Domenico Clerico Barolo Aeroplanservaj 2008
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Robert
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Winemaker Notes
Extremely long, always evolving into something more sophisticated, rich and elegant. In the mouth is full body, sweet tannins but very important. It never ends. Great vintage able to be very complex but drinkable.
Naturally, this Barolo, originating in the rented vineyard in Serralunga, also had to be expressed by a completely differentconcept on the bottle. As a result, six different labels represent the Wild Aeroplane.
*Specific labels cannot be requested.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Barolo Aeroplanservaj puts on a whole different act. Here, the emphasis is on elegance and finesse. The opulence and massiveness of the wine fits in with the Clerico philosophy, but unlike the Barolo Briccotto its strongest cards are played with a more subtle strategy. The aromas of black fruit and spice are wrapped a bit tighter, and the wine shows some nervous tension in the glass that needs to soften with age. I loved those delicate sprigs of mint and wild flower that somehow emerge from the inner depths of this rock-solid wine. Terrible mudslides in 2009 damaged the Badarina vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba and Clerico did not produce the Aeroplanservaj that year. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030.
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Wine Spectator
This is fresh and racy, with a base of granular tannins buoying the cherry, menthol and balsamic notes. Long and spicy, this is balanced on the tannic side. Best from 2016 through 2028.
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Farming Practices: No systemic plant protection products (products which act by systemic transport – through the sap of the plant) are used. Sulfur- and copper-based products are the most prevalent. No herbicides are used (the soil is tilled). When needed, only organic fertilizer (manure) is used. There is little use of fertilizers in order to keep the grape production per vine low. Very careful use of SO2 in the wines.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
The center of the production of the world’s most exclusive and age-worthy red wines made from Nebbiolo, the Barolo wine region includes five core townships: La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and the Barolo village itself, as well as a few outlying villages. The landscape of Barolo, characterized by prominent and castle-topped hills, is full of history and romance centered on the Nebbiolo grape. Its wines, with the signature “tar and roses” aromas, have a deceptively light garnet color but full presence on the palate and plenty of tannins and acidity. In a well-made Barolo wine, one can expect to find complexity and good evolution with notes of, for example, strawberry, cherry, plum, leather, truffle, anise, fresh and dried herbs, tobacco and violets.
There are two predominant soil types here, which distinguish Barolo from the lesser surrounding areas. Compact and fertile Tortonian sandy marls define the vineyards farthest west and at higher elevations. Typically the Barolo wines coming from this side, from La Morra and Barolo, can be approachable relatively early on in their evolution and represent the “feminine” side of Barolo, often closer in style to Barbaresco with elegant perfume and fresh fruit.
On the eastern side of the Barolo wine region, Helvetian soils of compressed sandstone and chalks are less fertile, producing wines with intense body, power and structured tannins. This more “masculine” style comes from Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba. The township of Castiglione Falletto covers a spine with both soil types.
The best Barolo wines need 10-15 years before they are ready to drink, and can further age for several decades.