1997 Gallo Barrelli Creek

[winoweenie]

Decidied to open this while the taste of the 96 was still fresh. Continuity was evident. This Alexander Valley vineyard turns out consistantly fine fruit and Gina knows what to do with it. A tad deeper in color, slightly more complex nose and all-around just a hair better bottling. Same brown-sugar, earthy nose and taste and a 4&1/2 lapper finish. Silky tannins need another 3-5 to soften. Lovely juice. 92/92 24 by the box. 14.2% alc.WW

[newsguy]

only have 1 bottle left from my case. boy, do i wish i had bought more of this, but in those days, buying a case of a $20/bottle wine was a huge deal. live and learn.

[newsguy]

btw, can't wait til the '01 bottling of this comes out, which i'm guessing will be late this fall. imagine it'll be a case buy for me, even at the current $25 per going rate. i never even saw the '99 on the shelves down here. weird.

[winoweenie]

Seems that some of the Gallo distrubtors were not in the mood to pay what the wines were worth after being stuck with so many non-selling 98s'. My local pusher made his dist special or der us our cases. WW

[Drew]

There's a language in there, somewhere but I thinks I need a translator... [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

Drew

[winoweenie]

What about Spekal-Orderr done youse unnerstan???ww [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[newsguy]

i occasionally see a few 98s still on the shelves, along with the 00s - both vintages i passed on. but i've never even *seen* a single bottle of the 99, much less tasted. i never even thought of asking my wine shop to order; i just assumed that it came in and sold out quickly. i can't believe i cost myself the chance to buy one of my favorite wines from a vintage that i love.

[winoweenie]

As emil once said " Lib and lern "ww [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[winoweenie]

Opened another bottle last nite while watching my Suns get annihiated by the hated Lakers. This bottle, I hope, was an abberation. Instead of the deep black fruits this had a raisony, heavy taste that took over both in the nose and in the mouth. Will not score this bottle. Hopefully the rest of the box is like the predecessors. WW

[This message has been edited by winoweenie (edited 11-03-2007).]