2011 Barolo

This is a superb set of wines from Fratelli Alessandria. Over the last decade or so Alessandria has made huge strides in quality, yet the wines remain under the radar, a rare occurrence in Piedmont these days. The Alessandrias own parcels in a number of top sites in Verduno, along with a parcel in Gramolere, which is in Monforte. Readers who want to explore Alessandria might want to start out with the straight 2011 Barolo, a wine that delivers fabulous quality and value. After this tasting, Vittore Alessandria opened bottles of his 1969 Barolo and 1978 Barolo Monvigliero that he found in the cellar of a private collector. Both wines were drop-dead gorgeous. Simply put, these artisan, traditionally made Barolos are some of the most compelling wines being made in Piedmont today. Don't miss them.