Cogno, Langhe Nebbiolo DOC (Piedmont, Italy) 2020

 Used correctly and paired with the right dish, this is a marvelous wine and a great value from a great house.  Regarding the “used correctly” part, it is crucial to keep in mind that this is very young Nebbiolo, and Nebbiolo will not be rushed, quite simply.  Thin and tight when first opened, this needs to be aerated or decanted, and then it needs to be left to itself for a full two hours.  It then becomes something quite delicate and beautiful, with very light pigmentation and wonderful freshness, followed by open wild cherry flavors and sneaky structure from very fine-grained tannins that are abundant (this is Nebbiolo, remember?) that are perfectly offset by a lovely layer of primary fruit sweetness in the mid-palate.  This gossamer wine shows perfect proportionality on a small scale, so pair it with something like baked whole fish, or un-assertively prepared tenderloin of pork or veal, or a very simple, light pasta dish with just a wisp of olive oil — no tomato unless you are very sparing, or a sauce with a little dash of cream.  If you crave but can’t often find delicate Italian wines, my score may seem low when you taste this; if you only love massive wines, just steer clear of this.  One last word:  There is almost nothing in our warming, Parkerized world that still really merits the designation of a “Light-Bodied Red” that is not some sort of mistake but rather an outstanding wine from a great house.  This is that wine, unicorn that it may be, and why would you not seize a chance to have a look at a unicorn?