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Brilliant garnet and streamlined in appearance, the 2010 Barolo Bricco Rocche is understated, eloquent and extremely elegant. The magic was lost in the warmer 2009 edition, but the 2010 expression aspires to the highest level of Nebbiolo craftsmanship. This wine is like a musical prelude: Those soft harmonies that build in momentum and volume before the whole symphony begins. Barolo Bricco Rocche needs more time before it reaches it optimal drinking window. It’s music to my ears. Drink: 2017-2035.Ceretto delivers a seamless performance in 2010 with an impressive succession of top scoring wines across its various vineyard designates. The 2009 lineup showed less consistency, but the 2010 Ceretto wines are nothing short of irresistible.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPSweet tobacco, freshly cut flowers, rose petals and sweet red berries, all framed by silky tannins are the signatures in Ceretto’s 2010 Barolo Bricco Rocche. Graced with exquisite finesse, the Bricco Rocche offers a little more textural polish than the Prapò at this early stage. At the same time, elements of intrigue remain, suggesting the 2010 isn’t showing all of its cards just yet. Overall, this is a fairly dark Barolo for the site at this stage, although the wine does open up very nicely with time in the glass. Sweet floral and spice notes are woven into the finish. Today, the Bricco Rocche is the most elusive of Ceretto’s 2010s. I can’t wait to see how it ages.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGA young Barolo with complexity and style. Reserved and held back. Full body, with layers of lightly chewy yet polished tannins. It unfolds on your palate. All in finesse. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is spicy and elegant, with savory notes of tobacco and tar surrounding the core of sweet cherry and licorice. Firm and lean, featuring tea and mineral accents on the finish. Complex and refined overall. Best from 2018 through 2032. 140 cases made, 12 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSBlack cherry, red raspberry, oak, espresso, coffee, white pepper and sage sensations take center stage on this tightly wound red. The nervous acidity needs time to soften, and the astringent wood tannins leave a drying finish. Drink after 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Gaja's 2013 Sperss is fabulous. Deep and powerful, yet also wonderfully translucent, the 2013 hits all the right notes. Graphite, game, smoke, licorice, plum, black cherry and dark spice are some of the signatures, but as is always the case with the best vintages, Sperss is a wine of vertical intensity and muscle. The 2013 won't be anywhere near ready to drink for a number of years. All the pedgiree and character of these Serralunga sites come through in an exceptionally beautiful and vivid Barolo from Gaja.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe gem of the 2013s is the 2013 Barolo Sperss which comes from limestone-dominated soils. The 2013 is deep, concentrated, and structured, with a fabulous sense of minerality in its black cherry, leafy herbs, damp earth, and licorice aromas and flavors. From a late, cool vintage, it has awesome purity of fruit, plenty of tannins, and a huge finish. It’s a brilliant wine any way you look at it. I’d happily drink this elixir today, but it deserves at least 3-4 years and will keep for 25+.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAmazing aromas of cherries, oranges and light prunes with hints of wet earth and mushrooms. Very perfumed. It's medium-bodied, firm and direct. Great vino. Needs at least five years to come together but already a joy to taste.James Suckling | 96 JSThis wine shows the quintessential attributes of the Serralunga d'Alba appellation with dark fruit flavors and powerful intensity. The 2013 Barolo Sperss paints a very authentic picture of its unique territory with rich layers of black fruit, wet earth, black truffle, licorice and spice. The wine's tannic structure is firm and lasting. It shows broad shoulders and rich texture overall. This beautiful Barolo boasts a dark color and thick concentration with the aromatic elegance obtained in the 2013 vintage. This important wine is now part of the Barolo DOCG family.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPUnderbrush, toast, menthol, grilled herb and star anise aromas lead the way. Firmly structured but loaded with finesse, the taut palate delivers Morello cherry, raspberry, licorice and a toasted note while assertive, close-grained tannins provide the framework. It's still young and austere so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2023–2033.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WETextbook rose, tar and cherry aromas and flavors, with accents of oak spice, licorice and tobacco, are the hallmarks of this complex red. Powerful yet harmonious, showing fine structure and a lingering finish. Best from 2022 through 2040. 375 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

It, too, is a wine of gentleness and refinement, with bright plum fruits and warm spice both apparent in the aromas, within the context of an aromatic profile both seamless and harmonious. It’s ample in the palate yet round-contoured, with acidity here as important an element of the wine’s structure as is tannin. The tannins, indeed, are unintimidating and supportive – but resonant and flavoury, too, in best Barolo style. The overall impression of an easy-rolling roundness is underscored by the wealth of fruit which sings through the palate. For all that, this is a serious Barolo which could easily take five to ten years’ further ageing: an ideal introduction to the pleasures of the 2019 vintage in this emblematic Piedmontese region.Decanter | 97 DECWith fruit from Brunate, Liste, Cerequio, Cannubi and Raviole, the 2019 Barolo Lecinquevigne is a little subdued on first nose and would benefit from more time in bottle. This wine offers an appellation-wide taste of Nebbiolo, and the focus, consequently, is on the grape more than any single vineyard. These kinds of blends work very well in a vintage like 2019 that holds its own in terms of balance, intensity and texture. With 70,000 bottles made, this is the most accessible and affordable Barolo in the Damilano portfolio.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPVery perfumed and pretty with ripe berry, terra-cotta, and rose petal aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a lovely creamy texture. Fresh and bright. Delicious now but will age nicely. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSUnderbrush, camphor and violet aromas lift out of the glass on this fragrant Barolo. Made with Nebbiolo from five vineyards, the polished palate features juicy black cherry, cranberry, star anise and crushed mint accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2026–2934. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOA taut, linear red, with macerated cherry and plum flavors augmented by hay, spices and iron. This has ample fruit and savory notes waiting to shine through once the tannic structure mellows. Best from 2026 through 2045. 5,800 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS