Rose, forest-berry, underbrush and new leather aromas shape the elegant nose. The savory palate mirrors the nose, featuring ripe Marasca cherry, licorice, menthol and a mineral note evoking rusty nail. Taut, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity provide support while a hint of game signals the close. 94 points

The Ascheri 2016 Barolo Pisapola is the most immediate and accessible of the single-vineyard series of wines offered by Matteo Ascheri, and this makes perfect sense given the younger, geologically speaking, Tortonian marl and Messinian calcareous clays of the site. The Pisapola cru is located in Verduno, and the wine reveals a looser, thinner texture that is characteristic of this subzone. The bouquet is subtle and elegant, although the wine`s overall intensity clocks in at a lower threshold compared to some of the better-known comuni or villages of the Barolo appellation. It delivers a mild structure and a silky close. Matteo Ascheri ferments on the hot side (at 28 degrees Celsius) for a brief 14 days. The wine is aged for 20 months, with 80% of the total going into Slavonian oak and 20% into French oak. 92 points