2016 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Enrico IV Villero 750 ml

It’s not every day that we get our hands on a Barolo from a storied producer with some of the finest terroir in La Morra, but snagging one that also boasts two 97-point ratings is downright unbelievable. 

Cordero di Montezemolo’s flagship Barolo is intense, flavorful, and imposing—three hallmarks of the incredible 2016 vintage in Piedmont. Called “a gorgeous 2016 incarnation” and an “iconic Barolo” by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, this bottle is one of the absolute best from a producer who’s been crafting old vine Barolo classics from their enviable Villero terroir for 50 years. 

The winery offered us the acclaimed 2016 Enrico VI Villero Cru after Wine Access members raved about their 2016 Monfalletto earlier this year, giving it a near-perfect 5 out of 5-star rating. We expect this bottle to be even better. 

We were tempted to stash a few bottles away for ourselves, but we couldn’t—this is an exuberant wine, a cause for celebration that deserves to be shared. We don’t have enough to send them freewheeling into the world, but we thought it’d be the perfect bottle to bolster collections from coast to coast.

La Morra is at the heart of Barolo wine production, and Cordero di Montezemolo is at the heart of La Morra. Wines produced there, like the Enrico VI, are grand and powerful, a rich pendulum of silkiness and intensity. Despite the Cordero land’s international renown, their wines sometimes dance at the periphery of the American market. Italy exports plenty of wine to the U.S., but high-end circles often gravitate toward French wines instead. The 2016 Enrico VI belongs in those circles. It has all the quality, history, and clout of premium Bordeaux and Burgundy reds, plus the critical scores to back it up.

Every inch of Cordero di Montezemolo’s 51 hectares is excellent, but the 2-hectare Villero vineyard is especially so. Here, calcareous, micronutrient-rich soil begets elegant and powerful Barolo expressions. Perhaps none as well-balanced as the Enrico VI, where melodious aromatics soar over red rose and tobacco fields with hints of chocolate and mint. Then crescendo into plum and cherry on the palate before resolving in a beautiful sonata of tannin, acid, and spice. 

For the Cordero family, winemaking is a centuries-long legacy. They’ve occupied this coveted Piedmont land since the mid-14th century and it hasn’t left their hands for 19 consecutive generations. Even today, the entire property is entirely family-run.

Recently, the family has dialed in on promoting absolute purity in the winemaking process. Since 2013, their whole farming operation has been certified organic—no herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides. If the 2016 Enrico VI is any indication, we’d say they’re headed in the right direction.