BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

BUYING I GUIDE
tinctive and special wine that would pair wonderfully
against a meat dish with an herbal element.
Try it with beef and mint jelly or herb-encrusted
lamb chops. Imported by Ionia Atlantic. —M.L.
92
Agostino Bosco 2006 Neirane
(Barolo); $45. Neirane is a balanced
Barolo with soft notes of cherry, black fruit and
spice wrapped tight around a solid core of quality
fruit. The wine tastes tight and tannic at this
young age (it makes your mouth pucker) but
it’s a very nice example of a beautifully made
Nebbiolo. Imported by Tanaro River Imports
LLC. —M.L.
92
Bric Cenciurio 2006 (Barolo); $NA.
This bright and lively base Barolo from
Bric Cenciurio delivers a full hand of aromatic
cards: you’ll detect fresh berry fruit, spice,
espresso bean, mineral and licorice. It’s a very
smooth and polished wine that could use a few
more years of cellar aging to loosen up the firmness
of its tannins. Imported by Italia Wine
Imports. —M.L.
92
Cascina Adelaide 2006 Cannubi
(Barolo); $82. Cascina Adelaide consistently
offers a modern (ie: plump, ripe, dense)
taste profile on its important wines. Even this
expression from the Cannubi cru, a vineyard
noted for the elegant and ethereal nature of its
wines, delivers a bolder, bigger style. Aromas
include roasted espresso bean, blackberry and
polished black stone. Imported by Tesori
Wines. —M.L.
92
Cascina Ballarin 2006 Bussia
(Barolo); $NA. Cascina Ballarin delivers
a clean and straightforward expression of the
famed Bussia cru with all the depth and complexity
you can expect with Nebbiolo. This is a steady,
confident wine with solid tannins and a bright,
mouth-cleansing finish. Imported by Ideal Wine
and Spirits Co. Inc. —M.L.
92
Cascina Ballarin 2006 Bricco Rocca
(Barolo); $NA. Barolo Bricco Rocca
still needs a few more years in the cellar to allow
for full integrations of its spice, fruit, tobacco and
mineral components. This beautiful wine is ripe
with potential and the mouthfeel is plush and velvety
with a wonderful fade of smoke and black
fruit. Drink after 2018. Imported by Ideal Wine
and Spirits Co. Inc. —M.L.
92
Cascina Cucco 2006 Cerrati Vigna
Cucco (Barolo); $NA. You’ll enjoy the
elegance and refined nature of this Barolo from
the Serralunga d’Alba municipality. Bright aromas
of cherry, vanilla, cola and ginger are
carefully woven into the wine’s bouquet and
the mouthfeel is characterized by long,
drying mineral notes. Imported by Italia Wine
Imports. —M.L.
92
Cavalier Bartolomeo 2006 Cannubi
San Lorenzo (Barolo); $NA.
Here’s a wine that begs a pairing with a truffle
dish: black truffle Cornish hen or creamy risotto
with white truffle flakes would do the trick. Cannubi
San Lorenzo’s aromas include spice, cherry,
cola, white licorice, white mushroom and smoked
ham. This is a beautiful wine with a firm, determined
but elegant finish. Imported by Franco
Wine Imports. —M.L.
92
Cavallotto 2004 Bricco Boschis Riserva
Vigna San Giuseppe (Barolo);
$NA. Here’s a vineyard-designate Barolo Riserva
with pristine aromas of cherry, wild berry, smoke,
tar, licorice and leather. The streamlined mouthfeel
is polished yet firm, and the wine offers a
long fade of cherry and spice flavors. —M.L.
92
Ciabot Berton 2006 Roggeri
(Barolo); $90. Blackberry, sweet vanilla
and candied fruit are backed by oak-related aromas
of spice and tobacco: But, the real beauty of
this wine is that those determined aromas are
backed by a delicate fluttering of cola, licorice
and eucalyptus. This is a long aging wine and the
natural heft and thickness of its texture suggests
that it has many years to go. Imported by Superior
Wines LLC. —M.L.
92
Comm. G. B. Burlotto 2006
Vigneto Cannubi (Barolo); $58.
This Barolo from the Cannubi vineyard opens
with a delicate aromatic embroidery of vanilla,
forest berry, cola, spice and licorice. The texture
here is tight, fine and very silky and those characteristic
Nebbiolo flavors last a long time on the
finish. You could save this wine five to 10 more
years and pair it with slow-cooked duck confit.
Imported by Bacchanal Wines. —M.L.
92
Damilano 2006 Cannubi (Barolo);
$76. The prized Cannubi cru offers
fruit that is interpreted by some of the finest
winemakers in northern Italy. This expression
from the dynamic Damilano winery is character-
2 2 | W I N E E N T H U S I A S T | D E C E M B E R 1 , 2 0 1 0
ized by tight tannins, power, personality and ripe
berry flavors. Pair this Barolo with risotto topped
with thinly shaved truffles. Imported by Vias
Imports. —M.L.
92
Deltetto 2006 Sistaglia (Barolo);
$NA. There’s a beautifully delicate
nature to this wine that is evident in its pristine
floral aromas and its feminine notes of raspberry
and wild berry. Hints of smoke and tar appear at
the end and the wine is tight and firm in the
mouth. Don’t worry about longevity; there’s
enough pulp and structure to guarantee a
long aging future ahead. Imported by Casa
Bruno. —M.L.
92
Francesco Sobrero 2004 Pernanno
Riserva (Barolo); $NA. Here’s an
evolved and sophisticated Barolo Riserva with
savory aromas of crushed black pepper, balsam,
hummus, old spice, licorice and root beer.
The wine is drying and streamlined in the
mouth, and the long finish is accented by lively
fruit flavors. —M.L.
92
Fratelli Alessandria 2006 Gramolere
(Barolo); $82. Barolo Gramolere
offers an attractive window onto the Nebbiolo
grape with peek views at its inherent complexity
and elegance. The wine opens with a ruby-garnet
color and offers aromas of wild berry, white
cherry, tar, licorice, hazelnut and ginger.
Imported by Villa Italia. —M.L.
92
G D Vajra 2006 Luigi Baudana Cerretta
(Barolo); $85. Very different
from the Bricco delle Viole cru expression from
the same producer, this wine offers bold, ripe
fruit with lingering tones of red cherry, leather,
charcoal and campfire. The fruit is thick and succulent
and the finish offers sweet, succulent spice
flavors. Multiple U.S. importers. —M.L.
92
G D Vajra 2006 Bricco delle Viole
(Barolo); $75. Barolo Bricco delle
Viole is a lush and generous wine with a bright
ruby color and attractively intense aromas of
cherry, wild berry, nutmeg, clove, powdered
licorice and root beer. The oak influence is still
obvious at this early stage, but will no doubt integrate
with time. The mouthfeel is exceedingly
soft, smooth and velvety. You don’t need to wait
too many years before uncorking this bottle.
Imported by Martin Scott Wines. —M.L.