The 2007 Barolo Lazzarito is a superb, plush wine loaded with dark fruit, flowers of all sorts, sweet menthol and minerals, all of which flow through to the long, powerful finish. The wine's inner perfume emerges over time, adding even more nuance and subtlety to this big Barolo. The 2007 Lazzarito is far from an open, easygoing wine, in fact it needs time, and lots of it. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2042. Sadly the world lost Alfredo Currado - one of Piedmont's pioneers - last year, but I am sure he would have been thrilled to see how his son's wines have turned out. Luca Currado's 2007 Baroli are every bit as impressive from bottle as they were from cask. Interestingly, Vietti is one of the few producers where the house style and vineyard nuances are just as evident as vintage character. Although the 2007s are gorgeous today, most of the wines shut down quickly in the glass, suggesting they may be headed for a period of stubbornness. All of the wines now see a fairly lengthy period of several weeks of contact on the skins, followed by malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels and aging in large, Slavonian oak casks. Always curious to explore, Currado continues to make small adjustments to vinification, including an experimental 2010 Barolo made with a strictly traditional approach that may end up being bottled only in magnum. I think it is fair to say readers will be stunned by the quality of the wines that are emerging from this family run property in Castiglione Falletto. An upcoming article on www.erobertparker.com will take an in-depth look at the estate's Barolo Riserva Villero. Importer: Dalla Terra, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405

A round red, featuring cherry, plum, tobacco and iron notes that find ample support from the dense tannins. Beefy and muscular on the finish, this is a shade more austere than some of its peers. Best from 2016 through 2033. 425 cases made.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barolo Select to Add

This is a delicious wine on all levels. Lazzarito opens in a bold, masculine style with overtones of ripe cherry fruit, leather and cured beef jerky. The wine then segues to soft, textured tannins with power and extra length on the close. It’s impossible not to fall in love with a wine of this caliber. ——M.L.(9/1/2011)—— 94