Guido Porro Barolo Vigna Lazzairasco 2004

This offers up a fine array of mineral, menthol, leather, dried asphalt, cherry in alcohol and licorice in alcohol tones with a touch of camphor and sweet medicinal background notes. There is plenty of alcohol on the nose, even just a bit too much but the complexity is compelling. Big sweet/sour fruit up front though the mid-palate is a touch tight and taut the superb tannins give this a very refined feel and great, zesty acids are in fine balance. Medium bodies in spite of the alcohol with tannins that grow on the backend, as does a minty herbal top note which, along with a touch of dried porcini, accents the black berry/medicinal fruit. Great fruit on the finish, which is a bit short but offers captivating black cherry fruit. Give this 3 years or so 2012-2024 93pts

Initially deep and dark with baked earth notes and a touch of skunk to the nettles and cactus notes on the nose, this gained a bit of spice and light notes of macerated flowers with air but remained reticent. In the mouth this started off with a sweet entry balanced by a nearly bitter tones that emulated the tension of bittersweet chocolate that was followed by a flood of sweet, wild cherry fruit with a huge medicinal top note. Air caused this to close down significantly, concealing the fruit and highlighting the formidable tannins. The initial taste revealed a wine with lovely polish to the tannins super acids, just a wonderful mouthful of Barolo, layered complex and with inner mouth harmony yet no shortage of energy and big power on the finish with a touch of aged animal/pork fat 92pts