Molino Barbaresco Ausario 2019

Cru Barbaresco – from the revered Ausario Cru no less – simply should never, ever, come in for less than $45. Ever. But we’ve scored here – and directed imported this straight from the Molino family ourselves to work out such a nice price… all to share this Double 93 POINT phenom of a nebbiolo with you! You can’t find this anywhere else in the USA!

The Molino brothers make beautiful, classical wines from their lovely I-want-to-move-to-Italy hillside vineyard and winery in Treiso, a small wine-centric village just east of Alba . This might be the best wine from them… ever. Gorgeously perfumed notes of red roses, black tea, blood orange peels, and maybe some pristinely stored Havana cigars! Spicy and bright, with a minty freshness to reign in all those cherry, pomegranate, and dusty raspberry notes… with structure for days and a perfectly balanced weight! Rich, but never heavy, supremely graceful, and redolent with the utmost elegance! Staying power too, as this will undoubtedly continue to develop over the next decade plus. But drinking like a dream right now – so I can’t promise I’ll wait! 

Ausario is based on 70 million year old soils – former marine deposits, layered as chalky, sedimentary rock, and interspersed with clay and grey marl. The Molino’s plots sit at the very tip of the hillside, with a gentle slope that encourages roots to drive deep into the mineral deposits deep in the soil. This ensures a small berry of nebbiolo, and a bright concentration that balances high acidity and tannin, with low color – all to make utterly classic expressions of Barbaresco. This is the queen of Piemonte, all at a price that borders on insanity. This is a Barbaresco to be enjoyed, and stockpiled, and popped open at every opportunity! While we have it, at least!