Cascina Luisin, Tasted at Nebbiolo Prima

A quick introduction: Luigi and Roberto Minuto, the father-and-son team behind Cascina Luisin, were among the first Piemontese winemakers I met, and over the years I have often stopped by to say hello. This year they held an open house after one of the Nebbiolo Prima tasting sessions, and I took advantage of the opportunity to taste their current Dolcetto and Barbera, and to evaluate the 06 Barbareschi after another year of bottle age. We finished with a spectacular treat, which I am grateful to them for having shared.

Cascina Luisin Bric Trifüla Dolcetto D'Alba DOC 2009
Deep cherry ruby with black reflections ande cherry rim. Pretty to look at. The bouquet is powerful, and quite fresh, with rich berry fruit supported by violets and bi8tter almonds, Quite fresh and very pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's bright, with rich cherry violet fruit supported by clean tannins that have a pleasing burr to them and bright minerality that flows into a clean dusky berry fruit finish. Very pleasant, and will drink quite well with simple grilled eats or hearty pasta dishes, and also has the wherewithal to age nicely for a couple of years, perhaps 3-4, at which point it will display more depth
than it does now.
2 stars

Cascina Luisin Maggiur Barbera D'Alba DOC 2008
Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is bright, with berry fruit laced by lively berry fruit acidity and some greenish accents. Pleasant, and invites a second (and third) sniff. On the palate it's bright, with lively berry fruit supported by brisk acidity and by tannins that are fairly light, but do have a slight bitter burr and flow into a clean bright slightly bitter finish. It's quite pleasant, and will drink very well with grilled meats or light stews, and though one could give it more time, I would be tempted to drink it now to enjoy its freshness.
90-92

Cascina Luisin Langhe Nebbiolo Maggiur DOC 2008
Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry ruby paling to almandine in the rim. The bouquet is quite elegant, with rich berry fruit supported by brisk acidity and by jaqmmy accents; though it's quick to write it's extremely harmonious and very pleasant to sniff. Young too, and will develop nicely for several years more. In a word, impressive. On the palate it's bright, with rich sour cherry fruit supported by bright berry fruit acidity and by rich brambly raspberry laced tannins that flow into a long fresh finish. Very nice, and will be perfect at a cookout or with grilled or roasted meats. From past experience, I can say the bottle will go very fast.
90

Cascina Luisin Sorì Paolin Barbaresco DOCG 2006
Elegant almandine with black reflections and almandine rim paling to orange. The bouquet is quite elegant too, with rich rosa canina mingled with berry fruit and spice and also with fairly rich berry fruit, plum and prune mingled with forest berry. The overall impression is quite chewy, and feels like it has a ways to go. On the palate it's bright, with rich sour berry fruit supported by berry fruit acidity and by brash slightly bitter tannins that flow into a clean rather bitter finish with a tannic underpinning that continues at length. Elegant, and though it needs another couple of years to come together it will already work very well with grilled meats or roasts -- expect it to also age nicely for another 8-10 years.
2 stars

Cascina Luisin Rabajà Barbaresco DOCG 2006
Elegant almandine with brownish almandine reflections and almandine rim that's not quite onionskin but in that direction. The bouquet is powerful with greenish Nebbiolo accents mingled with berry fruit and spice; it's nicely balanced and elegant but also very, very young, and has a (very) long ways to go. The palate is equally young, in a vibrant key, with rich berry fruit supported by lively acidity and tannins that have a dusky burr and flow into a clean bright slightly greenish finis that goes on at length. You could drink it now, and you would enjoy it, but if you have patience it will richly reward you. A beautiful wine that is well worth setting aside.
90-92

Cascina Luisin Barolo Leon DOCG 2006
Almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is pleasant, with fairly rich bright berry fruit supported by lively acidity and some greenish accents with underlying rosa canina. And pleasant greenish accents. Quite powerful and a lot going on; one could sniff it at length. On the palate it's rich, with powerful fairly tannic berry fruit supported by bright acidity and powerful tannins that flow into a bright fairly tannic finish. Quite pleasant, and though young will drink well with grilled meats or roasts, It will benefit from another couple of years of bottle age, however.
2 stars

Cascina Luisin Asili Barbera D'Alba doc 2008
Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is elegant, with berry fruit supported by spice and underbrush, and by deft underlying cedar. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich berry fruit supported by savory tannins and smooth savory accents that flow into a clean bright savory finish that goes on at length. It's quite elegant, though you have to like the style; I found myself preferring the unoaked Barbera because it has more life and verve to it. Casting PC aside, the unoaked Barbera is like a pretty girl one might do stupid things over, whereas the Asili is merely (very) good.
2 stars

Minuto Luigi fu Lorenzo Barbaresco DOC 1970
Pleasing almandine with black reflections and rim paling to almandine. Elegant to look at. The bouquet is elegant, with fairly rich leaf tobacco mingled with spice and savory notes, and a pleasant dusky underpinning. Quite pleasant to sniff, and invites sniff after sniff; one could loose one's self in it. After a while, I taste it: tremendous elegance, with rich leaf tobacco laced with berry fruit and come u, and also savory acidity that carries at length, and flows into a clean savory finish. It's one of those wines that has a great deal to say and one really doesn't want to pour out (in a tasting situation) because it reveals new facets with every sniff and every sip. Beautiful.

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