Wine Last Sold on: August 24, 2008
Reverdito Michele
Today's Featured Wine:
2001 Barolo Bricci Cogni DOCG
| Varietal: | Nebbiolo |
| Vineyard: | Bricci Cogni |
| Region: | Italy: Piedmont |
| Total Allocation: | Extremely Limited - Less than 5 cases remain |
| Avg. Price: | $75.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $50.00 |
The Winery Says:
SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!
Today’s wine is so special that we issued this special alert! This wine is an exclusive selection of an absolutely magnificent wine. This vintage was rated 97 Points by Wine Enthusiast.
SAVINGS ALERT!
Clever spies stock up on the best wines. When they buy 6 or more bottles of today’s delicious Barolo, they will be rewarded with Free Ground Shipping, but only if they enter secret savings code ITALIANSPY at checkout.
About This Winery:
In 1999 Michele, with the help of his father, Silvano, began transforming the farm/company, which back then was predominantly zootechnics, into viticulture. The cellar was set up in 2000, the first year of wine-making. To the old vineyards in Rivalti di La Morra, precisely on the Bricco Cogni, in the locale of Formica e Butti, some others were added, for a total of 20 hectares with grapes growing on them) hectares. Currently, the company works 40 hectares scattered around the areas of La Morra, Verduno and Serralunga d’Alba, of which 20 are vineyards. Michele Reverdito, the current owner of the business, is personally involved in all operations in the cellar helped by his sister Sabina, and in the vineyard, he is assisted by his parents, Silvano and Maria.
We are a little family cellar near La Morra, in a little hamlet called Rivalta. Our vineyards, especially composed by Nebbiolo da Barolo, are altogether 20 ha in the are of La Morra and Serralunga d’Alba.
Michele, owner of the farm, mainly works in the cellar helped by his sister Sabina; the jobs outside in the vineyards, instead, are followed by his parents Silvano and Maria.
Michele, took over the responsibility of the family domain and devotes himself to producing well-balanced and elegant wines in the purest Piedmont tradition. The production does not exceed 3,000 bottles per cuvée and this young producer is quite promising. His wines are definitely worth discovering.
The 2000 has been the first year of vinification.
The wines we produce and sell are traditional reds:
- Barbera d’Alba DOC
- Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore DOC
- Verduno Pelaverga DOC
- Langhe Nebbiolo DOC
- Barolo DOCG
About The Region:
The Piedmont in Northwest Italy
One often associates this region with its greatest wines, Barolo and Barbaresco. However, these two famous wines only appeared during the second half of the 19th Century. Piedmont is home to a large number of very old vineyards. Thanks to the Alps in the North-West, the climate is very good for vineyards, especially in the hills of the southern half, in the provinces of Cuneo, Asti, Alba and Dogliani in the Langhe and in Montferrat.
Technical Analysis:
Region: Piedmont
Designation: Barolo DOCG
Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%
Varietals: Nebbiolo 100%
The Wine Spies Say:
Mission Codename: Barolo Cogni-ntion
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Secure an exceptional single vineyard Barolo worthy of our operatives’ tables and cellars
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Reverdito Michele
Wine Subject: 2001 Barolo Bricci Congi DOCG
Winemaker: Michele Reverdito
Backgrounder:
The greatest of all Italian wines are arguably made with from the Nebbiolo grape. Barolo, from the Piedmont made this grape famous, and for good reason. Most people don’t give Barolos enough time and drink them young, but those patient enough to wait at least 7 – 8 years, and often as much as 20 plus years are handsomely rewarded with a wine that is the ultimate expression of the grape. The most prized bottlings of Barolo are those from an exceptional single vineyard.
2001 was an exceptional vintage rated 97 points by Wine Enthusiast in the Piedmont and these wines are just now really hitting their peak.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Dark purple with brownish hues and brick edges and a super dark core of moderate clarity. Long slender legs creep down the side of the glass when swirled.
Smell – This wine boasts a profound nose of zesty Italian tar, and cedar with floral hints on top of its fruit components of cranberry, blackberry. Highly complex, aromas of herbaceous fresh anise and tobacco reveals themselves as the wine opens up.
Feel – Full-bodied, bold and dry, with firm tannins (softens as it breathes) leading to a cream quality that balances this wines acidity.
Taste – Solid fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry layered on toasted cedar, a touch of licorice and mild pepper, and even better, this wine has that zest that we love so much.
Finish – This wine finishes exceptionally well with long lingering flavors of its cherries and blackberries, zesty Italian tar and toast.
Conclusion – This single vineyard Barolo is powerful and bold but also extremely elegant with tremendous finesse. Maybe this sounds strange, but this wine has a Yin-Yang quality about it. It doesn’t compromise on any of its components and is truly an exceptional example of why Barolo is perhaps the king of all Italian wines.
Mission Report:
After last week’s dangerous mission I needed to get back on a firm footing, plus we still hadn’t located Agent Baco Noir. We had lost contact with her in Tuscany, but my gut told me to head back to the Piedmont to pick up her trail.
And why not, anyone who follows our missions knows her (and mine also) love for the wines of Northwest Italy. In particular, Barolo, which is, in my humble opinion, in my top three of all Italian wine styles (before you jump all over me, the others are Amarone della Valpolicella and Brunello di Montalcino).
Unfortunately, may of the greatest of these wines are either inaccessible or drunk too young. I’m as impatient as the next wino, but if you can wait, you’ll be handsomely rewarded.
I made my way to Alba, an old medieval town, south of Torino, made famous for its White Truffle Festival, held each October, and of course Rocher Ferrero chocolate! I always love exploring the back roads in Italian villages. I stumbled into a small cafe/wine bar in the Piazza del Duomo, initially planning to simply enjoy a coffee, but to my surprise, at an adjacent table, was the young and dynamic Michele Reverdito, owner and winemaker of Azienda Agricola Reverdito Michele.
I immediately recognized him since we have featured one of his exceptional Barbarescos earlier in the year. Michele invited me to his table, and asked if I would like a glass of wine.
”Coffee is fine for now, its been a long day travelling”, I responded.
”Are you sure?, I have a bottle of my 2001 Barolo Bricci Cogni, I think you should try it…”
”In that case, why not!”, I responded, thinking to myself, who? in their right mind, would decline a taste of a single vineyard Barolo, especially from such an exceptional winemaker?
The look on my face must have been a total give away, I was immediately transported. There is just something about enjoying a great wine, with great food, in a great little Italian piazza, its just quite simply heaven. In a word, this wine is magnificent!
I guess my search for Baco would just have to wait…
Top Secret Message to Agent Baco Noir:
OPS SEEKING CONTACT WITH YOU… NEEDS TASTING NOTES ON YOUR WINERIES UNDER SURVEILLANCE… CONTACT WHITE POST HASTE
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the approximate location of Reverdito Michele’s Bricco Cogni vineyard can be seen in this satellite photo.
Average Wine Spy Points: |
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This is quite simply an exceptional wine. Bold and robust in its nose, flavor and finish, but with a finesse and complexity that only the best wines can demonstrate. Looking for a wine to stand up to your heavier kitchen creations, this is it. I personally enjoyed this Barolo sharing a perfectly grilled Porterhouse steak with Agent Blush. Does it get any better? I think not...
Agent Red Says: We encourage you to share your reviews and comments about this wine. If you need help scoring or using tasting tags, click on the help links on the form. You’ll also earn more Spy Points for each review you submit.
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