The 2010 Barbaresco opens with a light garnet color and thin transparency. What the wine lacks in color it makes up for in aromatic intensity. Beautiful tones of delicate licorice, rosebud, dried ginger and garden herb lift gracefully from the glass. The best part of the wine is its sharp focus and crispness. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020. The big news at Prunotto (Marchesi Antinori’s estate in Monforte d’Alba) is the near completion of a state-of-the-art winery. This is the latest project added to the Florentine family’s already impressive list of wineries spanning the Italian peninsula. Starting this fall, the new building will house the estate’s more prestigious wine, the Barolo Bussia Riserva Vigna Colonnello. Its first edition, the 2008 vintage, will be released in 2014. I was delighted to see how far this winery has come. Just a few years ago, I recall darkly jammy and over extracted wines from Prunotto. But the current offers are anything but. They show enormous elegance and poise, even in the warmer vintages. Importer: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, WA; tel. (425) 415-3738

Fragrant, offering sandalwood, mint and rosemary aromas, with cherry, menthol and spice flavors, finishing moderately long. A muscular style that needs time. Best from 2015 through 2024. 850 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbaresco Select to Add