Sordo, Castiglione Falletto

We visited this cantina on the 3rd of September 2019.  It is a modern building including a robot that assist in the bottling and labeling of their wines.

We were greeted by Giorgia who gave us a tour of the facilities including the older and newer parts of this producer.  She then took us into the tasting room where she showed us a number of the wines produced by Sordo, adding more as the morning progressed.

The first wine was the 2017 Nebbiolo d'Alba, 14% alcohol, opened on the 2nd.  Has the typical nose of Nebbiolo which told us that it needs 2-3 years in the bottle before drinking. 

Second was the 2016 Barbaresco, 14.5% alcohol about 4 hours earlier.  Has the nose of the grape which lightened after a few minutes.  The mouth was a good example of the grape albeit slightly acidic.  The wine needs a year in the cellar but it is drinkable now for those that like a younger wine.

Next was the 2015 Barolo base, 14% alcohol.  It had an acidic nose and light fruit.  We noticed a slight off nose that quickly blew off.   The mouth is quite tannic with light fruit and a touch of acid.  We estimate another 4-5 years before ready to drink.

Fourth was the 2015 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, 14% alcohol.  We immediately had a flavor of vanilla in the nose which disappeared after a short time but returned when the glass was emptied.  We consider this a nice but not common flavor for Barolos.  Mouth is good, still three pieces but coming together, estimate 1-2 years in the cellar before drinking.

Next was the 2014 Parussi, 14% alcohol.  The nose had a typical Barolo flavor which was short lived, a slightly acidic but not overdone indication.  The fruit was light.  The mouth was subdued but came around as the glass was worked.  Give it a couple of years and then try it.

Sixth was the 2011 Gabutti, 14.5% alcohol.  Good but light nose of Barolo, mouth still in 3 pieces, quite balanced between fruit, tannin and acid.  Drinkable now but let it rest for another three years in proper storage.

Next was the 2011 Monvigliero, 15% alcohol.  A light Barolo nose, seems quite stable with work of the glass.  Mouth a bit on the light side and stable.  Could be enjoyed now but again, leave for 2-3 years before opening.  Purchased for the cellar and will rest for the indicated number of years before opening.

Eighth was the 2011 Rocche di Castiglione, 14.5% alcohol.  This wine has a very nice nose which lightened up a bit as the glass was worked.  The initial impression of the mouth was burnt sugar which blew off quickly.  We purchased this wine and will leave it for at least two years before opening.

Next was the 2007 Monvigliero Riserva, 14% alcohol.  Nose was slightly off, improved as the wine glass was worked, mouth indicated ready to drink.  Now for the next 2-3 years.

The last wine was the 2001 Perno Riserva, 14% alcohol.  We are quite familiar with this cru and like it.  This was probably the oldest Barolo we had ever had the opportunity to taste.  It had a lilac nose, the mouth slightly acidic with excellent fruit.  No tannin was noticed.  Give it two years.  We will.  It now resides in our cellar.

We really wish to thank Giorgio, the owner of the cantina and of course, Giorgia, for taking the time (we were there for about four hours) to show us around their wines.  We look forward to stopping to see them again in the future.  They have Barolo Riserve going back to the early 1990's and also large bottles for special occasions.

27 September 2020  Because of a special occasion, my 20th anniversary of moving to Italy, we opened a bottle of the 2001 Perno Riserva for lunch today.  Natalya made my specialty, risotto with zuca and chicken breast.  She had learned well from my teaching.  It was as good as I could have made.  Now about the wine...it went very well with the risotto.  You could drink this now or leave it in proper storage for a good five years.  We have only one of these left and will save for another special occasion.

11 June 2021 Heads' up! We made another trip to Sordo and of course, were guided by Giorgia through the wines she chose to show us.  The first wine presented was the 2018 Nebbiolo d'Alba.  Opened for us, 14% alcohol. It had a good Nebbiolo nose (which became slightly acidic after a time in the glass) and the normal ruby red color.  It needs 1-2 years before being ready to drink.  Purchased for our cellar.  

 Next was the 2016 Monvigliero Barolo.  It also was opened for us, 14.5%.  It is a bit acidic and in reality, it is really nowhere being ready to drink.  We would leave it rest for a minimum of five years but probably a lot longer.  

Next was the 2015 Perno.  If you read this blog, you will know we really like the 2001 Perno Riserva.  This bottle was opened two days ago and kept properly stored, 14.5% alcohol.  It has a typical Barolo nose with a slight touch of the wood where it was aged.  The mouth was slightly acidic and showed a light taste.  We give it four to six years before we would go near it.  Purchased for our cellar.  

The third was the 2013 Parussi.  Served from the Coravin, 14% alcohol.  It exhibited a tannic nose and a slightly acidic mouth.  No estimate as to how long it will take before being ready to drink.  

Next was the 2006 Rocche di Castiglione Riserva.  This was also served from the Coravin, 14% alcohol.  A slightly acidic, woody Barolo nose.  Mouth is there telling us that the wine is very close to being ready to drink.  Give it two years before trying it.  Purchased for our cellar.  

Next was the 2003 Rocche di Castiglione Riserva.  Opened for us, 14% alcohol.  A spectacular Barolo nose, light mouth.  We go out on a limb and say it is ready to drink but give it a year or two to settle down. Purchased for our cellar.  

Last was the 1998 Gabutti Riserva.  Served from the Coravin, 14% alcohol.  It will be a strong Barolo when it rests for 4-5 years.  Purchased for our cellar.

12 June 2021 We decided to try an older Barolo from Sordo for lunch today.  My initial tasting of the 2011 Monvigliero  led me to believe that it should be ready around this date.  However, I was wrong by at least four years.  You should not open it until 2025 and after.  In any case, the wine was served with Natalya's mushroom soup and octopus salad.  Food was really good with the wine once about two hours had passed.  Leave it to rest for at least four years.

 12 September 2021  It is difficult to pass up a good reason to open a spectacular bottle of Barolo, the 2001 Sordo Perno Riserva!  It is a Sunday so Natalya has the kitchen and made a eggplant hamburger for an appetizer.  Other than eggplant from our garden, she mixed in an egg and some Rasquera cheese.  Quite good but it brought out a hidden acidity of the wine. Then she served her Borsch which was four days old.  The Russians (of which she is one of) believe that Borsch is not ready to eat for at least two days after it was made.  The four day old Borsch went very well with the wine.  We had bought two bottles last year but on our last trip to the cantina, we bought four more.  EYHO!!  She then served a stuffed verza (a variety of cabbage).  The stuffing was carnaroli rice and ground chicken we get from a producer that does not use antibiotics when growing the birds.  It went well with the wine.  We believe that the wine is ready to drink for at least a year, maybe two.  If you have multiple bottles, try one to see how it aged in your cellar.  Ours is ready now. 

14 November 2021 Well, another of the Perno Riserva was opened today.  Natalya made a vegetable soup and Dolma (stuffed grape leaves).  We now believe that the wine may need another year or two to be really correct to drink.  This bottle (maybe the problem is the cork of this bottle) had an off nose and mouth when it was opened but we are not going to take a chance.   Or, you may open it a hour before serving if you must.  Great wine in any case.

21 November 2021 Today we opened a bottle of the Sordo Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 2011.  Natalya made Thai soup, chicken sotto filleti marinated in lemon juice and garlic and sauteed.  The wine needs at least another year before we open another bottle but it is very good grape juice.

14 February 2023 It is Valentine's Day so hope you have a good bottle of wine to show your best person how much you care about him or her.  For our lunch, we opened a bottle of 2003 Sordo Barolo Rocche di Castiglione Riserva. The wine is ready to drink.  We served it with my version of chili con carne.  Instead of carne (meat), I use ground chicken and instead of Mexican spices,  I use Pakistani curry.  It is very good, you should try it.  In any case, the wine is ready to drink.  I suggest that if you have bottles, try one and make a calendar to drink the rest of your bottles.

27 April 2023  I am still recuperating so Natalya made some Chinese food with a chicken base.  I thought that this wine would stand up to it but I was wrong.  The food kind of stood on the wine.  So, we left it for later.  We tried it again about six hours ago and it was spectacular.  When I put it in the list, I wrote that it should be right in 2022.   Wrong!!  We know believe the wine needs other four years or maybe you can try a decanter!  My failure.  Sorry, readers!

3 May 2023  Well, I am making up for missing the above review.  We opened a bottle of the 2003 Rocche di Castiglione Riserva for lunch today of pasta with fresh salvia leaves and black olives.  It is very tannic with a light nose but it all came together.  We recommend that you drink it now.  Great wine from Sordo as usual.

3 June 2023 Natalya made her famous dolma so I got out our last 2011 Sordo Roche di Castiglione Barolo.  On opening and tasting, it seemed that the wine was not ready to drink.  We let it sit for another half hour but there was only a slight difference.  We decided it was old enough so got out the large open glasses.  By the time we finished lunch, the wine was very good.  We suggest that if you have the wine in your cellar with proper humidity and temperature, leave it for another two years.

28 July 2023 Sometimes, we get a bottle from the cantina that may not go with the lunch that we were going to have.  Today, we pulled a bottle of 2006 Rocche di Castiglione Riserva that we were going to serve it with a piece of light flavored fish, our tomatoes, our string beans and our potatoes.  We knew the the wine was a big flavored Barolo but we had the taste for a Barolo for a Friday lunch.  The wine went with the fish and vegetables very well.  The wine is ready to drink.  Do you have a bottle or two in your cellar?  Try it.  You will not be disappointed!

29 November 2023 For lunch today, Natalya took some bio chicken breasts and made them with Milanese ingredients.  She also sauteed some yucca and some of our peppers from the garden.  She also made a salad with beets and a small amount of onion.  I opened the last 2006 Sordo Rocche di Castiglione Riserva.  When we had first taste it, the bottle was opened with the Corvin.  I was some worried as to how much air really gets into the bottle but there was no choice.  The wine was exactly the time to open.  It was a spectacular Barolo and went very well with the lunch.  I wonder if there is any more at the producer.  We will inquire...