2000 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Torriglione

The 2000 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata/Torriglione is one of the more structured and intense of these 2000s. A persistent underlying vein of minerality frames crushed red berries, licorice, freshly cut flowers and mint. This is another intensely perfumed Barolo endowed with superb intensity and fabulous overall balance.

The 2000 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata/Torriglione, tasted from magnum, bursts from the glass with an articulate, kaleidoscopic bouquet that is mesmerizing. This extraordinary wine tastes pretty much like it did when I first tasted it from barrel in 2002! Ripe, silky tannins frame a core of intensely floral red fruit that flows through to a long, exceptionally refined finish that lasts forever. Simply put, this is a magical bottle of Barolo. Sadly, the magnum format was not released commercially.

(the first year for this bottling; Voerzio's vines in Rocche are 30 years old while those in Torriglione are more than 60 years of age, according to Asselle) Full medium red, with a brown tinge. Superripe, musky aromas of redcurrant, cedar, pepper and smoked meat. Very fat on the palate but uncompromisingly dry and closed today, with an intriguing mineral quality giving shape to the wine. Very large-scaled for a Barolo from La Morra, and impressively long on the aftertaste, with the ripe, dusty tannins hitting the palate late. The creamy texture and breadth of the tannins are no doubt largely due to the age of the vines. This is almost sure to merit a higher score with six to eight years of additional cellaring.