2009 Barolo Bricco Rocche Prapo

Good medium red. High-pitched aromas of tangy cherry, raspberry, flowers and minerals. Fresh and deep on the palate, offering complex, attractively sweet flavors of medicinal red fruits, sage and mint complicated by saline earth tones. Finishes with dusty, building tannins and excellent length. My sample shut down in the glass; I'd give this wine at least three or four years in the cellar.

Commune of Serralunga. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Multilayered dried fruit and spice. Savoury too. Lots of sweet fruit matched to rich tannins. Very intense and needs more age to calm down. Wonderfully tactile, tannic finish. (WS)

The 2009 Barolo Prapo shows similar tendencies and it doesn’t have the natural heft or structure you get with the Brunate cru. Its streamlined mouthfeel is supported by mild tones of mineral, dried cherry and herb. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. Ceretto is a landmark estate and a world ambassador that has done much to teach Barolo appreciation around the world. Not only do they jealously safeguard their well-earned reputation for top-notch wines, but the various generations that have managed this historic winery understood sooner than most that the Langhe must also be developed to attract trouists. The various estates they own are adorned with massive projects of modern art and innovative buildings that make for irresistible touring destinations. As I write this report, I am looking out my window at the Ceretto glass “cube” that sits so regally on the crest of the Bricco Rocche cru above Castiglione Falletto. I have been taunted, nostalgically, each evening by the distant music and laughter emanating from that fascinating architectonic beacon of light and aspiration. Back to the wines: Ceretto is a brand of consistent high scores and accolades. But the 2009 vintage represents something of a lull for this venerated producer. I did not encounter the same clarity of voice or conviction of message that past vintages have delivered. My hope is that this is indeed a temporary lull. Importer: Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620