1998 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Vigneto Brich Ronchi

The dark ruby/garnet-colored 1998 Barbaresco Vigneto Brich Ronchi reveals abundant aromas of new saddle leather mixed with spice box, kirsch liqueur, beet roots, and oak. In the mouth, it is rich as well as tannic. This pure, ripe, long Barbaresco is best cellared for another year and consumed over the following decade. Oct 2001, www.robertparker.com

Full ruby-tinged red. Cool, complex aromas of black cherry, currant, camphor, tar, mint and violet. Sweet, dense and packed with fruit; large-scaled and lush, given shape by ripe acidity. More powerful than the Loreto, but the big, broad tannins are also extremely well buffered. Less expressive on the back end than the Loreto but shows outstanding length. Like the '97, this wine does not come across as especially oaky due to its sheer material.