2012 Barolo Sarmassa

Roberto Voerzio's 2012 Barolos come across as a hypothetical mix of 1998 and 2005, with a bit more freshness than the former and greater harmony than the 2005s, especially in the tannins. The 2012s are precise and chiseled, with a bit less impact than is sometimes the case, but lovely overall presence. The Barolos are aged in equal parts cask and French oak barrique, with the exception of the Torriglione and Sarmassa, which see only French oak because of their smaller volumes, but most of the emphasis here is in the field, where the viticulture is maniacal and focused on high-density sites farmed with no fertilizers or chemicals. In 2012 Voerzio did not bottle his Barolo La Serra.