Scavino’s 2003 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is without question the most balanced of these 2003 Barolos as it has more than enough fruit to stand up to the wine’s structural components. A big, dark, brooding wine, this richly-textured, sumptuous Barolo is packed with sweet dark fruit, chocolate, menthol, smoke and spices that coat the palate with superb intensity. Not for the faint of heart, it is an over the top, extreme Barolo that captures the freakishness of this vintage. That notwithstanding, this wine has an enviable track record and with bottle age it will likely develop into an outstanding Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.This set of new releases from Enrico Scavino is representative of the vintage. Because Scavino produces Barolos from so many different sites, including four single-vineyard wines as well as two blends, his Barolos make for a particularly fascinating analysis of the 2003 vintage. Scavino has decided to release his 2003 Rocche dell'Annunziata as a Riserva, so we will have to wait a few years to see that wine. My early tastings of that wine suggest it is not up to Riserva-level quality, but this is a vintage with many surprises, so it will be interesting to follow its development in bottle. "In 2003 we worked with slightly lower temperatures in order to avoid over-extraction. We also used less of the press wine, which typically has the hardest tannins. After fermentation the wines were racked into French oak barrels (1/3 new) for a year, and then moved into casks for the second year of aging," says Enrico Scavino. I tasted a number of promising Barolos from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintages, including the first wine Elisa Scavino is making on her own. It is a 2006 Barolo from the Via Nuova vineyard in Barolo that was fermented with manual pumpovers and punchdowns and aged in 100% new Taransaud oak. It will be fascinating to watch the evolution of this passionate, emerging winemaker. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700, and Estate Wines, Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411

Wonderful aromas of licorice, fresh mushroom and blackberry. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Goes on and on. Solid and enticing. Excellent for the vintage. Best after 2010. 750 cases made, 400 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barolo Select to Add