1996 Barolo Pajana—The intense 1996 Pajana is another terrific effort from Clerico. It shows notes of super-ripe fruit, smoke and tar on the nose, along with complex sensations of licorice, tobacco, prunes, and plums on the palate, with notable length in a massive, dense style. This will require a few more years to be at its most expressive. Robertparker.com

This is a spectacularly powerful, rich, concentrated wine. The sriking resemblance of the 1996 Barolo Pajana to a top-class Pomerol is unmistakable. This massive wine possesses fabulous purity of fruit, and toasty, sweet pain grille that complements the wine's highly concentrated black cherry/chocolatey personality. Dense and layered, with considerable viscosity, low acidity, and moderate tannin in the impressive, long finish, it will be at its best between 2006-2020. One of the most gifted winemakers in Piedmont, Domenico Clerico has fashioned this riveting wine from the vineyards surrounding the village of Monforte d'Alba. Clerico utilizes rotary fermenters, and new oak. This a wine of extraordinary richness, amazing aromatics, and a sensual personality that satiates both the hedonistic and intellectual senses.

Dark ruby-red. Classy, sappy aromas of black cherry, currant, dark chocolate, cola, tobacco and nutty oak; hints at a medicinal austerity. Silky and dense but with no loss of focus. A very concentrated, deep wine with chewy extract. Extremely long on the aftertaste. The noble tannins reach the molars.

Seductive, with perfumed aromas of flowers and black cherries. Full-bodied, with loads of velvety tannins and a long, ripe fruit finish. Very ripe. Best after 2005. 515 cases made. — JS