Luigi Pira Barolo Margheria 2018

“One of Piedmont’s superstars… these are wines of extraordinary complexity and breathtaking richness.” - Robert Parker, Jr.

Yep, no argument there. Luigi Pira is a consistent favorite producer in Serralunga d’ Alba, situated at the very heart of Barolo. This single cru bottling, Margheria, is one of three cru Pira holdings in Serralunga and stands as the oldest cru in the portfolio. Set on 1.5 hectares of calcareous clay soils, these vines average 50 years of age, with some of the original plantings for the vineyard that goes back to 1959. The site is known for its elegance, minerality, and ageability of the wines produced there – and this wine excels in all three of those categories. 95 points to start, with other top critics' scores soon to follow, this beauty isn’t likely to be around for long!

This is one for the ages – intensely flavored and wonderfully floral, with earthy and sweet notes of dried cherries and roses, new leather, and fresh hay leading into an immensely long finish layered with saline edges and iron ore. So ethereally complex, supremely elegant, and undoubtedly delicious! At this price, I’m getting six...one to open every three years!

Like so many highly collectible producers in the Barolo (especially Serralunga!), in the early part of the 20th century, Pira’s top grapes were sold to other producers, such as Gaja and others, for decades. In the early 90s, Gianpaolo, Luigi's son, started to take part in the winery management, and wine quality became the key factor. More of the best fruit was kept in-house and the prestige of this small producer grew and grew. Today, Gianpaolo runs the winemaking, and his brothers, Romolo and Claudio, focus on tending the vineyards. A true family affair with a bright and illustrious history to come, this is a remarkable deal on cru Barolo from a top producer. While it lasts!