On Dec 24, 7:15 am, DaleW > wrote:
> On Dec 24, 12:19�am, cwdjrxyz > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Carema comes from a very small DOC in the northwest Italian Piedmont
> > and borders the Valle d'Aosta. There are fewer than 13 ha of Nebbiolo
> > registered to Carema. Carema is very highly regarded by many, but
> > since there is so little of it, many have never tasted it, especially
> > when mature. The DOC requires a minimum of 85% Nebbiolo grapes,
> > although the only two present producers, Ferrando and a coop, use 100%
> > Nebbiolo today. I do not know what they did in 1974. Fortunately both
> > producers have a good reputation today. Luigi Ferrando's �two sons,
> > Roberto and Andrea now run the winery with him. Only about 10000
> > bottles of Carema are produced by them per year, and about 1/2 of
> > these are exported to the US. Roberto Ferrando explains that while
> > Carema does not have the muscle of Barolo, it brings out the floral
> > and earthy character of Nebbiolo. Because the vineyards are much
> > further north and at an elevation of up to 550 m, the acidity level in
> > Carema is �higher than wines from Laghe. The wines often require time
> > to evolve. Carema tends to be even slower to evolve than classic
> > Barolo and Barbaresco. At the present time Ferrando also makes a
> > little riserva in the best years, and this gets some barrique ageing.
> > I found this detailed information in Italy 2008, a Decanter guide that
> > came with the Jan. 2008 issue of Decanter.
>
> > I found a little Carema back in the 1970s. It was very acid when
> > young, and I did not then know that it often required long ageing to
> > become civilized and attractive. I only kept a bottle of the mentioned
> > 1974, and forgot about it until I read Italy 2008.
>
> > The 1974 Carema from Ferrando was properly stored and had a good fill
> > and cork. The color is still fairly deep red with only traces of age
> > showing around the rim. It is quite clean with no trace of oxidation.
> > The body is not as intense as an old style Barolo that ages well and
> > the alcohol level is lower. However a very good bouquet and taste have
> > developed with perhaps more red fruit than in a Barolo, less dark
> > fruit, and less tar. The acid is now under control, but it is somewhat
> > more intense than in an average aged Barolo. I would say, although
> > different, the quality is the equal of many very good Barolos and
> > better than many Barolos. Perhaps the very best Barolos have more
> > complexity and a more impressive weight for those who like large
> > wines.
>
> This is the regular white label? The oldest I've had was about 20
> years old (and lively). I've also had a couple of the Ferrando black
> label Caremas, a kind of riserva only done in riper vintages. Thanks
> for notes

The label is cream colored(perhaps showing some age) with brown text.
The wine is not a riserva. I don't know if they were making a riserva
in some years in the mid 70s and earlier. I don't even know if the
general label design is the same as the current ones, as I have not
seen a bottle of Carema more recent than the 1974. The DOC was in
place in 1974 and it is mentioned on the label. The bottle I have was
imported by a firm in New York - Italian Selected Wines.