2009 Chiara Boschis (Azienda Agricola E. Pira e Figli), Barolo, Cannubi

Good bright medium red. Very ripe aromas of red berries, tart cherry, menthol, dried flowers, smoky oak and mint, plus an element of coffee torrefaction. Soft and silky but with lovely lift and purity for a warm-vintage wine from sandy soil. Finishes with serious dusty tannins that call for patience.

The 2009 Barolo Cannubi wraps around the glass with layers of perfumed fruit. A sensual Barolo, the 2009 is quite typical in its expression of place. Soft, silky tannins frame the long finish. This is a gorgeous wine that stands out for its balance and especially, the sweetness of its tannin. Cannubi, with its sandy soils and due south exposure, is often challenged in hot years because the plants can shut down from hydric stress. I hope readers can appreciate just how difficult it must have been to craft a Barolo of this quality in 2009. The Cannubi continued to improve over the time I followed it. I will not at all be surprised if it exceeds my expectations somewhere down the line. The Cannubi is the most approachable of these 2009s.