2019 Ratti Marcenasco Barolo, La Morra Piedmont

From vineyards just outside this modern winery with external wood paneling and sleek architectural lines at the bottom of the La Morra ascent, this is Ratti's best-known wine and also its biggest production with 70,000 bottles made. The 2019 Barolo Marcenasco shows the benefits of a stylistic rejigger that prizes subdued elegance and finesse. The wine is visibly leaner in appearance and it opens to ethereal tones of blue flower, dried cherry, blood orange and chalky mineral. These little tweaks have opened an exciting new chapter for Marcenasco.

I notice that the brand name for this estate seems to be transitioning from Renato Ratti to Ratti. The big news from this historic estate in La Morra is the introduction of a new wine, the 2019 Barolo Serradenari, made with fruit from a little nearby farmhouse acquired in 2018. The vines sit at a breezy 500 meters in elevation in a little amphitheater with views of the Alps and the Monviso Mountain. Piero Ratti describes Serradenari as "austere compared to the more elegant Marcenasco and Rocche dell'Annunziata Barolos."

94 points Monica Larner for The Wine Advocate

Renato Ratti helped shape the modern reputation of Barolo, pioneering the single vineyard movement and producing one of the region's first cru maps. Today, the family estate remains a benchmark for elegant, terroir driven Nebbiolo, with Marcenasco sourced from the historic Annunziata cru in La Morra. This celebrated site is renowned for producing Barolo of remarkable perfume, finesse and longevity.

The outstanding 2019 vintage is regarded as one of Piedmont's finest in recent years, delivering Nebbiolo of exceptional purity, balance and structure. The calcareous marl soils of La Morra contribute aromatic lift and silky tannins, while traditional maturation in large oak casks preserves the vineyard's distinctive character and refined elegance.

Bright garnet with orange tinged highlights, the bouquet unfolds with aromas of rose petals, wild cherry and raspberry layered with violets, liquorice and dried herbs. As the wine develops, notes of tar, truffle, tobacco leaf and crushed stone emerge, revealing the classic complexity of great Barolo. The palate is beautifully structured, combining vibrant red fruits with finely woven tannins, lively acidity and a long mineral spine. Powerful yet graceful, the finish lingers with savoury spice, floral perfume and exceptional persistence.

A magnificent partner for braised beef cheeks, osso buco, porcini risotto, truffle pasta or aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Already immensely impressive with a generous decant, this outstanding Barolo will continue to evolve beautifully for decades.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2048.