The 2003 Barbaresco Paje is an insanely beautiful, huge wine loaded with fruit. Amazingly, the 2003 Paje remains almost primary, with little development of tertiary aromas and flavors. The tannins are almost impossibly elegant for a wine from this torrid vintage and the level of freshness is unmatched by any other 2003 Barbaresco. The wine's inner perfume and sweet, plump core of fruit hint at a hot vintage, but the balance here is simply mind-blowing. Subtle suggestions of menthol, smoke, tar and spices come to life on the finish. The Paje is made from vines in excess of 20 years old. This is the Barbaresco of the vintage. In 2003 Roagna sacrificed their top lots (usually destined for the Riservas) to strengthen this entry-level bottling, and it shows. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028.