1999 Barolo Vigna Rionda

Dark ruby. One of the standouts in my tastings of the vintage, the Vigna Rionda is another awesome effort from this young producer. It displays an exquisitely beautiful nose of sweet toasted oak and white truffles which melds seamlessly onto a palate packed with layers of dark fruit that unfold with much persistence on the palate, marrying the structured nature of the vintage with the sublime elegance that defines the Vigna Rionda vineyard. Still vibrant and full of fruit, it will benefit from at least another few years in the cellar, after which it will provide great drinking for at least another decade.

I must admit that the 1999 Barolo Vigna Rionda is an impressive effort. Dark in color, with coconut, incense, vanilla, and red fruit aromas, it is packed, solid, and mineral, still very tight, with some oak to lose as well. Time in the bottle should do the trick, and the wine, sure to age well, can be drunk from 2007 to 2022. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700, and Estate Wines, Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411

Good medium red. Sappy, liqueur-like aromas of cherry and strawberry, complicated by a whiff of sweet tobacco. Deep, large-scaled and chewy, with notes of marzipan, hazelnut, truffle, smoke, earth and roasted herbs. A big boy, with impressive flesh and palate presence, but not at all in an easy, sweet style. Finishes with a boatload of tannins that will require patience.