Barolo and back

Lining up for the blind tasting

On Tuesday we attended a Barolo wine-tasting at a local enoteca (wine bar), called Ombre Rosse. We went through to a private room at the back where we rather swamped the place and probably startled the three locals who had come for the occasion.


Our host explains the wines.

We did a blind tasting of six different Barolos - by wine producers: Bartolo Mascarello, Rinaldi, Aurelio Settimo, Clerico, Aldo Conterno and Montezemolo. As a complete wine rookie I had some trouble isolating the different scents and flavours, but did eventually manage to pull out cherries, black licorice, toffee, blackberry/blackcurrant, while others talked chocolate, nutmeg, panettone, candied fruits, raspberries, figs, mint and more. From different glasses, I hasten to add. After a survey by the proprietor, he disclosed that most of us preferred the fruitiest (and priciest I think, at about €50 a bottle), from Aldo Conterno.

We called it a night around 11.30, and left a large group still there savouring the dregs and gnawing on some chewy bread rolls the management had kindly brought in at the end. The evening was €30 and worth it for the education, the company (of course!) which included some more knowledgeable noses who led others of us, and the wine itself which goes for around €7 a glass.