1998 Barolo, Ginestra, Ciabot Mentin, Domenico Clerico (750ml)

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Vintage: 1998
Format: 750ml
Wine Name: Barolo
Vineyard: Ginestra
Designation: Ciabot Mentin
Appellation: Barolo
Producer: Domenico Clerico
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Type: Red
Country: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Sub-Region: Langhe
Alcohol:

Tasting note: 1998 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra—The 1998 Ciabot Mentin Ginestra is a fantastic effort. It offers an expressive nose of menthol, minerals, tar, licorice, and toasted oak followed by dark cherry and plum fruit with tremendous length and sustain on the palate. While tough to resist now, this is really in need a few additional years’ cellaring. 93/drink after 2008, 10/05 My most recent visit provided an opportunity to taste a few wines I had previously tasted from tank before their bottling in during the summer of 2005. I also had a chance to re-taste the current Barolo releases, as well as a few older wines with Domenico Clerico late last year in New York. It was an interesting as well as educational experience to re-visit the 1996s and 1998s as both vintages appear to still be on the young side. These are among the finest of the more modern-styled wines, and readers who appreciate this producer’s style will want to secure bottles of the older vintages while they are still available. My favorite wine has typically been the Ciabot Mentin Ginestra, which comes from vines planted at 400 meters with a south to southeast exposure, which gives the wine its characteristic explosive aromas. The Pajana comes from vineyard at 300 meters in altitude, with a due south exposure, and as would be expected, it is a less perfumed on the nose, but rounder and lusher on the palate. Clerico’s Percristina is produced from old vines planted in the south-facing Mosconi cru. Stylistically I find it more similar to the Pajana, though the older vines give this wine a more concentrated profile along with heady, exotic aromas and flavors. (93pts. AG, Wine Adovcate)

Tasted: Jan. 2006
Score: 93
Drink: 2008

Tasting note: Breathtaking. Big and powerful, with loads of plum, blackberry, raisin and meat aromas. Full-bodied, with big, luscious tannins and masses of fruit on the palate. Long and rich. Seductive. Best after 2007. 1,400 cases made. (99pts. JS, Wine Spectator)

Tasted: Nov. 30, 2002
Score: 99
Drink: After 2007

Tasting note: Full ruby-red. Exhilarating perfumed nose of black cherry, black raspberry, violet and licorice; vibrant and compelling. Dense and backward, with superb power and chewy depth. Racy acids give the flavors superb clarity. Powerfully structured and destined for a long evolution in bottle. Finishes with explosively spicy dark berry flavors. (93-96pts. Steven Tanzer)

Tasted: Nov/Dec 2000
Score: 93-96
Drink: N/A