2012 Barolo Sarmassa
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The 2012 Barolo Sarmassa shows slightly earthy tones of tilled earth and autumnal leaf. This is a very pretty expression with good depth and finesse. The wine is made in a clean and compact style and shows focus and elegance. There is some austerity on the close, but this Barolo builds in flavor intensity as it sits in the glass.
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Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Barolo. Maturing mid ruby with a bright orange rim. Herbal and serious on the nose, yet supple and fluid on the attack. Ripe fruit and then pretty tannic, but sweet fruit resonates on the finish. A little hard for the moment, but with plenty of potential. (WS)
The 2012 Barolo Sarmassa is the most tannic of the Brezza 2012s as well as one of the most powerful 2012s I tasted on my fall trip. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2012 is likely to require at least a few years to fully blossom. When it does, it should be pretty special. In 2012, Brezza did not bottle their flagship Sarmassa Vigna Bricco, all of the fruit went into the Sarmassa bottling. Today, the Sarmassa is decidedly closed, dark and brooding, but it could turn out to be one of the hidden gems of the year.
Brezza blended Bricco Sarmassa and Sarmassa together because there was insufficient difference between the two to justify separate bottlings. The most open and full bodied of the three with the beginning of perfumed, ripe fruit. This has a savoury edge to it. Quite elegant structure for Sarmassa, nothing massive about this, but there is brooding fruit and concentration. Long and tannic, but not rough. (WS)