Punset & Ciabot Berton: two verticals
Posted on 16 May 2012
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Nebbiolo Prima continued. The cherry on the cake of this glorious event is the staggering amount of vertical tastings that are offered in the afternoon. So on a single day I first went through a half-dozen vintages at Cascina Morassino before pumping up the volume with no fewer than 20 wines at Punset. (Actually ten vintages were from Punset and ten guest appearances from Ciabot Berton).
Marina Marcarino of Punset. % Soavemente.net.
Punset was the first organic estate in Piedmont, having been certified since 1982 (they used to hold the #V001 certificate before numeration was changed). Marina Marcarino has been making the wines since the 1980s. There are two Barbarescos, Basarin and the lighter Campo Quadro, from a southeast-exposed vineyard named San Cristoforo; we tasted the latter from 2008 through 1998.
Not surprisingly the warmer years showed better here, including a lovely rich warm spicy 2000 (from magnum; a 750ml bottle was less exciting) and a pretty 2003 that in many ways – slightly drying tannins, a hint of greenness, and tight fruit – reminded me of the 2009 Barbarescos we blind tasted this year. The 1998 here is underwhelming but the 2001 is very good, the 2007 nice and pleasant for current drinking but the surprise of the tasting was the 2005, usually a charmless overtannic vintage but one in which the Campo Quadro really shines. The wines of Punset are tight structured Barbarescos showing best after many years, retaining a certain rustic tannic power to their pure cherry fruit.
Ciabot Berton Roggeri: a good example of modern Barolo.
Ciabot Berton is a very different estate. The Barolo Roggeri we tried in exactly the same vintages is aged one year in small oak (little of which is new) before moving to traditional large wood. It is a very good Barolo in a balanced modern style, rich, fruit-driven, with polished tannins, just fine if you find Punset’s big tannins a bit overwhelming. As is my experience with small-oak Barolos, the Roggeri really ages well and the 1998 (tried from several bottles) was a delicious maturing Barolo still with some power to spare. Other highlights included the 1999, a classic, big, tannic vintage that will go the long way but can be enjoyed now in its adolescence, the 2004 made in a similar style, and the 2007, a Barolo ready to drink in its youth if there ever was one. I think the 2008 will also age well.
Disclosure
My trip to Piedmont including flights, accommodation and wine tasting programme is sponsored by the Albeisa association of wine producers.