Barolo, San Rocco, 2008

At first glance this is dark, brooding and less sweet than the Margheria, but there are more layers of flavour that unravel with aeration. Spicy in true Serralunga style but more vital, precise and mineral than any other of its type, quite sensational flavours of small berries and currants with hints of stone, herb and Asian sweet spice. Racy, ripe and bursting with energetic fruit flavours set in a guiding but neatly composed tannic structure, for this is as balanced and poised as it is powerful. Magnificent Barolo, up there with the vintage's best. A first class single vineyard from the Serralunga commune whose wines are very distinct from those of Bricco Fiasco, being often darker, denser and spicier. The vines are between 40 and 50 years old and the wine is aged in 20% new wood for 24 months.