I have had a couple of fantastic experiences with this wine lately, and this go round didn’t disappoint, though I do think it would have been better served with a much longer decant as the last sip, about 3 hrs after opening, was the best.
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1996 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (6/2/2009)
More reserved and tighter than the last showing. Tar and earth and lots of buried fruit. Hints of roses/violets and exotic spice (cardamom?). Fresh and balanced on the palate but with a lot of structure still. Elegant and long despite the structure. Double decanted 90 minutes before dinner, should have been decanted several hours ahead of time. Try again in 3 years or so.
Posted from CellarTracker
The best '96s still need years to come around. If you have any more wait.
Drank a Giacosa '00 tonight . . . tasty.
No doubt John on needing time. I picked up a 6 pack of this at $35 / bottle on closeout (woo hoo) and it doesn’t provide any lack of enjoyment now, though it was pseudo last minute to pop this one, a longer decant would have been preferable.
I think that 98 and 00 provide better drinking now in a lot of situations, aside from some of the top old-school wines 
I’ve got a magnum of the '01 resting in the cellar. What kind of window am I looking at?
Steve, I’ve had the 96,97,98 and 04 of this wine, but not the 01. Based on the general character of 01’s and the fact it’s a magnum I would suggest it shouldn’t be touched for at least 5-8 years and will be better in 10-15.
That said, a lot of 01’s remain quite approachable (it was a decently warm, ripe year and the wines are far from hard), so if you for whatever reason do open it up sooner, I wouldn’t GUESS that it would be closed and a writeoff.
Thanks. 10 years sounds about right for me.