2004 La Mora Barolo

So here we are again, another Cellar Saturday, and tonight I've decided to open up a bottle that's almost 10 years old.  This might be a big deal for some wines, but for a Barolo, a decade is about the minimum age to make the wine really enjoyable.  And such is the case for the 2004 La Mora Barolo we're enjoying tonight!  Now Barolo is made in the northern part of Italy, in the Piedmont region from the Nebbiolo grape, which is very different than the popular wines of Tuscany which are made primarily from Sangiovese.

The wine was very light in the glass, almost like a pinot noir, but the color was a bright ruby.  The nose was a lovely combination of leather, anise, floral notes and grass.  The taste was very different, with an explosion of tart cherry right at the outset, which then gave way to some earthy notes and a hint of spice midpalate.  The finish was bone dry, accented by the well structured tannins.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it was a very good example of a nice Barolo, but such a different style than most other Italian wines that it was a real treat to drink.  Tonight I enjoyed this wine with some friends with a nice Italian dinner of pasta, fresh marinara and eggplant, and the wine really made a great combination with the rich, earthy flavors of the eggplant.  Delicious!