1 | Wine | Nebbiolo, 2003

"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."

"The 2003 Sori San Lorenzo is simply awesome. Boasting the darkest color of these wines as well as captivating aromatics, it is a brooding effort packed with notes of earthiness, tar, smoke, grilled herbs, cassis, licorice and super-ripe plummy fruit. It shows the qualities of 2003 in its full-throttle, expansive style yet it also possesses remarkable balance as well as fine tannins for the vintage. Although there is a little heat on the finish, I found this an utterly compelling wine."

"The 2003 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is a fascinating wine. It is classic Giacosa, with a lovely core of sweet roses, raspberries, licorice and menthol that is currently hiding under an imposing wall of tannins. It is also a wine of contrasts, at times open and accessible, at others brooding and shut down. As it sits in the glass the fruit gradually emerges to fill out the wine’s structure. It had only improved when I re-tasted it several days after first opening the bottle."

"This deep, powerful Barolo reveals awesome richness and an almost liqueur-like quality to its fruit that is balanced by the chalky mineral notes that provide freshness on the finish and help convey an impression of notable balance. In 2003 there is no Monfortino, and the Cascina Francia surely benefits from the addition of that juice which is mostly felt in the wine’s depth."