2007 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera

Gianluca Grasso, who has taken his family's wines to a higher level in recent years, has made a couple of extraordinary Barolos in vintage 2008, a vintage he says is the best for Barolo since 2001. "The long vegetative cycle, with cool nights, allowed us to get 100% ripeness," he explained. "But 2009 is just okay for nebbiolo due to irregular weather." The family's view of the vintage is obviously colored by the fact that they lost some vines around the edges of their Gavarini vineyard during mudslides in March and April. I got the impression that Gianluca's father Elio is thrilled to be able to devote full time to his vineyards, although when I asked him if he still controls 51% of the vote when it comes to cellar decisions, he said, "oh yes." Since the 2008 harvest, the Grassos have been testing out a new conveyor-belt sorting table made by a company in Veneto, which uses a plastic hand and an adjustable net that allows them to prevent bits of stems from falling through. "We can even block the larger berries, if we want," said Gianluca. "It's necessary to go slowly, but we get nothing green in the juice." Gianluca, a long-time Burgundy lover, told me "in my next life I want to be born in Burgundy." (Importers include Martin-Scott Wines, Ltd., Lake Success, NY; Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ )

These 2007 Baroli from Elio Grasso are worthy successors to the stunning 2006s. Readers will have to wait until 2012 for the 2006 Barolo Rüncot. The more time passes, the greater my esteem grows for this underappreciated and often overlooked grower in Monforte. To be sure Domenico Clerico, Conterno-Fantino and Aldo Conterno get most of the attention in Monforte, but at their best Grasso's Baroli more than hold their own. A recent magnum of the 2000 Rüncot was quite possibly the finest and most elegant 100% new French oak- aged Barolo I have ever tasted. Grasso's 2007s Baroli saw 30 days of contact on the skins followed by a full 30 months in large, neutral oak casks.