2019 Seghesio La Villa Barolo DOCG, Piedmont

Subtle aromas of cherries and cranberries with notes of dried herbs, spices and moist earth. Hints of tar, too. Medium- to full-bodied, focused and balanced with firm tannin structure and a chalky finish. Lingering and velvety. Better after 2025.

93 points jamessuckling.com

Seghesio La Villa Barolo DOCG is a wine of precision, poise and quiet intensity, sourced from a prized vineyard in the cru of Castelletto in Monforte d’Alba. This small parcel, known as "La Villa," sits in the eastern reaches of the Barolo zone and is known for its altitude and cooler microclimate, producing Nebbiolo with lifted aromatics and structure built for ageing.

The Seghesio family has been working these hills since the 1800s, long before Barolo became a global icon. Today, brothers Marco and Sandro Seghesio carry forward the tradition, tending their vines with minimal intervention and aging their wines slowly in large oak to let terroir speak clearly. The La Villa bottling is a showcase of Monforte’s elegance: floral and earthy on the nose, with cherry, violet and dried rose petals, followed by layers of dark berries, licorice, tobacco and iron. The tannins are fine but firm, framing the fruit with a noble austerity that rewards cellaring.

Ideal alongside braised beef or truffle risotto, this is a wine for lovers of traditional Barolo with a refined edge. Drink from 2027 or cellar confidently into the late 2030s.