Mauro Molino Barolo 2021

This wine shows a combination of lively fruit and elegance that only Nebbiolo can deliver. The Mauro Molino 2021 Barolo offers a terrific and well-priced interpretation of the vintage with redcurrant, blue flower and crushed stone over a fine mouthfeel with tension and energy. This wine jumps the gap into a higher, more exciting level of Barolo intensity. Fruit comes from Annunziata, Berri and Perno on limestone soils. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and moves into large oak casks. The wine offers a pretty, naked portrait of the grape. This simplest wine is one of my favorites. Production is 45,000 bottles.

The citrus, crushed stone and red fruit come through on the nose. Medium-bodied with firm and linear tannins and a vivid finish. Cherry and cedar at the end. Fresh finish. This needs time to soften the fine, firm tannins, but it's lovely already. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two.

The 2021 Barolo is an attractive wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Crushed flowers, cedar, pipe tobacco, mint and dried herbs are nicely lifted in this gracious, mid-weight Barolo. This is a very pretty wine in its peer group.