96 pts - Wine Advocate
One of the classic Barolos of the twentieth century is Bruno Giacosa's 1978 Barolo Rionda di Serralunga. An infant in terms of development, even after having been aerated for a half day, it was reluctant to reveal all of its potential. The color is a healthy dark garnet with light amber at the edge. The earthy nose offers aromas of black fruits, underbrush, white truffles, tobacco, smoke, and sweet black cherry and plum-like fruit. Thick, tannic, muscular, and superbly concentrated, this mammoth wine requires another 5-10 years of cellaring. It should open by 2008-2010, and last for the following 20-30 years.- Robert M. Parker, Jr. (02/2002)
93 pts - Vinous
The 1978 Barolo Arione is a rare bird in the Giacosa canon. This is one of the better examples I have tasted, with lovely aromatic precision and nuance, but less of the pure power than is typical of Serralunga. My sense is that new owner Roberto Conterno will take Arione to far greater heights.- Antonio Galloni (04/2015)