Barolo 2005

The release of 2005 Barolo is shortly upon us. I was so impressed by what I tasted way back in March, its a vintage that will appeal to both Barolo admirers and lovers of any fine, aromatic, sophisticated red wine. The quality of 2005 Barolo is excellent, when it comes from the quality producers. It is not a homogenous vintage like 2004, an easy year when anyone who did not make good wine should have considered hanging up their shears, it was a more challenging vintage that sorted out good producer from bad. So you can't just buy 2005s from any old producer but there are plenty of outstanding wines from the growers who traditionally make good wine, they display a vivid fresh red fruit profile, together with a richness, generosity and structure. They will drink well young and even if they have not quite got the density of 2004 they are definitely serious and intense enough to age very well in the medium to long term. Producers liken it to a mix of 2000 and 2001 or 1998. Some growers even surpassed their 2004s, Renato Corino is a clear example of this - stunning wines.