Barolo 1978, Ceretto Vigneto Zonchetta, Brunate.
It is not unusual for a Barolo to hold well this long, and it also is not unusual for one this old to be dried out and astringent. Many Barolos from the 70s were much less fruit driven than today. The best of the classic type could develop very well with age, but were rather user unfriendly in youth. Some made over tannic riservas that did not have enough fruit and depth to develop well with age.
Ceretto made quite a few very good Barolos in rthe 70s, although they were not in the cult class. Excluding a very few cult wines, Barolos were much less expensive in the 70s than now. The price sticker was still on this bottle, and it cost a bit under US$ 9.
This Barolo has done nothing except improve over the years. It should still hold a few more years. The color still is deep scarlet with only a very faint hint of age showing around the rim. It could pass for a wine considerably younger. It is now in nearly perfect balance and is very clean. There is ample acid, the wine now is rounded, and there are floral hints. The Barolo "tar" taste is there, but restrained and in balance. This wine never was an astringent, tannic monster in youth, but it did need some age to show best. It has always gone well with food, which is more than you can say for some of the tannic monsters, especially in youth.
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