The 1997 Barolo Brunate (magnum) is a dark, imposing wine loaded with dark fruit, earthiness and French oak. This is an especially powerful, brooding Brunate that retains a certain element of rusticity and roughness that is out of character here, at times recalling Syrah-like notes. The wine is quite a bit fresher in magnum than in standard 750-ml bottle and should continue to age nicely on its core of dense fruit. Readers should note that magnums of this wine were never released commercially.

Full red-ruby. Aromas of currant and roast coffee show an almost eau de vie-like ripeness. Rich, fat and utterly creamy; a wine of great lushness. The fine tannins are buried in thick, seamless fruit. The yield here was just 24 hectoliters per hectare, according to Voerzio.

My tasting notes for the 1997 Barolo Brunate begin with the word "wow." With a creme de cassis-like nose, as well as the soft, supple texture characteristic of the finest 1997s, this Barolo possesses extraordinary density, high glycerin, remarkable extract, an element of overripeness, and an exotic flamboyance. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020. Importer: Viva Vino, Eddystone, PA; tel. (610) 872-1500