2005 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera

Elio Grasso's 2005s are terrific, especially within the context of the year. Sadly hail in August took with it 40% of the crop. Both wines have plenty of tannic clout to support cellaring, although this tasting suggests the Gavarini will outlive the Ginestra.

x000D Gianluca Grasso was marveling over the range of vintages between 2004 and 2008 when I stopped by to taste with him in September. "Vintages 2008 and 2006 are similar," he said. "Both are great and were made from grapes picked late, after a long vegetative cycle. In '08 we harvested until October 25. Both '08 and '06 brought classic weather and ripening conditions for Barolo nebbiolo, with a lot of hot temperatures. We could do long macerations. Two thousand four was also very good-I prefer it to 2005, a year in which we had summer rains. We picked 80% of our Barolo before the early October rain in '05 but I wouldn't say the fruit reached 100% phenolic ripeness." Grasso continues to use micro-oxygenation to make his dolcetto and Langhe nebbiolo more fruity and approachable. Beginning with the 2007 vintage, he has also added dry ice to this same fruit in the destemmer. This produces "micro holes" in the berries, which Grasso says releases an enzyme that ultimately gives the wines a fruitier, more floral and more elegant character. (Importers include Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; Martin-Scott Wines, Ltd., Lake Success, NY; Langdon-Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA; and Oliver McCrum Wines, Oakland, CA)

Gianluca Grasso is one of Piedmont's emerging young growers and winemakers. As always, the wines here are characterized by a strong sense of discipline, vision and elegance. The estate decided against producing its Riserva Rüncot in 2005, but these two very fine Barolos deserve careful consideration. Stylistically the wines capture the best of modern and traditional schools, with the former represented by the work in the vineyards and the latter by the approach in the cellar, with the exception of the Rüncot, which is aged in small French oak barrels. The 2006, 2007 and 2008 Barolos I tasted from cask and tank are perhaps even more promising.