The 2021 Langhe Freisa, from a site in Roddi, is fabulous. Rich and explosive, the Freisa soars out of the glass with captivating aromatics. The tannins of Freisa, so often imposing, are nicely tamed in a wine that has plenty of structure and depth, but also tons of balancing finesse. Dark red fruit, cinnamon, blood orange and pomegranate infuse the 2021 with tons of depth as well as complexity. Sadly, there is just one cask to go around.

A 4,000-bottle release, the Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2021 Langhe Freisa is another fascinating wine, and today only 10 producers make a mono-varietal expression of this grape in the Langhe. Freisa is considered the "country cousin" of Nebbiolo, and indeed the two grapes share similar DNA. Freisa always requires a bit of extra bottle time before it is fully expressive, and with patience, it comes alive with dark fruit, spice and pepper. Big fruit weight gives the wine broad shoulders. The tannins are a bit rustic, but this wine is enjoyable, especially in an informal setting.