Fontanafredda La Rosa Barolo 1997

The opaque plum-colored 1997 Barolo La Rosa reveals the influence of toasty new oak in its fabulously pure, concentrated nose, which represents the essence of melted licorice, blackberries, and assorted black fruits. As the wine sits in the glass, scents of toast, smoke, leather, tar, and fennel emerge. Full-bodied, massively concentrated, powerful, and dense, it requires 3-5 years of cellaring. Score – 93. (Robert Parker Jr., robertparker.com, June 22, 2001)