A Library Barolo Coup for the Ages

Master Sommelier Sur Lucero has connections in Piedmont that the rest of us can only envy, and he went deep to score todays wine. a decade-plus-old, single-vineyard cru Barolo from one of the most covetedand usually priciestsites in Piedmont.

Secured straight from the winerys cellars, the 2011 Giovanni Sordo Ravera is what Sur calls a cru Barolo in perfect stride. But Ravera is no ordinary cru. Its one of Barolos best, producing bottles that usually go for north of $100 and often cross $250.

A few decades ago, Ravera was possibly the ultimate insiders Barolo vineyard.

Cool and rocky, it was the local pride of the village of Novello, producing stern, structured wines that often required decades to unfoldand were incredible once they did.

But now that warm vintages have become more the norm, Raveras wines are much more approachable and balanced in their youth. These days, its an undisputed Grand Cru site, as evidenced by the FOUR 100-point scores from Antonio Galloni in Vinous over the last decade. Prices for Ravera wines regularly hit $250.

But the family-owned estate of Giovanni Sordo flies under the radar, despite their high quality and fantastic wines, and their Ravera is an absolute bargain at its full $75 price. In the warm 2011 vintage, they excelled, using Raveras perfect exposure and higher elevation to preserve finesse and elegance that perfectly complement the bold fruit and muscular personality of the year. After careful fermentation followed by aging in large, traditional botti, Sordo released a beautiful and ageworthy wine into the world.

Normally that would be the end of thatthis wine would be spoken for, and knowledgeable collectors would be pulling it out for special occasions. But Sur has connections in the Piedmont that the rest of us can only envy, and he secured a tiny parcel straight from the winerys cellars. This is drinking beautifully now, displaying the kind of aromatics that only aged Barolo can provide. Itll age for another decade, but its the sort of stunning, centerpiece wine that were going to pull out as often as we can right now.

Medium to dark ruby at the center, with shades of crimson at the rim. Black plum, dried black cherry, licorice root, conditioned leather, black tea, rose petal, anise seed, and Maduro tobacco gain volume in the glass with air. The tea leaf and tobacco notes anchor this Barolo, which shows warmth and spice at the center. Savory, complex, masculine yet beautifully ripe tannins show an intriguing dichotomy of power and pleasure. This is cru Barolo in perfect stride, and it should be just as delicious through the rest of the decade. Drink now2030.

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