The 2009 Barolo Vigneto Campe is located a mere 20 meters above Vigneto Garetti but you can already feel the difference in terms of the wine’s extra softness and power. This wine presents rounder and riper aromas of dried raspberry and blackberry. Fruit was harvested ten days before Vigneto Garetti. There is a noticeable difference in the quality of the tannins. Here they are silkier and sweeter. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Giorgio Rivetti has unveiled a stunning line of new wines, and a few surprises as well, from his impeccable winery and tasting room at the foot of the Grinzane Cavour castle. The line of Riserva Barbarescos and Riserva Barolo will only be bottled in magnums in the best vintages. The year 2004 is the inaugural vintage of these special releases. Giorgio purchased a beautiful estate in the Grinzane Cavour estate for making Barolo. His vineyard graces a dome-shaped hill and is planted with 55- to 60-year-old Nebbiolo vines. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale, FL; tel. (954) 530-4021; Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

The 2008 Barolo Campe’ emerges from the glass with freshly cut flowers, mint, licorice and spices. This is a decidedly elegant, polished Barolo that stands apart from some of the more obvious wines made here in the past. Although initially quite delicate, the 2008 turns powerful and deep with exposure to air. The authoritative finish leaves a lasting impression. Cool, mineral notes add an underlying sense of tension and energy that is highly appealing. This is a fabulous showing from La Spinetta. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028. I tasted an impressive set of wines at La Spinetta. Over the last few years the wines have become more focused and refined than in the past. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 963 6251; Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

There is no doubt the 2007 Barolo Campe is impressive. It is a beautifully balanced wine layered with opulent, super-ripe fruit, new leather and licorice. The French oak is beautifully balanced in this broad-shouldered Barolo, while the fruit avoids the overripe tendencies of the past. The wine holds up perfectly in the glass, which hasn’t always been the case. Tar, licorice and spices wrap around the intense finish. This is the finest vintage of Campe to date. Kudos to Giorgio Rivetti and his team for this fabulous effort. To be released in 2012. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. This is a superb set of wines from Giorgio Rivetti. The 2008 Barbareschi are among the strongest wines of the year, while the 2007 Barolo Campe is the best wine to emerge from Rivetti’s vineyards in Grinzane Cavour. The La Spinetta style focusing on wines of great textural richness remains intact, but is dialed in to a greater degree with each passing vintage. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021, Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY (516) 677-9300

The 2006 Barolo Campe’ is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted from La Spinetta. A deep, translucent red, the Campe’ opens with a captivating bouquet of roses, spices, flowers and cherries, all of which resonate on the palate. The wine turns muscular in the glass, with powerful tannins that frame the expressive, generous fruit. There is plenty of richness and concentration, yet without the over-ripeness and excessive oakiness of past vintages. Smoke, tar and herbs are just some of the nuances that come to life as the dense fruit provides a wonderful foil to the tannins on the finish. This, too, is a terrific effort from La Spinetta. The 2006 Campe’ was fermented in rotary tanks for 7-8 days and underwent malolactic fermentation in new French oak, where the wine was aged for 24 months prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. This is a highly successful set of new releases from La Spinetta. The wines show great balance and class across the board. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021 and Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY (516) 677-9300

La Spinetta’s 2005 Barolo Campe’ is a soft, mid-weight offering redolent of sweet red cherries, spices and herbs. In this vintage the Campe’ comes across as quite slender and lacking the richness that previous vintages have shown. Because of the wine’s modest structure, a kick of alcohol on the finish is especially noticeable. Persistent notes of greenness also detract from the wine’s overall balance. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2015. I continue to be impressed with the fervor with which proprietor Giorgio Rivetti pursues his new business ventures. Rivetti has recently set up a new importation business to handle his wines and those of a select number of producer-friends. Given that Rivetti has succeeded in eliminating at least one layer of cost from his own wines, it would have been nice to see him pass at least a portion of those saving along to consumers. Importers: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021 and Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY (516) 677-9300