Earthy and loaded with personality, this full-bodied red has aromas of camphor, new leather, game and ripe black-skinned fruit. On the concentrated palate, chewy tannins accompany fleshy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, truffle and tobacco. Drink 2024–2031. 95 points

Matteo Ascheri favors short, hot fermentations, adding an immediate layer of power and intensity that you feel right off the bat, especially in a classic vintage such as this. His 2016 Barolo Sorano (with 5,000 bottles made) definitely shows the darker color and thicker flavor concentration that comes with fruit grown in Serralunga d`Alba. The wine`s bouquet is generous and rich with red rose petal, licorice, tar and smoky road asphalt. As is to be expected, the tannins are more prominent in the Barolo Sorano, with a pinch of tightness that needs a few extra years of bottle aging to soften. What really drives this wine forward is the quality and the contained intensity of the 2016 fruit. It`s a classic for sure, although patience is required. 94 points