Broccardo Barolo San Giovanni Riserva 2019

Oh, you know, it’s only the kind of wine that is considered by connoisseurs to be the greatest red on earth: Barolo. Structured, nobly imposing, yet heart-rendingly ethereal. And this 2019 from Broccardo – old-vine growers turned acclaimed newer producers – has racked up triple 94 point scores, with Wine Enthusiast gushing: “This wine unfolds like an epic story...”  This is a reserve, having spent 72 months in barrel, even exceeding Italy’s oh-so-strict strict Riserva rules. The fruit comes from the Broccardo family’s San Giovanni Vineyard in Piedmont’s Monforte d'Alba township.

The perfume alone is worth the price of admission. Prettier than lilacs, shinier than cherries, more intense than a Caravaggio. Aromatics of orange peel and wild strawberry twinkle against tobacco and that overpriced but blazingly good ginger juice from the smoothie place. On the palate, we’re awash in more strawberry, Girl Scout Thin Mints, balsamic, clove, and something tropical like dragon fruit. With air and time, we get into lavender, crushed sage, caramel, and blueberry pie – it just keeps going and going. As Enthusiast said, “...its aromas rolling endlessly from the glass in waves that captivate both senses and spirit.”

Finesse, tension, those high-thread-count tannins… this is big and taut, but more high-toned than bass-heavy. The last drop in the glass is as sweet and heady as honeysuckle nectar. Can it age? For decades. But is it ready for your glass tonight? Yes. We suggest getting enough to ensure free shipping, and years and years of transcendence.