2001 Barolo Bricco Fiasco

Very very sweet and slightly dusty. Lots of energy and spine even if not greatly nuanced. (JR)

The 2001 Barolo Bricco Fiasco is one of the most impressive wines in this ten-year retrospective of the 2001 Baroli. The Bricco Fiasco remains vibrant, fresh and beautifully delineated from start to finish. Bright flowers, ripe red cherries, mint and iron flow onto the palate in this gorgeous, totally impeccable Barolo. The 2001 doesn't taste or feel that much different than it did as a young wine. There is plenty of energy and focus for the 2001 to make it to its 20th birthday. If opened today the wine needs at least a few hours of air for the tannins to soften.

The 2001 Barolo Bricco Fiasco is one of the most impressive wines in this ten-year retrospective of the 2001 Baroli. The Bricco Fiasco remains vibrant, fresh and beautifully delineated from start to finish. Bright flowers, ripe red cherries, mint and iron flow onto the palate in this gorgeous, totally impeccable Barolo. The 2001 doesn’t taste or feel that much different than it did as a young wine. There is plenty of energy and focus for the 2001 to make it to its 20th birthday. If opened today the wine needs at least a few hours of air for the tannins to soften. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. One of the major goals of the modern school of Barolo was to make wines that were approacchable young, but that could also age. In my opinion there are three producers who consistently achieved that goal at a high level; Luciano Sandrone, Elio Altare and Luigi Scavino of Azelia. Of these growers, Scavino is the least well known, and because of that, his wines remain favorably priced. In case readers are wondering, I don’t place Luigi Scavino’s cousin Enrico in the same category only because his wines never strike me as being approachable young. Both of the Azelia Baroli were aged in French oak barrels, 25% new. Importers: Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Robert Houde Wines, Elk Grove Village, IL; tel. (847) 430-3887, Giuliana Imports, Denver, CO; tel. (303) 547-6343, Epic Wines, Santa Cruz, CA; tel. (800) 322-3742, Selected Brands, Deerfield Beach, FL; tel. (954) 428-0019