2005 Barbaresco and Roero:

Cascina Chicco Montespinato Roero 2005 DOCG

Deep black cherry ruby black reflections and almandine rim. Fairly rich bouquet with cherry fruit laced with green leather, rosa canina, and underlying spice. Nice balance in a traditional key. On the palate it's medium bodied, with graceful slightly sour cherry fruit supported by clean sour cherry acidity and by ample smooth tannins that have a slight hint of cedar to them, and flow into a clean warm berry fruit finish that's fairly long. It's pleasant, albeit very young, and though not one of these wines that's up front in a tasting, will drink very well with foods, in particular grilled meats (including lamb), roasts, and stews. I'd give it a year or two to get its bearings, and expect it to age well for a decade or more.
Score: 86-8

Rinaldi Francesco e Figli Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Almandine with black reflections and lam rim. Bright bouquet with almost jammy berry fruit laced with some herbal accents and supported by pleasing mentholated spice. Tomboyish. On the palate it's medium bodied and graceful, with pleasing sour berry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity and by smooth sweet tannins that have hints of velvet about them, and though they're not powerful are pleasant. The wine is more finesse than power, taking what the vintage offered and working with it rather than transforming it. The the results are quite nice, revolving more around grace than power; it will also age nicely, becoming lacy and ethereal. If you like the style you will like it very much.
Score: 88-90

Ada Nada Cichin Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Deep almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with spice mingled with hints of brown sugar, stronger greenish accents, and underlying rosa canina and red berry fruit. Nice balance. On the palate it's bright, with rich red berry fruit supported by clean berry fruit acidity and by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a fairly long, clean berry fruit finish supported by red currant acidity. Quite nice and eminently approachable in a sunny youthful key; it will work very well now with succulent roasts or stews, and also has the capacity to age well for many years. Worth seeking out.
Score: 88-90

Cascina Morassino Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Deep black almandine with black reflections and lam rim. Fairly rich bouquet with delicate rosa canina mingled with mentholated spice and wet leather, and an underpinning of red berry fruit. Very young, but nicely balanced. On the palate it's ample, with bright red berry fruit supported by deft berry fruit acidity and clean sweet tannins that flow into a fairly long fruit finish with tannic underpinning. It's pleasant in a youthful key, and brings to mind a teenager who's just beginning the transformation into adulthood. Promising, but not there yet, and though one could drink it now with a hearty stew or roast it will richly reward those with the patience to let it develop. I'd give it at least 5 years, 10 would be better.
Score: 88

Rizzi Nervo Fondetta Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and some orange in the rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with bright berry fruit supported by berry fruit jam and some underlying acidity, coupled with greenish accents that add depth and pleasant spice. On the palate it's ample and smooth, with rich cherry fruit supported by clean sour cherry acidity and by smooth sweet tannins that do have a slight youthful burr, but that promise to develop into steely velvet with time. Elegant in a fairly accessible key, and will drink quite well with stews or roasts even now, though I think it will do interesting things with time.
Score: 88

Cascina Vallegranda Cà del Baio Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Black almandine with reflections and lam rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with red berry fruit supported by rosa canina and jammy accents that mingle with some fresh bell pepper with underlying pencil shavings and spice. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich red berry fruit supported by deft berry fruit acidity, and by tannins that have an underlying core of steel, but are also splintery at present, and flow into a clean fairly bright finish. Pleasant in a very young key, and would give it another year at least to get its bearings about it, and then drink it with a succulent stew, or a hearty roast, including such things as leg of lamb. It's more about finesse than power, and I found myself rather enjoying it.
Score: 87-9

Rocca Albino Vigneto Loreto Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Deep black almandine ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with chalky red berry fruit supported by spice and hints of raw beef. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich red berry fruit supported by clean berry fruit acidity and by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean bright finish. Pleasant, in a youthful way, and also (at present) up front, like a smiling teen. In short, a babe, and I would expect it to do interesting things with time. But it is pleasant now, and much less oaked than many of the other wines poured today.
Score: 86-8

Montaribaldi Palazzina Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Black almandine with black reflections and lam rim. The bouquet is moderately rich, with cedar mingled with red berry fruit and some medicinal accents. On the palate it's brighter than I expected, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by moderate berry fruit acidity and by tannins hat are fairly smooth, and flow into a clean slightly bitter finish. It's very much in mid-stride, and needs time, at least a year to get its act together, but will be pleasant in a fairly graceful key that privileges finesse over power, and will do interesting things as it ages. If you like this style, it's worth seeking out.
Score: 86-8

Cascina Delle Rose Rio Sordo Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is elegant, in a traditional key, with green leather mingled with berry fruit and warmth. Quite young, but promises nicely. On the palate it's medium bodied, with fairly rich berry fruit that gains direction from tart berry fruit acidity, while the tannins are smooth and sweet, with hints of velvet-lined steel, and flow into a clean tart finish. Quite nice in a traditional key, and though one could drink it now with a stew or roast, it will age very well, becoming more interesting with time. If you like the style it's something to set aside.
Score: 87-9

Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 2005 DOCG

Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is bright, and jammy, with berry fruit supported by berry fruit jam and a intense vegetal accents that almost bring pepper jelly to mind. On the palate it's full, with bright slightly sour cherry fruit supported by deft berry fruit acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean bright berry fruit finish. It's quite young, but will drink well with succulent roasts or stews now, and also has the legs to age well for a decade or more. Enjoyable in a middle of the road key.
Score: 87-9