2005 Aldo Conterno "Cicala" Barolo (1.5L) (Pre-Arrival, Elsewhere $300)

SKU #1094984 95 points Wine Spectator

Strawberry pie and cream aromas lead to a full-bodied palate. Very thick and powerful, with big, velvety tannins and masses of fruit. A blockbuster style. Best after 2013. 750 cases made. (7/ 2009)

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The estate’s 2005 Barolo Cicala is a transparent, mid-weight wine redolent of dark fruit, spices, minerals and licorice, all of which come together in the glass with superb elegance. Here the tannins are decidedly firmer and bigger than in the Colonello, even though the vineyards are just a few hundred meters apart! This powerful yet harmonious wine is simply radiant in its beauty. All that it needs is a little patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025. (4/ 2009)

92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Good full medium red. Wild aromas of redcurrant, black cherry, tar and leather; this smells tannic but the fruit element expands impressively as the wine opens in the glass. Then large-scaled and firm in the mouth, with powerful acidity currently suppressing the wine's sweetness. There's a boatload of fruit here, but today the wine's mineral and gamey elements dominate. In a very traditional style, and completely different from the Colonnello: more backward and more masculine (Conterno refers to it as 'our rude boy'). The serious tannins build with air and currently cut off the wine's finishing fruit. (12/ 2009)