2018 Barolo Bussia

The 2018 Barolo Bussia is slightly subdued (almost) compared to the other new releases from this estate, although you'd need to take that comment in context since all of Parusso's wine bat above their weight. With 15% alcohol, this vintage shows dark fruit, spicy plum, cherry skin and potting soil. The Bussia is always a hallmark of Mark Parusso's unique winemaking approach. Fruit comes from the Rocche and Munie vineyards in the Bussia MGA of Monforte d'Alba. 8,000 bottles were made.

The 2018 Barolo Bussia is a blend of Rocche and Munie. Pliant and racy in the glass, the 2018 is laced with dark fruit, mocha, sweet spice and licorice. Dried rose petal, mint, spice, kirsch, new French oak and dried flowers all build with aeration. The oak imprint is a bit prominent at this stage, but these wines have proven over time to have the substance to handle the wood.

A saline kick from the start, this is a bright but pale cherry in colour with concentrated cranberry and raspberry fruits, sun-sweetened but with a fresh sour cherry backbone, run through with leather, rose petals, tobacco, underbrush, tar and rosemary spice, all earthy but savoury, fragrant and nuanced. The grapes for this wine come from two vineyards in the sub-region of Bussia: the east-facing Le Rocche with limestone soils and south-facing Vigna Mugne which has more clay. Set at 300m altitude, on the Place for the first time in 2022. Great stuff from owner Marco Parusso, the most successful in the range for me.