One of my favorite wines in the world is Barolo. This northern Italian DOCG wine is 100% nebbiolo by dictate. It’s dark, it’s powerful, it goes well with Airwolf.
The Barolos I’ve talked about in the past, the 2004 Ceretto and the 2005 Renato Corino are better than this wine. But that’s all relative. There’s no plonk here, nothing for anyone to be ashamed of. The mark is just missed barely by the 2006 Pira.
The 2006 Luigi Pira Barolo (not to be mistaken for its big brother, the Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca) is a very pretty ruby red in the glass, with significant clearing to the edges, common among Barolo due to the DOCG-mandated 3 years (2 in oak, 1 in bottle) minimum aging.
On the nose is an almost-rubbery earth note. Seems like the alcohol is a bit out of balance and showing off here. There is a hint of moss here, and some—but not much—red fruit. On the palate the dark fruit of Barolo appears and greets you heartily. Blackberry, raspberry, kirsch and black cherry. The wine is medium bodied, and the finish is mid-level as well. The tannins are tight (tight tight tight) and the wine really feels like it needs more time.
Perhaps it’s simply a bit too young, but I was a touch disappointed by this Barolo. That having been said, it’s still delicious, bold wine. I love Barolo, and I can still recommend this one. I can also recommend, however, if you do pick it up: lay it down for two, maybe three years. Should drink marvelously around 2014.
Verdict: 89/100
Price Point: $30-$40