Oddero, Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) 2012

This relatively large, notably traditional producer has enviable vineyard holdings…and really knows what to do with them.  This wine shows admirable concentration and depth, but it is just as impressive for its balance and intricacy as for its sheer size.  The wood element is muted, permitting the sweet fruit and subtle savory notes to hold center stage.  Already excellent, this will become far more complex if given another five years to age.  By the way, of the 500+ Nebbiolo-based wines that I tasted in the region during the second week of May in 2016, the single most impressive one was Oddero’s Barolo Riserva Bussia Vigna Mondoca 2008, a wine of phenomenal complexity that is still very fresh and actually still available from several retailers around the world.