2004 Barolo Percristina

Wine Details
Place of Origin

Italy

Monforte D'alba

Piedmont

Color

Red

Grape/Blend

Nebbiolo

Reviews & Tasting Notes

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Drinking Window

2015 - 2024

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Domenico Clerico's 2004 Barolos are every bit as moving from bottle as they were the many times I tasted them from barrel and as young wines from bottle. These towering Barolos capture one of Piedmont's most inspired artisan growers at the height of his powers.

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Drinking Window

2014 - 2029

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It's great to see Domenico Clerico doing better after what has been a very difficult struggle with illness. My recent tasting with Clerico was amazing, as I had a chance to survey all of his Barolos in verticals covering vintages 2004 through 2008, which provided quite a bit of perspective on the relative qualities of this series of important vintages. I have done similar tastings here once – sometimes twice – a year for many years, and have always needed a bit of a break afterwards, as Clerico's wines are massively tannic and structured when young, which, when coupled with Monforte's trademark acidity, can tire the palate. Not this time. What has changed? For starters, the move toward longer fermentations/macerations and the reduction in the use of French oak have begun to yield wines of incomparable finesse and elegance. Tasting the vintages side by side, it is apparent that 2004 – as great as those wines are – represents the end of an era at Clerico. The 2005s signal a move towards a more elegant style (much of that is due to the vintage itself, rather than to changes in winemaking) but it is the 2006s that show the first true results of the new approach here, and the wines are simply breathtaking. Clerico's 2007s, however, may be even better as they are shaping up to be profound, utterly mind-bending Barolos. And as for the 2008s, they are still young, but are so promising I can hardly wait to taste them again. For readers who are curious, the 2004s here are superb but are shutting down rapidly in bottle. The 2005s continue to put on weight, yet they lack the sheer stuffing and depth of the 2006s. The 2007s are rich, sensual, perfumed and utterly thrilling, while the 2008 are a touch more transparent and classic. Watching these wines evolve over the coming years will be fascinating. Sadly, long-time cellarmaster Massimo Conterno recently left the winery after spending nearly his entire career at Clerico's side. Conterno is like a son to Clerico and his departure remains a painful loss. Still, change is often invigorating, and I can only hope that will be the case here as well.

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Cellarmaster Massimo Conterno, who since my September visit has just left Clerico after 25 years, considers all the Barolo vintages from 2004 through 2008 to have large structures but finds 2004 and 2006 the most powerful of this group-as well as the best balanced. "The '07s and the '05s are a bit finer, with less body for their tannins," he told me. "They will need time in bottle to find their balance, especially the 2005s, which can be aggressive. The dividing line in 2005 was the last rain. Wines made from fruit picked after that are much less successful." Incidentally, the extraordinary 2004 Per Cristina bottling is a worthy successor to the 2001, and the beat goes on with the 2005 and especially the 2006. All the Barolos here are aged for 24 to 26 months in a blend of 70% new and 30% once-used barriques, then go into stainless steel tanks for the rest of their elevage. Clerico's monumental new winery outside Monforte, which reminds me a bit of Dulles Airport during its construction, is still a work in progress but is scheduled to be completed in time to handle the 2010 harvest. (Marc de Grazia; numerous importers, including Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; Robert Houde Wines, Bensenville, IL; and Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael, CA)

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Drinking Window

2013 - 2022

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Domenico Clerico embodies the hard-working spirit which is such a central part of the Piedmontese character. Despite having made some of the most memorable Barolos in recent history, Clerico continues to strive to make even better wines. Over the years he has lengthened maceration times considerably from the 5-8 days he used in the mid-1990's to 18-23 days he employed for his 2006s. With the 2005 Barolos has also brought the level of new oak down from 100%. Today the wines are made with a more non-interventionalist approach which calls for using only natural yeasts and minimal racking of the wines in the cellar. As a result of these developments as well as the greater age of his vines, the Barolos are gaining more clarity and nuance than they had in the past. Clerico's 2005s are more variable than his 2004s, but the 2006s offer unreal potential. I find it amusing that the wines Clerico most often waxes about are the Chiantis of Castell'in Villa and the Barolos of Borgogno from the 1930s, wines that represent the essence of traditional winemaking. On my last visit Clerico told me next year he will leave one tank to macerate until Christmas, in the style of his close friend Roagna, who is perhaps the last producer to still observe this old Piedmontese tradition. Clerico has a wicked sense of humor so it is sometimes hard to tell how serious he is, but one thing is for sure....these 2004 Barolos are among the very finest wines he has ever made. They are not to be missed.