2006 Cannubi Boschis Barolo

Date tasted: June, 2011

Where: Minneapolis

Price: $$$$$$$$

Notes: luscious and smooth right out of the bottle, and a little more fruit-forward than some other vintages. Not sure about the structure or how it would have evolved over time, as the majority of the bottle was "poached" by some bloke at the dinner party, who probably had no idea he was drinking $75/glass wine and couldn't tell the difference between this grand Barolo and boxed wine (am I a little bitter, perhaps?)

1997 Bruno Giacosa Falletto Barolo

Date tasted: June, 2011

Where: Gillette, WY

Price: $$$$$$$$$

Notes: We've been on a bit of a Barolo jag of late, and were stunned to find a restaurant here in rural Wyoming with an amazing cellar. We didn't mess around, pairing the burly red with a filet and ribeye. The bottle opened a bit tight, and was never very impressive on the nose. Still, it quickly settled in to show off its structure, depth and balance. By the time we were halfway into the steaks, we were experiencing the magic, and there are no words to describe what was happening by the time the chocolate lava cake hit the table.