Grapefruit citrus, white pepper and chalk on the nose with a hint of anchovy-like savoriness that follows through to a textured, medium-full-bodied palate with chalky, vertical tannins. Juicy, pure and long. Drink or hold.

Violets and cool strawberries with some raspberries on the nose. Medium body, with firm and silky tannins that give a minerality to the blue fruit character. Give it time to blossom. Try after 2027.

The Marchesi di Barolo Barolo Sarmassa draws its fruit from a basin of vines that you see off the road while heading into the village of Barolo from the north. Just past the intersection is the cream-colored Marchesi di Barolo winery. The 2019 Barolo Sarmassa reveals medium-dark concentration and ripe aromas of dried cherry and blackberry. Those fruit tones are folded into soft spice and cinnamon. Production is 9,000 bottles.

This red is not only expressive, exuding cherry, raspberry, mineral, earth and mint flavors, but it's also silky and succulent. Reveals refined tannins and bright acidity, which lend support as this glides to a long aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2040. 3,300 cases made, 500 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barolo Select to Add

Certainly more austere and structured compared to some of the other new releases from Marchesi di Barolo, the 2018 Barolo Sarmassa is nicely tweaked by basic aging and barrel time. You get a dark quality of fruit with plum and blackberry, and there is integrated spice and smoke as well from the barrel aging. The wine goes into French oak for nine months and follows in Slavonian casks for an additional 12 months. The oak tannins are on the dry side as a result. Some 15,000 bottles were made (and will be released next year).