Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 1997

98 points Wine Spectator: "Dark ruby, with a garnet edge. Violet, toasty oak, blackberry and plum. Full-bodied, with amazing fruit and super-ripe tannins. It's velvety and powerful. Still needs a lot of time. Spellbinding. Huge.--1997 Italian blind retrospective. Best after 2010. 350 cases made. (2007)"

94 points Robert Parker: "The 1997 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra is a fearsomely powerful, tannic, ultra-concentrated, explosively rich wine with a mid-palate in which one could get lost. A saturated ruby/purple color is accompanied by scents of lead pencil, cedar, black fruits, smoke, earth, and vanilla. Massive richness, monster extract, sweet tannin, and a blockbuster finish characterize this dazzling, 20-30 year wine. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025. (Jun 2001)"

93+ points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Full, saturated red-ruby. Sappy, high-pitched aromas of cherry, nuts and oak spices. Superconcentrated, spicy and sweet, but nearly as backward as a top '96, with superb extract and powerful underlying structure. Finishes with substantial mouthdusting tannins and a late note of dark chocolate. (Nov/Dec 2000)"