VM

VM - I have two of those - not from TJs (Winex 19.99 awhile back) - have you tried it yet??

this makes me want to buy one bottle of each......just for educational purposes, of course. I'll have to make a TJ's run soon.

I have actually *****never***** had a Barolo before in my life. This seems like a nice way to try two cheapos to see what's a good one and what's a bad one.

-Vitis Vinifera in Lodi

______________________________
Member #19
"I drink to prepare for a fight. Tonight I am very prepared." --drunkgamers.com

My suggestion, if you never had a Barolo before, is not to start with the wrong step.

1) Not a too cheap Barolo. Nebbiolo is not an easygoing grape, and some serious mastership is to be put in order to gain even (serious) standard results. You cannot pay it less than 25 euros in Italy.

2) Not a too young Barolo. Nebbiolo wines are really tannic, and need some additional time after the release. In particular, if you want to drink it now, avoid 96 and 98, above the average but extremely closed wines. You might choose a 97, much more overt and easy to appreciate, even if, just for this reasons, quite atypical for Barolos. Eventually a 95. The ideal age for a first tasting might be 92-94, but those vintages are really weak. If you want to have an idea of what "age-worthy" means when you come to Barolo and Barbaresco, then uncork some serious 89 or 82 or 78...

3) Not a too modern-styled Barolo. Especially when young, you'll get out from them a very little part of the specific character of big Barolo. They tend to be too concentrated to show finesse and elegance, too fullfilled with wood to separate these flavours from the proper wine's ones. And you will not be that sure, that it actually is 100% Nebbiolo.

I just had a Bussia 97 by Aldo Conterno, that might be a good choice, and in Italy it is about 35 euros.

Enjoy!

Mass Mess - very good advice. The '97 Bussia goes for $70-90 here I think - not so cheap. If one wanted to go cheaper I would at least try the '97 Cerreto Zonchera or the '97 Faurina (sp?) - both around $30 I think and both at least an enjoyable - if not typical Barolo. I recently purchased a Cerreto Barolo Branate for $58 or thereabouts - and I would highly recommend it (even for drinking now) and at that price. And last month I opened a bottle of the '97 Seghesio La Villa (again perhaps not typical I know - but it was very nice/pleasent) and I've seen it recently for under $50.

I used to be a great purchaser and drinker of wines bought at Trader Joes. The prices and selection here in Virginia are not what I recall from when I lived in California in the early 80s...additionally I think my tasts have evolved somewhat and TJs mostly carries what I would call supermarket type wines (in terms of quality) - perhaps a tad better. I enjoyed most of the wines I bought - and they were priced very well - but I would be cautious. A few months back I purchased a '97 brunello from TJs for $19...I think I could have bought a much better wine for that price...it was highly tannic without much fruit - perhaps it would improve with age (certainly) - but only so much I think... So i think there might be some bargains and nice wines (Zins for instance) - but most wines they carry don't seem to be of great quality (particualrly for non -California wines).

RM- I haven't tried it yet. I might open one around Thanksgiving.

Massmess- I think I recal reading in WS that Suckling recommended drinking the 1998's before the 1996' and 1997's. None of the 1997's I have had were approachable so far. You disagree?

VV- Here are a couple other suggestions for inexpensive but good quality Barolo:

~1998 Batasiolo (WS90)- I bought it for $19 recently and they are not long agers in comparison. They also made a good 1996 and 1997.
~1995 Sordo Barolo (WS92)- This wine is completely approachable now. I bought it for $23 about a year ago. You probably won't find it though.

VM

Anyone try the 11.99 1998 Amarone from trader joe's yet? I bought a bottle out of curiousity. Really don't expect much from it.

Also tried a bottle of the $2.99 charles shaw 2000 napa chardonnay last night. For a $3 chard this wasn't bad... some lightly tart/sour apple and pear notes. Pretty wild on the acid side though.

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Signature? I don't need no stinking signature!

I've had both the $12.99 Borolo as well as the Amarone. I didn't find the Borolo as bad Red describe, but I also did not go back for more.

The Amarone is actually not half bad (actually priced at $9.99 last time I purchased it). Here is what I wrote about it back in Nov. of last year:

...It has a raisiny nose, and a deep dark color - almost black. The wine is tight and young. As a result, it opened up quite a bit with a lot of aeration in the glass. Tannins are still fairly tight, and it lacks the huge concentration of fruit one normally associates with an Amarone, but it is rich, viscous, and somewhat layered - a nice, afforable Amarone.

One more thing, if you see the Barbaresco "Che Storia" at TJs, run the other way...

EW - what was the color the Barolo in your bottle? - very light like what I described?

Smaug - saw the Amarone at the Everett store but passed on it. I picked up one of the bordeaux they were touting in the Fearless Flyer (La Borde Haut Medoc, I think)and selling for 7.99 - as a friend recommended it as pretty good - have not opened it yet. I think it may have been mentioned in a TJ cheap bordeaux Tasting Note review of several under $10 bottles here a few weeks back as a decent bottle - but not sure.

Red - Yes, the color was fairly light and translucent. I also got a distinct tar component from this at first, which seemed to dissipate as the wine was aerated over an hour an a half or so, revealing a bit more fruit (strawberries, cherries, along with dried flowers is what I got).

Did you decant? I think this wine showed poorly right out of the gate, but did improve an hour later...

My father bought the Loggia Barolo and we had it a week or so ago.
Very light and "see trough", we concluded that there very well be some Nebbiolo in the wine but probably mostly something else.
Dolcetto, Grignolino or even Fresia.
The cherry and strawberry flavors, low tannins, not your typical Barolo profile.

quote:

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Originally posted by smaug:
it.

Also tried a bottle of the $2.99 charles shaw 2000 napa chardonnay last night. For a $3 chard this wasn't bad... some lightly tart/sour apple and pear notes. Pretty wild on the acid side though.

**********
Signature? I don't need no stinking signature!

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I tried the 2.99 Charles Shaw Cabernet a couple of weeks ago. It was a decent Cab for the price, but it's nose had so much cedar in it, I could have sworn it was aged in cedar barrels.

EW: mine was very very light and I gave it the benefit of about 2 hours in a decanter - but I did not think it changed much over that period as I tasted it along the way hoping to be surprised - nope.

smaug,
I've had the Amerone as well, though it was the '97, I went back and bought a six pack and have several other friends who have purchased several as well. A quite drinkable wine for 10 bucks.

Tried it last night along with a nice piece of Niman Ranch Sirloin annoyingly labelled "chateaubriand".***

Not half bad. Definitely a lighter style, and not going to be all that great on it's own, but with a little air and a nice hearty meal, this is a pretty tasty wine. Has hints of the kind of funky character you would expect from an amarone. Not completely out of balance. Overall a good QPR wine, I would say.


***(I have already sent Niman an email complaining that this is patently incorrect labelling- "chateaubriand" is a preparation, not a cut of meat- and for that matter is usually done with the tenderloin- but that is a story for another day)

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Signature? I don't need no stinking signature!

Found the 2000 version of the "La Loggia" Barolo at TJ's today. Picked up the last 2 bottles for $13.99. I don't have a lot of experience with TJ's, but seems like I've heard a few people having some luck with a few of their wines.

We don't see Barolo under $30 in this parts, so I figured decent vintage, might as well roll the dice. Anyone tried this yet? Looks like from the messages above I better be ready for some disappointment.