Barale Fratelli Barolo Bussia Riserva 2015

The 2015 Barolo Riserva Bussia Sergio Barale is a wine of enormous personality and vertical punch. There is perhaps an aldehydic note of nuttiness or dried cherry skin that adds to the lifted nature of the bouquet. I find it quite charming, actually, and it is something that appears rather consistently with past vintages. Maceration continues for 30 days in oak tanks with lots of work on the cap. The Riserva reveals dark fruits and purple berries, and the focus and sharpness of the fruit is remarkable. There are no baked or overripe elements here, despite the warm vintage. I tasted bottle 486 of 1,466 numbered bottles produced.

Dark luminous ruby red. On the nose, lush cherries, dried plums, then blackberries, also some fresh bread, fragrant Assam tea. On the palate polished and profound, lots of character, tightly woven tannins, intense notes of juicy fruit, very long.