Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca 1996

Initially, the nose showed roses with new leather, tar, anise and sour red fruit hiding behind it all. The palate was very tight with savory beef broth, minerals, old cedar and cranberry. The finish showed sour red fruits with cheek puckering tannin lingering toward the end. As this bottle approached the fifth hour; the nose retained many of it's initial qualities but a rich (not sweet) cherry tobacco had moved to the front along with dusty dried flowers. The palate had taken on more body as a mix of red berries, cinnamon and sauté mushroom led to a slightly gravely tannin on the tremendously long finish. At the seventh, and last hour (only because we couldn't stop ourselves from drinking it). This bottle had become almost impossible to ignore as the cherry took on darker, woody and mentholated tones in the nose. The roses had become sweet and the tar faded to the rear. On the palate, sweeter red berries with cherry liqueur, spice, and soil took over. The tannins on the finish had faded to a slight drying sensation and left me with cranberry and cedar, which lasted for a full minute.

Cherry, red licorice nose. Nice vegetal, herbal flavors with a red fruit edge. Hints of dark chocolate, spice, cedar box, and light leather.

Licorice on the nose. Dry and tart with some menthol notes.

Wood, chocolate, and menthol on nose. Medicinal, acidic, and gamey in mouth. Good long tannins.

Intense anise and licorice flavors on the nose. Even some menthol and mint. The wine is full of more anise and chocolate, menthol, all backed with a lots acids, and tannins. Finishes on a gamey flavor - strong and intense throughout.

Not a strong nose for me, but did smell a little spice. Not my favorite wine that night, but solid.