2012 Pecchenino Bussia Barolo 750 ml

Hailed as “a rockstar vintage” by James Suckling, 2012 Barolos are drinking beautifully right now. Wine Enthusiast declared there’s “more consistent quality across the denomination than even the highly acclaimed 2010s; and Antonio Galloni wrote in his 2012 vintage report, “go deep on favorite producers and wines. Those bottles will give pleasure for many years and decades to come.”

The conditions that define the famous Bussia cru of Monforte d’Alba—ample sunshine, a mix of lean and fertile soils, and a cool, moist climate—arguably produce some of the most structured, towering expressions of Nebbiolo in northwest Italy. It’s a site that’s one of the most prized in Barolo, famous for wines like Aldo Conterno’s $800 Granbussia and Giuseppe Rinaldi’s $500 Bussia bottling.

So in the hands of Pecchenino, one of our favorite under-the-radar estates in the Piedmont, we expect—and get—magic. Pecchenino built their reputation not in Barolo, but in nearby Dogliani, where they produced some of the greatest bottles of Dolcetto in Italy. It takes immeasurable skill to turn a “lesser” grape into world-class, ageworthy wines, and the attention to detail they’re known for is on display here.

2012 was their sixth working with this incredible site in Monforte, and their growing confidence with the Grand Cru is on full display with this bottle. It was made exceptionally traditionally, and on release it was powerfully muscular and structured. But it’s beginning to soften today, showing the mesmeric aromatics that are only possible with aged Nebbiolo. We’d suggest putting a six pack in the cellar and drinking one every few years to watch its continued development.