Tenuta Cucco, Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) 2019

 I’ve yet to visit this estate, and don’t know whether those involved consider Bricco Voghera their standard-bearer site, but it sure looks and smells and tastes as though it might well be — at least in the 2019 vintage.  This growing site is within the Cerrati MGA, which makes it even more likely that this is the jewel in the crown of Tenuta Cucco.  Darker and more deeply pigmented than the 2019 Cerrati, it also shows fuller body and deeper flavors.  None of those characteristics make it “better” than the Cerrati per se, as of course one could just buy $25 Cabernet from anywhere and get even fuller body and deeper flavors.  What you would not get from that Cab, however, is this wine’s wonderful combination of moderate body and highly complex aromas and flavors, which this wine already shows very early in its development.  Black fruit tones predominate over red ones, with dark cherry and blackberry coming to mind by analogy, with almost no overtly oaky notes but very appealing spicy topnotes.  The flavors are quite deep and persistent, and though the tannins are abundant and assertive, there is more than enough fleshy fruit to keep everything in balance, and also freshening acidity to ensure longevity as this becomes even more complex with time in bottle.  Having no prior experience with this cru from this producer, I’m a bit gun-shy about going over 95 points while tasting it in its youth, but it has already earned all 95 of those, and may have more quality in store over time.  This was terrific as soon as the cork was pulled, and only got better 24 hours after double-decanting.  Cucco is a star on the rise.