Bruno Giacosa's 2005 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is superb. A big, dramatic wine, the 2005 shows all the power and depth of Serralunga in its broad frame. A host of black cherry, smoke, licorice and tobacco notes envelop the palate as the 2005 gradually unfurls in the glass. Iron, lavender and dried flowers follow. At ten years of age, the 2005 Rocche del Falletto remains an imposing, adolescent wine that will drink beautifully for several decades.

The 2005 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is a massive, towering Barolo loaded with tons of rich, primary fruit. The wine remains powerful, dense and muscular with superb length even if it is a smaller-scaled Barolo compared to previous great vintages. That said, when I came back to the wine after it had been in the glass for an hour or so, I found that the wine had grown remarkably. While the 2005 doesn’t have the explosive personality of the 2004, it remains an awesome achievement in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035. (Antonio Galloni)