The 2005 Barolo Vigneto Monvigliero offers up an array of sweet medicinal herbs, olives, dried cherries and spices in a mid-weight, intensely fragrant style. In 2005, the wine possesses an unusual level of richness that provides lovely balance and weight, something that has often been missing here. Notes of fennel, tobacco and tar linger on the complex, silky finish. Burlotto’s Monvigliero remains a highly quirky Barolo, but the 2005 is particularly successful. The wine will show its finest if opened several hours prior to drinking, which should allow for some of the more aggressive, herbaceous notes to blow off. I generally find the wine’s herbal qualities too much for my own personal taste, but the wine’s textural beauty is beyond reproach, and I certainly wouldn’t argue with anyone who might score this wine a touch higher. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020. I was deeply impressed with these wines from Burlotto. 2005 has turned out to be a great vintage for this traditionally-minded estate located in Verduno. Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484