I bought 3 bottles of this wine at Sams warehouse sale last February for only $40 each. WS gave it 95 points. Only 500 cases are made of this single vineyard Barolo. It is more of an international style and Parker thought it would be ready sooner than many other 1997's.

I decanted this wine for 5 hours in my hotel room before pouring it back into the bottle and taking it to the DC Coast and Toast dinner. It did not open up as I would have liked. Reddish/purple color. Still rather tannic. This is a powerful wine which is still quite rough. Dark and brooding just waiting for the day the doors will open and allow this wine to shine. Cherry, wet earth and smokey notes were present. Only a hint of its potential was showing. Of the wines we drank that night, this one has the most potential to improve with more aging. I'm not touching my other bottles for 10 years. 91 points now but could substantially increase.

VM

My TNs from the DC COast & Toast thread...

This was a really, really good wine. Plus it was a great experience, too! This had a waxiness in it, to me. Waxy something. Almonds? Almonds. Almonds and wax and some dark, dark fruit. Really dark. An the almonds in there were not just almonds, I think marzipan, too. I wished I still had had enough to eat to finish this glass with when we had this. Very cool.

TJ rating? Ah! I have to go back and look at the other thread!

TJ rating = 90