Enzo Boglietti, La Morra

After the Grand Degustazione yesterday, our first visit of the day was Azienda Agricola Enzo Boglietti.  We had met them last year at the degustazione and after reviewing their brochure, decided that we should visit them.

They took us through their offerings starting with the 2016 Langhe Nebbiolo.  It had been bottled about two weeks ago and was quite disjointed, or as we like to call it "in pieces".  It would be unfair to them and the wine for us to form an opinion on the wine so if they have it available next year, we will write about it them.  Euro 9 per bottle.

What they call "Buio" was next.  It was from 2015 and is 80% Nebbiolo and 20% Barbera.  It was a very interesting combination that we feel needs 3-4 years to come around to what should be a very good wine.  We were told that this blend was very popular during the 1990's and they were going to see how it was received here in 2017.  We estimate 3-4 years in the cellar should make it ready to drink.  Euro 16 per bottle.  Purchased for our cellar.

They they proceeded to open their series of 2013 Barolos, all of which were opened for us.  The first was from the vineyard Boiolo.  We are familiar with this vineyard having had 2006 and 2008 Barolos from Bosco who makes wines from that vineyard.  Boglietti's 2013 Boiolo was quite acidic.  The fruit was evident but there was little indication of tannins.  We estimate that it would take 3-4 years to come around.  Euro 23 a bottle.

The second 2013 Barolo was Fossati.  It had a light nose that did not tell us it was Barolo.  However, after about five minutes open, the nose had become evident.  We estimate a minimum of 5 years before opening.  Euro 33 a bottle.

The next was the 2013 Arione.  It had a big Barolo nose, both the acids and tannins were quite evident.  It obviously is in the legendary 3 pieces.  Arione has great fruit for a young wine.  Let it rest for at least five years.  Euro 39 per bottle.  Purchased for our cellar.

The fourth was the 2013 Casa Nere.  The nose is there but light as is the mouth.  It, however, has a high level of tannins.  We estimate at least four years to come around.  Euro 39 a bottle.

The last was the 2013 Brunate.  This is a very balanced wine for a 2013.  The fruit is good blending well with a light tannin structure.  Let it rest for two or three years before trying.  Euro 39 per bottle.

28 February 2021 Because we are having a lot of trouble finding something that is ready to drink, we decided to open a bottle of the 2015 Buio, the blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera from this producer.  We had concluded that it needed 3-4 years before it was ready to drink but as I said, we are becoming desperate.  As usual, the wine is not ready to drink.  If we told you that the top was acid, the middle fruit and the bottom tannins, you would think, probably, that we had fallen off the wagon.  But, that is what we thought, even with a fairly open mouth glass and at least an hour to drink the wine with Natalya's Thai soup and a pirogi made from our biological chicken, bio potatoes and onion.  Regretfully, we have one bottle left and if the La Morra tasting ever occurs again, we will go to the producer and get six bottles that will reside, with the one we have left, for at least three more years.

09 October 2021 We opened another bottle of the 2013 Arione Barolo for lunch today.  Menu was a salad with sedano bianco cuore (white heart of celery), pioppino mushrooms from Monalfungo, bio lemon juice and fresh ground black pepper.  Natalya also made angliotti with white chicken, burrata and pistachio nuts.  The wine needs another two years before we will open another bottle but you can taste what will be enjoyed very much in the future.

 29 October 2023  We opened a bottle of Enzo Boglietti Arione 2013 for a Sunday dinner.  We were quite disappointed, not about the wine, but the fact that the wine is not ready to drink.  And, I really mean it is not ready.  After two hours open, we started to get the mouth and the nose.  Both are very good.  So, we put the other bottle we have for another two years.  Patience, Vittorio!!

 

Cascina del Monastero - Annunziata, La Morra

The next day, we made our last stop of the trip at Cascina del Monastero in Annunziata.  We had met Beppe at a tasting in Asti earlier this year and had told him we would stop to taste all of his wines the next time we were in the area.  Cascina del Monastero is also an agriturismo so contact them if you are going to the area around La Morra for a nice place to stay and try their wines.

First was the 2011 Nebbiolo Langhe, 14% alcohol.  The bottle was opened for us.  Quite acidic with subdued fruit.  Recommend 3-4 years in the cellar to let it smooth out.  Euro 10 per bottle.

We then tried the 2009 Barolo Pernot, 14.5% alcohol.  This bottle was open for 24 hours before our arrival.  The fermentation time on this wine was 25 days under controlled temperature.  Light fruit, tannin and acids.  We consider this ready to drink.  Beppe then brought out the same wine that was produced for the Chinese market.  It had only eight days of fermentation which would practically eliminate any tannins and increase the fruit in the mouth.  Euro 20 a bottle.

Next was the 2010 Barolo Bricco Luciani, 14.5% alcohol.  Good fruit and acids with a nice nose.  Leave it four to five years in your cellar.  Euro 26 a bottle.

Last was the 2007 Barolo Riund Riserva, 14.5% alcohol.  We had tasted this one in Asti and wanted to put it in our cellar for further aging.  The wine has a beautiful Barolo nose with light acids and tannin.  Let rest for one to two years.  Euro 30 a bottle, purchased for our cellar.

26 May 2016  We opened the first bottle of the 2007 Riund Riserva Barolo today with a lunch of Russian Borsch and Lebanese Dolma.  We had expected the wine to be quite "big" and robust.  It was not.  The wine was quite soft (should not have been, IOHO) and should have stood up to the Borsch.  We now know that it is quite soft for a Riserva and should be drunk as a "conversation wine" rather than with food.  We will open another bottle around the end of 2016 to see if our opinion has changed.  This weekend, I hope to see Beppe at the Vinessage in Asti to talk to him about the wine.  If there are any things to report, you may read them here!!

2 November 2016  We opened, as promised, another bottle of the 2007 Riund Riserva Barolo for lunch today.  We served it with a lightly seasoned meal (see review just above) of sauteed vegetables and ground turkey.  Similar to the first bottle, there was a strange taste that neither one of us could pin down nor could we tell you what it was.  The best description of it was "unpleasant".  We decided to leave the bottle open for about 45 minutes to see what it would do, remain or go away.  It was still there after the 45 minutes but gone after one hour.  We have pushed the opening of the third bottle out to no earlier than June of 2017.  We hope that the strange flavor will have decided to fly away when it sees the cork gone.  In any case, a light Barolo, could be considered a conversation wine but leave it open for a hour if you open it now.

19 February 2017  We opened the next to the last bottle of the 2007 Riund Riserva for lunch today.  It seems like Sunday is "Barolo Day" in our house.  We have a number of bottles that are ready to drink so it might spill over to other days of the week but in any case, we will drink them.  Similar to the first and second bottles, there was a strange taste that neither of us could identify much less tell what it was.  After about 30 minutes, that strange taste was gone and what we had in our glasses was a very nice Barolo.  We felt it was not a "big" Barolo as we prefer but there really is nothing wrong with it if you give it a hour open before you pour it.  Of course, if you are in a hurry, just decant it and swirl it in the decanter.  We served the wine with a plate of pasta with a bagnetto sauce (as for the recipe).  It was an abnormal Sunday lunch as we had been to a Polenta dinner in Monale the evening before and were not interested in a big meal.  Next and last opening will be in late summer.

9 April 2017  The last bottle of the 2007 Riund Riserva was opened today for our lunch.  The menu was mozzarella di buffala, a plate of pasta with fresh asparagus tips from the garden of a friend and a hunters' turkey stew which had red bell peppers, sauteed mushrooms and onions seasoned with Sicilian oregano in a jar of tomatoes from our garden.  The wine matched very well with the stew.  If you have this, we would strongly suggest that you open a bottle to see its progress of maturation!