The debut vintage of Voerzio's Barolo Sarmassa di Barolo (100 cases), the 1998, emerges from a vineyard parcel with a full southern exposure. It boasts an opaque black/purple color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackberry liqueur, blueberry, and flower aromas. As the wine sits in the glass a liquid minerality quality develops. This wine could be mistaken for a 1990 grand cru from Burgundy's Cote de Nuits. Backward, dense, and potentially complex and concentrated, it may be even better than my notes suggest. It is an impressive first offering from this vineyard. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620.

The debut vintage of Voerzio's Barolo Sarmassa di Barolo (100 cases), the 1998, emerges from a vineyard parcel with a full southern exposure. It boasts an opaque black/purple color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackberry liqueur, blueberry, and flower aromas. As the wine sits in the glass a liquid minerality quality develops. This wine could be mistaken for a 1990 grand cru from Burgundy's Cote de Nuits. Backward, dense, and potentially complex and concentrated, it may be even better than my notes suggest. It is an impressive first offering from this vineyard. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620.