The 2006 Roero, Tasted at Alba Wines

This Year's Alba Wines began on May 11, and as always we began by tasting Roero, the Nebbiolo-based wine made downstream of Alba, on the hills overlooking the left bank of the Tanaro river, facing the Barbaresco production area.

I confess that I continue to have the same impression of the wine that I have in the past: That Roero has yet to decide what it really wants to be. Because of the sandier nature of Roero's terrains, the Nebbiolo grown there tends to yield wines with richer, more delicate bouquets, but less power than those from Barolo or Barbaresco.

Of course, the grape is only half the equation. There is also the winemaker, and because of the characteristics of the Nebbiolo, their stylistic preferences -- a preference for grace and finesse on the one hand, or power and structure on the other -- are more apparent than they are in either Barolo or Barbaresco. 2006 was a fine vintage, giving those of both schools considerable material to work with, and there are good wines across the spectrum. But one does have to select with care to match one's palate with the winemaker's. Most of the Roero we tasted -- 15 wines -- were 2006. There were also a few bottles of 2005 Roero Riserva, which were considerably weaker, and this is attributable to the weakness of the 2005 vintage.

Finally, in the course of the afternoons thoughout Alba Wines producers poured their 1999 vintages, and you will find the notes from the 1999 Roeri I tasted here.

Careglio
Baldissera D'Alba Località Aprato 15
Tel 0172 40436

Careglio Roero DOCG 2006
Garnet with some orange in the rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, and vinous, with cherry and rosa canina supported by fairly brisk tart brambly acidity, and some hints of leaf tobacco and mentholated spice. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by brambly acidity and by tannins that have a youthful burr and glow into a fairly long bitter finish. It's quite young, but will drink well with simple grilled meats and light stews. Fairly traditional in style, with bright brash aggressiveness and some greenness to it. Will age nicely too, 8-10 years
2 stars

Cornarea
Cornarea Roero DOCG 2006
Dusky almandine with brownish reflections, looks older than it is. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some spice mingled with Moroccan leather and wet clay. Not much fruit. On the palate it's ample and rather languid, with brighter sour cherry fruit than I expected, supported by smooth rather voluptuous tannins that flow into a clean tart cherry raspberry finish. It's in mid-stride, and needs a couple of years to figure out where it's going.
1 star

Monchiero Carbone
Monchiero Carbone Sru Roero DOCG 2006
Deep brownish almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cherry fruit supported by spice and alcohol, also some cedar. On the palate it's medium bodied tending to full and very young, with moderately intense sour berry fruit supported by sour brambly acidity and tannins that have a warm slightly dusky burr and flow into a long savory finish. It's pleasant in a fairly direct up front key, and will drink well with grilled meats or light stews. I would drink it sooner than later, because one of its strong points is its freshness.
1 star

Monchiero Carbone Printi Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Black almandine with black reflections. It's like sniffing a cedar chest; some green, abundant cedar, and petroleum, which in this case is another manifestation of cedar. On the palate it's ample, with considerable cedary bitterness, some minerality, and not much in the way of fruit; the finish is gain cedar laced and bitter.
1 star

Tasted in the afternoon:
Monchiero Carbone Printi Roero 1999
Deep almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with savory balsamic notes and spice mingled with some dried roses and a fair amount of nutmeg. Mature, and pleasant. On the palate it's full, with rich savory balsamic fruit supported by tannins that have a bright savory burr and flow into a clean fairly rich balsamic finish. It will work quite well with succulent roasts or stews, and also with furred game.
2 stars

Porello Marco
Porello Marco Torretta Roero DOCG 2006
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly bright, with pleasing red berry fruit supported by raspberry acidity and by some greenish vegetal accents; nice balance in a cheeky youthful key. On the palate I's full, with fairly bright sour cherry fruit that gains direction from lively raspberry acidity and is supported by clean tannins that have a warm bitter underpinning and flow into a long rather bitter finish. Cheeky, in a scrappy tomboyish key; will drink well with grilled meats or light stews, and also has the acidity necessary to age well or (now) work with fried meats and vegetables. If you like the more aggressive traditional style you'll like it. Worth seeking out.
2 stars

Matteo Correggia
Matteo Correggia Roero DOCG 2006
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with rosa canina and some leather and underbrush underlying delicate berry fruit. Nice balance. On the palate it's direct, with moderately rich berry fruit supported by savory greenish accents and by a bitter leafy tannic underpinning that brings chestnut leaves to mind, and flows into a rather bitter finish. It's direct, and a little more settled than I might have liked; though it will age nicely, becoming lacy with time. In short, a wine that won't excite (me) now, but may well do interesting things with time. In 5 years the picture will be very different.
2 stars

Cascina Chicco
Cascina Chicco Montespinato Roero DOCG 2006
Elegant almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is quite elegant, and absolutely typical, with rich rosa canina laced with saddle leather and berry fruit. Very nice, and has a lot to say. On the palate it's full and rather languid, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have a velvety feel underlain by steel, and flow into a long clean slightly tannic finish with lasting warmth and oak leaf bitterness. Quite pleasant, and will drink very well with succulent meats now, though I would be tempted to hold the wine for 5-10 years, because it's at the beginning of an interesting journey.
88-90

Cascina Chicco Valmaggiore Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly bright, with considerable cedar, alcohol, and moderate fruit. The vintage. On the palate it's smoky, with moderate fruit supported by bitter mineral acidity and spice, but not much richness.
1 star

Tasted in the Afternoon:
Cascina Chicco Valmaggiore 1999
Deep almandine with blackish reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly mature, with leaf tobacco and balsamic spice, savory accents, and some bitterness. Robust and invites further sniffing. On the palate it's full, perhaps overfull even - it lumbers some, like a big person who's trying to be deft - rich, and savory, with leaf tobacco and a fair amount of acidity supported by smooth savory tannins that display a warm burr, and flow into a savory tannic finish. I found it lumbering.
2 stars

Ponchione Maurizio
Ponchione Maurizio Monfrini Roero DOCG 2006
Lively almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with berry fruit supported by menthol and eucalyptus, and some cedar as well. Charged, and very young, but holds together. On the palate it's medium bodied, with moderate berry fruit supported by some mineral acidity and by tannins that have a cedary imprint that gradually covers all else, resolving into cedary bitterness. It's heavily oaked and has yet to digest the oak it was fed. It may with time, but only time will tell. I would in any case give it a couple of years.
1 star

Almondo Giovanni
Almondo Giovanni Bric Valdiana Roero DOCG 2006
Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is dusky, with greenish cedar and spice supported by considerable bitterness, but not much fruit. On the palate it's fill, with moderately intense sour berry fruit supported by some acidity, and by ample fairly lax cedary tannins that flow into a long rather bitter finish. I'd have liked more richness; it was fed a lot of oak and is like a toddler with a belly ache. Not happy, and I'm not sure how it will turn out. But trying too hard to be a bigger wine than it is.
1 star

Negro Angelo e Figli
Negro Angelo e Figli Prachiosso Roero DOCG 2006
Almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich in a slightly rustic key, with an intriguing (for me) mixture of lathered horse and red berry fruit supported by green leather and savory accents. On the palate it's fairly full, with graceful red berry fruit supported by sour cherry acidity and by tannins that are fairly smooth, and will become moreso with time, flowing into a clean warm slightly acidic finish that's moderately long. Fairly direct now, but it's in mid stride, and will emerge much more interesting than it is now in 3-5 years. I would give it the time, because I think it could do something interesting.
2 stars

Negro Angelo e Figli Sudisfà Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is rustic, with stable straw and wet horse. Animal. On the palate it's moderately rich, with savory berry fruit supported by spice and bitterness, while the tannins are laced with sea salt and bitterness, and flow into a decidedly savory finish. The grapes lacked sun and sucked the minerals from the earth; it's interesting, though a wine more for the curious wine lover (read wine geek) than for those who look for fruit and concentration. In short, particular, and only for certain people. I found it interesting, but I am one of those certain people, and if you are too you will likely find it has much to say.
1 star

Tasted in the Afternoon:
Negro Angelo & Figli Sudisfà Roero 1999
Elegant almandine with brownish reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is brisk, with balsamic acidity and saddle leather mingled with savory accents and some spice. Nice balance and quite a bit to say; it's one of those wines one sniffs and sniffs again. On the palate it's full, rich, and fairly bright, with savory berry fruit supported by leaf tobacco and underbrush, which gain depth from sea salt and minerality, while the tannins are clean and smooth, and flow into a clean savory finish. You have to like the style to drink it far from the table (I would), but it will offer wine lovers of all stripes much to think about when served with a succulent roast or stew.
88-90

Cascina Val del Prete
Via Santuario 2, Priocca (CN)
Tel 0173 616 624

Cascina Val del Prete Roero DOCG 2006
Deep almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with violet-laced cherry fruit supported by green leather and spice, with some cedar as well. Very young, and clearly still developing, though pleasant. On the palate it's medium bodied, with rich cherry fruit supported by brambly acidity and by tannins that are fairly smooth, with a degree of velvet that shows through a youthful burr, and flow into a clean slightly green tannic finish. Pleasant, in a fairly traditional key, and will drink well with grilled meats or light stews, and also has the capacity to age well for up to a decade. Worth seeking out.
2 stars

Cascina Val del Prete Bricco Medica Roero DOCG 2006
Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly bright, with greenish berry fruit supported by fairly rich spice and some chestnut leaf bitterness that resolves into cedar with more swishing. On the palate it's medium bodied with moderate fruit supported by slight acidity and cedar laced tannins that stand out and gradually flow into a fairly long cedar laced finish. It's quite oaky, and to be frank I doubt it will ever completely digest the oak; the fruit isn't up to the task.
1 star

Tasted in the Afternoon:
Cascina Val del Prete Roero 1999
Almandine with brownish rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with dried flowers mingled with savory balsamic notes and coca, with underlying leaf tobacco and underbrush. Nice balance, and though oak is evident it works well, complementing rather than overshadow. On the palate it's full, with rich sour berry fruit supported by savory notes and leathery acidity that flows into a long warm leathery finish with graceful berry fruit acidity. Pleasant, and will drink well with foods; it's a fine expression of Roero in a modern oak-laced key, and even if you are traditionally minded you will find things to like about it.
88-90

F.lli Rabino
Santa Vittoria D'Alba, Via Rolfi 5 (CN)
Tel 0172 478 045

F.lli Rabino Roero DOCG 2006
Black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing does bring up some sour berry fruit with greenish vegetal accents. On the palate it's brighter than the nose would suggest, with fairly intense sour cherry fruit supported by bitter brambly acidity and by tannins that have a warm burr to them, and flow into a clean rather bitter finish. It needs time, another couple of years, by which point it will clean up nicely in a fairly traditional key, and age well for at least 5-8 more. I would give it time, because it's really not ready yet, and will do interesting things.
2 stars

Giacomo Vico
Giacomo Vico Roero DOCG 2006
Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with bitter accents and some green leather mingled with savory spice and some cedar, supported by a fair amount of alcohol as well. Not much fruit. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich sour cherry fruit supported by clean deft acidity and by tannins that have a warm burr, and flow into a clean deft finish. It's pleasant, and honest, a wine that displays lithe grace and doesn't try to be bigger or more muscular than it is -- more about finesse than power, and though very young will go places and will be interesting to follow. Worth seeking out.
2 stars

Tasted in the Afternoon:
Giacomo Vico Roero Superiore 1999
From a Magnum. Inky ruby with brownish almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with alcohol and dried plum fruit mingled with deft spice and underlying balsamic accents. Pleasant in a mature key. On the palate it's full, with rich elegant savory berry fruit supported by brisk berry fruit acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a long rather bitter finish. Impressive, and even if you prefer smoother, softer international wines you will find things to like about it. If you're a traditionalist, you'd do well to seek it out.
92


Cantina del Nebbiolo
Cantina del Nebbiolo Roero DOCG 2006
Deep almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with savory spice mingled with smoke and a fair amount of minerality; there's also some green leather, but not much fruit. On the palate it's medium bodied, with fairly bright mineral acidity and tannins that have a slightly metallic tang to them, but, again, not much fruit; a second bottle is not metallic, but decidedly mineral on the palate, and I'd have expected more fruit than I found.
1 star

Cascina Cà Rossa
Cascina Cà Rossa Audinaggio Roero DOCG 2006
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with greenish berry fruit supported by spice and some warmth. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich sour cherry fruit that has a bitter underpinning, and is supported by mineral acidity and fairly bright youthful tannins that flow into a clean savory finish. Pleasant, in a bright youthful key, and will dirnk well with simple grilled meats or light stews; I found it growing upon me.
2 stars

Cascina Cà Rossa Mompissano Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is moderately intense, with green leather and warmth supported by spice. Not much fruit. On the palate it's medium bodied, with moderate fruit supported by warm mineral acidity and fairly bright tannins that flow into a long warm tannic finish. A child of the vintage, with warmth and acidity and wood doing more than fruit.
1 star

Afternoon tastings:
Cascina Cà Rossa Audinaggio Roero 1999
Elegant black almandine with brown reflections and rim. The nose is mature, with Moroccan leather and savory spice supported by dried fruit - prunes and some dried orange peel - and a fair amount of alcohol. Quite a bit to say. On the palate it's full and fairly rich, with savory berry fruit supported by moderate acidity and clean savory tannins that flow into a fairly bright savory finish. I found the nose more impressive than the palate, which is a bit clumsy.
2 stars

Malabaila di Canale
Malabaila di Canale Castelletto Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is moderately rich, with fairly bright green leather and warmth, also cedar and wet leaves, but not much fruit. On the palate it's bright, with richer than expected sour cherry fruit supported by brisk acidity, and by fairly sweet tannins that do have a splintery burr, and flow into a clean tannic finish. Pleasant in a lesser vintage key, and will become rather graceful in an ethereal way with time. Worth seeking out if you like the style, which is fairly traditional.
2 stars

Tasted in the Afternoon:
Malabaila di Canale Castelletto Roero Superiore 1999
Deep slightly leathery almandine ruby. The bouquet is powerful, with mentholated leather and some leaf tobacco supported by abundant savory alcohol and spice. Nice balance in a mature key. On the palate it's full, with rich dried cherry fruit overlain by dried flowers and savory spice, which flows into a clean fairly dry savory finish. Elegant, and though clearly Nebbiolo it's just as clearly not Barolo; it's more of a food wine than a meditation wine, and will work magic with hearty, succulent roasts or grilled meats.
2 stars

Malvirà
Malvirà Trinità Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with bright vegetal berry fruit supported by warmth and alcohol, with pleasant spice as well. On the palate it's moderately intense, with fairly rich cherry plum fruit supported by greenish acidity and spice. It's a bit disjointed, and going in several directions at once.
1 star

Malvirà Mombeltramo Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The nose is dusky, with cedar and some greenish berry fruit; fairly rich but cedar leading the way. On the palate it's ample, with moderately rich berry fruit supported by tart warmth and cedar-laced tannins that flow into a clean fairly bright finish. It's pleasant, in a lesser vintage key, and a nice expression of same, though in a better vintage the wine will be much more interesting.
1 star

Afternoon Tasting:
Malvirà Mombeltramo Roero Superiore1999
Almandine with black-brown reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is elegant, with mentholated spice laced with nutmeg and sea salt, and some hardwood ash as well. Nice balance, and mature. On the palate it's full, with fairly bright leathery berry fruit supported by deft acidity and warm splintery tannins that flow into a lasting warm finish. It's more of a food wine than a meditation wine,a nd will work well with roasted or stewed red meats.
2 stars

Pace
Canale - Frazione Madonna di Loreto Cascina Pace 52
Tel 0173 979 544

Pace Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Black almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is, well, interesting, with, well, sweaty aromas that I can accept in a Sauvignon, but don't expect to find in a Nebbiolo. It's suffering the vintage. On the palate it's fairly bright, with bitter savory fruit supported by deft acidity and warm splintery tannins that flow into a clean bitter finish. A child of an adverse vintage.
1 star

Taliano Michele
Taliano Michele Ròcche Dra Bassora Roero Riserva DOCG 2005
Black almandine with black reflections; a fellow taster talks about chocolate on the nose, but I find more dried chestnut leaves and bitterness, with savory notes and alcohol. Not much fruit. The palate reflects the nose; there's moderate fruit and considerably more savory tannic underpinning that flows into a savory finish.
1 star