Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2008: Ruby-plum color; beautiful cherry, tar, red rose on the nose;
cherry, plum, dark fruit, balsamic, white pepper, spice on the palate; complex, tightly knit flavors; restrained tannin, especially for a Barolo; good acidity; polished, balanced, impressive mouthfeel; all around, an elegant, excellent, approachable, affordable barolo. Oak was skillfully employed, allowing nebbiolo grape flavors to flourish. Barolo is produced in the Piedmont region of northern Italy made using nebbiola grapes under very strict rules: grapes must be grown on hillsides, they cannot be grown on valley floors, must not be grown on areas without sufficient sunlight (no full-on north exposures, for instance), must be aged at least 38 months after harvest, minimum of 18 months in wood. The rules are designed to ensure barolo remains one of Italy’s greatest, world-important wines. You will never taste a commodity barolo. Many barolo wines are very tannic and must be tamed by a decade or more of bottle age; this effort is more approachable, spends less time on skins, is more modern in style while following the barolo rules. This is moving into its prime at age seven. Because it is bold and powerful, pair this with meat dishes, heavy pastas, rich tomato sauces, rich risottos, rich food in general where the strong flavors and tannin will bind with the food proteins, enhancing the food and softening the wine. Barolo: if you want to be into wine, this must be on your to-drink list. Once it has sipped, you will save your pennies to return. $54
