Monchiero Fratelli, Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) 2010

I don’t know anything about this producer other than that this wine is a terrific rendering of Nebbiolo from the wonderful 2010 vintage.  The best thing about the top 2010s is that they show completely convincing inner balance, which is to say that the fruit shows sweet ripeness but also acidic freshness and tannic grip in doses that are so well proportioned that the wines seem pure and integrated and natural even at this early stage of development.  This wine fits that description very closely, and I admire the winemaker’s decision to forego any overlay of oak that might have obscured the immediate appeal of its sweet, spicy core character.