2014 Barolo DOCG Arborina, Piedmont, Italy

Firm, deep and beguiling, slightly tobacco and slightly spicy nose, ripe berries, cherries and plums with meaty, peppery and dried floral notes, cola, some undergrowth, mushrooms and violets. Ripe, juicy, concentrated fruit, again rather dark, some cocoa and coffee-spicy woody notes, licorice and violets, peppery-spicy notes on the palate, present, slightly sandy tannins, lots of power and substance, good depth, persistent, still young, tobacco and Salty in the background, very firm, dense and rough, very good finish with dark fruit and slightly smoky wood. Must mature.

Best to drink: 2020-2032+. What our ratings mean