3 | Wine | Piedmont Misc, 91 to 95, 2006

"An overachiever in this vintage. Crushed flowers, pine, resin, menthol and herbs add layers of complexity to the racy, super-ripe red fruits. Despite its generosity, this remains an understated, representative Gattinara with lovely balance and harmony."

"The 2006 Gattinara Castelle flows with the essence of dark fruit, smoke, tar and scorched earth. This is a decidedly powerful, intense Gattinara endowed with gorgeous intensity in its fruit and fabulous overall balance. Floral notes are woven gracefully into the juicy, generous finish. The Castelle has more than enough structure to develop nicely for a number of years."

"The 2006 Barbera d’Asti La Crena is a dense, brooding effort loaded with mineral-infused dark fruit, violets, graphite, flowers and French oak. This is an especially seamless yet mid-weight La Crena built on elegance rather than power, with an impeccably clean, polished finish that rounds things out. Usually I prefer Barbera on the young side, but La Crena truly sings around age ten or so. It remains one of the most under-the-radar wines in Piedmont. La Crena is made from vines that are over 70 years old in Agliano, one of the most privileged sites for Barbera in Piedmont."

"The 2006 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Scudetto is a wonderfully poised, vibrant wine. Black cherries, minerals, violets, licorice and tar come together beautifully on a mid-weight, elegant frame. The Scudetto is easy to overlook in a lineup with so many great wines, but in top vintages it deserves serious consideration. The 2006 is gorgeous from start to finish."