2018 Barolo, Ravera, G.D. Vajra, Piedmont, Italy

Novello. The grapes were harvested on 10 and 14 October and the wine stayed on the skins for 58 days with submerged cap. Aged in large Slavonian oak casks of 25 and 50 hl. Bottled 7 July 2021.

Lustrous mid ruby. Subtle, fragrant and concentrated and with fantastic depth and earthy minerally notes. Cherry and raspberry fruit with a hint of damson. Richly tannic adding chew to the juicy elegant fruit. On the finish, quite a bit of tannins that still need to integrate into the very long fruit finish. Compact and pithy.

Drink 2023 - 2030

The 2018 Barolo Ravera is a powerful, tightly wound wine. Gravel, smoke, cured meats, spice, leather, tobacco and menthol emerge, but only with quite a bit of reticence. This deceptively mid-weight Barolo has a good bit of brawn. It will be interesting to see if the fruit emerges from behind the tannins.

Drink 2026 - 2043

Rich, ripe mixed berries and perfumed bark on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with some lightly firm tannin giving support to the fruit. Lacks the complexity of recent vintages, but has a promising core. Give it a while to broaden out.

Try from 2024