Cecilia Monte
Serracapelli Barbaresco Nebbiolo
Barbaresco, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
Stunning ethereal aromatics right out of the gates. Divine cherry of the gods. Intermingled with spice. So much minerality of the stoney kind. Just ethereal and elite aromas. Airy and gorgeous. 9.5 on the aromas. Terrific, balanced and textured wine with the most low key concentration ever. Cherries are all early season and even some sour cherry. Tangy. Amazing mouthfeel. What a nose as this opens up. So juicy. Like mega juicy with such awesome purity. Firm tannins and a very long and pure finish. Really gets to all areas of the palate. As it airs I’ll be back. As classic as it gets but also has a wonderful polish to it.
Stunning ethereal aromatics right out of the gates. Divine cherry of the gods. Intermingled with spice. So much minerality of the stoney kind. Just ethereal and elite aromas. Airy and gorgeous. 9.5 on the aromas. Terrific, balanced and textured wine with the most low key concentration ever. Cherries are all early season and even some sour cherry. Tangy. Amazing mouthfeel. What a nose as this opens up. So juicy. Like mega juicy with such awesome purity. Firm tannins and a very long and pure finish. Really gets to all areas of the palate. As it airs I’ll be back. As classic as it gets but also has a wonderful polish to it.
Sep 1st, 2020
Another ‘14 Barbaresco (this one I got from Garagiste in 2018) that exhibits scorchy notes on the nose and bitter tannins on the palate, though it’s got more ripe fruit pulling in the opposite direction than the others I’ve had. Nose was initially tight, then a while later the ripe fruit and rose notes came out, but ultimately then scorchy notes pushed them out of the way. In the mouth, there’s a nice initial presence of ripe, pure cherry fruit. Then the grainy, bitterish tannins take over. It’s nice with my steak pizzaiola, but on its own it’s a little challenging. Maybe time will help drop some of the tannin, but my experience is that scorchy ones sometimes don’t want to not be scorchy.
Another ‘14 Barbaresco (this one I got from Garagiste in 2018) that exhibits scorchy notes on the nose and bitter tannins on the palate, though it’s got more ripe fruit pulling in the opposite direction than the others I’ve had. Nose was initially tight, then a while later the ripe fruit and rose notes came out, but ultimately then scorchy notes pushed them out of the way. In the mouth, there’s a nice initial presence of ripe, pure cherry fruit. Then the grainy, bitterish tannins take over. It’s nice with my steak pizzaiola, but on its own it’s a little challenging. Maybe time will help drop some of the tannin, but my experience is that scorchy ones sometimes don’t want to not be scorchy.
1 person found it helpfulMay 31st, 2021
Wow. Great effort In a challenging year (according To the all knowing critics).
Nose is lilac juice and cherry flower. Deep and gorgeous. Something xtra. As this opens even more deep and penetrating. Just a gorgeous attack on the front of the nose. Truly elite aromatics. Tickles the nostrils. This hard to describe integrated perfection. Intoxicating.
Palate is so silky. Elegant early season cherries. A hint of so elegant spice. Sweet cherry licorice. Wow. Just wow. So juicy. So elegant.
Still so fresh. This can go 10+ years.
Not even her top wine.
If you taste this wine you will NEVER EVER believe critic vintage bashing again. Great wines can be made in any year. These blanket statements on vintages are bullshit.
Fass Selections
Wow. Great effort In a challenging year (according To the all knowing critics).
Nose is lilac juice and cherry flower. Deep and gorgeous. Something xtra. As this opens even more deep and penetrating. Just a gorgeous attack on the front of the nose. Truly elite aromatics. Tickles the nostrils. This hard to describe integrated perfection. Intoxicating.
Palate is so silky. Elegant early season cherries. A hint of so elegant spice. Sweet cherry licorice. Wow. Just wow. So juicy. So elegant.
Still so fresh. This can go 10+ years.
Not even her top wine.
If you taste this wine you will NEVER EVER believe critic vintage bashing again. Great wines can be made in any year. These blanket statements on vintages are bullshit.
Fass Selections
Delicious. Ideally wait a few years to drink.
Delicious. Ideally wait a few years to drink.
Jan 18th, 2021Note: THIS NEEDS AN HOUR DECANT.
Nose is deep - smells more like high end burgundy. Dark but bright cherries and also that depth you get from expensive burgundy. Deep dense perfume. Cherry flower perfume. Insane. There’s is Nebbiolo spice but is integrated so hard to differentiate from burgundy.
This gets a holy shit!
Palate is intense middle of season cherry fruit. Almost cherry liquor. Some sour cherry. It has that high end combination of dense and intense but acidically balanced fruit. If she had harvested this a day later it would have been too much but as it is it’s perfect. Utterly psychotic. Maximally Delicious.
Finish is so bright it almost lights the palate on fire. Perfect lingering cherry extract. That kiss of perfect but not over the top cherry extract takes this over the 9.5 line for me.
Amazing she got such a great wine in a difficult vintage.
Bought from fass sselctions.
Note: THIS NEEDS AN HOUR DECANT.
Nose is deep - smells more like high end burgundy. Dark but bright cherries and also that depth you get from expensive burgundy. Deep dense perfume. Cherry flower perfume. Insane. There’s is Nebbiolo spice but is integrated so hard to differentiate from burgundy.
This gets a holy shit!
Palate is intense middle of season cherry fruit. Almost cherry liquor. Some sour cherry. It has that high end combination of dense and intense but acidically balanced fruit. If she had harvested this a day later it would have been too much but as it is it’s perfect. Utterly psychotic. Maximally Delicious.
Finish is so bright it almost lights the palate on fire. Perfect lingering cherry extract. That kiss of perfect but not over the top cherry extract takes this over the 9.5 line for me.
Amazing she got such a great wine in a difficult vintage.
Bought from fass sselctions.
