Luca Ferraris, Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato Riserva DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) “Opera Prima” 2021 ($32)

I’ve tasted one other vintage of this wine—and loved it—but I may love this one even more. Riveting aromas show interlaced notes of ripe fruit, heady florals, and a touch of spices, and all these notes echo beautifully on the palate and through the finish. There’s some real richness here, and depth of flavor too, but thankfully the wood influence never tamps down the varietal characteristics of Ruchè—which are enhanced rather than muted by how the wine was crafted in the cellar. This just gets better and better with air and food, and is an excellent wine regardless of its special interest as a rarity (or perhaps a novelty in the sense of probably being something as-yet-untried). It bears an ultra-traditional label (like the two top wines from Cantine Sant’ Agata, another top producer in this category). I’m not sure what that indicates, but my guess is that this is a variety taken seriously by those who know, grow, and make it—and it is an object of long-standing pride that is respected for its unique attributes.
95 Michael Franz