Vietti Brunate Barolo 2004

A translucent, superbly elegant Barolo, the 2004 Brunate is quite pretty, if a bit more forward and delicate than I had frankly expected it to be. Sweet tobacco, cedar, dried cherries, menthol, herbs and rose petals add compelling shades of nuance. In 2004 the Brunate offers a little less depth and intensity than the other Barolos in the Vietti range, which makes me think it will age at a faster pace over the next decade or so, although it may very well hold at a plateau of maturity for some time beyond that. Drinking window: 2015-2029. (Antonio Galloni,vinous.com,May 2015)