Josetta Saffirio, Barolo del Comune di Monforte d’Alba (Piedmont, Italy) 2020 ($65)

This Barolo house has a legacy stretching back to 1948, and is currently run by proprietor Sara Vezza in a manner making it among the most environmentally conscientious wineries in the entire Langhe region. This single-village (Comune in Italian) displays a sense of place while also displaying the important virtues of the 2020 vintage, namely, open and ripe flavors with moderate tannins but enough structure to remain true to Barolo’s storied character and also benefit from several years of additional aging. The aromas are expressive and engaging, with scents of violets as well as red fruits and light spice notes, followed by fruit flavors that are mostly red in tone and just enough fine-grained tannin to firm up the wine’s ripeness without turning astringent in the finish. Very well grown and made — by a vintner that deserves your enduring attention.
93 Michael Franz