Barolo DOCG "Vigna La Rosa" 2016

In the big table of historic Barolo vintages, 2016 is listed with the highest score. "One of the greatest of the last 10 years", even. The weather conditions were rather clement, though not ideal, but the Nebbiolo nevertheless managed to reach perfect ripeness between the end of September and the first half of October. The result is wines with excellent balance, great bouquet and above all structure. One can therefore assume that this Barolo DOCG Vigna La Rosa 2016 is destined for long, very long cellar aging. One of those wines that we can buy today as an investment and forget in the cellar, cool and dark, for the next 25 or 30 years. When we go to find it again, we are almost certain to discover an incredible bottle. Unique and inimitable. Matured in medium-capacity oak casks (between 30 and 50 hectolitres), this Vigna La Rosa di Fontanafredda today has a beautiful ruby red colour, with garnet highlights. The bouquet is ample, gentle but intense, with clear scents of withered rose, violet, tobacco, undergrowth and light vanilla. In the mouth, however, the texture of the tannins is dense and thick. Soft, almost velvety, it explodes as the minutes pass into a sensation of fruit well balanced by acidic freshness. The finish is long, almost infinite, prolonging the pleasure of each sip by several minutes. If we have it in our cellar, or if we will have it in a few days' time, let us organise a high quality lunch or dinner to honour it in the best possible way. It is an ideal accompaniment to important meat dishes and medium- or long-aged cheeses, but it can also pleasantly accompany simple conversation at the end of a meal.