Alessandria Fratelli, Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) 2010

This smashingly good wine from the commune of Verduno as all about gorgeous Nebbiolo fruit from a great vintage, as opposed to many excellent 2010s that speak more of the cellar than the vineyard behind them.  Although the fruit shows ample ripeness, there’s a brightness and purity to the aromas as well as the flavors that indicates a virtually perfect picking strategy.  Not heavy at all, the wine nevertheless shows a wonderful rounded texture and terrific immediate appeal, with sufficient acidity and tannin to provide focus and structure, but not so much as to obscure the glorious fruit.  Wines of this type can age very well in some cases, but they rarely get the chance when showing such succulence and appeal in their youth.