The Last Barolo

The final Barolo of the five we drank at the dinner last Saturday was a 2001 Beni Di Batasiolo.  It was also the least favorite of the crowd and never really factored into any of the discussions.

Dark and fruity nose with some hints of pepper and herbs - no roses or road tar.  Impenetrable color in the glass.   Full bodied, full flavored and to be polite - very generic.  There was little to recommend this wine and it was no surprise that it was the least expensive wine of five.  Not bad, just suffering in comparison to the others - each of which had unique characteristics.

In the end I preferred the Francesco Rinaldi, as did the others.  My second favorite was the Brezza, though it seems to be starting downhill.  The Alessandria and the Boglietti both needed some major decanting time and it was hard to choose between them, though if forced to I would go with the Alessandria. 

There was additionally a Valpolicella and a Napa Cabernet that found their way to the table.  That's a discussion for another time.  Planning is already underway for a repeat of this dinner next February.

13.5% alcohol and $45