2017 Barolo Ca'Mia

The 2017 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca' Mia sources its fruit from old vines planted in Serralunga d'Alba. This site is known for power and structure, although this hot-vintage expression treads with surprisingly light and delicate footprints. Instead of overt ripeness (like the kind we saw in the two Brovia wines from Castiglione Falletto), the Brea is salty and mineral driven. It shows subdued primary fruit framed by iron ore, rusty nail and dusty terracotta. The jury is out on the wine's aging potential, as a bit more fruit padding might have served well to carry it forward over the years. To my palate, this release has taken the biggest hit from the challenging vintage and is a bit dried out compared to past editions. 5,000 bottles were produced.

The 2017 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca' Mia is an exotic, intriguing wine. Sage, mint, black cherry, gravel, licorice, rose petal and smoke infuse the Ca' Mia with a good deal of Serralunga wildness. There is plenty of tannin, so readers will have to be patient. Even so, the 2017 comes across as a bit light in body and overall depth relative to the norm.

Serralunga d'Alba. Monopole cru of the Brovia family. Youthful mid ruby. Minerally, concentrated cherry fruit nose with hints of black pepper. Fresh red-fruit palate with great depth, and yet elegant and with gorgeous, long coating tannins. Great length and tannic grip and sensationally balanced. (WS)