BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

PIEDMONT
RED WINES
BAROLO
97
Rivetto 2004 Riserva (Barolo);
$NA. Wow: simply wonderful! This wine
will blow you away on all levels. The intensity, the
quality of the mouthfeel, the fine focus of the
fruit and spice aromas and its long persistency
are stratospheric. It’s a dark, brooding expression
of Nebbiolo with enough of an aromatic motor
to carry it forward many years, if not decades of
cellar aging. The Rivetto family has produced a
masterpiece. Imported by Vintage Imports, Inc.
Cellar Selection. —M.L.
97
Vietti 2006 Brunate (Barolo); $130.
Bravo! The Brunate cru has awarded
Vietti with a stellar product: a wine that is unusually
dark and plush with impressive intensity and
crafted aromas of black fruit, spice, earth,
licorice, balsam and gianduia chocolate-hazelnut
spread. The soft, velvety texture is seductively
delicious and the wine will age many long, glorious
years. Imported by Dalla Terra Winery
Direct. Cellar Selection. —M.L.
96
Luciano Sandrone 2006 Cannubi
Boschis (Barolo); $150. It’s hard to
beat the quality achieved by this spectacular
wine. Luciano Sandrone’s Barolo from the Cannubi
Boschis cru is creamy, rich, opulent and
sophisticated. It oozes flavors of espresso, ripe
cherry, cassis, cola and licorice. In the mouth, it
is extraordinarily bright and generous and the
seamless finish can be counted in long minutes.
And, the best news is: this wine will only improve
with time. Imported by Vintus LLC. Cellar
Selection. —M.L.
96
Poderi Luigi Einaudi 2006 Costa
Grimaldi (Barolo); $70. Costa
Grimaldi is a spectacular wine that surprises with
every sip thanks to its intensity and the extraordinary
quality of its mouthfeel. Initially, the wine is
soft and yielding with tones of red cherry, chocolate,
cola, licorice and mineral. It grows even more
opulent and velvety in the mouth thanks to its fine
texture and tannins. Keep this wine in your cellar
ten years plus. Imported by Empson (USA) Ltd.
Cellar Selection. —M.L.
95
Azelia 2006 San Rocco (Barolo);
$NA. Azelia’s San Rocco Barolo is a stu-
pendous wine with impressive intensity and generous
aromas of wild berries, licorice, white
truffle, menthol, spice, tar and leather. The tannins
are firm and polished and the wine fades
slowly leaving a pretty vanilla aftertaste. Hold
until 2018. A Marc de Grazia selection; various
American importers. Editors’ Choice. —M.L.
95
Cantina Bartolo Mascarello 2006
Barolo; $NA. Cantina Bartolo Mas-
carello, one of the feistiest and most historic
estates in the Langhe, has crafted an amazing
Barolo in 2006 that delivers both elegance and
opulence. It’s a richly layered and complex wine
with a natural fullness and generosity that really
sits well on the palate. Cellar this wine 10 years or
more. Imported by Robert Chadderdon Selections.
Cellar Selection. —M.L.
95
Ceretto 2005 Bricco Rocche Bricco
Rocche (Barolo); $252. Nebbiolo
grapes, with their naturally elegant aromas of
black currant and licorice, speak loudly. So does
winery magic: Tones of spice, leather, cola and
tobacco are derived from 24 months of careful
oak aging. The tannins are fine and tight and this
wine will age ten years or more. Imported by Wilson
Daniels Ltd. Cellar Selection. —M.L.
95
Cordero di Montezemolo 2006
Bricco Gattera (Barolo); $NA.
Here’s a truly astonishing Barolo (from the Bricco
Gattera cru) that epitomizes the “big boy” style
that represents one of two dominant winemaking
philosophies in the Langhe. This is an exuberant
wine with thickly extracted notes of coffee bean,
blackberry, leather and savory layers of black pepper.
The wine is rich, smooth and velvety and will
appeal less to Nebbiolo traditionalists. Imported
by Omniwines Distribution. —M.L.
95
Enzo Boglietti 2004 Riserva
(Barolo); $NA. This is a truly awesome
Barolo Riserva from the La Morra subzone with
gorgeous intensity and purity. The wine is flush
with balsam, cola, cherry, mineral, spice and some
earthy overtones. The quality of the fruit is very
evident in the mouth. Lingering tones of leather
and tobacco are folded within the long lasting finish.
Put this bottle aside. Imported by Cutting
Edge Selections. Cellar Selection. —M.L.
95
Eugenio Bocchino 2006 La Serra
(Barolo); $100. From a simpatico, fam-
ily-run winery comes this benchmark Barolo. La
Serra speaks highly of the Langhe territory and of
winemaking innovation. Aromas here include
cherry cola, vanilla bean, leather and crushed
granite stone. The wine is determined and direct
with a savory note of cured meat on the long finish.
Drink after 2017. Imported by Small Vineyards
LLC. —M.L.
95
Josetta Saffirio 2006 Persiera
(Barolo); $70. With a strong line of
women at the helm of the winery, Josetta Saffirio
is now run by the young Sara Vezza. Her Barolo
Persiera is particularly impressive thanks to its
bold, pulsing fruit nuances and the refined nature
of its spice, tobacco and cola elements. The wine
finishes with long floral flavors and polished tannins.
Imported by North Berkeley Imports. Editors’
Choice. —M.L.
95
Marchesi di Barolo 2006 Coste di
Rose (Barolo); $NA. One of the best
Barolos of the year, Coste di Rose is a natural
beauty with gorgeous, thick extraction and perfectly
balanced aromas of blueberries, violets,
almond paste, sweet spice and root beer. The
wine shows impressive heft and density, yet it is
elegant and polished at the same time with finely
textured tannins. Cellar this delightful wine ten
years or more. Imported by Wine Wave. Cellar
Selection. —M.L.
95
Massolino 2006 Parafada (Barolo);
$94. Massolino’s Parafada Barolo is a
stunningly beautiful wine with bold, confident
aromas of black fruit, tobacco, cigar box, cherry
cola, clove, nutmeg and vanilla bean. The mouthfeel
is bright, lively, velvety and, generally speaking,
the 2006 vintage represents a big jump over
2005. Imported by Domaine Select Wine
Estates. —M.L.
95
Podere Rocche dei Manzoni 2006
Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano
(Barolo); $NA. This gorgeous Barolo opens
with plush, dark concentration and deep aromatic
layers of smoked beef, mineral, cola,
mesquite wood, blackberry and exotic spice. This
dark, masculine expression also makes a lasting
impression in the mouth thanks to the richness
and persistency of the finish. Imported by
Robert Chadderdon Selections. Cellar Selection.
—M.L.
95
Vietti 2006 Rocche (Barolo); $130.
Rocche Barolo is another homerun for
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