1 | Wine | Nebbiolo, 95 or higher, 2004

"Ripe plum, verging on prune, with coffee and dark chocolate character. Full-bodied, with soft tannins that are very velvety and caressing. Chewy and concentrated. Sneaks up on you. A superb debut Barolo from Piedmont's best Dolcetto producer."

"Complex, fresh aromas of concentrated blackberry, grilled meat and chocolate. Full-bodied and chewy, with caressing tannins and a long, long finish. A brick house and beautifully decorated. Powerful."

"The 2004 Sori San Lorenzo is a drop-dead gorgeous wine. It presents awesome balance, especially in the way it marries power with elegance. This is a remarkably refined and understated Sori San Lorenzo, with never-ending layers of dark raspberries, licorice, grilled herbs and tar that flow from its sumptuous frame. A dark, brooding beauty, it will require several additional years of bottle at a minimum, but those with the patience to wait will be amply rewarded."

"All of the elements that make the 2001 so attractive reappear in the 2004 Barolo Riserva Villero, only with even more expressiveness and character. The 2004 is a showstopper loaded with class and pedigree. Seemingly endless waves of explosive fruit stain the palate in this radiant, harmonious Barolo. Everything is simply in the right place, and there is just so much going on in the glass, in all direction. This is another dazzling effort from Vietti."

"The 2004 Barolo Percristina sweeps across the palate with masses of silky, dense fruit framed by firm, yet almost impossibly elegant tannins. This is an utterly captivating Barolo for its sheer power, richness and opulence. Despite the wine’s size, there is plenty of detail and nuance to explore in this utterly sensual, captivating Percristina. Readers lucky enough to find the 2004 Percristina should not hesitate, it is superb!"

"The 2004 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe comes across as decidedly powerful and broad-shouldered next to the Vignolo. A wall of massive tannins makes it hard to see through to the wine’s potential but with air the multiple dimensions of its personality begin to open up. Dark fruit, tar, mint, pine and a host of other spiced, balsamic aromas and flavors make an appearance on the large-scaled, dramatic finish. The 2004 San Giuseppe is an utterly mind-blowing, dramatic Barolo from Cavallotto."

"Giacosa's 2004 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is a superb wine. Sweet, floral, mentholated aromatics meld into an expressive core of ripe fruit, with superb length and elegant tannins to round out the finish. Made in a more linear style than the Asili and Rabaja, it doesn-t possess the expansiveness of those two wines, but it does reveal tremendous depth, harmony and balance. This pure, sweet, long Barbaresco is the best Santo Stefano in years."

"The 2004 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata has developed beautifully since I last tasted it a few years ago. That said, I am amazed how bright and primary the fruit still is. Sweet, perfumed aromatics lead to a core of silky fruit as this elegant, pedigreed Barolo emerges from the glass. The tannins are exceptionally refined all the way through to the finish, while the French oak is virtually imperceptible. What remains is a gorgeous, fruit-driven Barolo that captures the essence of the Scavino style at its best. The wine should enjoy a long drinking window to age 25 and quite likely longer."

"The estate's 2004 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is another awesome wine. Initially linear on entry, it explodes on the palate with a compelling array of dark fruit, smoke, tar, licorice, new leather, plums and baking spices. Although Bric del Fiasc is typically a wine that relies on power, the 2004 is notably refined and elegant, with sweet silky tannins that support the fruit from start to finish. Simply put, this is a remarkable wine from Enrico Scavino."