I was blown away by the breathtaking purity and definition of Sandrone’s 2004 Barolo Cannubi Boschis. A translucent dark ruby, this weightless yet sumptuous Barolo bursts from the glass with layers of dark ripe fruit that coat the palate with stunning grace and elegance. As it sits in the glass notes of licorice, tar and sweet toasted oak gradually emerge to complete this magnificent wine. I tasted this along with the 2001, which has shut down considerably since I last tasted it earlier this year. Today the 2004 is the more elegant wine although the 2001 looks to be more powerful and perhaps longer-lived. My rating of the 2001 (95) appears to have been conservative by about 2 points. One of the highlights of the vintage, Sandrone’s 2004 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is not to be missed. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024. Luciano Sandrone has been ecstatic about the quality of his 2004s since I first tasted the wines with him in the winter of that year. While 2004 is a superb vintage overall, Sandrone’s wines stand out, most notably for their extraordinary elegance. Importers: Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, NJ tel. (914) 769-3000

Barolo, 24 months in botti. Lots of spice and liquorice but also a gentle red fruit fragrance. Firm and quite darkly flavoured but very smooth and quite rich on the palate. Rounded, savoury and well balanced but needs time to gather more elegance. (JH)