As I read my colleague Ed McCarthy’s impressions of the ’03 vintage of Barolo, I am reminded that I’ve gradually shifted my wine-buying strategy since the late 1990s.
Bordeaux, Burgundy and top-notch Napa Valley Cabernets were once my primary focus. But those wines are increasingly difficult to purchase without getting in line for the “opportunity” to snare a few bottles; and the prices have gone out of sight.
Over the past few years I’ve been stocking my cellar with Italian wines — Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and the occasional Chianti (yes, the best Chianti is exceptionally age-worthy).
For one thing, I can afford the top wines (with the notable exception of Biondi-Santi and Gaja) from these regions. It’s rare to find even the best vintages retailing for $100 or more.
And here’s the kicker: Piedmont and Tuscany have been on a roll in recent years with a string of outstanding vintages going back to the late 1980s and continuing through the 1990s and into this decade as well. For example, the 2001 Brunello Riservas, which are widely available now, are a steal compared to wines of similar quality from Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Napa Valley.
I’m still a sucker for carefully cellared older Bordeaux, but from the standpoint of quality they’ve got nothing on the great Barolos of the 1990s.
8