In case you haven't heard, 2004 is a fabulous Piedmont vintage with great wines from Barolo and Barbaresco and all of their su

Barolo Valley In case you haven't heard, 2004 is a fabulous Piedmont vintage with great wines from Barolo and Barbaresco and all of their surrounding areas! We have known that the vintage had potential for greatness, as we work closely with many Piedmont producers who were very excited about the vintage. The weather was gorgeous with warm sunny days and crisp, cool nights; just perfect for growing Nebbiolo. Many of these conscientious growers, like Marco Marengo, pruned their vineyards assiduously to ensure great grapes. This shows as these young wines show their superb ripeness and elegance, we are anxious to try these wines when they have been in the bottle for another ten years or so. Below are excerpts from Antonio Galloni's writing in the Wine Advocate, and his tasting notes. These are great wines that rival or surpass past great vintages such as 1997, 2000 and 2001 and are well worth seeking out!

These wines are offered as Pre-Arrivals, and are subject to confirmation. Wines are due to arrive Spring/Fall of 2008

AZELIA

Luigi Scavino, who owns Azelia, is cousin to Enrico and Paolo Scavino. He produces Barolo from 3 hectares of Bricco Fiasco next to Enrico's plot. Both cousins employ the same rigorous viticultural principles of severe grape selection and low yields

2004 Barolo

Wine Advocate - 89 points

"Azelia's 2004 Barolo is a super rich wine loaded with generous black cherries and spices. It is a beautifully poised, balanced Barolo. By including more juice from their top vineyards Azelia has stepped up the quality of their Barolo. It shows in this terrific wine which is sure to offer much pleasure overt the next decade. I can't ask for too much more from a wine at this level."

Regular Price - $53.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $47.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $480.00 ($40.00 btl - Save 25%)

2004 Barolo Margheria

Wine Advocate - 92 points

"This vibrant, fresh Barolo exudes layers of dark fruit, tar, licorice, cinnamon, new leather and sweet toasted oak that flow onto the palate with stunning purity."

Regular Price - $75.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $67.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $700.00 ($58.25 btl - Save 22%)

2004 Barolo Bricco Fiasco Azelia

Wine Advocate - 94 points

Azelia's Barolo Bricco Fiasco reveals a concentrated expression of the hall mark qualities of this Castiglione Falletto vineyard with its perfumed aromatics: ripe red cherries, menthol and baking spices. This is beautiful and refined Bricco Fiasco from Luigi Scavino."

Regular Price - $90.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $81.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $815.00 ($67.92 btl - Save 25%)

2004 Barolo San Rocco

Wine Advocate - 95 points

The 2004 Barolo San Rocco from a Serralunga vineyard is an explosive, structured wine bursting with black cherries, violets, menthol and tar. Full bodied and ample on the palate, it possesses outstanding balance and an utterly engaging personality that makes it an absolute joy to taste."

Regular Price - $90.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $81.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $815.00 ($67.92 btl - Save 25%)

RENATO CORINO

Renato Corino is now a Barolo "super-star". His Barolo-Vigna Rocche is almost Musigny-like as it is so elegant yet supple and hauntingly perfumed.

Renato Corino 2004 Barolo

Wine Advocate - 89 points

"The 2004 Barolo possesses a lovely core of fruit, sweet spices and herbs. It offers excellent depth and richness at this level in an accessible, engaging style."

Regular Price - $45.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $40.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $420.00 ($35.00 btl - Save 22%)

2004 Barolo Arborina

Wine Advocate - 93 points

"The 2004 Barolo Arborina reveals notable harmony and balance in its sweet ripe fruit, new leather, menthol and spice. This generous Barolo offers outstanding persistence and an engaging personality."

Regular Price - $75.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $67.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $675.00 ($56.25 btl - Save 25%)

CORINO

Giuliano Corino's Vigna Giachini is almost Pomerol-like as it is so powerful and rich on the palate.

Giuliano 2004 Barolo

Wine Advocate - 88 points

This is a pretty, accessible wine ideal for near term drinking. Medium in body, it offers attractive suggestions of dark cherries, flowers and spices with excellent length and lovely balance."

Regular Price - $45.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $40.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $420.00 ($35.00 btl - Save 22%)

2004 Barolo Arborino

Wine Advocate - 92 points

"The 2004 Arborino presents a profile of candied cherries, menthol, spices and sweet, toasted oak. Initially quite clenched, the wine opens beautifully with air, revealing terrific depth and the firmer tannins that are characteristic of this site."

Regular Price - $75.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $67.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $675.00 ($56.25 btl - Save 25%)

MANZONE

"...a small producer who does magic with Nebbiolo." --Wine Spectator

2004 Barolo le Gramolere

Wine Advocate - 94 points

The 2004 Barolo le Gramolere reveals gorgeous notes of candied cherries, spices and menthol in an elegant, sweet expression of the vineyard. There is notable vibrancy to its generous fruit. The finish is delicate and long, as ethereal aromas linger in the empty glass. It is one of the finest wines I have tasted from this small, artisanal producer."

Regular Price - $65.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $58.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $576.00 ($48.00 btl - Save 27%)

2004 Barolo Bricat

Wine Advocate - 93+ points

Manzone Made from the oldest vines in the Gramolere vineyard, today comes across as fresher and more closed that the ( Barolo from the) Gramolere vineyard. It possesses superb delineation in its aromatics and plenty of backward, dark fruit. It too is an outstanding effort from this estate."

Regular Price - $65.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $58.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $576.00 ($48.00 btl - Save 27%)

MARENGO

Mario Marengo's fabulous vineyards in La Morra boast 75 year old, south facing vines on the slope. His wines are very elegant and "Burgundian", Marengo is one of our personal favorites.

Marengo

2004 Barolo le Viole

Wine Advocate - 91 points

"Marengo's Barolo le Viole in 2004 is surprisingly generous in its expression of roses, black cherries, spices and minerals. This offers superb inner perfume to its fruit and notable harmony."

Regular Price - $65.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $58.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $576.00 ($48.00 btl - Save 27%)

LUIGI PIRA

Luigi Pira is making some of the most sought after wine in the Piedmont. His Barolo "Marenca" is exquisite with finely wrought tannins, high, refined perfume and elegant, silky texture.

2004 Barolo

Wine Advocate - 88 points

"This is a big, powerful wine."

Regular Price - $45.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $40.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $420.00 ($35.00 btl - Save 22%)

Pira 2004 Barolo Margheria

Wine Advocate - 93 points

"The 2004 Margheria represents a powerful, classic expression of Serralunga Barolo. A massive wine, it possesses plenty of fruit supported by imposing structural material, showing superb energy, purity and focus. It is the finest Margheria from Pira that I can recall."

Regular Price - $70.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $63.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $625.00 ($52.08 btl - Save 26%)

2004 Barolo Marenca

Wine Advocate - 94 points

Pira's 2004 Barolo Marenca is a thrilling wine. This layered, sumptuous Barolo possesses plump fruit, sweet spices, menthol and new leather flavors with an expansive, rich personality. The oak is well integrated and the wine offers superb balance with tannins that finish big but polished."

Regular Price - $90.00

Special Pre-Arrival Price - $81.00 (Save 10%)

Mixed or Solid Case Price - $815.00 ($67.92 btl - Save 25%)

Antonio Galloni's

Piedmont Report

"Quite frankly, I have never tasted young Barolos with this level of sweet, perfumed fruit and silky, ripe tannins. These are wines of extraordinary elegance, balance and finesse. Quality is outstanding from top to bottom. Readers will find everything from a number of superb entry-level wines to utterly profound luxury bottlings and everything in between. The vintage coincides with a growing sense of maturity among growers, especially those of the younger generation. A number of producers have made their finest wines yet.

As I have written in these pages before, the 2004 Barolos combine the sweetness of 2000 with the classicism, perfume and freshness of 2001. It is tempting to compare 2004 to 2001, two vintages which share many attributes. At a number of properties I had a chance to taste the vintages side by side. Today the 2001 Barolos appear to be more powerful, structured wines and they may eventually prove to be longer-lived. The 2004s, on the other hand, come across as more elegant and refined. While both vintages are similar in terms of quality, I give a slight edge to 2004 for the remarkable finesse of the wines and the higher average level producers achieved.

The last month of the season, always the most critical period, saw cool evenings bring relief to the daytime heat, precisely the conditions Nebbiolo needs to develop vibrant color, expressive aromatics, layered fruit and fine tannins. It is a vintage in which specific vineyard characteristics are accentuated to the fullest. The near-perfect weather also caused the plants to unleash the energy they had held in store since having shut down during the torrid 2003. As a result, yields were abundant. Quality-minded growers were forced to green-harvest aggressively.

The only problem with the wines is likely to be pricing. Most estates are raising prices 15-20%. That, along with the continued depreciation of the US dollar means American consumers can expect prices to be up about 30% from the 2001s, the last vintage of similar quality. As hard as these price increases will be to accept, the truth is that they pale in comparison with the price hikes consumers have been asked to digest for top Burgundies, Bordeaux and other world-class wines in recent highly sought-after vintages such as 2005. Buying early is the key. Barolo is not inexpensive these days, but the wines remain outstanding relative values among the world's finest age-worthy and collectible wines."

Nebbiolo-Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara

There are as many misconceptions about the great Piedmont reds as for red Burgundies, with fewer explanations.

"While red Burgundies may be mysterious to some wine lovers, Piedmont wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara often are more so, even to the most astute wine professionals. Like red Burgundies, Barolo is sometimes erroneously considered a wine strictly for intellectuals. Sure, we often intellectualize about the qualities of these great wines when enjoying them; we don't just quaff them down. But the often haunting, seductive, earthy bouquets of both Burgundy and Barolo are sensuous, soulful and visceral.

Some people believe that Barolos etc. must be kept for a minimum of seven years after the vintage before being consumed. Ten or twenty years ago this may have been true. The fact is, especially due to the recent, fruit driven, modern methods of vinification employed by many Piedmont winemakers, most of these wines can be enjoyed soon after release. I have asked several Piedmont growers when would be the propitious moment to drink their wine. Most regarded me quizzically and said, "If you want to taste the full fruit and youthful power of the wine, drink them young. If you prefer wines more complex rather than fruit driven, age them a while." And they are right. Even wines from recent "classic" vintages, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, taste irresistibly great RIGHT NOW, with decanting, but will age almost indefinitely and become more complex with time!

Acclaimed modern Piedmont growers, many of whom work with "super-broker" Marc de Grazia, pick riper fruit than previous eras, age their wine in new and used oak barrels, bottle earlier, and strive for supple, lower acid wines. The results are often spectacular wines that taste great at the outset yet will age and develop for years.

While many people believe that Barolos etc. are similar to Rhone wines, to me, they far more closely resemble Burgundies. Marc de Grazia agrees and says, "Nebbiolo is about fruit in much the same way that Pinot Noir is about fruit." Like red Burgundies, which are made solely from one grape variety, Pinot Noir, Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara are only made from Nebbiolo grapes.But while other areas of the world have had success producing Pinot Noir no where else, other than the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, has even come close to producing great Nebbiolo.

While there is conjecture as to the origins of the Nebbiolo grape, it has far more Pinot noir characteristics than Syrah characteristics. Rhone wines, many of which I love, are generally made up of blends and tend to be full bodied, deeply fruited, warm, powerful, extroverted wines that go full throttle. Nebbiolo based wines are more subtle, complex, and elegant, often with ethereal flavors of truffles, violets, tar, faded roses, incense, plums and raspberries. They go best with fine foods and, again like red Burgundies, have finesse, complexity and a rapier like intensity. Also, like Burgundies, there are considerable discernible differences among the various "crus" from Barolo, Barbaresco, and Gattinara and quantities are minuscule.

There has never been a better time to learn to love Piedmont wines. Current and future vintages are among the very best ever from this region. Prices of Burgundy, and Bordeaux for comparable quality wines are far higher. These are classic, world-class wines that will give pleasure for years to come."