2007 La Spinetta, Barolo, Campe

There is no doubt the 2007 Barolo Campe is impressive. It is a beautifully balanced wine layered with opulent, super-ripe fruit, new leather and licorice. The French oak is beautifully balanced in this broad-shouldered Barolo, while the fruit avoids the overripe tendencies of the past. The wine holds up perfectly in the glass, which hasn’t always been the case. Tar, licorice and spices wrap around the intense finish. This is the finest vintage of Campe to date. Kudos to Giorgio Rivetti and his team for this fabulous effort. To be released in 2012. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. This is a superb set of wines from Giorgio Rivetti. The 2008 Barbareschi are among the strongest wines of the year, while the 2007 Barolo Campe is the best wine to emerge from Rivetti’s vineyards in Grinzane Cavour. The La Spinetta style focusing on wines of great textural richness remains intact, but is dialed in to a greater degree with each passing vintage. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021, Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY (516) 677-9300