2000 Marcarini Barolo Brunate

The 2000 Barolo Brunate is fabulous. In fact, it may be one of the wines of the vintage. Certainly at its price point, that isn’t even a question. Powerful yet refined tannins buffer a core of explosive fruit. This shows gorgeous detail and class all the way through to the long, enveloping finish. The estate’s Brunate is one of a handful of wines that still holds upside potential. The 2000 is more open than some of the other vintages that surround it, making this an excellent choice for readers who want to taste a Brunate with some age on it. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. Marcarini is one of the most solid, reliable Barolo producers. These may not be the flashiest or most exciting wines readers will come across, but they rarely fail to deliver the goods. Even better, the Marcarini Baroli remain some of the most fairly priced wines in the market. The estate’s 2000s have developed as well as could be expected. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2000 Barolo Brunate is better than the La Serra, but anything but earth-shaking. Riper and with more licorice in its aromas, it is more sizeable and muscular than La Serra, but suffers from the same problem of dry tannins and roughness on the finish. Drink: 2005-2012. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

As I have noted previously, the 2000 vintage offers wines that are amazingly open at this stage in their youths and most of these Brunate Barolos can be enjoyed today, although some wines may require more oxygenation. The wines were tasted blind and are listed in the order tasted. 2000 Marcarini Barolo Brunate—Medium ruby. Notes of menthol, minerals, chocolate, and wet earth on the nose. This traditionally styled wine features flavors of very ripe red fruits, and plenty of chewy tannins. Comes across as a bit compressed today, but should become more expansive with bottle age.