Fontanafredda’s 2006 Barolo Vigna La Rosa is a juicy, forward wine loaded with wild cherries, smoke and tar, all of which come together nicely in a textured, decidedly fruit-driven style. The La Rosa shows excellent richness, harmony and depth, if not quite the pedigree of the very finest Barolos here. Still, I am curious to see what develops in bottle over the coming years, as there seems to be quite a bit of potential for the La Rosa to surprise on the upside. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. Fontanafredda remains one of the great mysteries of Piedmont. The estate owns some of the very finest vineyards in the entire region. Still, far too many wines remain undistinguished. That said, important strides are being made at the high-end. As part of his massive rebranding exercise, proprietor Oscar Farinetti has removed the Lazzarito bottling from the Fontanafredda lineup and added it to the Mirafiore offerings, also reviewed in this issue. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

This is ripe, exhibiting plum, macerated cherry, blueberry and spice aromas and flavors. There are also hints of smoke and mineral and a firm underpinning of tannins. Finishes with a lingering aftertaste of sweet fruit and mineral. Best from 2013 through 2028.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barolo Select to Add