Lovely pale rose color. Sweet red fruit on the nose. Intense bubbles. Complex juicy peaches and cherries. A joy to drink.

[This has V721 printed on the cork. We were told this means this is a 2001 base disgorged in 2007.] Light gold color. Mature, elegant. Yeasty.

[Double-decanted around 5pm.] Nasty, spoiled nose. No better on in the mouth.

[Magnum double-decanted around noon.] Black fruit nose with some oxidation noticeable. Similar in the mouth. Drinkable but not enjoyable.

[Double-decanted around 5pm.] Completely oxidized.

[Double-decanted around 5pm.] Completely oxidized.

[Double-decanted 32 hours before the dinner. Kept in a refrigerator for most of those hours.] Lovely nose of sweet red fruits, roses, and spice. Red and black fruit in the mouth with a long finish of roses and some licorice. Full and elegant in the mouth. This is holding up quite well. I'm not sure it will get better. A joy to drink.

[Opened at 8:30am, quick double-decant at around 4pm.] This goes up a notch from the 1990 with all the added power and structure typical of 1996. Black fruit, complex spices, great grip and length. A great wine. Should show well for at least another decade, maybe two.

[Double-decanted before noon.] Heavenly black fruit and spice cake nose. Big, rich, and expansive in the mouth but with that classic Giacosa elegance.

[Double-decanted for an hour at about 3pm.] Ripe red fruit in the nose. Sweet fruit in the mouth. Complex, elegant. Lacks the structure of the 1996, but delicious and complex. No need to wait on this.

[Double-decanted for an hour at about 3pm.] What can I say. This one never disappoints. Dark black fruit and spice in the nose. Big and rich in the mouth. Explosive in the mouth with a finish that lasts forever. Wow!

[Double-decanted around 6:30pm.] Lovely nose of earth and spice. Black fruit and smoke in the mouth. Very impressive for a Nebbiolo d'Alba, but the Giacosas are a hard act to follow.

[Double-decanted around 3pm.] Huge nose of ripe black fruit. Still quite backward at this stage. Loads of black fruit and structure. Needs another 5 years at least.

[Double-decanted around 6:30pm.] Lovely fragrance of violets and red fruit. Gorgeous and expansive in the mouth. This fits right in with all the 2019s I tasted this morning. Plenty of structure for the long haul, but such elegance and perfume now. 96-98.

[Double-decanted around 3pm.] Big ripe nose of red and black fruit. Sweet black fruit in the mouth. Long finish. Should provide great pleasure for at least another decade.