Community Review

La Pieve Barolo 2010

Piedmont D.O.C.G., Italy

Community Score: 4.6/5
Community Reviews: 1

Price: $31.95

Sweetness: Extra Dry
Alcohol: 14.5%

Drink: Now

Bottle size: 750 ml
Winery: La Pieve

Stephen Beaumont CSW CWE rated this wine as 91/100 with the following review:

Barolo is one of my favourite wines. Made with the Nebbiolo grape in the Piemonte region of north west Italy, they are robust wines that can usually benefit from significant time in bottle.

This wine was tasted at an unusual tasting of Italian wines at l'Alliance Francaise in Toronto. The entire evening was conducted in French, as is the raison d'être of the organization, and we were guided through the tasting by a French sommelier. The room was filled with Francophiles who can often be dismissive of wines from their neighbour, but nobody could dispute the considerable quality of this Barolo.

The characteristic tar and rose bouquet set up the palate to receive a multi-layered experience that paired well with the sharp, tangy blue cheese that was passed around to accompany it. Personally, I'd have preferred a simple Parmigiano but probably because that combination evokes some amazing memories of trips to Piedmont when I did just that - ate chunks of aged Parmesan cheese with 20-year old Barolo on sun-soaked terraces overlooking the vines of La Morra. Heaven. On. Earth.

While this is not an earth shattering example of Barolo, it is very characteristic and actually represents good value for a wine of this quality. It is made in the more modern style that traditionalists still shun - lighter and less oaked than the old styles that needed 10+ years to make them approachable. But this wine has ample tannin and structure and while already 5 years old, will benefit from more bottle age up to another five. Plenty of earthy notes come through and the finish is luxurious and multi-faceted, changing several times and leaving a hint of pepper and spice, all against a dark berry backdrop.

Barolo always seems like a winter wine to me. Drink with game, roasts and grills. It definitely needs food.

Read Natalie's Full Review

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