1998 Marcarini "Brunate" Barolo

“I had not tasted the 1998 Brunate from Marcarini since the fall of 2008, and I was very happy that this underrated wine was included in our vertical tasting past April. This is a lovely vintage for this wine and one that will drink well from a fairly early age, as it is already showing some secondary layers of complexity in its aromatic constellation of red and black cherries, a touch of nutskin, a bit of chocolate, gentle meatiness, fresh oregano and a road tar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and very well-balanced, with a fine core, ripe tannins and lovely length and grip on the youthful, but blossoming finish. With time in decanter, this wine is very approachable today, but it really deserves a half dozen more years in the cellar to really reach its apogee. A lovely wine. 92+” (08/2014)

“Huge evolved nose of wet earth and tar, opening to show notes of leather, and eucalyptus. This is powerful, dense wine with flavors of dark fruit and licorice and tremendous length, finishing with chewy tannins. A very beautiful and complete wine. (AG)” (12/2004)

“Brunate is one of the most famous vineyard sites in Barolo. There is a dirty, dusty nose that carries a whiff of hard cheese. Flavors are of caramel, cherries and underbrush. This is a very good wine that is tight now but will evolve over time.” (11/2002)