2003 Gaja Langhe Sori San Lorenzo

Vibrant cherry fruit, scented with blossom and plenty of savoury cedarwood. The tannin is grand but surprisingly approachable, with a ponderous, unhurried finish. The dark fruit is only just beginning to reveal its breadth of flavour: it's like watching the teaser of the latest movie blockbuster. (RH)

Good deep red. Nuts and mocha on the nose. Full and soil-driven on the palate, with truffle, smoke and earth flavors dominating. Most impressive today on the long, slowly building finish, which features plush tannins and strong dark fruit flavors nicely framed by sound ripe acidity. A great success for 2003.

The 2003 Sorì San Lorenzo is simply awesome. Boasting the darkest color of these wines as well as captivating aromatics, it is a brooding effort packed with notes of earthiness, tar, smoke, grilled herbs, cassis, licorice and super-ripe plummy fruit. It shows the qualities of 2003 in its full-throttle, expansive style yet it also possesses remarkable balance as well as fine tannins for the vintage. Although there is a little heat on the finish, I found this an utterly compelling wine.