The 1990 Barolo Brunate, from Ceretto’s cellar, reveals a surprisingly advanced color along with accompanying notes of truffles, mushrooms and spices that suggest the wine is well on its downward slope. A second bottle, tasted at Babbo in New York a few weeks later, was quite a bit fresher and full of life. I scored that bottle 90 points. Anticipated maturity: 2010. I tasted these 1989s and 1990s during a visit to the winery in November, 2009. I was struck by how fast the 1990s have developed. I am tempted to think those wines were not stored perfectly for their entire lives, as I have tasted far fresher examples in the US. As a group, the 1989s were more satisfying. At the time these wines were made vinification and aging were still traditional in approach.

The 1990 Barolo Brunate, from Ceretto’s cellar, reveals a surprisingly advanced color along with accompanying notes of truffles, mushrooms and spices that suggest the wine is well on its downward slope. A second bottle, tasted at Babbo in New York a few weeks later, was quite a bit fresher and full of life. I scored that bottle 90 points. Anticipated maturity: 2010. I tasted these 1989s and 1990s during a visit to the winery in November, 2009. I was struck by how fast the 1990s have developed. I am tempted to think those wines were not stored perfectly for their entire lives, as I have tasted far fresher examples in the US. As a group, the 1989s were more satisfying. At the time these wines were made vinification and aging were still traditional in approach.