2004 Giacomo Borgogno e Figli Barolo 750 ml

That Cellar Release They Were Saving for a Rainy Day

There are a million interesting restaurants always tempting us in NYC, but again we made a beeline for the 4th floor of the Time Warner Center, and Chef Thomas Keller’s Per Se. With our favorite front-row view of Central Park — lovers strolling on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, children laughing, joggers speeding by, people practicing Tai Chi; even without a reservation, you can land a seat at the bar — we were ready for Oyster and Pearls, and a bottle of Dom Pérignon Champagne. What we weren’t ready for was the shock that came soon after.

Next up was the Elysian Farms Lamb Tenderloin. We chose a glass of mature 2004 Barolo from Borgogno. The high-toned red-fruit and black licorice flavors all but jumped out of the glass. We instantly knew it was a wine we would share with WineAccess members. But the somm and our smartphones yielded next to nothing of help. How could a wine of THIS caliber not catch the notice of Robert Parker or Antonio Galloni?

A followup phone call with Andrea Farinetti filled in the blanks. In 2008, the Farinettis dropped a cool $30 million to buy Giacomo Borgogno & Figli, the prominent and highly respected Barolo producer in the Langhe of Piedmont, south of the city of Alba, epicenter of white truffle hysteria.

The Farinettis' task, then, is to build upon 250 years of success that turned Borgogno Barolo into one of the most sought-after Nebbiolo wines. But the epic 2010 vintage, for all its many merits, interrupted the Farinetti cash flow because the exceptional but much smaller crop deprived them of grapes that would have been used to produce the Riserva or classic Barolo wines.

Luckily for all involved, the Farinettis had a fall-back plan — hundreds of cases of the 2004 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo that had been stashed away for a “rainy day” — or, in this case, the short crop of the otherwise exceptional 2010 harvest.

The Nebbiolo grapes that eventually find their way into a bottle of the Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo come from all the family’s estate vineyards — five of the best in Barolo. Each imparts something special: the 17-acre Liste brings complexity and longevity, while the 3 acres of Cannubi and Cannubi San Lorenzo, two of the most famous Barolo vineyards, deliver what the Farinettis call “elegance and sexiness” to their Barolo. The younger 8 acres of Fossati vineyard contribute beautiful, floral, and luscious red-fruit aromas; and the youngest Borgogno vineyard, the almost-10-acre San Pietro delle Viole, imparts distinct perfumed violet notes, as the name suggests.

Unlike 2010, both quality AND quantity were high. After the wet and rainy 2002 and oppressive heat of the 2003, Tuscan winemakers rejoiced in 2004. The winter months brought frigid temperatures and ample snowfall, which led into a cool and rainy spring, but then it was utterly smooth sailing. Warm summer months prevailed for the rest of 2004, with few heat spikes. The harvest months of September and October saw warm sunny days and crisp evenings, with grapes maturing at a consistent pace, developing complexity on the vine and terrific acidity.

Are the 2004 Nebbiolos as good as the storied ‘96 vintage? From what we’ve tasted, beyond a shadow of a doubt. And they’re built for the cellar — firm and expressive now, these wines will continue to age gracefully through 2024 and beyond.

So how did such an excellent wine escape the eyes of Galloni and Parker, and the price hikes sure to follow? Simple: The Farinettis have just now rolled out this 2004, thanks to the low yield of 2010. You can go try it now at Per Se for $38/glass. Or you can hit the BUY button for $65/BOTTLE, and you control the size of your pour!