2009 BAROLO Vigneto Albarella Andrea Oberto
As Joanna Simon wrote in the WineGang Mid-Month newsletter, her WINE OF THE YEAR is
Andrea Oberto, Barolo Vigneto Albarella 2009
Barolo (Piedmont), Italy, Dry Red (Cork), 14.5% abv
The tasting of the year for me was a Quinta do Noval and Noval Nacional port tasting, the same six vintages of each, but as retail stockists are as common as hens’ teeth I’ve chosen this fragrant, expressive Barolo instead. It has such sweetness and succulence that it’s deliciously drinkable already, but its seamless freshness and deep resource of dark chocolate richness and savoury, meaty concentration will take it effortlessy into the next decade. Andrea Oberto, a small family company with vineyards in the Crus of Brunate and Rocche as well as Albarella, is a Barolo name to keep tabs on if you don’t know it already. 93/100 £41.50, Lea & Sandeman