2008 Vietti, Barolo, Brunate

The 2008 Barolo Brunate flows onto the palate with layers of dark fruit, spices, menthol and licorice. It is an unusually plush, generous wine for the year, endowed with tons of grace and sheer depth. This is a fabulous, layered Brunate that should drink well with a few more years in the bottle. Layers of sweet, perfumed fruit, rose petals and spices build effortlessly to the gracious, elegant finish. The Brunate is brooding and tannic, but the wine softens a bit with air. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. The biggest news at Vietti is the recent acquisition of new parcels in Brunate and Lazzarito. Finding high quality plots in Piemonte’s grand crus and then financing their purchase is a massive endeavor and a huge accomplishment. Luca Currado is quite open in his view that 2008 was a challenging year in the vineyards, where the constantly changing weather required a nimble, flexible approach. Currado did quite a bit of bleeding to bring his wines into balance. I also tasted all of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Baroli. Of those vintages, the 2010s are shaping up to be heroic wines. Among the new releases I am less enthusiastic about the 2009 Barbere, wines that are very good, but not as exceptional as they so often are. Importer: Dalla Terra, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405

A little lean but pretty cedar, vanilla and prune character on the nose and palate. Full body, chewy finish. Needs a couple of years to soften and open. Complex.

– jamessuckling.com, July 2012

Sweet vanilla and spice notes greet the nose as black cherry and tobacco flavors permeate the palate. Firm and linear, with a long, sweet aftertaste of fruit and mineral. In the modern camp, but finished more like a traditional Barolo. Best from 2017 through 2035. 330 cases made.

– Wine Spectator, February 2013

Good full medium red. Reticent nose hints at musky currant and mint. Broad, dry and painfully closed, with toothdusting tannins currently cutting off the wine's finish. This is very hard to taste today. With their strong acidity, these 2008 Barolos may surprise with their longevity, but does this uncompromising wine have enough stuffing? (Incidentally, the Barbaresco Masseria was affected by hail in 2008, so this juice was declassified into the Perbacco bottling.)