Bruno Giacosa Barolo & Barbaresco 1961 - 2008: The Tasting of a Lifetime

In comparison to many of the collectors I know, my experience with Barolo is relatively short. It was only eleven years ago that I was pulled into the world of Nebbiolo. I was warned by others that it could happen, that I might be entering into a hobby that would become a lifelong obsession. The world of Barolo and Barbaresco is vast, and the unique experiences depend on so many deciding factors. The soil, the climate, the exposition, and altitude are just the beginning. When you take it to the next level, you see that the lists of vineyard names and unique qualities of each one can fill a book--in fact, they have. Then you look beyond that, to the vintage, the winery, the winemaker, the style and the passion.

You start to realize that with each wine you acquire and enjoy, you are further embarking on a journey to understanding how a bottle of fermented grape juice can be so moving, or simply stop you in your tracks. That’s the magic of Barolo and Barbaresco.

The history of this region, and how it came to be, is just as important as the factors which decide what the experience will entail. From that living history, we come across the names of producers who have shaped the entire region, and what we perceive to be the greatest experiences we’ve encountered. From that list of names, one person who stands out for his pioneering spirit, insights, and unique abilities, is Bruno Giacosa.

Bruno Giacosa didn’t learn his craft studying enology at school. Instead, at the age of thirteen, Bruno began working in the cellar with his father and grandfather, who made their business producing wine that would be sold in demijohn instead of being bottled at the winery. This wasn’t a family of farmers turned winemakers; this was a family of grape brokers who had established long-lasting relationships throughout the region. The experience of touring landscapes of the surrounding villages with his father helped to shape Bruno and hone his most valuable asset, that is, his ability to source the best fruit for both Barolo and Barbaresco.

Located in Neive, Bruno took the reins of the family business in 1960 and immediately began bottling wine from what would become some of the biggest named vineyards in the region. His first vintage was 1961, when he bottled a Barolo (with fruit from Falletto) and a Barbaresco (a mix of Gallina and Santo Stefano). Before long, this culminated into the release of vineyard-designated wines, starting in 1967, at a time when few producers saw the winds of change on the horizon. Along with producers like Angelo Gaja and Alfredo Currado (Vietti), Bruno Giacosa began to pave the way for Barolo and Barbaresco as we know it today.

The one thing that he didn’t have was his own vineyards. Even with Bruno’s skills of sourcing the best fruit, he watched as farmers became winemakers, making the best vineyard sources more difficult to acquire. Without skipping a beat, and always ahead of the curve, Bruno purchased his first vineyard in 1982, the one which he has been accredited for making famous: Falletto di Serralunga. Over the years, he would go on to buy more parcels, taking pieces of Asili and Rabaja in Barbaresco; yet through that time, Bruno continued to source fruit, but only when it was up to his standards. Many Barolo collectors lament over the loss of Giacosa-bottled Villero and Vigna Rionda--and in more modern times, Santo Stefano.

However, it was Bruno’s quest for the utmost quality that drove him to create the wines that we know and love today. In the greatest vintages, we would be treated to the release of his epic red label riservas. In the poor vintages, Bruno would simply declassify his fruit and sell the juice in bulk. To this day, lovers of Barolo and Barbaresco hunt for leads that could explain where this wine went to.

As for the style that defines the house of Giacosa, it is often referred to as traditional. Yet this is by no means a stark traditionalist approach. Instead, Bruno wanted to make great Barolo. The broadest way to describe this approach is with macerations around 30 days long, fermenting in stainless steel with moderate temperatures, and aging in large Botti of French origin. That said, I’ve heard stories of this approach varying over time. But does that really matter? In my opinion, it does not, because the fact remains that these are some of the greatest wines that were ever made from throughout the region.

Unfortunately, Bruno suffered a stroke in 2006, which was followed by the temporary loss of his highly talented oenologist, Dante Scaglione. With her father’s health in decline, Bruna Giacosa (Bruno’s daughter) stepped up to the mantel, and what followed was a period of unevenness. However, with Dante back in the winery, Bruno back on his feet, and his daughter at his side, I have high hopes that the Bruno Giacosa winery will be back on top once again.

This all leads to December 12th, 2016, at a restaurant in New York City named DeGrezia, where a table full of some of the most passionate Barolo collectors I know, Antonio Galloni among us, built our lineup of Bruno Giacosa. The tasting nearly spanned Giacosa’s entire history, from the inaugural vintage all the way to 2008. You can imagine the anxiety that filled us all, even weeks before the event. I can attest to my own personal health, which had been in decline the previous week, and how hard I worked to get myself back into condition, because this was not a tasting to miss. In fact, this was the experience of a lifetime.

On to the tasting notes:

2008 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche Riserva - (served blind) This is one of those moments where you consider the score versus the cost, and you have to question whether one should affect the other. The controversial ‘08 Rocche was served blind, and it was clear that it was Nebbiolo. What was not clear was where it was from, and no one would have guessed Giacosa Riserva. The nose showed ripe cherry with a dusting of spice and dried orange. On the palate, I found tart red fruits with saturating minerality and a zing of fresh acidity. Youthful tannin coated the senses, drying the palate and finishing on notes of spice and cedar. (90 points)

2007 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva - The ‘07 Asili was so easy to like, taking the ripeness of the vintage and combining it perfectly with the house style. Here I found a bouquet of sweet florals and spice, with hard red candies and the slightest hint of undergrowth. On the palate, I found intense dark red fruits ushered in by angular, weighty textures. Vibrant acidity mixed with grippy tannins, which provided the perfect contrast to the ‘07’s warm vintage persona. It finished long on spicy red berries, bitter cherry and spice. (94 points)

2004 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva - The '04 Asili was firing on all cylinders tonight. One of the first wow wines of the tasting, and it stayed with me throughout the entire evening. Almost impossible to take my nose from the glass, with a mix of fresh herbal-tinged cherry, exotic florals, minerals and green olive. On the palate, it was rooted in the earth, layered, and showing masses of structured depth, as saline-minerality paved the way for dried cherry, leather and iron. It finished unbelievably fresh on a note of cherry pits with hints of spice and fine tannin. There's so much potential here, as my last comment to my fellow tasters was, "why don't I have this wine in my cellar?" (98 points)

2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva - Where to begin with this elegant beauty of a wine? The nose was a dark and exotic beauty which filled the senses with aromas of cinnamon-tinged black cherry, brown spices, tobacco, dusty florals, and tar. A massive wave of dark fruit swept across the palate, delivering saturating fine tannin with notes of leather, cedar and exotic spice. The long finish lingered with resonating tart red berry, spice and a coating of fine tannin. The is a gorgeous wine with marvelous balance and decades of evolution ahead of it. (97 points)

2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche Riserva - The ‘00 Rocche was simply seductive with an alluring bouquet and enveloping on the palate. Here I found a dark and inviting mix of crushed cherry and strawberry with sweet spices. On the palate, soft textures gave way to floral-infused cherry, as hints of leather and earth tones filled the senses. The finish was long with a yin-and-yang of sweet red fruits and a bitter twang of spice and herbs. Although this came across as a bit roasted, it was still so easy to like. (94 points)

1996 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva - My love of Giacosa’s Asili seems to grow deeper and deeper with every taste. Here I found an earthy and seductive bouquet of savory herbs and seared meat, which transformed to crushed berries, plum, roses and hints of moist soil. On the palate, I found soft textures contrasted by youthful tannin, as vibrant dark-red fruit filled the senses, along with, earthy minerals, anise and bitter balsamics. The finish was youthfully dry, yet dense red fruits prevailed, promising many years of development. What a beautiful wine. (96 points)

1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto - This opened with a beautiful and exuberant display of wild berry, dusty spice, rose, licorice, crushed stone minerality and smoke. On the palate, I found angular textures with youthful tannin, yet its vibrant spiced-cherry fruit maintained a wonderfully drinkable persona. It finished on palate-coating tart red berries, tar and leather tones with hints of lingering mineral-infused tannin. (95 points)

1989 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto Riserva - The ‘89 Falletto didn’t perform as well as past bottles I’ve experienced, as it seems it may have been poorly stored at one point in its life. The nose showed minerals up front, along with dried berries, spiced orange and notes of undergrowth. On the palate, I found dark, almost murky, red fruits with notes of coffee grinds, sweet spice and moderate tannins. A roasted sensation lingered, as it finished on briny minerality. (NA)

1989 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero - The ‘89 Villero opened with a funky earth, mushroom and mineral-driven bouquet, yet quickly evolved in the glass to reveal bright red fruit with rosy florals, undergrowth and spice. On the palate, I found soft, silky textures, which seemed to touch upon all of the senses, as notes of undergrowth seemed to carry over from the bouquet, leading to ripe cherry, spice, cedar, and a slight grip of still youthful tannin. It finished youthful with dried cherry, minerals and hints of exotic spice. With the exception of a slightly dirty quality on the nose, this was exceptional. (95 points)

1986 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche di Castiglione - The nose was dark and massive, with plush notes of black cherry, sweet herbs, earth followed by hints of almond, celery and dried cedar. On the palate, I found vibrant, acid-driven textures overlaying rich dark red fruit, with hints of balsamic, smoke and spice. This finish was shorter than I’d hope yet left a sense of utter balance and remnants of minerality. (93 points)

1985 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche di Castiglione - What started as a vegetal nose of cucumber and herbs quickly evolved into a wonderful display of crushed strawberry, brown spice, earth and dried roses. On the palate, I found soft textures with a rich display of spicy crushed cherry, which was pumped up by a pulse of vibrant acidity and mineral thrust. It finished on dried red berry, which coated the palate and slowly faded to minerals and earth. (94 points)

1980 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche di Castiglione - The ‘80 Rocche displayed a fully mature bouquet of tart dried berries, orange peel, hints of caramel and iodine. On the palate, I found savory and herbal-infused remnants of red berry with hints of cedar and spice. A wave of acidity maintained freshness throughout and paved the way for a pleasurable finale of dried berries and earth tones. (92 points)

1979 Bruno Giacosa Barolo - The ‘79 Barolo was completely mature yet still quite enjoyable. Here I found a nose of dusty potpourri, dried cherry and a hint of parchment. On the palate, lifted, feminine textures gave way to tart red berry and hints of cedar. It was persistent, yet a bit linear, ending with medium length and a bitter twang of tart red fruit. (90 points)

1978 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano - In a word... spellbinding. The '78 Barbaresco Santo Stefano took all of the lifted floral, cherry, minerals and spice that we love about this wine in its youth and transported them gracefully over 38 years of maturity to form a feminine, elegant wine of purity. It was a pleasure to drink, yet all I needed to truly enjoy it was the ability to take in its bouquet over and over again. Bright red floral fruits and dusty spices led to a palate with silky-soft textures and saturating dried berry tones. A hint of tannin still resonated through the finish, along with mouth-puckering acidity and notes of leather, cedar and inner floral tones. Stunning! (95 points)

1967 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva - The ‘67 was beautiful in its maturity, as a wave of dusty earth, dried florals, minerals and a hint of caramel lifted from the glass. On the palate, it was zesty, displaying a mix of savory minerals, dried herbs and hints of worn spice. The finish was shorter than I’d hoped, yet still wonderfully balanced and refined, with a lingering hint of citrus, red berry and dried inner florals. (91 points)

1964 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva (Falletto) - Having had the pleasure of tasting this during three different phases of its time open in bottle, I was at first greeted to a bouquet of dried flowers, dusty earth and parchment. Over the course of hours, the nose gained a deeper and dark persona, as dried black cherry, undergrowth and a slight musty aroma took hold. Yet hours later, the fruit came to the front, becoming more blue and black than red, with a exotic spiciness. On the palate, dark, pliant textures made themselves known, ushering in silky waves of dried fruit, herbs, dark soil and minerals. It was still youthful in its vibrancy, yet perfectly mature in tannin, finishing on iron-tinged minerality and with a sense of perfect balance. (95 points)

1961 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Speciale - Sourced from the Gallina and Santo Stefano vineyards, the ‘61 Barbaresco was unexpectedly youthful and exuberant, showing a touch of volatility that contributed to its raciness. On the nose, I was greeted to a vibrant display of sweet florals and spices, gaining richness with time in the glass, adding dried orange, cedar and hints of dusty vanilla. On the palate, I found silky textures combined with racy acidity, showing dried cherry, mint and inner floral tones. The finish was long yet juicy, as saturating spice and red berry tones lingered long. Frankly, you’d never guess this wine’s age. (94 points)

Article, Tasting Notes, and Photos by Eric Guido

Dueling Blind Barolo Vintages

Article and Tasting Notes by Eric Guido

2001 & 1999 Barolo
Two classic vintages, both in need of time, yet just starting to show their early maturity. Why not put 2001 against 1999 in a blind tasting? We all have our preconceptions, which in some cases were shattered as we unveiled these wines. What’s more, recent reports on 2001 have called it uneven in its maturity, and some have raised the question of if it will go on to be considered a great vintage down the road.

On thing this tasting certainly proved is that there should be no fear that 2001 Barolo from the top producers will go on to be prolific, classic wines. Of course, as noted, these are the top wines of any vintage and finding a reference point here can be difficult. In fact, I don’t recall the last time I saw such a collection of the who’s who in Piedmont. If you’re looking to put something special in the cellar, you can’t go wrong here.

As for 99’s, it’s all been recently said. A retrospective tasting from two years ago put me on the hunt to acquire as much ’99 Barolo as possible. There have been naysayers, yet as time goes by, and more collectors and critics taste these wines, it is becoming apparent that 1999 will go down as one of the top vintages of the nineties—it may even surpass 1996 one day. What I truly love about these wines is their rich, ripe character contrasted by firm classic tannin structure. I taste a ’99 Barolo, even in this young stage, and receive so much satisfaction from not only its current state, but also the imagining of what it will one day become. These are beautiful wines worthy of our cellars.

Flight 1: This was a wonderful performance from the 2001 Bartolo, a wine that I have always been weary of. Inconsistency in this wine’s history, confirmed in the tasting notes of many other writers, leads me to believe an experience like the one below is in no way guaranteed. I couldn’t call out the producer in this flight, but I was sure I guessed the vintages right from their performances. Imagine my surprise to find the results were the exact opposite of my expectations.

2001 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo – The nose was classic, showing dusty cherry, cedar, crushed fall leaves moist earth and dried spice. On the palate, it was lean on entry with tart cherry and inner floral tones yet grew richer as it coated the senses with noble tannin. The finish was youthful with an acid, tannin tug across the palate, accentuated by lingering notes of dry red fruit, minerals and soil tones. Beautiful. (94 Points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

1999 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo – The nose was dark and inviting with black cherry, cranberry, hints of menthol and dusty, dark earth tones. Tart red berries clenched the palate in a tense, tightly wound expression of Nebbiolo, along with notes of cinnamon and inner floral tones. Tannin held the palate firm on the finish, with tart berry lingering long, yet drying out the senses. (92 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

Flight 2: For me, the most striking thing about this flight was how completely different the 2001 Ca d’Morissio was from the straight 2001 Monprivato. However, they were both equally enjoyable, for completely different reasons.

2001 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Ca d'Morissio Riserva Monprivato – The 2001 Ca d'Morissio was a dark beast of a wine, with intense crushed raspberry, herbs, wood smoke, raw beef and soil laden minerals. On the palate, it was rich yet with a truly classic feel. Tart cherry and autumnal spices penetrated the senses, yet held firm, restrained—clenched. On the finish, lingering dark-red tart berry fruit and inner floral notes lasted long against its formidable structure. (94 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

2001 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato – The nose was striking in its expression of bright, ripe red fruit, rosy floral tones, cinnamon and a lifting note of menthol. On the palate, it showed as a classic mid-weight Barolo, with soft yet focused red fruit and mineral tones. Tannin coated the senses throughout the finish, yet that red berry note continued to ring true. It would seem that there are many years of development ahead for this wine. (93 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

1999 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato – The nose was beautiful, with dark, spiced cherry sauce, dusty minerals and a hint of VA. Yet on the palate, this wine took a downturn for me, as it was tight, ungiving and seeming almost diluted. The finish showed hints of red fruit yet remained unyielding. Maybe this was a bad bottle, yet others at the tasting seemed less bothered by its performance. (N/A) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

Flight 3: The 1999 Brunate Le Coste was a game changer within this tasting and really made me stop and think. The taster next to me called this flight as G. Rinaldi only moments before I was about to come to the same conclusion. They were both unique and beautiful wines.

1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste – The nose was exotic and dark, inciting excitement over reaching deeper into the glass as ripe black cherry, cinnamon spice, sweet balsamic tones and a hint of mint created a gorgeous bouquet. On the palate, it was dark, ripe, intense, juicy—lovely. Showing dark red fruit, accentuated by exotic spice and dried floral notes with a classic tug of Nebbiolo tannin. The finish was long with dried fruits, yet youthful and restrained. There are many years of development ahead of this wine; I only wish I had some in the cellar. (95 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

2001 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste – Spiced cherry, licorice and sweet rosey floral notes make up the bouquet of the 2001 Brunate Le Coste. On the palate, it is still tightly wound in its structure, yet showing intense tart black cherry fruit and savory herbs. The finish was tight as a drum, youthful yet satisfying as the fruit clung to the center-palate. (92 points) Find it on Wine-searcher!

Flight 4: I was very happy to be able to call this flight as Giacomo Conterno Cascina Francia, although I did mistake the vintages. They were both beautiful, classic wines in need of considerable time in the cellar. I will say, that if you wanted to cellar one wine from this tasting, over the long term, the ’99 Giacomo Conterno Cascina Francia would be my pick.

1999 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia – The nose was dark and enticing with an exotic twist and all the iron, mineral-laden Serralunga character you could ever hope for. A mix of ripe strawberry, brown sugar, orange peel, tea leafs, iron and rich dark soil tones formed the bouquet. On the palate, it was firm yet crystalline focused, showing dried red fruits, dark soil tones, and a hint of grapefruit. Tannin continued to build throughout the finish nearly masking its tightly coiled fruit and permeating notes of dried florals and fall leaves. It was an unbelievably beautiful wine. (96 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

2001 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia – Even darker and richer than the ’99, the nose on the 2001 Cascina Francia pulled me in, showing red berry, moist black soil, floral rose, rosemary and minerals. On the palate, it was youthfully lean with sour red fruit, yet gained momentum and focus as ripe strawberry developed along with inner floral notes and savory spice. The finish continued to impress with its saturating red fruits, inner floral tones and lingering minerals yet remained clenched in need of more time in the cellar. (94 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

Flight 5: This flight was a total mystery to me. Giacosa has a way of throwing me for a loop, especially in a blind format. As such, I have stayed with my initial impressions with these tasting notes to avoid any sway the labels may have had after the unveiling.

1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba – The nose was rich and intense with dark red fruits, cinnamon, cedar, and hints of herbs. On the palate, red berry fruit played a sweet and sour act on the senses, while inner floral and tobacco notes completed the experience. Tannin shut down the finish, allowing only a hint of red berry fruit to linger. (93 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

2001 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba – The nose was earthy and somewhat vegetal with tart red berry, sweet peas, and parchment. With time the fruit became sweeter and dark, yet a formidable earthiness remained. On the palate, it was lean showing tart red berry and spice, which lingered throughout the finish with stern structural components tugging at the cheeks. (90 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

Flight 6: I was very happy to correctly guess the first wine as the ’99 Giacosa Le Rocche del Falletto; what I didn’t realize is that the second wine was the exact same thing—ouch! (Originally there were three wines in this flight.) Going back to my notes, they were extremely similar; I’m guessing it was probably differences in conditions of the bottles and time of double-decant, which may explain the slight differences. I went with my first tasting note, as I believe it was the best representation of the wine.

1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba – The nose was all at once intense, yet elegant and truly radiant. A bouquet of dark red fruits, plum, rosy florals, dusty spice and minerals wafted up from the glass without any coaxing. On the palate, it opened with bitter cherry, yet fleshed out turning riper and softer with a savory meatiness, dry spice, saline minerals and inner floral tones. The finish was tight yet focused with red fruit, cinnamon and gorgeous autumnal character. (97 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

2001 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba – The nose showed a ripe mix of crushed berries, dry spice, menthol, leather and hints of herbs in a dark, warm and inviting bouquet. On the palate, it started youthfully lean with tart cherry, gaining mass and riper character as it wrapped around the senses. A woody balsamic note lingered long with sweet exotic spice and violet floral tones. The finish was the epitome of dried flowers and fruit with dry spice lingering long. (98 points) Find it on: Wine-searcher!

It was a tasting of epic proportions!

Check out: The Fine Wine Geek, for more notes and photos.

In closing, I would be remiss not to mention the excellent service and location provided for this tasting by New York Vintners. New York Vintners is a specialty wine shop in Downtown Manhattan, which appears small upon entry, yet as you pass behind a curtain separating the wine selection from the rest of the store, you come to realize that this is much more than a simple retail location.

New York Vintners has a full kitchen with tasting table within sight. As well as two floors below where they hold educational classes, their wine cellar, and a cellar tasting room (seen in the photo). The food, prepared by Chef Ryan Smith, was a perfect companion to help us through tasting these youthful wines. It was truly a culmination of vinous and culinary perfection.

2003: Barolo Retrospective

I started collecting Barolo just as the 2003 vintage was about to be released.  What a time that was, just on the heels of the highly acclaimed ’01 vintage and the absolute dismal failure of ’02.  At the time, my hopes for ‘03 had already been dispelled by reports of unrelenting heat resulting in overripe fruit and under-ripe tannin.  The ’03 growing season literally baked the fruit throughout the days and never gave them the much-needed cooler nights to rest.  The results were wines of intense concentration with high alcohol and aggressive tannin.  A few critics had picked a small number of wines that they deemed very good, but nowhere near classic.  The warning was: Buyer beware; it’s good, but it doesn’t taste much like Barolo.

Still, I am a completeist and I had to put some bottles in my cellar.  And so, I cherry-picked.  Some were the usual suspects; however, with time, stories came out here and there about ’03 Baroli that were atypical, hence, better than the regular ’03 Barolo. 

The dinning room at Paprika, where
our tasting was held.  Paprika continues
to impress across the board.  Keep an eye
out for my special focus on Paprika
Restaurant at www.whatscook.in

Some bottles that come to mind are; Giacomo Conterno Cascina Francia, which was touted to have been helped by the juice from the Monfortino bottling that wouldn’t be produced that year.  Next was Aldo Conterno’s Il Favot, which is usually nothing more than a Langhe Nebbiolo, yet was praised by a well-respected wine writer as being as superior as any Barolo because it was essentially a blend of all of Conterno’s grapes and not aged in French Oak (as the Il Favot typically is).  Then there was the Roagna Paje, which was highly praised by Antonio Galloni as being a standout in the vintage.  Among all of these, the only one to truly impress across a broad range of tasters has been the Roagna.  In fact, it seems that the wines of Roagna, as a whole, were very classic in ’03 and certainly deserve our attention.

The two wine's of the night. The
Roagna was classic, while the
Scavino impressed with its
sheer, sexy personality.

The results of the tasting below were a mixed bag.  As Barolo lovers, we all have considerable amounts of money invested in our cellars and we all want to feel like the choices we made were the right ones at the time.  Unfortunately, when it comes to 2003 Barolo, the only sound investment is one that was made off the blowout list from our favorite retailer.  Don't get me wrong; there are a number of stellar bottles, such as the 2003 Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc that scored 93 points.  However, if I had paid the $90 release price instead of obtaining it for $60 on sale, I wouldn't feel as good about it right now.  With only a few exceptions, these aren't wines for the cellar.  Those exceptions, such as the wines of Roagna, should continue to impress, but the most common descriptor used for these bottles is "not typical of the 2003 vintage."  For current drinking, there are some values to be found, when the price is right.  But don't make the mistake of ordering a bottle of 2003 Barolo off a restaurant wine list, thinking it's going to behave like Barolo.  Informed decisions are an absolute necessity, and with that, on to the wines:

2003 Roagna Barolo Vigna Rionda - The nose of the Roagna was classic in every way as a bouquet of cherries and earth with tar, roses and undergrowth wafted up from the glass.  On the palate, it was, at first, very tight and focused with sweet cherry.  With time in the glass it began to take on weight and show darker red fruit with earthy minerals and cedar.  The finish was structured, yet long and truly showed this wine's youth.  From all the 2003s I've tasted, it showed the most classic and will benefit from further aging. (93 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2003 Aldo Conterno Il Favot - The nose was dark with overripe plum and crushed berries.  It was almost confectionary at times, yet it had an appealing note of black olives.  On the palate, I found sour cherry with clove, yet the fruit was flabby and lacked balance.  The finish was long, however cloying with a lingering note of hard candies (88 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2003 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric del Fiasc - The nose showed rich, dark black cherry with roses, cinnamon and clove.  On the palate, I found intense raspberry fruit balanced by a full and luxurious body with menthol, earth and sweet spices which lingered through the long finish.  The ’03 Bric del Fiasc may not be a wine for the ages, but it has many more years of enjoyment ahead of it.  It’s a dark, appealing... sexy wine. (93 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2003 Pio Cesare Ornato - The 2003 Pio Cesare Ornato was hard to understand.  I kept hoping the nose would improve with time, but upon tasting this wine, I had to wonder if it was simply flawed.  The nose showed bread crust and a rusty note, with cherry fruit lurking beneath it all.  On the palate, I found sweet cherry, yet the acidity in this wine burned, literally, into the finish. (83 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2003 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo - The nose showed sweet red berries with spicy clove, roses and crushed fall leaves.  On the palate, it was soft and juicy with red fruit and earth.  The finish was long and pleasant.  This isn't what you'd expect from Barolo, yet it's enjoyable all the same and should improve slightly over the next few years. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2003 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto - The nose showed tart cherry and blackberry with a note of waxy lipstick.  On the palate, the fruit was intense, even overripe with blue and blackberry jam.  The structure quickly overwhelmed the palate with harsh, drying tannin that coated the mouth through the finish.  It's hard to imagine that this wine will ever balance out. (88 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2003 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia – The nose showed big briary red fruit, cinnamon, herbs and dark chocolate with a whiff of unmistakable heat.  On the palate, I found sweet, spiced red fruit and raisin but it was chewy with cloying, gravelly tannins that shut down the wine’s finish. (88 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!