We were now down to the last three wines of the tasting session at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  I noticed that more of the early arrivals for the next hour session, were starting and I always marvel at how the staff can keep in their brain where each set of tasters are, when they are juggling fifteen wines and discussing the virtues of each wine.  Not to mention the pain in the arse guy who keeps delaying things by having to take a photo of each bottle with a glass of wine adjacent to the bottle, especially since he is not that great of a photographer.

We proceeded to Luigi Giordano “Cavanna” Barbaresco DOCG 2020.  Azienda Agricola Luigi Giordano winery was established in the 1930s by Giovanni Giordano.  It was his son Luigi, that decided to vinify his own fruit under his own label in 1958.  Another decision is when he decided to create “Cavanna” the only single-vineyard wine in Barbaresco.  Since 1971 when Cavanna was first labeled, this vineyard is closest to the center of the village of Barbaresco and to date, it is still the only vineyard designation.  The soils are composed of laminated marls mixed with silt, divided into three parcels and ends at a sheer drop-off on the cliffs of the Tanaro River.  The wine is pure Nebbiolo and Initial Fermentation begins with a period of maceration for about thirty days in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks with regular pump-overs, and the Malolactic Fermentation continues in the tank as well.  The wine is then aged for about eighteen months in large Slavonian Oak barrels, that average about twenty-five years in age.  Then the wine is bottled and cellared, and the total time is about three years.  This garnet-colored wine offered notes of red cherries, raspberries, roses, tobacco and herbs and spices.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of cherries, currants, and secondary tones of tea and spices blended with fine tannins and ending with a long-count finish of fruit and flint (terroir).

The penultimate wine of the tasting was Vite Colte “Paesi Tuoi” Barolo DOCG 2020 from Azienda Agricola Terre da Vino.  You may have noticed that there were a total of six wines from this winery, because when the representatives of Terre da Vino came to Michigan earlier in the year, they wanted to meet with the store that basically bought the entire allotment of their Roero Arneis wines, so they ended up pouring their new offerings and The Fine Wine Source made another large purchase and endorsement of their wines. “Paesi Tuoi” translates to “Your Countries” which must refer to the different plots of their Nebbiolo vines to represent their best Barolo wine.  The winery uses classic blending techniques that were developed at the beginning of the last century.  The Initial Fermentation and Maceration is for about twenty days to acquire the rich tannins for long cellaring in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks.  The wine is then transferred into large oak barrels for up to two years, followed for about six months in bottle before release.  A deep garnet red colored wine that offered notes of cherries and raspberries, violets and roses, licorice, and spices.  On the palate this full-bodied and well-balanced wine displayed tones of cherries, raspberries, mocha and vanilla blending with still fresh and tight tannins leading to a long-count finish of fruit, spices and terroir.  A beautiful wine that needs some more cellaring to let the tannins mature and there will probably be some great secondary and tertiary flavors to enjoy at a later date.  

The final wine of the tasting was La Bioca “Bussia” Barolo DOCG 2019.   La Bioca is a small winery in the Langhe near Serralunga d’Alba.  The winery has eight hectares of vineyards located in Monforte d’Alba, Novello, La Morra and Barbaresco.  This wine is pure Nebbiolo, and the fruit is hand-harvested, destemmed and cold maceration for a few days.  The wine undergoes fermentation in Stainless-Steel tanks without temperature control for seven days with regular punching down and pumping over: with secondary maceration for twenty-five days.  The wine is then aged for a minimum of eighteen months in oak casks.  A deep garnet colored wine that offered notes of black cherries, blood oranges, violets and a whiff of cinnamon.  On the palate this full-bodied wine displayed tones of black cherries and other black fruit, citrus, and spices blended with velvety tannins, bright acidity and ending with a long count finish of fruit, spices and terroir.