Description
Tar & Roses “Local Hero” Barolo 2019
The Other Australia is 100% dedicated to Australian wine – so why’s there an Italian wine from Barolo here?! Well, you’re right, and I’ve bent the rules for this one because it’s made by an Australian winemaker that is so in love with Nebbiolo that they not only named their winery in Heathcote (“Tar & Roses”) after the textbook descriptors for Nebbiolo (its scent of roses and its tarry mouthfeel) but they have also taken their passion for this variety to the next level by entering into a winemaking relationship with a famous Italian Nebbiolo producer – Davide Rosso – to come up with this cracking Barolo that was polished smooth by a whopping 24 months in old oak barrels. Tar & Roses winemaker Narelle King describes the wine thus:
COLOUR
Claret red in colour with hints of crimson around the edges.NOSE
Powerful lifted characters of Campari, orange peel, new leather
with hints of fresh tobacco, dried rose petals and rich ripe black cherries.PALATE
Bold rich mouth filling tannins that deliver layers of fruit
sweetness and structure with flavours of subtle earth,
spice and dark cherry. Long and lingering on the palate.
Finishes firm and dry.
I highly recommend comparing this wine to “The Fog” Nebbiolo, Tar & Roses’ own Nebbiolo from their vineyard in Heathcote, VIC., which is available from this website here
Drink now to 2030+
14% ABV
This is a blend of wines made from three Giovanni Rosso vineyard parcels in Barolo, centred on the famous Serralunga commune. King blended the parcels together to produce a wine she hoped would capture the floral-yet-structured quality she likes in nebbiolo from this part of the world. Twenty-four months maturing in older and larger-format barrels has helped round out the grape’s sometimes assertive, drying character. There’s an almost pinot-noir-like character to the red fruit and earthy aromas here – like fading rose petals squished into the undergrowth – and a deceptive quality to the tannins: they’re savoury and tarry, yes, but in an approachable way – firm and grippy, yet supple too. Slosh the wine into a big decanter or jug and give it a good swirl before drinking out of big, widebowled glasses alongside something slow-cooked and porky.
Max Allen, The Australian Financial Reivew, 1 July 2023
A collaboration between Barolo winemaker Davide Rosso (of Giovanni Rosso), and Tar & Roses’ Narelle King. Equal parts commune Barolo, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga. Break out the decanter and the good glassware, this is something special. Is there anything more captivating, ethereal and so darn gorgeous as classic Barolo aromatics? Rose petal, rosehip, red cherry, aniseed, cola, fruit peel and Campari rise and rise. Flavour intensity grows in the glass, earthy, savoury tannins slowly unfold, fruit power rises and the effect is one of lively elegance. Runs long, compellingly so. Captures a classic Barolo vintage brilliantly.
Halliday Wine Companion30 August 2024, Jeni Port.