Barolo Zonchera 2003 75cl

Very ripe and woody, with coffee and tea undertones. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. A blockbuster style, but there's some underlying class. Needs bottle time. Best after 2011. 7,000 cases made. –JS

In a vintage where many Barolo normales are outstanding, Ceretto's 2003 Barolo Zonchera is a notable underperformer. It offers a surprisingly advanced set of coffee bean, old leather and stewed prunes with a wilted personality, even within the context of the vintage. It looks to be a short-lived effort. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2013. For the most part, this is a strong set of new wines from Ceretto. The 2004 single-vineyard Barbarescos are both outstanding and the Barolo selections aren't too far behind. Unfortunately there is no Barolo Bricco Rocche in 2003. The wines still show a generous use of oak, but when vintage conditions are favorable, the wines can be beautiful, as the 2004 Barbarescos attest. My one criticism is of the entry-level wines. The Barbaresco Asij and Barolo Zonchera are both disappointing relative to best wines at this level. Ceretto certainly has the resources to do better. Importer: Moet Hennessy USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 251-8200