2008 Brovia Barolo Villero

The 2008 Barolo Villero is impeccable and harmonious from the very first taste. Layers of exotic spices and dark fruit caress the palate, eliminating virtually any sensation of tannin. The 2008 is an unusually fleshy, expressive Villero loaded with class and personality. Dark plums, menthol and a host of balsamic aromas and flavors wrap around the finish. The Villero is a bit rounder and fleshier than the Rocche today, but it is just as gorgeous. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038. I can’t say enough good things about the Brovia family and what they have accomplished over the years, but especially over the last decade or so, which has seen them jump into the upper echelon of Barolo producers. The 2008s had just been bottled when I tasted them in November 2011. Now that the wines have been in bottle a little longer, it is clear they are fulfilling all of their early promise. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchants, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

The 2008 Barolo Villero is cool, inward and somewhat hard to fully read. Today it is the wine's textural finesse that stands out. Firm yet silky tannins frame a finish infused with deep floral and spiced notes.

Medium red. Cherry, earth, cocoa powder and dried flowers on the lightly medicinal nose; a more liqueur-like cherry aroma emerged with aeration. High-pitched, minerally and fine-grained, with terrific depth to its medicinal dark cherry and floral flavors. A classic, primary Barolo with superb tannins and outstanding persistence.