Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 1 di 11

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1 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 1 di 11 Search Advanced search... Enter search term Tasting notes Search Home Tasting notes Forum News Our views Videos Your views Maps Oxford Companion Instant expert Membership Ethical policy You are here: Home >> Tasting articles >> Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Barolo overview and 200+ reviews 27 Jun 2013 by Walter Speller [Previous] [Next] Welcome Linda Foltran My account Logout Latest articles Justerini's Grosse Gewächse offer 9 Aug 2013 by Julia Harding MW Ornellaia celebrates 25 vintages 8 Aug 2013 by Julia Harding MW Ferran tastes Navarra (Tasting articles) 7 Aug 2013 by Ferran Centelles Bordeaux compared 6 Aug 2013 by Julia Harding MW Centopassi - breaking the silence 5 Aug 2013 by Walter Speller Greek wine for wine geeks 2 Aug 2013 by Richard Hemming Georgia - the tasting notes 1 Aug 2013 by Julia Harding MW See also Wallowing in Barolo, published yesterday, and Battling bureaucracy in Barolo. In my introduction to Nebbiolo Prima 2013 I call my tasting of the recently released 2009 Barolos 'hard as nails', but more to describe the exercise than the actual vintage. Having said that, 2009 in general is not an outstanding year, and will be especially remembered for the heat, just like 2003, 2007 and, winding fast forward, Still, comparisons with 2003 luckily do not hold up, because unlike that vintage, the 2009 shows a notable absence of stewed-fruit aromas and flavours. In all it is a much fresher vintage, and generally the wines seem for mid-term cellaring. At the same time, the majority of them are not yet accessible at all, owing to generous tannins and fruit extract. The winter preceding 2009 was a cold and wet one, bringing plenty of rain and heavy snowfall in the north, but also delaying the start of the growing cycle. An unusually warm spring with temperatures climbing up to 30 ºC encouraged rapid budbreak and regular fruit set. Until July the region was blessed with textbook warm dry weather with just about enough rain to keep things going, and all signs were set for an early harvest. But July brought prolonged rain, increasing fungal pressure in the vineyards, which in some cases led to lower yields. August proved to be scorching hot and dry, and it remained hot until mid September. The heat in combination with a lack of rain forced the vines to shut down, which delayed fruit ripening and resulted in the rare phenomenon of low sugar levels and low acidity as the vines respired the acidity in the heat. The weather and the resulting delay in ripeness forced many producers to wait for rain, to help increase volume in the berries, bring the vines back to life and to trigger fruit ripening. All this caused wildly irregular ripening patterns throughout the region, with in some cases Barbera being picked before Dolcetto, most unusually. Malic acid levels were overall below average, while the tannins did not always ripen fully, even in cases where one had waited for as long as one could - or dared. Compared with 2003, and to a lesser degree 2007, 2009 is the best of the three, but with three out of 10 vintages going down in history as hot and even very hot, and with 2011 and 2012 continuing in similar vein, it is clear that climate change cannot be ignored or denied. Therefore, it will be vital for producers to think of strategies and vineyard practices to deal with this trend. A reshuffling of the cards may be at hand, and sites generally considered too cool to ripen Nebbiolo properly may well be the crus of tomorrow. A couple of tendencies between the different communes of Barolo became evident. Castiglione Falletto generally showed notably ripe fruit and fairly low acidity in the wines. The last 10 wines of this commune gave me the feeling that I was tasting the same wine over and over again, but palate fatigue may have played a role in this too. The small commune of Verduno proved to be one of the stars of the vintage with fresher and more elegant wines than some of the other communes. Serralunga excelled in 2009, as it does in most years. Wine lovers should keep a close eye on this commune that almost always seems to over-deliver, especially in warm years. Though the wines generally need age before they can be approached, in quite a few cases here they are already very tactile and giving rich pleasure. It is also here I would pick most of my choices in this vintage. The commune of Barolo, and especially its cru Cannubi, was atypically rich and dense and in some cases so much so that you hardly recognised this cru, which should be about elegance. But 2009 has delivered some pretty chunky fruit. The tasting of La Morra wines, called a 'highway to hell' by one of my colleagues pictured above, is always controversial. Owing to its enormous size compared with the other communes, it is almost by nature the most irregular one, with great and transparent Nebbiolo expressions next to dull and overoaked wines. And it is true: La Morra still loves oak, or, rather, oak is more prominent in La Morra wines than in the those of the other communes. This certainly has to do with the percentage of new French oak used, but that doesn't necessarily mean the other communes use much less. It might just be that in La Morra in general the fruit is still interpreted in the wrong fashion. Most of my colleagues expressed their disappointment after having tasted La Morra. Too oaky, too rich, too alcoholic, were some of the statements. You can hear comments like these almost every year, and not without reason, but I am not yet going to join in La Morra bashing because I did find quite a few very good wines. Bussia, Monforte's most important cru, if only by sheer size, looked austere and not very accessible or charming. But it has become pretty much impossible to generalise about this cru, after its recent unreasonable enlargement. It may well be the ugly duckling of the vintage, however, with the predominance of paleish ruby colour in quite a few wines. It will be interesting to see how these wines develop in the next couple of years. Monforte in general seemed much less ripe and a little harder in its current youthful state, but also less truccato, or made up. There are quite a few transparent wines, which at the same time can be quite austere. During the tasting the wines really needed to be cajoled out of the glass to get a message on the nose and palate. Their hefty tannic charge suggests prolonged ageing but the fragrant fruit aromas seem to indicate that a four- to six-year cellar period would show these wines at their best. Leathery, gamey reductive notes on some wines disappeared with extended aeration, so it can safely be said that it is not a general characteristic of the grape or the commune. BLENDED FROM MORE THAN ONE COMMUNE Free access Learn about wine Free for all Wines of the week Nick on restaurants Events diary Videos Travel tips Books/Digistuff Where to buy Where to store Links and addresses Jancis recommends Purple Pages Paid membership access only Tasting notes Members' forum Oxford Companion to Wine World Atlas of Wine maps Inside information Don't quote me Alder on America Alex on taste Your (re)views Clavesana 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Lacklustre mid ruby with orange tinges. Lots of concentrated fruit and tannic grip and just a touch leathery. Already developed, so not for the long haul.

2 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 2 di 11 Cascina Fontana 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Concentrated ruby. Supple and approachable if a little oxidative. Pleasant, but Barolo should be more than just that. Gemma 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. At first a little malty and notes of strawberry fruit and hint of tar. Enjoyable and for the here and now. Bartolo Mascarello 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Developing mid ruby with orange rim. Interesting nose of spice, dried fruit and strawberry. Bags of ripe fruit on the palate. A little atypical for Mascarello, all that rich fruit. Oddero, Rocche di Castiglione 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Just mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Gripping, sweet strawberry fruit. Very slow but steady developing aromas on the finish. Huge length. Luigi Oddero 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Mid ruby with orange tinges. Holds back on the nose a little, but shows ripe fruit on the palate. You could drink this now with food, that is. Pio Cesare 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Iron and a little pruney. Generous fruit with a solid structure. Powerful but not heavy. Prunotto 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Just mid ruby with broad orange rim. A little reductive on the nose. Succulent ripe fruit complemented by muscular tannins, but on the whole not very inspiring. Pietro Rinaldi 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Quite deep maturing ruby. Mature and quite sweet and developed fruit. Practically ready now. Terre da Vino, Vinum Vita Est 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Mid to dark ruby with orange rim. A little stalky on the nose. Quite rich fruit with stalky tannin. Competently made. Terre del Barolo 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Very restraint herb nose with hint of leather and oak. Sweet strawberry fruit with astringent tannins but with a convincing length. Terre del Barolo, Essenze 2009 Barolo 14.5 Drink Surprisingly dark ruby with orange-tinged rim. Already progressed and oxidative. Ripe and dense and a little simple. BAROLO Cascina Adelaide, Cannubi 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Medium concentrated ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Just a little stalky and hints of oak. Elegant sweet fruit really getting momentum on the tannic finish. Barale, Castellero 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Barolo. Mid ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Mellow, dense fruitcake and cinnamon contrasted by highish acidity. That will be its lifeline. Multilayered finish with coating tannins. Confusing message but convincing finish. Serio e Battista Borgogno, Cannubi 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with broad rim. Seductive oak and very fine strawberry coulis. Youthful. Lots of grainy tannins but well balanced. Brezza, Bricco Sarmassa 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Barolo. Palish ruby with watery orange-tinged rim. Compact and a little closed on the nose. Fluid and supple on the palate, with a good dose of crunchy and lasting tannins on the finish. Competently made and quite complex and elegant. Brezza, Sarmassa 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with watery orange rim. Earthy at first, then fine sweet strawberry fruit. Concentrated but elegant and firmly tannic. Long fruit finish and still a little tough at the moment. Bric Cenciurio, Coste di Rose 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby. Solid, balanced fruit with a rich tannic finish. Bric Cenciurio, Monrobiolo di Bussia 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Held-back nose hinting at iron and spice. Elegant palate weight and brooding sweet fruit locked up in the tannic charge. Chewy, but promising finish. Cascina Bruciata, Cannubi Muscatel 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Barolo. Mid ruby with orange rim. Ripe and just a little stewed. Can be drunk now, and not one to hold on to forever. Cagliero, Ravera 2009 Barolo 16+ Drink Commune of Barolo. Youthful-looking mid ruby. In need of lots of air to open up and with only hints of fine, ripe fruit. Same slowness on the palate and with great structure and balance and a crunchy, lasting finish. Cavalier Bartolomeo, Cannubi San Lorenzo 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Barolo. Mid ruby and a little lacklustre, orange tinges. Subdued but fine spiced nose and very slow to open up. Bracing acidity and slightly drying tannins on the finish. Subdued but long fruit finish. Seems old school. Michele Chiarlo, Cannubi 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with orange rim. Sweet and voluptuous strawberry and gingerbread notes. Quite open and looks like it s almost ready now. Could do with more finesse. Fast developing. Comm G B Burlotto, Vigneto Cannubi 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with broad rim. Very tight and with a hint of Moroccan leather. Grainy, chewy tannins framing a very elegant palate. Huge fruit concentration and length, but yet to open up and define itself. Damilano, Cannubi 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with broad orange rim. Heady dried fruit and herbs and gingerbread. Supple palate with firm tannins. Flirtatious but well made.

3 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 3 di 11 Luigi Einaudi, Cannubi 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Palish ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Savoury and only very slowly showing sweet cherry. Ripe fruit with depth and concentration and with a richly tannic finish. Luigi Einaudi, Costa Grimaldi 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of Barolo. Mid ruby with watery rim. Savoury at first and with hints of oak. Sweetly concentrated with an elegant palate weight and gripping tannin. Long and satisfying. Angelo Germano, Vigna Ruè 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with broad orange rim. Balsamic and with notes of spice. Quite sweet and ripe and accessible but could gain in complexity with more age. Giacomo Grimaldi, Le Coste 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Quite deep ruby with orange tinges. A little earthy and not yet open on the nose. Mellow, ripe fruit with dried fruit notes and big tannins. Not hugely expressive at this moment. A little sturdy. Marcarini, Brunate 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Barolo. Palish ruby with watery orange-tinged rim. A little stalky and herbal at first. Dried tamarind notes. Tannins are a little tough and it lacks a bit of fruit to offset the tannic charge. Marchesi di Barolo, Cannubi 2009 Barolo 16+ Drink Commune of Barolo. Quite concentrated ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Concentrated strawberry fruit held back by creamy notes. Ripe, easygoing fruit with good tannic grip. Marchesi di Barolo, Sarmassa 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Concentrated, youthful-looking mid ruby. Perfumed but slow to open up. Same embryonic impression on the palate. Quite mellow and almost a little jammy on the richly concentrated finish. Clinging tannins. Mirafiore, Paiagallo 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Barolo. Youthful-looking mid ruby. Not hugely fruit driven on the nose but expressive on the palate with rich strawberry fruit. Tough at the moment, but there is balance as well as length. Ripe fruit finish with powerful tannins. E Pira di Chiara Boschis, Cannubi 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Barolo. Youthful mid ruby. Savoury and serious. Sweet, brooding layer of fruit and hints of oak and leather. Lots of concentration but not ready by far. Very backward and quite solid for Cannubi. Sweet dried-fruit hints on a firm but ripe tannic finish. Giuseppe Rinaldi, Brunate Le Coste 2009 Barolo 17.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby. Multilayered leather, spice, cedar and dried fruit, iron and orange peel. Palate is light of touch, pretty muscular and concentrated and long. Impressive and for the long haul. Giuseppe Rinaldi, Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera 2009 Barolo 17.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Still youthful-looking mid ruby with just the beginning of orange on the rim. A little dusty and broodingly sweet strawberry jam. Quite intense, concentrated fruit but not yet open. Beautiful lightness of touch on the palate. Francesco Rinaldi e Figli, Cannubbio 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with a pale rim. A little reductive and closed on the fruit. Elegant but backward palate. Fine fruit sweetness and a little creaminess from the oak. Pretty impressive, ripe tannic structure. Acidity only turns up on the finish. Sylla Sebaste, Bussia 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Closed but with complex fruitcake hints and spice. Gentle, round fruit and then massive tannins. Le Strette, Bergeisa 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Barolo. Concentrated mid ruby with orange tinges. Complex sweet and earthy spicy nose. Only hints of dried fruit, but otherwise backward. A little chunky, but solid and with real length. G D Vajra, Albe 2009 Barolo?? Drink?? Commune of Barolo. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Dangerously oxidative and showing browning-apple notes. Two samples tasted. Cask sample? Same tiredness on the palate. No score. Giovanni Viberti, Buon Padre 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Barolo. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Meaty and savoury and a little hollow. There is some fruit sweetness but it doesn t match the tannic charge. Perhaps more to come? Virna Borgogno, Cannubi Boschis 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Concentrated nose with pronounced notes of Moroccan leather, oatmeal and vanilla. Not enormously fruit driven for the moment. Rich, coating and ripe tannins. Complex multilayered finish. Well made. Virna Borgogno, Preda Sarmassa 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of Barolo. Just mid ruby with orange-tinged rim. A little reductive at first. Concentrated but not sweet and near-perfect balance. Quite powerful tannins complement the sweet fruit. Much more powerful and less flattering than the other Sarmassas. CASTIGLIONE FALLETTO Anna Maria Abbona 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Tightly knit, persistent strawberry fruit with structuring grainy tannins. Promising. Azelia, Bricco Fiasco 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Bright pale ruby with orange tinges. Dried-fruit notes on the nose and palate and highish acidity. Not entirely balanced and a little simple. Bongiovanni 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Youthful-looking mid ruby. Powerful fruit and perhaps a little confected. Dry oak tannin on a very rich finish.

4 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 4 di 11 Bongiovanni, Pernanno 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Concentrated mid ruby. Fleshy, round fruit with a firm tannic grip. Solid. Boroli 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Palish ruby with watery orange rim. Ripe fruit with pretty solid tannins. Ripe fruit is key on a complex and long finish. Boroli, Villero 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Just mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Soft and forward with hints of dried fruit and oak. Fairly low in acidity and with a tannic charge. Brovia, Rocche 2009 Barolo 17+ Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Just mid ruby. Subdued iron, marzipan and marasca cherry and a little medicinal. Quite tannic but with a sweet concentrated fruit core to match. Impressive, powerful, long finish. Cavalier Bartolomeo, Altenasso 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Lacklustre pale ruby. More savoury than fruity on the nose. Sweet fruit but without real depth. A little tough and one-dimensional on the finish. Cavallotto, Bricco Boschis 2009 Barolo 18 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Mid ruby with orange-tinged rim. Chalky, herbal nose with fine perfumed sweet fruit rising up from the glass. Ripe, elegant and firmly tannic. Complex understated, multilayered finish with a wave of gravelly tannins and ripe acidity. Fascinating. Franco Conterno, Vigna Pugnane 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Holds back on the nose but shows ripe, dense and sweet fruit on the palate with lowish acidity. Cordero di Montezemolo, Enrico VI 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Concentrated mid ruby with orange tinges. Rich nose of sweet fruit and fruitcake notes. Already open and easygoing, mellow almost. Sped-up evolution cask sample? Not hugely challenging. Giacomo Fenocchio, Villero 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Just mid ruby. Stony, minerally herbal nose. Round fruit with little tension. Acidity turns up only on the finish, while the tannins add much needed contrast. Livia Fontana 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Just mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Lifted wild strawberry. Powerful, fruit driven, and with a long finish but could be a little fresher. Livia Fontana, Villero 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Quite pale ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Lifted herbal nose. Sweet and just a little jammy with a wave of grainy tannins. Soft, vanilla hints on the finish and bags of strawberry fruit. Relentless. Fratelli Giacosa, Mandorlo 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Lacklustre mid ruby. Almost rich strawberry nose with a touch of leather. The fruit is dangerously ripe but manages to keep the balance on the tannic finish. Massolino, Parussi 2009 Barolo 17+ Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Youthful mid ruby. Transparent and elegant but closed. Great balance and bite on the finish. Long, complete. Monchiero, Rocche di Castiglione Falletto 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Palish ruby with watery orange rim. Quite sweet, with grainy tannins and fairly low acidity. Montanello 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Palish ruby with watery orange rim. Soft, mellow and a little too innocent for Barolo. Oddero, Villero 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Developed looking palish ruby with orange rim. Soft, round and not that demanding. A little alcoholic. Parusso, Mariondino 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. A concentrated, deep ruby. Quite substantial and almost rich, but lacks a little elegance to entirely convince. Roccheviberti, Rocche di Castiglione 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Palish ruby with watery orange rim. Brash, sweet fruit and oak. Seems a little stewed. Paolo Scavino, Bric del Fiasc 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Almost opaque ruby. A little numb on the nose. Full bodied and quite rich in fruit, and with rich tannins. Lacks a little finesse, or just bottle age. Francesco Sobrero, Ciabot Tanasio 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Palish ruby with orange rim. Expressive sweet spice nose with hints of leather. Has a light-bodied feel to it but with full-on sweet fruit. Almost a little overpowering. Sordo, Rocche di Castiglione 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Castiglione Falletto. Pale ruby with orange tinges. Very accessible and round, but with complexity on the finish. Looks innocent at first but ends powerful. LA MORRA Cascina Adelaide, Fossati 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep, almost dark ruby with orange tinges. Attractive but developed oak nose with the beginning of tar. Palate is less sped up with compact but succulent fruit and gripping tannins. Still needs time. Crissante Alessandria, La Punta dei Capalot 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Poured from magnum cask sample. Developed-looking ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Vanilla notes and already a little oxidised and pushing the dried fruit button. Great grainy tannic structure and very appealing, but the fruit is already dangerously developed. Must be the condition of the cask sample?

5 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 5 di 11 Ballarin, Bricco Rocca 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby. Sweet and ripe strawberry fruit, but it could do with a little more lift. Enzo Boglietti, Fossati 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with pale orange-tinged rim. A little upfront in its spiciness and a hint of leather. Quite sweet and extracted, but not very complex. Bosco Agostino, La Serra 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with orange rim. Sweet and herbal more than fruity. Creamy round fruit, which could do with a little more lift and focus. Renato Buganza 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep ruby with bright orange-tinged rim. Already quite open and generous and with a hint of oak. Supple and ripe and with genuine Nebbiolo complexity. Quite upfront tannins but there is lots of fruit and a lovely acidic spurt on the finish to balance this out. Modern. Camparo 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with orange-tinged rim. Spice more than fruit and hinting at dried fruit but really compact and restraint. Classic Barolo with notes of dried fruit and cherry on the palate. Tannins are a little drying, making the acidity look a little bracing. But has real length and complexity. Could do with a little more time. Casetta, Case Nere 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Palish developed-looking ruby with broad orange rim. Just a little leathery and the beginning of tar. Fruit seems to mature fast but tannins add crunch and focus. Ceretto, Bricco Rocche Brunate 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with watery, broad, orange rim. Just a tiny bit stewed on the nose. Very ripe fruit palate, sweet and accessible and lots of grainy tannin. Could be a little more complex. Michele Chiarlo, Cerequio 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Multilayered fruit with hints of iron and firm, polished tannins. Every inch a Barolo. Impressive. Ciabot Berton, Rochettevino 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid to deep ruby with orange rim. Balsamic and a little savoury. Ripe and without a lot of expression, also perhaps of the lowish acidity. Ciabot Berton, Roggeri 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges on the rim. A good mouthful of ripe fruit. Full bodied and with the right dose of acidity, but on the whole a little rustic. Cordero di Montezemolo, Bricco Gattera 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with orange-tinged rim. Leafy understated fruit. Sweet and ripe bordering on rich. Waves of ripe tannin and hints of oak matched by ripe fruit and with just the right amount of acidity. Generous mouthful of fruit. Curto, La Foia 2009 Barolo 14.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep and maturing ruby with narrow orange trim. Very ripe and quite developed. Gingerbread fruit finish. A little dull. Curto, La Foia Arborina 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with orange rim. Really ripe and soft and already a little developed on the nose. Somewhat bitter and astringent tannins dominate a soft fruit finish. Dosio 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Marzipan and marasca cherry and hints of herbs. Quite mellow and round and a little drying on the finish. Giuseppe Ellena 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid concentrated ruby with orange tinges. A little oxidative and immediate. Sweet strawberry fruit and signs of oxidation. Bad cask sample? Giuseppe Ellena, Ascheri 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with watery orange. Brooding spicy nose with herb liqueur notes. Tightly folded and not yet open on the palate with hints of oak, but really well balanced. Elegant palate weight and compact firm tannins. Perfumed finish. A complete whole, but not ready yet. Francone 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Dark, brooding and a little herbal, with soft, ripe fruit. Not the most demanding but suitable stuff for Nebbiolo novices. Gagliasso, Rocche dell'annunziata 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with broad watery orange-tinged rim. Fine oak adding a sense of sweetness to the ripe fruit. Impressive build and just the right amount of acidity. Gagliasso, Torriglione 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Quite dark ruby. Rich ripe fruit with a good dollop of acidity and tannins. Not the most refined, but pretty genuine. Tomaso Gianolio 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby and a little lacklustre. Savoury fruit with hint of Moroccan leather and a little tarry. Concentrated, ripe fruit keeping the tannins in check. Perfectly acceptable. Silvio Grasso, Bricco Luciani 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid to deep lacklustre ruby with orange tinges. Savoury and the merest hint of leather. Backward. Fluid ripe fruit with rich, polished tannins. Very long. Silvio Grasso, Turnè 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby and a little lacklustre. Sweet cherry liqueur. Tannic as a Barolo should be, but not very complex and a little hard on the finish. Luigino Grimaldi, Vigna San Biagio 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with a watery orange rim. Slow and dark on the nose. Very slow on the palate too with closed fruit and lots of coating tannin. Almost fully integrated acidity. Not without complexity but not very hedonistic either.

6 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 6 di 11 L'Illuminata, Tebavio 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Heady herb and cherry liqueur nose and a little bit dusty. Low-key fruit slowly opening up and ripe, grainy tannin framing the whole. Marcarini, La Serra 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with a watery orange-tinged rim. A little funky and strangely exotic on the nose, as well as oxidative on the palate. Marco Marengo, Brunate 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of La Morra. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Seriously multilayered nose with the merest hint of oak. Backward and solidly built, with a powerful, beautifully balanced structure. Very slow and long and not ready by far. Massimo Penna, La Serra 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Developed-looking ruby with orange rim. Mature nose with posh oak and ripe fruit with gingerbread notes. Already accessible and a little onedimensional. Too long in oak, or is this a cask sample? Could be a little fresher. Mauro Molino, Vigna Conca 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Dark ruby with orange-tinged rim. Quite ripe and with more than a hint of oak. Ends on drying tannins. Mauro Molino, Vigna Gancia 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Medium concentration with a dark centre and orange-tinged rim. Quite serious coating tannins and fine oak notes, but the fruit is still hibernating. Good balance and length though. Worth the wait. Cascina del Monastero, Bricco Luciani 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with pale orange-tinged rim. Herbal and with the beginning of tobacco leaf. Quite dry on the finish and could do with a little more extract to even this out. Negretti 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Soft, ripe and a little voluptuous and just a little drying on the finish. Andrea Oberto, Vigneto Rocche 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid to deep ruby with orange rim. Posh oak and vanilla and concentrated fruit. Attractive but already with the first oxidative notes. Savoury and ripe fruit and tannins giving real hold and structure. Perhaps a tad too much oak. Mario Olivero, Bricco Rocca 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep lacklustre ruby with orange tinges. Lifted sweet fruitcake and oak nose and the first signs of oxidation too long in oak? Cask sample? Pretty fruit and oak palate, but fails to really shine. Drying tannin. Vladimiro Rambaldi, Il Lauro 2009 Barolo 14.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Dark and almost brownish ruby. Full-blown sweet Christmas cake and cinnamon. Stewed-fruit palate. Not much life span. Renato Ratti, Conca 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Dark ruby with orange rim. Dark and sweetly brooding. Resin notes. Perhaps a little too ripe and easygoing, but with a firm tannic core. Renato Ratti, Rocche 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid to deep ruby. Very lifted (VA?) and energetic on the nose. Lifted dark fruit and lots of well handled oak. Quite a different Rocche from the rest of the flight. Still very young with bags of grainy tannins. Modernist but well done, and not a little controversial. Fratelli Revello, Conca 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep ruby with orange rim. Nose with real interest of cherry and dried fruit. Mouthfilling fruit with gripping, grainy tannin. Slow and long and not giving away a lot. Fratelli Revello, Giachini 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby and a little lacklustre. Round, and more than a hint of dried fruit, but multilayered too. Big tannins match the concentrated fruit finish. Reverdito, Castagni 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep, maturing ruby with orange rim. Concentrated, but not too sweet fruitcake nose. Easy and accessible and with hints of vanilla and waves of tannin on the finish. Perhaps a little popular and certainly maturing quickly. Rocche Costamagna, Rocche dell'annunziata 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with broad orange rim. Concentrated, intense deep palate with rich coating tannins. Still compact but long and with lasting power. San Biagio, Rochettevino 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with broad orange rim. Sweet and a little creamy on the nose. Quite developed fruit palate and almost a little innocent. Low acidity. Seems practically ready now. Franco Ziliani is a professed fan of this wine, but perhaps he tasted a better sample. San Biagio, Sorì del Rovere 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with orange-tinged rim. Tight strawberry and cherry nose. Big tannins, but sweet fruit persists. Just the right amount of acidity. Aurelio Settimo 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with a broad orange-tinged rim. Supple fruit and quite a lot of tannins. Multilayered finish. Solid entry-level Barolo. Aurelio Settimo, Rocche dell'annunziata 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid to deep ruby with orange-tinged rim. Balsamic, and restraint with rich clinging tannin. Lots of extract and power and nothing out of kilter. Very young. Stroppiana, Vigna San Giacomo 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Just mid ruby with watery orange rim. A little stalky/vegetal and meaty on the nose. Generous and supple on the palate without huge complexity. Tannic finish but already accessible. Trediberri 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Unusually dark and almost impenetrable ruby. Lifted oak and sweet red and dark fruit. A little formulaic. Dense ripe fruit palate matched by bags of grainy tannin. Firmly modernist. More winemaking than vineyard.

7 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 7 di 11 Alessandro Veglio 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of La Morra. Quite deep, lacklustre ruby. Lifted and almost minty. Quite transparent strawberry fruit with a striking structure. Alessandro Veglio, Gattera 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Quite concentrated deep ruby. Lifted pronounced dark fruit and sweet oak clearly a modernist approach. The concentrated fruit soaks up the big, but not rough, tannin. Very young and yet already approachable. Long and intense. Competently made, but less oak would have worked too. Mauro Veglio, Rocche dell'annunziata 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid to deep ruby. Earthy gingerbread at first and really slow to open up. Supple mid-weight palate with underlying but powerful grainy tannins. Still firmly closed on the fruit. Eraldo Viberti, Rochettevino 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep ruby and a little lacklustre. Just a little bit stewed and oxidative and richly tannic. Is this a cask sample prepared too long ago? Giovanni Viberti, Rochettevino 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of La Morra. Deep ruby and a little lacklustre. Just a little bit stewed and oxidative and richly tannic. Is this a cask sample prepared too long ago? Vietti, Brunate 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with palish orange rim. A little reductive on the nose and quite closed on the palate. Fruit in the grip of tannins, yet elegantly built and balanced. Understated. For the long haul. Alberto Voerzio 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Concentrated ruby with orange-tinged rim. Hints of gingerbread and dried cherry. Supple and abundant fruit. Easy going and with good length. Alberto Voerzio, La Serra 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of La Morra. Mid ruby with orange rim. Earthy sweet fruit and fruit cake. Quite complex but seems to be maturing a little too fast. Gianni Voerzio, La Serra 2009 Barolo 17.5 Drink Commune of La Morra. Dark ruby with orange tinges. Youthful and savoury. Great concentration going hand in hand with gripping tannins on the finish. Very young. VERDUNO Fratelli Alessandria, Monvigliero 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Verduno. Mid ruby with orange rim. Balsamic and a little dusty. Iron. Gripping tannins framing brooding fruit. Finish is complex if very slow to emerge. Ascheri, Pisapola 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Verduno. Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Hints of Moroccan leather and spice. Ripe fruit and firm tannins. Not very complex but has great length. Bel Colle, Boscato 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Verduno. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Savoury and minerally fruit. Surprisingly accessible although firm tannins demand more bottle age. Bosco Agostino, Neirane 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Verduno. Mid ruby with orange rim. A little bit pruney at first but with energetic acidity. Great tannic crunch on a multilayered fruit finish. Castello di Verduno, Massara 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Verduno. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Ripe strawberry fruit with just the right dose of acidity. Very long and intense. Comm G B Burlotto, Acclivi 2009 Barolo 17.5 Drink Commune of Verduno. Concentrated ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Intense liquorice at first. Followed by minerally fruit. Intense fruit-driven, compact, tannic finish. Lots to come. WS) Paolo Scavino, Monvigliero 2009 Barolo 17+ Drink Commune of Verduno. Dark ruby. Meaty and savoury and with real depth of fruit. Lots of concentration, waves of grainy tannins and pretty precise. MONFORTE D'ALBA Marziano Abbona, Pressenda 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Closed on the nose, but the fruit appears on the palate, if hesitantly so. A little dry on the finish. Could be more expressive, but perhaps this will come in time? Fratelli Alessandria 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with an orange rim. Closed sweet strawberry. Youthful, concentrated, and with the right balance between acidity and tannin. Understated, long, and certainly in need of more age. Gianfranco Alessandria 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Lifted, sweet, and a little confected but with good acidity without being harsh. Consumer friendly. Gianfranco Alessandria, San Giovanni 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Immediate complex balsamic oak nose. Pretty fruit palate with rich tannins. Long. Amalia 2009 Barolo 14.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Bright mid ruby with orange rim. Subdued pruney nose. A little void and no real concentration. Ballarin, Bussia 2009 Barolo 13 Drink?? Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with an orange rim. Really nutty and oxidative. Looks like a cask sample completely out of condition and showing just oak. Barale, Bussia 2009 Barolo Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Just mid ruby with watery orange-tinged rim. Fine fruit and vanilla nose. Elegant cherry and a hint of orange. Fine fragrant and succulent and with a muscular tannic charge on the finish. Unadorned and genuine.

8 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 8 di 11 Silvano Bolmida, Vigne dei Fantini 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with orange rim. Quite leathery and lifted and a little stalky. Pretty palate and a striking contrast with the rustic nose. Silvano Bolmida, Bussia 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with orange-tinged rim. Pronounced iron and just a touch of leather. Fruit seems a little locked in on the nose. Transparent, if austere and embryonic for the moment and with a fine cherry-fruit finish. Chicco, Rocche di Castelletto 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Just mid ruby with pale orange-tinged rim. Upfront sweet strawberry. A little jammy on the palate contrasted by dry tannins. Domenico Clerico, Ciabot Mentin 2009 Barolo 18 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic fruitcake and cardamom skin. Fine cherry fruit with a layer of coating tannins. Intense, long and with a hint of vanilla. Quite spectacular and modernist but executed with huge skill. Colla, Dardi le Rose Bussia 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Palish ruby with watery orange-tinged rim. A little stalky and underwhelming. Tough tannins and suppressed but soft sweet fruit aromas on the finish. Diego Conterno, Le Coste 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby and a little lacklustre. Quite complex if a little tough on the palate and with a fragrant, austere finish. Franco Conterno, Bussia Munie 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated, mid ruby with orange-tinged rim. Lifted, pronounced and concentrated. A core of genuine cherry fruit wrapped up in firm tannins. Not really approachable, but its class is obvious. Conterno Fantino, Sori Ginestra 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Sweet oak, leather and hints of prune and cinnamon. Very backward but with a layer of ripe, complex fruit underneath the firm tannin. Costa di Bussia 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Maturing ruby with orange rim. Hints of prune, orange and oak, and firmly closed. First stubborn on the palate then rather mellow fruit followed by big tannins. A little underwhelming, at least for the moment. Costa di Bussia, Campo dei Buoi 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with orange-tinged rim. Expressive spice and herbal nose and hints of Moroccan leather. Round ripe fruit but lacking real definition. Drying tannins. Deltetto, Sistaglia 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with orange rim. Compact and ripe but not open yet by far. Hint of oak on the finish with firm but not rough tannins. Well made if a little popular. Giacomo Fenocchio, Bussia 2009 Barolo 17.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Fine oak and fruit just opening up on the palate. Understated and long. La Fusina 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Mid ruby with orange tinges. Pretty, concentrated brooding Nebbiolo nose. Lots of extract and mellow fruit and just enough acidity to pull it off. Big tannins. Angelo Germano, Mondoca Dardi 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with orangey rim. Sweet strawberry on the verge of jammy. Lots of grainy tannins and a little upfront but should reach higher heights with bottle age. Fratelli Giacosa, Bussia 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated mid ruby with orange tinges. Attractive, with a hint of leather, blood orange and cherry but not really forthcoming. Quite austere and serious and with true Nebbiolo character. Perfectly judged oak. Giovanni Manzone, Castelletto 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Spice and a hint of camphor, pretty oak, and the merest suggestion of prune and cherry. Compact and still tight and multilayered with the right concentration. Very tannic but not rough. Needs much more time before this can be approached. Cascina del Monastero, Perno 2009 Barolo 14.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Palish ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Quite malty with bracing acidity and only modestly fruity. Monti 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with broad orange rim. Savoury with hints of new oak and sweet cherry fruit. Modernist approach but well judged and balanced. Monti, Bussia 2009 Barolo 14.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Deep ruby with watery orange-tinged rim. Powerfully, nutty oak covering up the fruit and adding a load of drying tannins to the finish. A little brutal. Pecchenino, Le Coste 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with broad orange rim. Lifted and yet not really open. Noticeably complex, succulent and with grip. Pecchenino, San Giuseppe 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Just mid ruby with pale orange-tinged rim. Shoe polish, iron and cherry. Understated fruit palate with lots of powdery tannins. Elegant and restrained and more to come. Prunotto, Bussia 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Bright, only just mid ruby with orange tinge. Balsamic and earthy/spicy. Bracing acidity locking the light fruit. A little tough and underwhelming. Gianmatteo Raineri, Monserra 2009 Barolo 12 Drink?? Commune of Monforte d Alba. Very concentrated deep ruby. Oxidative, full-blown dried fruit and raw oak. Could be a badly prepped cask sample but the amount of oak and the overripe fruit certainly play their own part in the oxidation. Rocca 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Just mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Sweet and

9 Barolo overview and 200+ reviews Fine Wine Writing & Wine Reviews fro... Pagina 9 di 11 balsamic with a hint of eucalyptus. Obvious vanilla-laced fruit and drying (oak) tannins. Ruggeri Corsini, Bussia 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Unusually dark and lacklustre ruby. Hints of leather and a little peppery. Austere fruit with firm tannins. Tight and even a little severe on the finish. Ruggeri Corsini, San Pietro 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Quite dark and lacklustre ruby. Already a little developed and mellow but with surprisingly dry tannins. A little simple. Josetta Saffirio 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Quite deep ruby with just the beginning of orange. Hints of horse saddle, leather and vanilla pod. The fruit comes only out on the tannic finish. Quite tough at the moment and lacks a little in complexity. Josetta Saffirio, Pensiera 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Very dark ruby for a Nebbiolo. Balsamic and herbal and not really showing a lot of fruit at the moment. Same reluctance of fruit on the palate, but with elegant weight and lots of drying tannins. Simone Scaletta, Chirlet 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Pretty ripe strawberry fruit and hints of oak and leather. Supple red-fruit palate with just enough concentration to match the firm tannin. Seghesio, La Villa 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Lifted round strawberry, with good concentration. Not hugely complex, but will do nicely. Stroppiana, Gabutti Bussia 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Maturing ruby with orange rim. balsamic leathery and herbal. Fragrant and with good length, but not nearly open on the palate. Bitter tannic charge on the finish. A little severe. Mauro Veglio, Castelletto 2009 Barolo 15 Drink Commune of Monforte d Alba. Surprisingly dark and youthful-looking ruby. Popular prune and oak nose. Soft but expressive fruit let down by drying tannins on the finish. SERRALUNGA Giacomo Anselma 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Mid ruby with orange rim. Quite reductive and leathery with the merest hint of horse saddle. Sweetly concentrated and somewhat monolithic and square. May be its youthfulness. Ascheri, Sorano 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Savoury and a little nutty. Tannins are a little tough but there is some pretty concentrated fruit there. Great succulent finish. Just a tiny bit dry. Azelia, Margheria 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Mid concentrated ruby with orange-tinged rim. Immediate dried fruit and gingerbread on the nose. Concentrated strawberry fruit with a good dose of acidity but cannot entirely shake off the impression of oxidation. Enzo Boglietti, Arione 2009 Barolo 16.5 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Dried fruit and spice with nutty oak notes and tobacco. Already developed and a little upfront. Succulent fruit laced with oak and lots of grainy tannins. A real charmer and already approachable. Brovia, Ca' Mia 2009 Barolo 17.5 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Just mid ruby with watery rim. Balsamic and herbal and firmly closed on the nose. Aromatic cherry fruit that is still to build a unity with the muscular tannins. Fantastic crude material. Long! Ca'Rome', Cerretta 2009 Barolo 17+ Drink Commune of Serralunga. Just mid ruby with watery orange-tinged rim. Very slow to open up on the nose. Tightly knit fruit and compact tannins with perfectly judged oak. Waves and waves of grainy tannins matched by the intensity of the fruit. Well built and very young. Le Cecche, Sorano 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated ruby and a little lacklustre. Potent, creamy oak nose covering the sweet fruit a little, but on the palate it has almost absorbed the oak entirely. Modernist with huge extract, and with the signature Serralunga compact muscular tannins. Not to be approached yet. Ceretto, Prapò 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Multilayered dried fruit and spice. Savoury too. Lots of sweet fruit matched to rich tannins. Very intense and needs more age to calm down. Wonderfully tactile, tannic finish. Cucco 2009 Barolo 15.5 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Quite concentrated ruby with orange tinges and a little lacklustre. Creamy oak and dried fruit. Rather sweet and round and almost a little innocent, but appealing rich tannins to add interest. Rather developed already. Fontanafredda, Serralunga d'alba 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated, almost dark ruby and still quite youthful looking. Savoury sweet with clinging tannins and succulent strawberry fruit on the finish. Still young but already delicious. Gabutti Boasso 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated, lacklustre ruby. Very tight, reductive nose with hints of incense. Compact, well-built palate with great balance. Wall-to-wall tannins and fruit without going over the top. Real Serralunga character. Gemma, Colarej 2009 Barolo 16 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated but lacklustre deep ruby with orange rim. Savoury and meaty as well as a little leathery and reductive. A little numb on the palate and closed on the fruit, but building interest as well as grip on the finish. Ettore Germano, Cerretta 2009 Barolo 17 Drink Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Sweetly concentrated strawberry fruit with a hint of fruitcake and perfectly balancing acidity, followed by the famous Serralunga tannins. Deceptively approachable but will last.