Still ruby in colour, it has an assertive floral character, with wild strawberry and pomegranate, a deep smoky woodland note, and liquorice root complexity. There’s great elegance of minerality and vibrant violet on the palate, with velvety, dusty tannins, crisp acidity, and a bit of sternness on the finish. Good length and good concentration, with a liquorice candy finish and great savouriness.

Notes of ground spices, dried citrus peel and strawberry bush with some raspberries and walnuts in the background. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins. Tense and vibrant fruit with lovely polish. Very attractive.

A bright, focused red, exhibiting cherry, plum, menthol and earth flavors, with a line of stiff tannins underneath. Picks up licorice and woodsy underbrush details, while the strong grip of tannins reigns on the lingering finish.

Very alluring nose with pine and a hint of tiger balm cream to the red cherries. Mineral, too. Really juicy and bright on the palate with lots of firm and chalky tannins that give it a tight rounding.

The Giovanni Viberti 2016 Barolo Riserva Bricco delle Viole is an exceptional wine with a most unique bouquet that is alive with blue flower, balsam herb, mint and cola. I just love it, although I recognize that not everyone is as crazy about those medicinal nuances as I am. The wine is vertical and bright, with aromas that come blasting off the bouquet. The wine’s structure is fine and silky. This is a keeper.

In the open and solar Bricco delle Viole, Viberti manages a vineyard that was planted in 1964. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks (as well as for malolactic fermentation), than subject to long ageing in Slavonian oak cask for 46 to 50 months. More violet than rose on the nose, this has dried cherries and strawberry flavours that are wrapped up in a soft structure with ripe tannins and refreshing, moderate acidity. There is a very good balance between fruit (again strawberry) and extraction.

This wine, with fruit from the village of Barolo, shows lots of fun aromas of exotic spice and clove that are delivered in a measured and elegant manner. Those savory characteristics come from the fruit and the age of the wine and not necessarily from the oak. The Giovanni Viberti 2015 Barolo Riserva Bricco delle Viole shows a lot of verve and character, and the closer you inspect this vintage, the more you are aware of crushed rose, dried violet and essence of truffle. It is an offbeat Barolo for sure but quite interesting nonetheless.

Aromas of sliced plums, tar and wet earth follow through to a full body with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. A little linear on the finish, but will come around nicely with time. Try after 2023.

Showing some development, with sweet cherry, truffle, mint and floral aromas and flavors, this is elegant, supported by a solid structure. The tannins are still a bit beefy on the finish, yet this has all the elements to find equilibrium in a few years. Best from 2022 through 2033.

Aromas of blueberries and cherries with hints of flowers follow through to a full body, deep fruit and polished tannin structure.

“Aromas of blueberries and cherries with hints of flowers follow through to a full body, deep fruit and polished tannin structure. A beauty.”

Aromas of this brawny wine suggest black plum, berry, violet, leather and dill. Notes of licorice, tobacco and bleck pepper back up the sour cherry fruit. Big with round tannins. Drink through 2019.

From a vineyard in the commune of Barolo rising from 1,300 to 1,650 feet, this is a selection of 50-year-old vines. Sommelier Levi Dalton described the wine as having both power and nuance; that seeming contradiction only increases in both directions with time in the glass. One aspect of the wine is dark and impacted, with austere nebbiolo tannins that hold the energy sustaining all the complexity around them. The other side is fresh, bright and briskly floral, with scents of violets and game, the truffle-rich fruit making it feel luxurious. Beautiful now, this should live large for a decade or more.

Rich, with black cherry and blackberry flavors mingling with balsamic and tar notes as this unfolds through the long finish. Solidly built and intense, leaving a dusty sensation from the firm tannins. Best from 2015 through 2030.

This Riserva Barolo offers a unique perspective on the Nebbiolo grape. There’s a ton of natural spice in this expression but it’s not the obvious vanilla and clove. Instead, this wine delivers dried currant, licorice, anise, earth and sweet cherry. It has a round, velvety feel and a soft finish. It’s ready to drink now or could age more.

This extremely ripe, cherry jam and sweet licorice-flavored red also boasts a dense infrastructure of tannins. This is monolithic now, but I looks like the sheer concentration of fruit will stand up to its structure in the long run. Best from 2013 through 2035.