Piedmont Report - Barbaresco 2004: Barbaresco Comes of Age; Barolo 2003: Better Than Expected

by Antonio Galloni

After a series of poor 2002s and uneven 2003s Barbaresco bounces back with its stunning 2004s. It is a vintage that happily coincides with a growing maturity and seriousness among producers. The most striking developments taking place in Piedmont are a return to larger barrels for aging, a reduction in toast levels and a generally more refined style of winemaking all of which are very much in evidence in the 2004s. For many estates the 2004s are without question the finest wines they have ever made, although as always, there are a handful of disappointments. The best 2004 Barbarescos are wonderfully complete, with the sweetness of the 2000s and the greater aromatic complexity, detail and finesse of the 2001s. If that sounds particularly appealing, believe me, it is. The 2004 Barolos will be released next year, but the above applies to those wines as well.