2004 Barolo at Executive Wine Seminars

2004 is a hyped high scoring vintage for wines from Piedmont. From this powerful year, we tasted barolo and barbaresco blind. While the wines are filled with promise, they are all about potential, and most need 10+ years of cellar time. If you are looking for another, similar vintage, 2001's should be on your short list. I didn't factor price into the grade, as I drank these blind. As with the other EWS tastings, everyone in the room votes for the top 3 wines, and the totals are tallied. First place gets 3 points, second 2 and third 1 point.

1. Truffly nose. Delicious, detailed tar infused roses. Massive tannins tell me it will need a long time. Buy and cellar. Great character. New oak but well balanced. Like this one a lot. Grade A. Gaja Sori San Lorenzo. 18 points.

2. Warm dirt muted nose. Darkest of the bunch. Closed and clenched but jam packed with stuffing. Will be fantastic after a long time in the cellar. Will merit the higher score if the tannins mellow. I guess Gaja? Grade: A-/a. Vietti Rocche. 6 points.

3. Brighter cherry liquor nose. Incredible mouth feel. Fresh black truffle and a long charcoal finish. Very long smooth finish. Graceful. I guess Barbaresco? Grade: A. Giacosa Falletto. 8 points

4. At first smells off rotten and vegetal. Then improves. But still strange nose. Strange wine. Disjointed. All tar with hasty cherry. Worst so far. Still deep with lots of flavor. Over ripe, kool aide ? Grade B. La spinetta Vigneto. 1 point.

5. Clean pretty floral nose. Awesome. Everything I want from a nebbilio. Truffles roses and tar. Perfectly balanced and put together. 10 minute finish. Oak. Love it. Grade: A+ lots of sediment. My favorite so far. Albino Rocca Barbaresco Vigneto Loreto. 24 points

6. Delicious a territory here. Conterno fantino? Lots of tar. Modern. Ripe and sweet with a balanced acidity. Very long finish. My 2nd favorite so far. Grade: A. Third place. Voerzio Barolo Cerequio. 37 points.

7 Very complex aromas. This time white truffle. Mud and flowers. Very dense and packed with flavor. All power. nice chiseled profile. Long finish. Old school. Would like to own some. A. Giacosa Santo Stefano. No votes!

8. Cherry nose. Muted. Massive tannins. Most closed of the night but exhilarating finish. Delicious again. Cellar a long time. Barbaresco? Lots of smooth tannins. Grade: A. Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. 19 points.

9. A nice truffle nose. A brute of a delicious packed long and full wine. I like this one a whole lot too. Menthol. Fruitcake. Grade: A. Conterno Fantino Sori Ginestra. 10 points.

10. Cherry juice. Delicate. Lavender. Modern. Soft. Nice but doesn't stand out in this group. Grade: A- Clerico Caibot Metin Ginestra. 39 points. 1st!

11 Very new world. Super balanced and super smooth tannins. it builds. Seems contrived however. Grade: A- Aldo Conterno Colonnello. 16 point.

12. My favorite! Smoke, molasses and huge finish. Gives me chills. A must buy. Character and poise. The other bottle in the room was unliked. Ours was loved. Grade: A+ Second overall. Peo Cesare Barolo Ornato. 32 points. 3rd overall.

13. Beauty right out of the gate. Lavender. Lush. Really deep and packed power. Long finish and excellent balance. Dried leaves. Most controversy. I love it. Grade: A. Einaudi Barolo Nei Cannubi. 24 points.