2014 - Barolo Bussia Cascina Dardi, Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino

The 2014 Barolo Bussia Cascina Dardi is a powerful, tightly wound wine. Sinewy tannins add to an impression of tautness in this mid-weight, yet super-expressive Barolo. Readers will have to be patient with the 2014, as the wine is a bit nervous today. Even so, there is enough inner perfume and sweetness to make me think all the 2014 needs is time in bottle.

Here's a wine with a tempered personality that grows in intensity with each swirl of the glass. The 2014 Barolo Bussia Cascina Dardi, with a few more of those swirls, reveals a gorgeous identity. It goes from wallflower to prima ballerina with just a few swift and decisive moves. Wild berries, blue flowers, licorice and crushed stones are suddenly released. The wine is a delight to drink, thanks to the pristine and elegant quality of the bouquet. The finish is smooth and silky with intact primary fruit. Some 20,000 bottles were produced.