Focus on Barolo and Barbaresco (Nov 2009)

Wild, meaty nose shows less primary fruit and more earth, smoke, camphor and tar. Bigger, broader and drier than the Falletto; begins quite closed, with a smoky, flinty minerality dominating, then opens with air to show sweeter dark cherry and currant fruit. This is seriously dense and full wine, at once large-scaled and elegant and in need of a good seven or eight years of cellaring. Giacosa says this has more of everything than the Falletto, but today the sex appeal of that wine is compelling. But both of these examples offer lovely captivating Barolo perfume in the way of the finest 2005s. (Incidentally, Giacosa showed me a sample of his 2006 Rocche from barrel, which he planned to sell off-although he did note that he’d keep some magnums to follow. The wine was bigger than the 2005 but less refined and perfumed, and seemed a bit disjointed owing to strong acidity and somewhat tough tannins. While the 2005 got better and more minerally with aeration, the 2006 remained a bit undifferentiated by comparison.)