Sweet red cherries, plums, crushed rose petals, rosemary, menthol, game, anise, smoke and leather waft from the glass in the 2008 Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti. Darker, ferrous notes add complexity over time. The 2008 boasts striking inner perfume, tons of sweetness and considerable mid-palate pliancy, with a touch more depth, resonance and dimensions of flavor than the straight Barolo La Pira. Here, too, the tannins are remarkably polished for a young Barolo. The Barolo La Pira is a wine more of seduction, while the Vecchie Viti is a wine of power. Today, the Vecchie Viti is surprisingly open for a young 2008 Barolo, but it will probably firm up a bit in bottle.
