2006 Barolo Vigna Rionda

The 2006 Barolo Vigna Rionda emerges from the glass with gorgeous inner perfume, seamlessly integrated French oak, roses, ripe red fruits and licorice. As the vines have gotten older, more and more vineyard character has begun to show in the wine, and in 2006 the Vigna Rionda captures many of the qualities that make this one of the most revered sites in Piedmont. New oak levels have come down a touch, which helps quite a bit as well. Still, this powerful, austere, massively endowed Barolo will require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. Giampaolo Pira’s Barolos are some of the most massive, rich wines readers are likely to come across, but they rarely fail to deliver the goods. Like most producers, Pira has begun to reduce the level of small, new oak barrels in his Barolos, and the results are striking. The Barolo and Barolo Margheria are both aged in cask. The Marenca is aged in medium-size 500-liter barrels, while the Vigna Rionda sees smaller 225-liter French oak barrels. Though soft spoken, Giampaolo Pira is among Piedmont’s most ambitious young growers, as these wines fully attest. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including: de Grazia Imports; tel. (417) 732-4200; Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; (516) 677-9300, Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael CA; (415) 492-9411, Giuliana Imports, Boulder CO; (303) 547-6343, Robert Houde Wines, Bensenville IL; (630) 422-1119

Good deep red. Perfumed aromas of red and black cherry and spices; the most youthful of these three 2006s. Juicy, chewy and sweet, with a penetrating quality to its dark fruit and spice flavors. This rather full-bodied wine has plenty of tannic structure for a slow development in bottle. And yet it's more accessible at this stage than the 2004 was a couple years ago.

The 2006 Barolo Vigna Rionda emerges from the glass with gorgeous inner perfume, seamlessly integrated French oak, roses, ripe red fruits and licorice. As the vines have gotten older, more and more vineyard character has begun to show in the wine, and in 2006 the Vigna Rionda captures many of the qualities that make this one of the most revered sites in Piedmont. New oak levels have come down a touch, which helps quite a bit as well. Still, this powerful, austere, massively endowed Barolo will require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate # 187 Feb 2010