1997 Paleo Rosso

Promising is the 1997 Paleo Rosso, an unfined, unfiltered, barrique-aged blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Sangiovese, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Its opaque ruby/purple color is followed by a sweet nose of licorice, smoke, graphite, blackberries, and cassis. Full-bodied, with a roasted meat character to its flavors, extraordinary purity and concentration, and beautifully integrated acidity as well as tannin, this blockbuster is a candidate for drinking now, or cellaring for 15-17 years. This is a prodigious wine. It is a shame quantities are so limited. A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

Promising is the 1997 Paleo Rosso, an unfined, unfiltered, barrique-aged blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Sangiovese, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Its opaque ruby/purple color is followed by a sweet nose of licorice, smoke, graphite, blackberries, and cassis. Full-bodied, with a roasted meat character to its flavors, extraordinary purity and concentration, and beautifully integrated acidity as well as tannin, this blockbuster is a candidate for drinking now, or cellaring for 15-17 years. This is a prodigious wine. It is a shame quantities are so limited. Oct 2001, www.robertparker.com

Deep ruby-black to the rim. Expressive aromas of berry fruit, graphite and minerals. Soft and dense on the palate, with concentrated, enveloping ripe fruit and considerable weight. Already drinking well for a wine of major structure.