Roagna, Barolo Vigna Rionda

Roagna, Barolo Vigna RiondaRoagna's 2003 Barolo Vigna Rionda is quite pretty today. Crushed rose petals, anise, wild flowers, mint and sweet red berries all lift from the glass. The Rionda hallmarks specifically, the intensely perfumed fruit are all present but are seen through the lens of a very hot vintage that has robbed the wine of some freshness. Although the tannins are quite firm, the 2003 is best enjoyed over the next handful of years, while the fruit retains some

and exuberant

all nicely balanced by precise tannins

fresh and vibrant

This is certainly very pretty but lacks the sheer depth of the best of these Gevrey 1ers

The 2010 Barolo Vigna Cerretta is a wine of enormous intensity and textural richness

which flies in the face of the vintage that birthed it

This is quite serious but even so it is more refined than the Charmes

almost severe in structure

93 ha parcel of 60+ year old vines)

An exuberantly floral-suffused nose speaks of both red and dark berries

A wonderfully spicy and very Vosne nose combines red and black berry fruit aromas that display just a touch of secondary development along with intense floral notes

The youthfully reticent nose hints at flinty red cherry