2015 Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi

The 2015 Barolo Cannubi is another heady, dense wine in this range. Here, too, there is a ton of potential, but at present the 2015 is fruity and primary. I would give it a good few years for some of the baby fat to melt away. Even with all of its textural richness, the 2015 has quite a bit of underlying detail and nuance that emerges with just a bit of aeration. There is plenty to look forward to, that much is clear. (AG)

This wine draws its fruit from a half hectare of vines that have often suffered in the hot years, and it will be discontinued as of the 2018 vintage. The Scavino family was not able to renew their lease here. There is a lovely elegance to this 2015 Barolo Cannubi, due largely to the high elevation of this parcel, where there is more dryness in the topsoil and more erosion, resulting in less plant vigor. It is made from smaller grape clusters. There is more concentration to this Barolo as well, and the tannins are never too powerful. But the low yields in the past and the general challenge to growing here make for more difficulty than it is worth, so I suppose this 2015 vintage could be considered something of a collector's item as a result.

It’s the fruit tea and hibiscus that really lifts this, not to mention the roasted herbs that lurk beneath the surface. But there’s no shortage of dried fruit either, whether it be dried cherries, dried plums or Christmas cake. It’s a real mouth-coater, showing sheer elegance in a bottle, encapsulated in the tannins that weave an ornate tapestry, hung between every corner of the palate. Full-bodied and very, very long. Best ever? Drink from 2025.