Notes:

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 09
Saturated ruby red. Knockout nose offers raspberry, coffee, smoke, minerals and flowers, all lifted by a peppery nuance. Large-scaled, tactile and sweet; this saturates and fills the mouth like few other wines from this vintage. Its incredible opulence and three-dimensional texture thoroughly buffer the wine's tannins, allowing the finish to express outstanding sweetness and persistence. These 30-year-old vines yielded about 35 hectoliters per hectare in '06, according to Guido Fantino. Seems a bit more open-knit than the great 2004 at the same stage. 95 points


The estates 2006 Barolo Sori Ginestra is massive and intense. Layers of aromatic nuance and complexity are backed up with powerful, dense fruit. Today the wine is quite understandably painfully young, and patience is required for the tannins to soften, but this is a highly promising Barolo. With time in the glass, the signature notes of menthol, spices, pine and minerals gain focus and clarity, giving a hint of what is in store for the future. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031.Wine Advocate 95