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#370966 - 10-27-2011 19:23:07 Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
Hi,

I have a chance to buy some 2004 D'Angelo Vulture - either the Valle del Noce or the Vigna Caselle. The Noce is about $10 more a bottle. Anybody have any opinions of which one I should get?

Anybody in the Seattle area want to help me with a case? I don't want to buy that much but it's the minimum.

Thanks
Fraser


Edited by fraser (10-27-2011 19:23:23)

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#371163 - 11-16-2011 19:59:24 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: fraser]
egil Offline
Member

Registered: 02-18-2004 09:31:13
Posts: 134
Loc: Oslo
I can't comment spesifically on the wines and vintage. But both are the top Aglianico del Vulture-selections from d'Angelo. They come from different vineyards. The valle del Noce is a quite new selection. The Caselle has been around for years. Both are traditionally made and normally the Valle del Noce has a little lower yield and is a little more expensive. 10$ seems quite a huge difference. I thought they normally were closer in price. So that votes for the Caselle.

If they go cheap I would surely be interested to try both. These are often very good wines for the price.
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#371164 - 11-16-2011 22:05:32 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: egil]
Dave Cuneo Offline
Local

Registered: 03-12-2004 15:59:19
Posts: 1536
Loc: Delaware
Egil,

Good to see your name here my Viking brother! dc.
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"When laws become the enemy of men, then men become the enemies of laws".

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#371210 - 11-21-2011 20:55:00 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: egil]
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
Hi,

Great to see you here again! I really appreciate your response. There's not a lot of info on D'Angelo out there.

I was told that control of the winery has changed in an acrimonious family feud and that it hasn't been imported to the US for awhile because of this. Evidently imports have resumed. Whether this is all true, I can't say. I'm hoping the 2004 was made by the previous owners, who have a track record.

I already picked the Valle Del Noce (valley of the walnuts) because I was under a dealine for ordering and because a wine blogger, who has visited the D'Angelo winery said that the Valle Del Noce was his favorite expression of Aglianico anywhere. In retrospect, I should have asked if they would do a mixed case instead.

I just acquired 4 bottles of the 1981 Riserva, which I expect is the Caselle. I'm going to be fascinated to try those and then to compare against the 2004s someday.

Thanks
Fraser

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#383975 - 02-22-2015 08:34:57 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: fraser]
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
The 2004 Vulture Valle del Noce (aglianico) from D'Angelo is quite a good wine. Very traditional, austere, poignant and serious wine with cool, menthol, mineral and coffee flavors. Just try finding some! I've had some ups and downs with this wine but it seems to have settled down and is drinking very nicely now. The winery says it can last up to 20 years. I certainly think this wine has more to go. I've had it over two days though and the second day hasn't been very successful in the past.

The name means valley of the walnuts and I certainly have tasted walnuts in this wine more than once. Evidently ownership has changed and are the wines still made this way? I have no idea. Recommended wine.

Thanks
Fraser

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#386591 - 10-16-2016 08:12:27 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: fraser]
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
Had the second to last bottle last night and it was great! Best showing yet. Lots of flavor, depth, rich, smoothness, intensity, chalk and menthol. Beautiful nose. Sort of Barolo like. Highly recommended. With goat stew. Makes me re-think my retreat from Aglianico!

Thanks
Fraser

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#386765 - 12-02-2016 10:08:10 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: fraser]
BEB Online   content
True Southern Exposure
Crazed Wino

Registered: 01-02-2001 08:00:00
Posts: 5444
Loc: Somewhere in the Great Valley ...
Very cool to see this post and the development over 5 years. Thanks for posting your update.
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BEB

"I've wrestled with reality for 35 years and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P. Dowd

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#386798 - 12-10-2016 10:49:47 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: BEB]
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
Thanks for the response! I think it's the only serious Italian wine I've ever purchased a case of, not that I wanted to though. That was the only way to get the wine and nobody wanted to share it! Usually I just buy two of something so it was fun to have a case to work through.

I'm not sure I learned much about Aglianico's aging curve. It seems very slow. I think partially because they usually are fairly drinkable early on, unlike some of the nebbiolo wines, leading to the perception that they will develop and blossom sooner/faster. But they still take a fair amount of time, depending on who/when obviously. I have two Aglianico's from the 1980's that are still young tasting to me.

I was somewhat underwhelmed for much of the case so it's nice to have hung on and found some beauty there. I'm not sure when I'll crack the other. It's about the one nice wine in the basement that I could just go "grab" spontaneously so may not last.

Thanks
Fraser

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#387703 - 09-25-2017 09:47:28 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: fraser]
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
Hi,

I had the last bottle of this recently and the report was pretty good except it fell off a bit at the end of the night.

"Semi-extreme drying feel, black tea, black raspberry, tart, rich, volcanic, full bodied, assertive, lava bomb, sweet, tobacco, earth, very good, coffee for sure, smooth and powerful, blackberry"

By this point, the wine was like an old friend asa we brought it out for fun/special occasions.

Fraser

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#387704 - 09-25-2017 19:02:51 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: fraser]
Marc Hanes Offline
Crazed Wino

Registered: 12-13-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 5639
Loc: Maplewood, NJ
Thanks for checking in with the update!

I forget about my Aglianico wines then remember them and intentionally forget again for more aging.

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#387705 - 09-26-2017 09:09:29 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: Marc Hanes]
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
Do they ever mature?

Fraser

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#387706 - 09-26-2017 17:02:32 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: fraser]
Marc Hanes Offline
Crazed Wino

Registered: 12-13-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 5639
Loc: Maplewood, NJ
Well, I don't have the broadest experience but I'd say that they don't develop truly different and meaningful tertiary elements. But they can soften which helps overall harmony of the parts. Just when depends on producer and vintage. Again, in my experience they just about always stay more "rugged" in character. But that's why one collects them, to have that arrow in the quiver.

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#387710 - 09-29-2017 10:42:34 Re: Comments? D'Angelo Vulture Valle del Noce vs. Vigna Caselle [Re: Marc Hanes]
fraser Offline
Local

Registered: 02-25-2004 00:27:03
Posts: 1111
Loc: Seattle
Hi Marc,

I generally agree with you although I've had some older ones that really seem barolo-like and have had some tertiary development. However, most of the time, it seems like there is a lot of "potential" in individual flavors that never quite meld together or integrate. The sum of the pieces is greater than the whole. I find this in many of the lesser Portuguese wines. I really like the material but it doesn't seem cohesive enough to develop into a full package. I've had the 1981 Mastrobernardino Taurasi Reserva and it was like that - still seemed young and undeveloped. The 1990 Struzziero Reserva Taurasi was also very young but maybe more cohesive. Trying the 1985 version of this around Xmas and will report back.

Thanks
Fraser

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