Wine Advisor
Domenico Clerico, Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 2006
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Description
Domenico Clerico, Barolo, Ciabot Mentin, Piedmont, Red, 2008
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2006 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra bursts onto the palate with gorgeous, well-delineated aromas and flavors. This is an especially chiseled, finely sculpted, yet exotic Barolo endowed with extraordinary complexity and mouth-filling intensity in its ripe dark plums, mint, violets, sweet spices, soy, tar and minerals. In 2006, the Ciabot combines elegance and power to a degree that is exceedingly rare. It is another superb and truly special Barolo from Domenico Clerico. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031. It’s great to see Domenico Clerico doing better after what has been a very difficult struggle with illness. My recent tasting with Clerico was amazing, as I had a chance to survey all of his Barolos in verticals covering vintages 2004 through 2008, which provided quite a bit of perspective on the relative qualities of this series of important vintages. I have done similar tastings here once – sometimes twice – a year for many years, and have always needed a bit of a break afterwards, as Clerico’s wines are massively tannic and structured when young, which, when coupled with Monforte’s trademark acidity, can tire the palate. Not this time. What has changed? For starters, the move toward longer fermentations/macerations and the reduction in the use of French oak have begun to yield wines of incomparable finesse and elegance. Tasting the vintages side by side, it is apparent that 2004 – as great as those wines are – represents the end of an era at Clerico. The 2005s signal a move towards a more elegant style (much of that is due to the vintage itself, rather than to changes in winemaking) but it is the 2006s that show the first true results of the new approach, and the wines are simply breathtaking. Clerico’s 2007s, however, may be even better as they are shaping up to be profound, utterly mind-bending Barolos. And as for the 2008s, they are still young, but are so promising I can hardly wait to taste them again. For readers who are curious, the 2004s here are superb but are shutting down rapidly in bottle. The 2005s continue to put on weight, yet they lack the sheer stuffing and depth of the 2006s. The 2007s are rich, sensual, perfumed and utterly thrilling, while the 2008 are a touch more transparent and classic. Watching these wines evolve over the coming years will be fascinating. Sadly, long-time cellarmaster Massimo Conterno recently left the winery after spending nearly his entire career at Clerico’s side. Conterno is like a son to Clerico and his departure remains a painful loss. Still, change is often invigorating, and I can only hope that will be the case here as well. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including: de Grazia Imports; tel. (417) 732-4200; Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; (516) 677-9300, Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael CA; (415) 492-9411, Giuliana Imports, Boulder CO; (303) 547-6343, Robert Houde Wines, Bensenville IL; (630) 422-1119
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Good full red. Very sexy aromas of musky raspberry, flowers, tobacco and truffle, with a strong minerality and a minty nuance not currently apparent in the Pajana. Then red-fruity and powerful but youthfully unforthcoming, with a strong spine of acids and tannins currently subduing the wine's underlying sweetness. Finishes with serious but late-arriving tannins and terrific length.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Licorice and spice with some plums and cherries. Flowers. Medium-bodied, firm and slightly austere and dry now, but still fresh at the end. Drink now.
About the Producer
Clerico Barolo is one of the pioneers of the emerging movement to improve the winemaking of modern Barolo. His wines are round and concentrated, with more fruity aromas, bright ruby red wine with a mulberry taste, reminiscent of burgundy. The Estherso Grand Cru in the Roots, and it is unexpected that these wines are Barolo wines made from Nebbiolo grapes. Clerico was the first state-of-the-art winery in the Barolo region to use the single-campus concept, bottling the wines separately from the different pockets. Let the wine tell the characteristics of the land, so that the wine produced has a unique personality. Clerico believes that the timing of the grape harvest is a very important factor, picking it earlier than other wineries, because he believes that the ripening of tannins is more important than the ripening of grape sweetness. High sweetness only produces wine with a strong alcohol taste. High-quality tannin is the quality guarantee of high-level wine. He especially emphasizes acidity, because acidity will make the wine have a perfect and strong skeleton. Clerico's flagship wine, Cristina, is stored in large oak barrels for 3 years, small oak barrels for 2 years, and 5 years in the bottle for a total of 10 years. Fascinating, is a rare good wine, its wine is to commemorate the unfortunate death of the owner's daughter Cristina when she was 7 years old, and the best grapes are specially selected to make this Percristina wine to commemorate the beloved daughter. Clerico Barolo has been praised as the most representative heavyweight winery in Barolo by virtue of its continuous introduction of amazing wines over the years, and it is also highly praised by wine critics. winery.
