2007 - Barolo Ginestra Pajana, Domenico Clerico

The 2007 Barolo Pajana is a showstopper. Waves of intense, beautifully delineated fruit flow onto the palate as the wine opens up in the glass. Sumptuous and elegant through and through, the Pajana shows marvelous delineation and clean, minerally notes that underpin the opulence of the fruit. This is a marvelous, totally complete Pajana of the highest level. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. It’s great to see Domenico Clerico pretty much back to his normal self after a bout with illness over the last few years. Despite having made so many dazzling wines in the past, I can’t help thinking Clerico’s best Baroli may still lie ahead. Maceration times have been gradually lengthened, the use of new French oak has come down in most of the wines and there are rumblings that larger casks are on the way. As always, I tasted a large selection of wines during my recent visit to the estate, including 4-5 vintages of each of the Baroli. Clerico’s 2006s are emotional, moving wines that are living up to the praise I bestowed upon them last year. The 2007s are stratospheric, while the 2008s are developing very well, albeit in a more classic style than the decidedly exuberant 2007s. In 2008 Clerico has a Barolo from his vineyard in Bussia that is still being raised separately and may be bottled on its own. Based on multiple tastings, it is a special Barolo. It’s still early for the 2009s, but today they are less viscerally thrilling, pretty much in line with the way most wines of that year are showing right now. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including: de Grazia Imports; tel. (417) 732-4200; Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael CA; tel. (415) 492-9411, Robert Houde Wines, Bensenville IL; tel. (630) 422-1119

The 2007 Barolo Pajana has clearly progressed to its secondary stage of evolution, its red fruit tinged with leather and mint, yet it has retained outstanding clarity and definition. The palate is well structured with vivid red fruit laced with tobacco and clove, discreetly fanning out toward the elegant, sophisticated finish. This has matured extremely well and has probably another decade on the clock. Tasted at the Vinous off-line dinner at La Trompette.