Araldica Corsini Barbaresco 2011

From - Piemonte, Italy
Grape - Nebbiolo
Alcohol - 14%
From - Waitrose, Taylor's Fine Wine
Price - £12.99

Appearance - Clear; pale; ruby; clear at rim.  Thick 'legs'

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; floral, cherries; chocolate, vanilla

Palate - Dry; medium acidity; medium tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium body; medium intensity; medium+ length; Very red cherry, berries, cloves, chocolate, a touch of musk.

Balance - 7.5 Length - 8 Intensity - 7  Complexity - 7

It's a hit.

I was seduced into buying this one by the promise of coffee and chocolate flavours.  Although I could discern the chocolate, I couldn't get the coffee.  A fellow member of this household, interestingly, could discern the coffee but not the chocolate. Hopefully the coffee will come through with glass number 2.  It is surprisingly light and really agreeable, and with enough oak complexity, and plenty of length.  Being Italian, it undoubtedly designed to drink with food, so I'm getting the passata out as I type.  At 14% it would be very easy to get drunk quickly on this!

Here are some Nebbiolo grapes to get you in the mood.

Terredavino Barolo 2009

From - Piedmont, Italy
Grape - Nebbiolo
Alcohol - 13.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £17.49 (although it's 25% off as I write)

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; tawny

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; alcohol, red and black fruit, vanilla, floral

Palate - Dry; medium+ intensity; medium+ tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ body; medium acidity.  bramble, liquorice, tea(!).

Balance - 9 Length - 6  Intensity - 7  Complexity - 7

Barolo is normally rather expensive, and considered to often be rather harsh.  The reviews of this wine suggested that it was rather more smooth, and also the price was good.

It is still fairly intense, but it is well balanced, I think.  I put it in my decanter about 90 minutes before drinking, which I think was important.  It is a great colour from the oak which also gives it some interesting flavours - I couldn't put my finger on one aspect but read a review that suggested black tea, and I can see that being very true.

This is a food wine, for sure, I can imagine it with an Italian dish, and carnivorous types would find it useful in view of the tannin.  It does have a significant amount of  tannic mouth-drying power, which would be a big turn-off for someone who doesn't normally drink reds.  They'd be better off with a lower-tannin red like a Pinot Noir.

I reckon that with the oaky flavours, a few years tucked away would make this very interesting, as the oak flavours develop and the tannin and alcohol mellows.