Shop Wine

wines

Bartolo Mascarello’s 1989 Barolo (magnum) is all freshly cut roses, plums, prunes and sweet spices. The aromas and flavors continue to emerge with notable vigor and intensity, framed exquisitely by firm, silky tannins. Grace and class come to mind as apt descriptors for a wine that balances exceptional depth yet also floats on the palate with ethereal qualities that are hard to do justice to on the printed page. The finish is long and wonderfully pure, with overtones of licorice and menthol that invite a second (and third!) taste. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP(Barolo-Bartolo Mascarello) I have no doubt that the 1989 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo will prove to be one of the greatest vintages in the long and consistently excellent career of this maestro, but it is only just starting to show its secondary layers of complexity and desperately deserves more time in the cellar to really reach its apogee. The bouquet is deep, pure and very promising, offering up a blend of cherries, beef bouillon, roasted gamebirds, a touch of wild bay, complex, autumnal soil tones and a topnote of woodsmoke. On the palate the wine is very pure, full and sappy at the core, with great soil inflection, ripe, fine-grained tannins, outstanding focus and grip and a very, very long, pure and complex finish. It is not a crime to be drinking this wine today- if you have enough bottles remaining in the cellar that you are not going to miss one ten years down the road- but this is a wine that is still climbing and its best days are still several years further out. (Drink between 2016 - 2060)John Gilman | 95+ JGOne of the most anticipated wines of the night, the 1989 Barolo is not as exceptional as it can be. I have tasted the 1989 mostly from magnum recently, so perhaps my expectations are a bit colored. Even from the big bottle, though, the 1989 has always shown slight imperfections, especially in the bouquet. In this tasting, my impression is that in the standard bottle those imperfections are more evident. There is plenty of texture and depth to the fruit, but it is the aromatics that are penalizing here.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Gaja’s 1990 Barbaresco shows an unbelievable level of youthfulness that absolutely defies the effects of time. Blackberry, cherry and plum are miraculously intact and immaculately preserved. This Barbaresco offers much more than a solid base of fruit to keep it relevant. The bouquet is beautifully expressive with etched mineral tones of chalk and brimstone as well as elegantly ethereal layers of balsam herb, rosemary, cola and Asian spice. The wine is drinking superbly at the moment and there’s an exciting level of tension and energy that sets it apart from the rest. The 1990 vintage was released as Angelo Gaja was enjoying one of his many career highpoints. In 1988, he purchased vineyards in the Barolo appellation (previously he purchased fruit) and his landmark Barolo Sperss was released in 1992. In the 1990s, he would expand his winemaking reach to Montalcino and Bolgheri (both in Tuscany) with additional acquisitions in those areas. The success of the 1990 vintage was a huge part of this magical moment on the Gaja timeline. With good potential for further aging, this bottle can be opened now or stored in the cellar for another decade or more. Drink: 2014-2028.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 1990 Barbaresco emerges from the glass with an exotic array of tar, smoke, licorice and grilled herbs. There is wonderful intensity to the fruit and plenty of structure. The tannins are still a bit young and the wine is only now beginning to enter the early part of what looks to be a long drinking window! The 1990 Barbaresco is a touch rounder and softer than the 1989, with perhaps just a little less aromatic complexity and inner perfume, although that is splitting hairs at this level. The finish is long, intense and deeply satisfying. This is a marvelous bottle of Barbaresco.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGA stunning wine, rich, ripe and supple, balanced with beautifully realized berry, red plum, vanilla and exotic spices, smoothly playing the fruit and toasty oak character off each other. A many layered wine that is approaching drinkability. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Gaja’s 1990 Barolo Sperss is a sweet, seamless beauty endowed with gorgeous fruit. The wine possesses superb inner perfume and purity even if it doesn’t quite reach the level of Gaja’s most successful wines in this vintage. Still, this is pure 1990 and pure Serralunga.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe 1990 Angelo Gaja Barolo Sperss just continues to sing every time I’ve been lucky enough to drink a bottle, and this is a glorious Barolo drinking at point. Offering heavenly notes of rose petals, violets, exotic spices, and both red and black fruits, it’s silky and refined on the palate, with sweet tannins and a supple, sexy even, style. It has another 10-15 years ahead of it.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDGaja’s 1990 Barolo Sperss is a sweet, seamless beauty endowed with gorgeous fruit. The wine possesses superb inner perfume and purity even if it doesn’t quite reach the level of Gaja’s most successful wines in this vintage. Still, this is pure 1990 and pure Serralunga. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

The opaque purple-colored 1996 Barolo Conteisa reveals a sweet, ripe nose with an element of sur-maturite given its over-ripe cassis, melted road tar, licorice, and spice-scented bouquet. It exhibits a voluptuous texture, layers of concentrated fruit, and full body. Its tannin is largely concealed by the wine’s glycerin, alcohol, and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020.Robert Parker | 93-95 RP

The 1997 Barolo Sori Ginestra exhibits a deep ruby/purple color in addition to complex aromas of tobacco smoke and gloriously sweet, jammy cherry liqueur. Ripe, opulent, and full-bodied, with huge amounts of glycerin and extract, yet high tannin in the finish, this 1997 needs 4-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for 20+ years. This is a super-impressive Barolo.Robert Parker | 92 RPDark ruby-garnet. Plum, prune and vanilla bean on the nose. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, caressing, textured finish. Delicious already.--1997 Italian blind retrospective. Drink now through 2015.Wine Spectator | 92 WSGood deep red, with a hint of amber at the rim. Exotic aromas of black raspberry, roast coffee, and smoky, charred oak; shows a pronounced torrefaction aspect. Less dense and less primary than the ’98; seems a bit soft in the middle, almost too ripe, with its texture suppressed by the recent bottling. But this is already wonderfully aromatic in the mouth and impressively concentrated and long. Finishes with very ripe but substantial tannins. A bit tricky to taste today.Vinous Media | 91+ VM

From a well-known Castiglione Falletto vineyard, the 1997 Barolo Bric del Fiasc reveals the essence of cherry jam in its massive constitution. It is a powerful, full-bodied effort displaying pronounced black cherry liqueur-like aromas and flavors, huge extract and glycerin, and 14.5-15% alcohol. Remarkably pure, delineated, and balanced for a wine of such massiveness, it still needs another 2-3 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2020.Robert Parker | 95 RPDark ruby red. Absolutely gorgeous aromas of crushed berry and fresh flowers, with mushroom and spice undertones. Full-bodied, with chewy, rich tannins and a tangy acidity. This still needs time to come together. Very chewy.--1997 Italian blind retrospective. Best after 2010. 265 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 1997 is a flashy, opulent Bric del Fiasc, with layers of super-ripe dark fruit, chocolate, tar and alcohol that burst onto the palate in a display of awesome concentration and length. It is a big, weighty Barolo that promises to drink well for at least another decade.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The 1997 Barolo Vigna d’La Roul reveals espresso characteristics, intermixed with chocolate, caramel, leather, and black cherry/berry fruit. Full-bodied and smoky, with a supple texture as well as hedonistic, luxuriously fat, fleshy appeal, it can be consumed now and over the next 12-15 years.Robert Parker | 90 RPDeep red-ruby. Extravagant, somewhat sauvage aromas of smoked meat, toffee, nuts and red berries. At once fatter, deeper and more vinous than the Vigna Big, but can’t quite match the ’98 version for precision or freshness. This has more supporting fat for its substantial tannins. Quite persistent on the finish.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Intense aromas of tar and dark fruits. Full and solid, with chewy tannins and mineral, blueberry and blackberry flavors. Structured, yet fruity. Give it time. Tight still. But so layered and impressive.--1998 Piedmont blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2011. 890 cases made, 220 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS(these vines are 38 years old) Deep saturated red. Wonderfully scented aromas of currant, smoked meat, dark chocolate and truffle. Lush, seamless and rich, with a near-perfect sugar/acid balance and great early appeal. The gamey note carries through in the mouth. A superb, very suave '98, showing well today. The Costa Russi has been more consistent beginning in '98, Gaja told me. "It's probably due to the drier weather and more sun; the vineyard is adapting itself to our new, more California-like climate."Vinous Media | 94 VMThe dark ruby/purple-colored, supple-texture 1998 Costa Russi possesses sweet, jammy raspberry and cherry fruit, medium to full body, gorgeous glycerin, low acidity, and a lightly tannic finish. Although large-sized, it has good finesse as well as beautifully pure fruit. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2020.Robert Parker | 92 RP

The 1999 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is simply epic, as it always has been. A Barolo of statuesque, profound beauty, the 1999 very clearly belongs among the greatest Monfortinos ever made. The 1999 lifts out of the glass with soaring aromatics, sculpted fruit and huge tannins that somehow are not at all intrusive. Hints of rose petal, tar, orange peel and spice round out the phenomenal finish. The 1999 is the sort of Barolo that classicists dream of being able to drink. And on this night, it is truly special.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThe 1999 Barolo Riserva Monfortino takes things to another level, hard as that may be to believe. It is deeply expressive in its aromatics, with breathtaking nuances of roses, menthol, spices and licorice that emerge from the glass, melding seamlessly onto the palate where complex layers of dark ripe fruit captivate the taster in an endless counterpoint of aromas, flavors and sensations that are hard to fully capture with mere words. Boasting much intensity and a more full-bodied structure than the 1998, with building tannins that define the eternal finish, it is wine to taste now and over the next 6-9 months before it begins to shut down. Sampled from both bottle and magnum, it is a remarkable wine in every way, and is sure to take a place among the great Monfortinos of all time. Those fortunate enough to own Monfortinos from the recent string of vintages dating back to 1995 as well as the equally promising 2000 and 2001 will no doubt enjoy debating the merits of these remarkable wines for years and decades to come. The 1999 Monfortino remains one of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2039.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP(Barolo “Monfortino” Riserva Speciale - Giacomo Conterno) In much the same manner as the comparisons between the 2001 and 1999 Cascina Francia, the 1999 Monfortino is much more open for inspection today than its 2001 counterpart. Which vintage will ultimately be the superior wine will be a delicious debate for the next fifty or more years, as both wines are legends in the making. The 1999 Monfortino offers up a brilliant and utterly profound bouquet of black cherries, blood orange, road tar, woodsmoke, fresh herbs, and a kaleidoscopic base of soil. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and very powerful, with a brilliant core of sappy fruit, stunning purity and focus, perfect balance and a very, very long, palate-staining and ripely tannic finish. Another utterly humbling young vintage of Monfortino. (Drink between 2020-2075).John Gilman | 96 JG

(bottled entirely in magnums) Saturated medium ruby. Superripe aromas of raspberry, minerals, dried rose, bitter chocolate and roasted oak, complicated by tangy spices and hints of exotic fruit. Lush, suave and very deep, with superb fruit intensity and sheer density of material (Voerzio says the yield here was just 22 hectoliters per hectare). The powerful but fine tannins saturate the palate, but arrive quite late, allowing the fruit to blossom on the back.Vinous Media | 94+ VMShows an amazing combination of ripe fruit, mineral and flowers, with subtle new wood. Full and concentrated, displaying seamless tannins and gorgeous fruit. Complex and complete.—’99 Piedmont blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. 125 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 1999 Barolo Sarmassa is complete, with licorice, caramel and chocolate aromas, much length and vigor on the palate, substantial depth and concentration, and a texture which indicates that some time will be needed. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Aromas and flavors of berries, earth and lightly toasted oak follow through to a full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a long finish. Needs some bottle age to come together. Pure Cabernet Sauvignon. Best after 2006. 1,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSSaturated ruby. Bright aromas of blackcurrant, licorice and violet. Very rich, lush and chocolatey; seamless and mouthfilling. This shows the fleshiness of the vintage.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Gaja's 2000 Sperss is wonderfully open and radiant. Layers of dark fruit, grilled herbs, cassis and smoke saturate the palate in this powerful, stunningly beautiful Sperss. Gorgeous inner perfume and a long, intense finish round things out in style.Vinous Media | 96 VMIncredible amount of fruit and character in this wine, with mint, mineral, blackberry and plum aromas turning to tobacco and tar. Full-bodied, with an iron-cast core of fruit and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Incredibly tight and powerful. Give this a decade. From Gaja's 30-acre vineyard in the Barolo-producing zone of Serralunga. Best after 2013. 2,800 cases made, 580 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSGaja’s 2000 Sperss is wonderfully open and radiant. Layers of dark fruit, grilled herbs, cassis and smoke saturate the palate in this powerful, stunningly beautiful Sperss. Gorgeous inner perfume and a long, intense finish round things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.Angelo Gaja’s 2000s are a bit of a mystery. The wines were absolutely beautiful upon release and equally impressive when I tasted them a few years later for the 7th edition of Parker’s Wine Buyers Guide. The 2000s were far less convincing when I tasted them in November 2010. All of the wines were initially very reticent and closed. After an hour or two in the glass they opened for about 30 minutes before closing back down again. Gaja thinks the wines are passing through a stage of inaccessibility. If anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt it is Gaja. I can’t remember the last older wine from this cellar that was a disappointment or that hadn’t aged well, and I have been privileged to taste the vast majority of wines that have been made here under Angelo Gaja’s tenure. Time will ultimately tell where these wines are headed, but this was not an especially flattering showing for Gaja’s 2000s. That said, most producers would be thrilled to have wines like these in their cellars. In some ways, Gaja is a victim of his own success. He sets such a high bar with his finest vintages; it is only natural to expect greatness all the time. The 2000s fall a bit short of that mark but are quite strong in the context of the year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Conterno’s 2000 Barolo Riserva Monfortino gives an impression of accessibility only because it is so open relative to some of the surrounding vintages of this great, legendary Barolo. The 2000 has tons of fruit backed up with considerable tannic heft. With time in the glass sweet, balsamic notes make an appearance, but this is one of the few 2000s that needs considerable cellaring to show all of its cards. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPI am thrilled to see how well the 2000 Barolo Riserva Monfortino shows in this tasting, as it is a vintage that can sometimes get lost between the 1999 and 2002 in this era. My impression is that the 2000 still hasn’t truly shown its true potential just yet. On this night it remains closed and not particularly expressive. The seductive qualities the 2000 showed as a young wine aren’t especially apparent today. Time in the glass brings out pretty floral overtones. Overall, the 2000 comes across as a Monfortino that is more finesse than power. Even so, readers have to be patient here.Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGDark ruby red in color. Subtle and reserved on the nose, with blackberry, tea, sandalwood and blueberry. Opens to coffee and vanilla bean. Full-bodied, with an amazing, condensed palate of ultraripe fruit and silky tannins. Fresh and superlong. Very tight and fresh. Needs so much time to open and come around. Like a genie in the bottle. Best after 2014. 750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A magnum of Roberto Voerzio’s 2000 Barbera d’Alba Pozzo, from David Stout’s cellar, was magnificent. Gloriously ripe and seamless, the wine showed extraordinary purity and enough freshness to drink well for at least another decade. It was magnificent, and on its own the most impressive of these three wines.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe Barbera of the house has become a legend in its short lifetime (the first vintage was 1996), and the 2000 Barbera d’Alba Riserva Vigneto Pozzo lives up to its fame. The customary inky ruby/purple, its stupefying rich nose of plum and blackberry jam, mocha, caramel, vanilla, and cardamom, warm, caressing, and penetrating, is followed by the usual massive, unctuously textured palate, almost more than a liquid in its density, yet of superlative smoothness, silky, enveloping, and exceptionally long. The sheer weight of the wine suggests that it may keep, but I prefer Barbera, even at this level, reasonably young, and would choose to drink it between 2004 and 2010.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBig and rich, with black licorice, plum and toasty oak character. Full-bodied and almost jammy, with layers of fruit, velvety tannins and a long finish. I love this. Voerzio is a genius with his tiny-production old-vine Barbera. Drink now through 2007. 275 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Things kicked up several notches with a flight of Barbareschis from the famed Asili vineyard. Asili is in the village of Barbaresco, where the wines are generally more feminine than in Neive. The best wines from this site have great aromatics and fine, silky tannins. The 2001 Barbaresco Asili is one of the most Riserva-like white labels Giacosa has ever produced. It was magical on this night, with endless layers of fruit supported by firm yet elegant tannins.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AGThe 2001 Barbaresco Asili impresses for its gorgeous inner sweetness and inviting, round fruit. The 2001 is pure Asili, but it has begun to shut down mightily over the last 1-2 years. Still, it is impossible to miss the pedigree of what is in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2031.This is a fabulous set of wines from one of the great Giacosa vintages. Admittedly, opening ten year-old Giacosa Barbareschi and Baroli must be viewed as a purely academic excercise, as the wines are nowhere near ready. Readers will have to be especially patient, as most of these wines have entered a closed phase after having been surprisingly accessible early on.Robert Parker | 95+ RPBright plum and cedar character, with loads of underlying ripe fruit and rose. Full-bodied, with fine, silky tannins and a wonderful balance of fruit, cedar and plum. A subtle wine that needs time to develop in the bottle. Best after 2009. 1,100 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

I had not crossed paths with a bottle of 2001 Santo Stefano from Bruno Giacosa in at least five years, but, I was not surprised to see that this superb wine is still a solid decade away from blossoming. The still tight and promising nose offers up a complex blend of red and black cherries, road tar, gamebirds, woodsmoke, a great base of soil and a bit of new leather in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bdoied and very pure, with impressive, nascent complexity, a rock solid core, firm, well-integrated tannins and stunning length and grip on the seamless and very youthful finish. This will be a brilliant wine in the fullness of time, but at least a solid decade’s worth of patience is really required before this wine starts to hit on all cylinders. (Drink between 2022-2065)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2001 Barbaresco Santo Stefano wafts on the palate with Christmas cake, plums, spices, menthol and licorice. It shows lovely class and an understated personality that is highly appealing. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPI am shocked (pleasantly, I must say), by how closed the 2001 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is. Powerful, tightly wound and totally closed down, the 2001 exudes class. Orange rind, tobacco and smoke add striking aromatic complexity to the intense dark fruit. Today, the tannins are surprisingly intense and raw, so readers will have to be patient. The 2001 is superb, but the wine’s full personality will not be on display for at least another few years. There is a good bit of upside here.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AGSubtle aromas of freshly sliced plums, blackberries and peaches. Full-bodied, with lots of fruit and a backbone of firm tannins. Toasted oak on the midpalate. This is a bold, structured red that needs time. I like this better than the 2000. Best after 2008. 1,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2003 Barolo Vigna del Gris has aged nicely. Signature floral and spice notes meld into a core of bright red fruit. This south-east facing site tends to produce a fresher more aromatic style of wine vis-à-vis Sorì Ginestra. This mid-weight Barolo should drink well for at least a handful of years.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGOffers rich aromas of plum, berry and raw meat. Full-bodied, with soft, round tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and rich. All in harmony. Best after 2010. 695 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2003 Barolo Vigna del Gris reveals super-ripe aromatics followed by perfumed, sweet red fruits. Medium in body, this floral, delicate Barolo possesses outstanding length although it did shut down a little on the finish. Another year or two should help the tannins better integrate into the wine. Vigna del Gris is made from the lower portion of the Ginestra vineyard and shows more of the ripeness and sweetness of the vintage than Sori Ginestra. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015.Things haven’t changed much at Conterno-Fantino, at least not yet. The estate continues to make sleek, modern-styled Barolos aged in 100% new French oak. Guido Fantino tells me his son Fabio has begun aging a few lots of his own wine in mid-size casks, so it will be interesting to see the direction the new generation takes. The estate has a new Barolo from the Mosconi vineyard that will make its debut with the 2004 vintage. My early impressions from cask of this and the estate’s other 2004 Barolos are positive.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Plenty of fresh blackberry and cherry aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a chewy finish. Well-structured for the vintage. Very fresh and lively. Best after 2008. 600 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2003 Costa Russi is a noticeably bigger and more powerful wine than the Barbaresco. Although it is less expressive in its aromatics, it shows greater palate presence, with suggestions of super-ripe black cherries, tobacco and earthiness on a full-bodied frame with notable depth and a concentrated yet open-knit personality. It offers excellent balance, yet the hard tannins of the vintage are most penalizing in the Costa Russi and this wine comes across as somewhat heavy and ponderous in style, lacking the characteristic elegance of Gaja’s best wines. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2003 Costa Russi is a noticeably bigger and more powerful wine. Although it is less expressive in its aromatics, it shows greater palate presence, with suggestions of super-ripe black cherries, tobacco and earthiness on a full-bodied frame with notable depth and a concentrated yet open-knit personality. It offers excellent balance, yet the hard tannins of the vintage are most penalizing in the Costa Russi and this wine comes across as somewhat heavy and ponderous in style, lacking the characteristic elegance of Gaja’s best wines.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

Even in the super-hot 2003 vintage, Gaja’s Sori Tildin displays its pedigree, with its dark ruby color, finely nuanced, detailed aromatics and layers of ripe red fruit that gradually reveal themselves as this exquisite wine sits in the glass. Offering extraordinary depth of expression as well length on the palate along with great overall balance, it is another remarkable wine from Angelo Gaja. As is usually the case, I also find it to be the most classic of the single-vineyard wines. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPGorgeous crushed berries and flowers. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Refined. Best after 2010. 600 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSDeep, bright red-ruby color, very healthy for 2003. Deeply pitched, complex aromas of truffle, underbrush and smoky oak. Ripe, round and highly concentrated; just this side of thick but with surprising freshness and an absence of roasted tones. This, too, finishes with rather suave, fine-grained tannins.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2004 Barolo Vigna Croera reveals pretty aromatics and notes of smoke, tar, roses, herbs and the small red fruits that are characteristic of the wines of La Morra. Made in a medium-bodied, delicate style it possesses a graceful, feminine personality and finessed tannins. Even though the wine continued to gain weight in the glass I noted that it was less expressive than when I tasted it from barrel in April 2007. The Croera is made from a high altitude plot in the Serradenari district of La Morra. This site has never been particularly well regarded for Nebbiolo. Long-time oenologist Dante Scaglione told me he expects the vines to only yield top-flight Barolo in truly great vintages. There will be no 2005 or 2006. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020.Bruno Giacosa’s profound 2004s, which I first wrote about in Issue 173, continue with these superb Barolos, all of which merit close attention. I also had a chance to re-taste the 2004 Barbarescos and they were as impressive as they have been on previous occasions.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPBruno Giacosa’s 2004 Barolo Croera is an excellent choice for drinking over the next decade or so. A pretty, understated wine, the Croera offers lovely balance in a feminine style that is typical of La Morra. Rose petal, mint, sage, crushed raspberries and anise shape the aromatic, mid-weight finish. If opened today, the 2004 needs a bit of air to soften the tannins a touch. The Croera is the one and only Barolo Bruno Giacosa made from La Morra. Giacosa eventually sold this parcel after a series of wines that did not meet his exacting standards and were never released. This bottle showed quite a bit better than the bottle I tasted for my recent 2004 Barolo retrospective. As it turns out, both bottles were from the same case I purchased upon release.Antonio Galloni | 90 AGAromas of plum, coffee and dried flowers follow through to a medium body, with silky tannins and a soft, refined finish. A delicate young Barolo. This is a new single-vineyard wine from Giacosa. Best after 2011. 600 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS