2001 Barolo Vigna Rionda

The 2001 Barolo Vigna Rionda has aged very quickly. The baby fat has melted away, exposing the wine’s considerable French oak. Spices, dried herbs and flowers struggle to emerge, but really never find a place here. Ultimately it is the oak that is very much center stage. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014. Giampaolo Pira’s 2001s were quite showy when they were first released. The wines haven’t aged as well as I had expected and today it is pretty clear they need to be drunk up. Ultimately these wines never integrated their French oak. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including: de Grazia Imports; tel. (417) 732-4200; Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411, Robert Houde Wines, Elk Grove Village, IL; tel. (847) 430-3887

The 2001 Barolo Vigna Rionda, an attractive dark ruby, shows its pedigree, with a beautiful nose of spices and menthol. It is concentrated yet silky on the palate, revealing elegant notes of dark, backward fruit, licorice, tar, chocolate and minerals, with an exquisitely long finish. I find it more understated and nuanced than the Marenca. Aged in 100% new barriques.

Good full red. Raspberry, menthol, mocha and nutty oak on the nose, with subtle nuances of smoke and earth. Suave and penetrating, with sneaky flavor intensity; strong red fruit character complicated by an enticing woodsy element. Very concentrated, fresh wine with lovely sweetness. Finishes very long and juicy, with ripe, building tannins. In the same quality league as the excellent '99 Vigna Rionda from this estate.