2016 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Gramolere

The 2016 Barolo Gramolere is another striking wine in this range from Vittore Alessandria. It offers a fabulous combination of structure and depth that makes it easy to appreciate in the early going, in relative terms. Bright red berry fruit, chalk, white pepper, dried herbs and deep spicy notes are all laced together. Somewhat surprisingly, the Gramolere is the most approachable of the 2016s today, although I would not plan on opening a bottle for at least a few years. (AG)

If you consider the Barolo playbook at Fratelli Alessandria, the 2016 Barolo Gramolere takes the intensity and power up one more notch. You get black fruit and blackberry, but there is enough vibrant red fruit to keep this wine aligned with the more elegant and traditional side of Barolo. The wine shows compelling infinities with both the powerful and the elegant side of Nebbiolo. There are noticeable mineral notes and even a spot of savory salinity. However, Gramolere definitely has the power and inner grit to withstand long cellar aging. Only 7,000 bottles were made.

The 2016 Barolo Gramolere is another super-classic Barolo from Fratelli Alessandria. Searing in its intensity, the 2016 is endowed with tremendous energy and pure cut. Black cherry, lavender, mint, anise and crushed rocks infuse the 2016 with striking layers of complexity and nuance. It, too, is likely to require a number of years to be at its best.