93 points Wine Spectator: "A bit earthy, with ripe plum and hints of vanilla. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Shows sweet, succulent fruit, with lots of wood. Still needs time.--1996 Piedmont retrospective. Best after 2008." (Web only, 2007) 92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Prunotto's 1996 Barolo Bussia is a spectacular, full-bodied, rich wine displaying scents of rose petals, tobacco, black fruits, cedar, and toasty French oak. Ripe, moderately tannic, dense, and chewy, it requires 2-3 years of cellaring, and should evolve easily for 15-20 years."