1995 Rocche dei Manzoni, Barolo DOCG “Vigna Big” Piedmonte, Italy. (1.5L Magnum)
Wow, this 18 Year Old Barolo is still so young and fresh with great color and vivid purity, showing rich and powerful Nebbiolo character and charm to perfection. What a great treat is was to taste this beautiful and majestic wine, especially from a magnum, and I cannot say enough how grateful I am for having friends that are willing to share such fun wines from their cellars, I feel pretty lucky. The 1995 Vigna Big is really starting to hit on all cylinders and show it’s classic form with rich intensity oozing out of the bottle and the glass throughout with loads of energy and tannins that are firm, but turning supple with air, this is gorgeous Barolo that is giving heightened pleasure, but still has at least a another decade of life. This soulful red starts with wild mushrooms, dried currants, lavender oil, wilted roses and hosin/plum sauce leading to a vibrant palate of cherry and strawberry fruit, tangy mineral essence, cedar spice, melted licorice, tar, orange rind and briar notes. This detailed and tightly focused wine still has good acidity which adds to the clarity and lifts everything, this great Nebbiolo still dances and is light on it’s feet, while still giving a wonderfully lavish mouth feel. This is Manzoni at it’s finest, bravo, this is a wine to savor and treasure no question.
($N/A) 96 Points, grapelive