2018 Cavallotto, Barolo, Vignolo Riserva

The organic Cavallotto 2018 Barolo Riserva Vignolo delivers the focus and straight-shooting concentration that we can expect of Castiglione Falletto. The wine ages for an extended 60 months in large Slavonian oak casks, and fruit comes from a southwest-facing slope with 40-year-old vines. The wine's core of fruit remains on the dark side, but you also get pretty lift and verticality with tart berry aromas, shaved mineral, cola and mint (like when you walk through the vineyard rows in summer). The wine is amply structured and fleshed out and delivers texture. The Riserva Vignolo is my favorite of Cavallotto's wines this year. Production is just under 7,000 bottles.

Castiglione Falletto. Bottle number 4,083. Mid-to-deep ruby. Seductive and deep nose with spicy notes mingling with saline hints and slowly emerging red fruit with a hint of crushed rosemary. Changes all the time and needs lots of air. Fresh, focused red fruit layered with clayey tannins. Still not fully open on the palate yet. Energetic, fresh and fluid, with tannic charge on the finish. Can be approached now but ideally should age for an additional two years in bottle. (WS)