| Score: |
95 AG.
"Giacosa’s 1996 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is a picture-perfect example of the year. Still austere and somewhat compact, I imagine the 1996 will never be an especially forthcoming wine. Even so, the 1996 possesses a super-classic profile of sweet red cherry, pomegranate and rose petal, with a kick of white pepper that adds aromatic intrigue and lift. Readers who appreciate the clenched, old school style typical of this vintage will find plenty of those qualities here. Longevity will be determined by the quality of the corks and storage, as the wine itself is pretty much eternal. As it often does, the 1996 Santo Stefano evokes memories of Giacosa’s brilliant 1970s and 1980s wines." Vinous, Mar 2017 |