Organic. Lalù farms just 0.3 hectares in one of Monforte’s great Crus, Le Coste di Monforte. With an average altitude of 420 metres, this south-facing vineyard is the highest and southernmost vineyard in Monforte. The site perfectly fits Lalù’s preference for finesse and openness. Although its 30-year-old vines lie parallel to the Ginestra and Mosconi Crus, a Barolo from this vineyard is typically prettier and rounder than its neighbours—this being attributed to the unusually high content of sand layered throughout the region’s Sant’Agata marls.

Half of the grapes this year were destemmed by hand, a process that removes the berries from its stems, yet keeps the berries fully intact on their pedicels. With this labour-intensive method, Lalù gets the benefits of whole bunches—the prettiness and perfume—without the stems’ impact on aromas, tannins and pH. At Lalù, this also results in a little intracellular fermentation, giving the vibrant, lifted character that fits nicely into Lalù’s philosophy of crafting a Barolo that can be fully savoured in its youth. To qualify for the DOCG, the wine was aged for three years in large Stockinger ovals.

This is Lalù’s first Barolo release and explains why there is already so much excitement surrounding this producer. Succulent, pure and beautifully crafted, there’s a lovely perfume of red fruits, orange blossom and primrose. Then there are waves of sweet, perfumed flesh and freshness that saturate the length and breadth of the palate. Bound by fine, polished tannins, it’s an approachable Barolo of velvety depth, undeniable elegance and a long finish. 

Organic. This vibrant, perfumed Nebbiolo equally blends two sites that were both planted by Lalù. The first site, Roncaglie in La Morra, is a plot of land that Lara Rocchetti and Luisa Sala bought in 2015 and planted in 2017. Looking towards Verduno, this parcel faces east at an altitude of 400 metres. It’s a cool, windy, slow-ripening site. The second source is Bussia Bovi, a sub-Cru within Monforte’s superstar Bussia MGA. Lalù’s parcel is located at 320 metres above sea level, in the south of Bussia, between Bricco San Pietro and the area historically known as Bussia Arnulfo. The soils here are rich in sand, gifting a perfumed wine with supple fruit and great delicacy—the yin to Roncaglie’s yang. The fruit from here fermented as whole bunches and was raised in concrete to retain as much fragrance as possible. Both vineyards could be classified as Barolo (when the vines are of age), which says a great deal about the quality on offer here.

This Langhe Nebbiolo delivers more than most. The 2021 is a juicy, pretty Nebbiolo brimming with vibrant red and dark cherry fruit, anise, florals and some wood spice. In the mouth, the typical austerity of young Langhe is traded for svelte, integrated tannins and supple texture, all supported by mouth-watering energy. 

Tom Myers’ Dolcetto draws fruit from his six rows of vines in Barolo’s Preda Cru, blended with a friend’s vineyard in Diano d’Alba, just south of Alba. While Myers admits he is still figuring out exactly what he is looking for from this variety, he has gone in at the deep end with this release, searching for a level of aromatic complexity found only in the region’s top examples. To do this, he has worked with a large percentage of whole clusters across three separate vinifications: one 100% whole bunch; one 100% destemmed; and one 50% whole bunch. All ferments were spontaneous and occurred in steel before aging in third- and fourth-use Burgundy barrels for 14 months.

A serious “wow” wine, this Dolcetto packs an extraordinary amount of presence for a wine of only 12% alcohol. First, it is gorgeously aromatic, with layers of dark plum, mulberry, blackberry and liquorice flecked with pressed violets. Then, the palate is fleshy and open-knit, balanced beautifully between its feathery, textured fruit and vibrant, energetic structure. Already drinking brilliantly, it’s one of those bottles that empties far too quickly. Sadly we have only five boxes! 

Myers’ drop-dead gorgeous Langhe bottling is based on two 30-plus-year-old parcels of Nebbiolo rooted at the foot of Barbaresco’s famous Ronchi Cru. This celebrated, limestone-rich site runs along the southern belt of the appellation, near the town of Barbaresco itself. The deeper soils of the vineyard’s lower climbs gives a more open style of wine—exactly what Myers is aiming for here.

In 2020 this cuvée was entirely destemmed, while natural ferments, measured time on skins and perfect extraction form the blueprint for this perfumed and sensual young Nebbiolo. Myers does not rack-and-return during the vinification, preferring to keep the wine in contact with its lees for as long as possible. He believes this contributes to the finished wine’s finessed tannins and aromatic precision. The wine matured in two large Garbellotto botti (a blend of French and Slavonian oak), remaining, without racking, for 17 months before bottling.

Myers’ passion for Burgundy is really on show here. Super-pure aromatics of pretty fruit and delicate spice and flowers are backed up by a flowing, seamless, lacy texture on the palate, highly reminiscent of great Pinot Noir or northern Rhône. Playing a supporting role, the tannins are succulent and polished, giving the wine a long and classy finish. This is a wonderful drink! And great value. Future releases of this wine will likely have to be allocated!