2020 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno, Piedmont

Lifted aromas of high-toned red fruits, with fresh cherries, raspberries, and cranberries leading the charge mingle notes of clove, anise and cinnamon. Hints of thyme and rosemary, along with a touch of black tea, provide an intriguing shift to the nose as it opens. On the palate, the wine displays a balance between savory and fruit with a slightly herbal edge that adds to its allure. Fine tannins provide structure and support. Drink now - 2040.

94 points Wine Enthusiast

This is spiced and walnut-like on the nose with fresh red fruit, cloves, licorice and bark on offer. Medium- to full-bodied, tense and firm with compact tannins and vivid acidity. Shows impressive volume and length. Juicy and vibrant, too, with a lingering, zesty finish. Try from 2027.

93 points James Suckling

San Lorenzo sits right in the heart of Verduno, a cru known for producing some of the most perfumed and graceful Barolo in the region. Fratelli Alessandria has become one of the village’s benchmark producers under Vittore Alessandria, crafting wines that lean into fragrance, finesse and transparency rather than sheer power. The 2020 vintage suits that philosophy beautifully, giving a Barolo that already feels incredibly expressive.

The aromatics are pure Verduno. Red cherry, wild strawberry and blood orange rise first, wrapped in rose petal, white pepper and dried herbs. There’s a haunting floral quality here that keeps pulling you back in, while beneath it sits something earthy and slightly smoky that slowly builds with air.

It flows with elegance rather than force. Fine, chalky tannins shape the wine without overwhelming it, and the acidity gives everything lift and movement. Layers of spice, tea leaf and crushed stone unfold gradually, the finish lingering with savoury detail and that signature Verduno perfume.

This is where the magic really happens at the table. Tajarin with butter and shaved truffle feels almost too perfect, but it’s equally brilliant with duck ragù, porcini mushroom risotto or roasted beetroot with hazelnut and thyme. Even something as simple as parmesan, olive oil and warm bread somehow becomes memorable next to it.

Already incredibly seductive with a decant, though it has the balance and structure to evolve beautifully over the next fifteen years or more.

There’s a lightness of touch here that makes this so compelling, a Barolo that whispers rather than shouts, yet somehow says more because of it.