2004 Long Now

Even on a warm day in mid-September, Pelissero's hilltop winery at 420 meters benefited from a refreshing breeze, not to mention a sweeping view of the region. Pelissero describes 2004 as "a classic vintage, a year the area's producers would always want to make. The wines have power, complexity, structure and protein, but they're very closed today. Two thousand one was also very strong here," he continued, "but 2004 is a bit more complex. In comparison, the 2005s are more open and grapey. The 2005 vintage is very expressive of the nebbiolo variety, but they're not big, high-protein wines like the '04s. " While Pelissero clearly views 2004 as one of his great vintages, I found myself troping toward the style of the 2005 Barbarescos, even if they can't match the '04s for sheer strength of material.