Barolo Riserva Rocche del Falletto, Bruno Giacosa 2008

Amazing nose of chocolate, orange peel, plums and hazelnut. Full-bodied, with super fine tannins and a long finish. Intense with a beautiful line of fine tannins that go on for minutes. Superb. 10,000 bottles made. February 2014 release. Leave it for at least four or five years before drinking!

Good deep red. Redcurrant, plum, sexy brown spices, menthol, marzipan, licorice and a balsamic element on the nose; Bruna compares this wine to the supernal 2000 bottling. The palate delivers a captivating combination of ineffable perfume and buns of steel, with strong acidity giving definition to the flavors of rose petal, exotic spices, truffle and underbrush. Offers lovely breadth with a weightless quality. Really echoes and vibrates on the back end, finishing with huge but sweet tannins that reach the front teeth and explosive tangy red fruits. Should be fairly long-lived but will it have the finesse of the 2000?

The 2008 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto (aged 36 months in botte grande) is a gorgeous wine from every perspective. Its 360-degree beauty shines comes through in terms of the intensity of the bouquet and the elegance of the mouthfeel. Again, super-finely textured tannins give the wine backbone and create a supporting structure for rich fruit flavors. There-s just enough consistency here to fill the palate, yet the wine is never heavy or flat. It shows vibrant energy thanks to the natural freshness and that beautiful note of garden fresh red rose that pops up as nostalgic sign-off. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040.