2/2002. Acquired from New York, Mar-99 for $52.
The house of ceretto considers itself somewhere between the tradionalists and the modernists as far as Barolo is concerned. The single vinyard Bricco Rocche Prapo is the top Barolo from the Ceretto estate, but the 1995 was only an average+ vintage.
COLOR: Medium brownish-red. Some clering around the rim.
NOSE: Relatively complex nose of flowers and red berries with light earthy tones. Not bursting out of the glass but neither subdued. Good nose.
TASTE: Less inspiring than the nose. Not unpleasant or faulty in any respect, but a bit dried out with too little winyness for the pronounced acidity and the harsh tannins. Again, complex flavors and the countenace of a seious wine. But lacking in charm and harmony.
LENGTH: Medium long dryish aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Full bodied wine with good structure and complexity. Could use more winyness and flavor concentration. They say that a good Barolo has a "fist of steel in a velvet glove". This wine here had the steel but forgot the glove somewhere...
OVERALL: Good-plus but not more. One of the less impressive Barolo I ever tasted.

MARK: 16.5/20.

BUY MORE? No.

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Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.