2008 Barolo Brunate

The 2008 Barolo Brunate is a rich, juicy wine with lovely depth in its dark red fruit, leather, licorice, smoke, menthol and tar. This is an especially generous, expressive 2008 Barolo. The fruit is succulent, generous and quite open for the vintage. Today the French oak is a bit evident, especially next to the Prapò. The wine's medium-bodied structure suggests it is best enjoyed over the medium-term, although it will almost certainly hang on for far longer.

The 2008 Barolo Brunate is a rich, juicy wine with lovely depth in its dark red fruit, leather, licorice, smoke, menthol and tar. This is an especially generous, expressive 2008 Barolo. The fruit is succulent, generous and quite open for the vintage. Today the French oak is a bit evident, especially next to the Prapo. The wine’s medium-bodied structure suggests it is best enjoyed over the medium-term, although it will almost certainly hang on for far longer. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. Once the poster child of all things modern, Ceretto continues to impress with an approach that combines the best of innovation and tradition. Today macerations are longer, the wines spend less time in oak and new oak levels are lower than in the past. The 2008 Nebbioli were picked from October 5 to 10. The wines saw on average 25 days of contact with the skins. Malolactic fermentation took place in oak, and the wines were aged in barrel for 24 months, 50% new and 50% one-year-old. Starting with 2009, the Baroli are made with natural yeasts, which encourages longer and more drawn out malolactic fermentations. I have to say I am very intrigued by what is happening at Ceretto. Importer: Wilson Daniels Ltd, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

Good full red. Aromas of plum, dried flowers and earth, plus a whiff of tired nuttiness. Then rich in the mouth, with flavors still a bit stunted by the May bottling, but an impression of sound acidity (at least 6 grams, according to winemaker Alessandro Ceretto). The big tannins build steadily, coating the front teeth.