Pasquale Pelissero, Barbaresco (Piedmont, Italy) 2016

 This wine is an object lesson in the ability of 2016s from Barbaresco to achieve both concentrated flavors as well as purity and “lift” from expressive perfume, fresh acidity and fine tannin.  It shows significant ripeness as well as some overt oak, but the inner strength of the fruit easily counterbalances the wood and allows the wine to attain virtually perfect balance.  Earlier vintages of this are selling at very reasonable prices in the USA, and if this comes in at a comparable cost, it will be a steal.