Pretty berry aromas and flavors with orange peel and flowers with hints of salted caramel. Medium to full body. Firm and polished tannins. Lovely balance of fruit at the end. Racy. Drink after 2026.

Broad and rich, exhibiting plum, cherry, menthol and spicy oak flavors. Nicely balanced and smooth, without sacrificing any underlying structure. Everything comes together on the spicy finish. Best from 2026 through 2045. 298 cases made, 150 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barolo Select to Add

The 2003 Barolo Perno is a very pretty wine that has gained considerable balance in bottle. A soft core of dark red fruit is intermingled with the herbal overtones that are the hallmark of this vineyard. This sweet, expansive Barolo doesn’t look to be built for extended cellaring but it should offer fine drinking over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015. Schiavenza is another producer on the rise. These 2003 Barolos have improved markedly since I first tasted them last year. Unfortunately the 2004s won’t be available until the end of 2008 so I was not able to taste them for this article.Importer: Peter Weygandt, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800