Foggy hat

Cappellano 2005 Nebbiolo d’Alba (Piedmont) – Dusty red fruit, soft yet strong, with a nearly flawless texture. Absolutely classic nebbiolo, masterfully presented. (7/09)

Bocchino ball

Eugenio Bocchino 2004 Nebbiolo d’Alba (Piedmont) – Soft roses, rough finish, plus vanilla. Eh. (2/07)

A foggy day in Vietnam

Cappellano 2003 Nebbiolo d’Alba (Piedmont) – A touch of brett and a moderate amount of hard tannin eventually give way to fruity, seedy blackberry and a crisp finish of surprising lightness. Now that’s an outcome I didn’t expect from the initial impression. I think it’s good, but honestly I have no idea where it’s headed. (1/08)

Ascheri night

Ascheri 2004 Nebbiolo d’Alba Bricco S. Giacomo (Piedmont) – Fine aromatics can’t quite be suppressed by a layer of slick woodiness and a lingering buttery note. Was this wine actually barriqued, or is there some sort of minor heat damage masquerading as internationalization? Whichever is the case, it’s pleasant enough, but it grows less interesting as the bottle progresses. (10/07)