3 | Wine | Unrated, 2007 | Page 3

"Offers powerful dark cherry, black fruit and herbal aromas and flavors of depth and complexity. Overall, the wine has a harmonious, authoritative character."

"It displays classic Rioja aromas of cedar, leather, mineral, a hint of balsamic, and assorted black fruits. Layered on the palate but slightly austere at present, it has the structure to evolve for another 4-6 years at which point it is likely to have filled out thus meriting a higher rating."

"The 2007 Barolo Ciabot Mentin is one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted at this address. Deep, sensual layers of fruit flow from the glass as this full-throttle, intense Barolo reveals its profound, breathtaking personality. The 2007 shows tons of Ginestra nuance, but with extra dimensions to the fruit that literally covers every nook and cranny of the palate. Tasting this next to the 2006 is quite a comparison, as both wines are fabulous. Readers who can should be sure to own bottles of both. A side-by-side comparison is sure to be fascinating as the wines develop over the coming years. Astute readers will note the slight name change here, which is the result of new regulations that require the use of the historic vineyard name, in this case Ginestra, or a proprietary name. Call me nostalgic, but it is sad to see one of the iconic labels in Barolo disappear."

"Dense and firm. ...this gutsy red shows a nice flex behind the tannins, with rich flavors of dark berry, dark chocolate, cedar and melted black licorice. The signature minty trait presents itself for now as a bay leaf and black tea aroma."

"The 2007 Termanthia is, like the 2007 Numanthia, a bit more accessible than its 2006 counterpart. That is to say that it should begin to become civilized with a mere 6-8 years of cellaring and should offer a drinking window extending from 2016 to 2037."