The estate’s 2003 Barolo Vigna Rionda is made from a parcel that Pira replanted a few years ago. Here the vines clearly struggled, and the finished wine is exactly as it was when I tasted it from cask, which is to say packed with massive, nuclear strength tannins that obscure everything else in the wine. It is also the one Barolo that was aged in 100% new French oak which only adds to the dryness of the tannins. I just don’t see this wine ever coming into balance. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2023. Giampaolo Pira’s style favors rich, super concentrated expressions of Nebbiolo. In 2003 that could have been a recipe for over the top wines, except that Pira is based in Serralunga and therefore had the benefit of working with some of the sites that were among the most favored in this vintage. The only exception is his Vigna Rionda, which is made from a parcel he replanted just a few years ago, and where the vines clearly struggled. Pira favors a mix of small and medium size French oak barrels along with medium-size casks for most of his wines, and keeps the percentage of new oak between 20-25%. Only the Vigna Rionda is aged exclusively in small new French oak barrels.A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700, and Estate Wines, Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411