2014 Barolo Bricco Viole

Barolo. Tasted blind. An unusual dark ruby for this very short and rainy vintage. Perfumed nose that is a little rich with marasca cherry notes. Good concentration of fruit and well balanced with bags of grainy tannins and integrated acidity. Closed on the finish, but this clearly has potential. (WS)

Usually a lifted, delicate wine, the 2014 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is dark, imposing and very much closed in on itself. The fruit profile is also quite a bit darker than is typically the case. Today, the 2014 is potent, austere and in need of cellaring in order to soften. Readers will have to be patient.

The 2014 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is a wine with a very distinct and identifiable aromatic personality. Maybe it's the power of suggestion, but the vineyard name Bricco delle Viole says it all. There is a strong floral signature here with pressed blue violets in a leading role. This is a delicate and graceful expression with nuanced aromas and a profound sense of depth. The lighter and more finessed nature of the cool 2014 vintage jibes very well with that central floral theme. Jun 2018, www.robertparker.com