2003 Giacomo Borgogno Barolo Riserva DOCG

(91 Points) "The estate’s 2003 Barolo Riserva is a wine made in the older Borgogno style, which is to say it is quite rustic, and not in the positive sense the term can be applied to some wines. The aromas and flavors are on the forward side. Worn-in leather, tobacco, licorice, tar and spices add complexity to dried cherries and red stone fruits that are already a bit faded. Some of that is a function of the year, but I sense some less than perfectly clean casks here as well. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. This is by far the most impressive set of wines I have ever tasted from Borgogno, one of Barolo’s historic houses. The Baroli are terrific, but the biggest improvements may very well be with the entry-level wines, which up until recently were just a little bit better than undrinkable. Now that many of the more traditional producers have been re-discovered, so many of those producers’ entry-level wines have risen in price. The entry-level bottles from Borgogno are great choices for readers who appreciate the more classic side of Piedmont and want to be gentle on the budget. Kudos to proprietor Oscar Farinetti, his son Andrea, and their team. Borgogno may very well turn out to be one of the most remarkable turn-arounds in the history of Barolo. Readers who might have been concerned that the Farinettis would revolutionize the traditional style of the house have nothing to worry about." 10/11  Antonio Galloni, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate