1989 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra

The 1989 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra opens with a gorgeous, captivating bouquet of soy sauce, smoke, tobacco and cedar. The wine possesses sumptuous richness and beguiling inner perfume in an intensely powerful, mineral-driven style that coats the palate in stunning style. I am not sure the tannins will fully soften here, but readers lucky enough to own this wine are in for a thrilling ride. This is stunning juice! Anticipated maturity: 2009-2016. This stunning set of wines shows how far ahead of the pack Domenico Clerico was 20 years ago. Then again, Clerico has the privilege of working with some of the very finest vineyards in the world. Winemaking was decidedly rustic at the time, as these wines were fermented in tanks outside Clerico’s house, the site of his current cellar. No matter, the wines are splendid, even today. The 1989 and 1990 Ciabot Mentin Ginestra were aged in 700-liter French oak barrels, while the 1990 Pajana is the first Barolo Clerico aged in the smaller 225-liter barrels he now uses for all of his Barolos.

I thought both wines were stunning. The 1989 was also very beautiful in a more linear and nuanced style, although it didn’t quite have the balance or freshness of the 1990.