We did it, dear Operatives, we found one! Many a prospect said; “You’re looking for what? That’s impossible!” until… we landed this. We had to look at least twice, and taste it twice too - imagine the torture - JUST to make sure we were not dreaming. Not only is the drop from the original $90 price hallucinatory, but the taste too conveys that elusive state, it’s transformative, it’s ethereal, yet it’s here, and it’s here just for today as only a FEW CASES were allocated. From the very top of one of the greatest red wine regions on earth, to your tables or cellars…

Deep crimson with garnet streaks and the slightest bricking on the wide meniscus. Brooding, savory nose of boysenberry, figs, dried herbs, truffle, and scorched earth. Superb definition on the palate, with lively acidity, and monumental, fine-grained tannins, with sweet, exotic spices and incense to spare. Intense, floral, and perfumed as it builds up to a glorious finale, with haunting finesse and a long, tight yet enticing finish. Now is the season to procure fresh truffles, over eggs or pasta as the dream match with this traditional benchmark. The longer you can age it patiently, the silkier and more seamless it is bound to get. Think decades, not years as this is a true marathon runner in the context of the finest of reds.

Just last year, The Wall Street Journal published an article titled; “Why Italy’s ‘King of Wines’ Is A Relative Bargain—For Now” and investigated; “Is Barolo the new Burgundy? Prices for the Italian red remain lower, but rising land prices and interest from outside speculators could change that” they added, rightfully so - further excerpts from this great article are below - Grand Cru Red Burgundy equivalents of this wine on the average go for over double, sometimes quadruple the price. In Barolo too, good luck finding a well-rated Bussia like this under $50, there no longer exists such a deal out there, guaranteed.

Monica Larner of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate raves that; “Pecchenino makes top-shelf expressions of Nebbiolo and some of the most food-friendly wines in Italy today, I have enjoyed pairing their wines with slices of sharp pecorino cheese, pizza topped with spicy chorizo and grilled sausage packed with fennel seed.” Along those same lines Antonio Galloni confirms; “Most readers know Pecchenino for their superb Dolcettos and Doglianis, but in recent years the estate has come alone strong with terrific Barolos.” What more can be said for this great estate and how incredible a collectible red-hot steal this is? Well, read on…

Here is what the wine press has to say:

93 Points – Wine Spectator - “Leads off with scents of graphite, mineral and menthol, giving way to flavors of cherry and black currant. Dense and powerful, with big, dusty tannins guarding the finish for now. Needs time. Best from 2022 through 2045. 225 cases imported.”

93 Points – James Suckling - “Purity of fruit comes through with a plum, porcini and rose-petal character, which follow through to a medium to full body. A round and juicy finish. Delicious now, but will age nicely in the future. Drink or hold.”

Is Barolo the new Burgundy – The Wall Street Journal - “According to some members of the wine-world cognoscenti, the answer is yes… Barolo has already seen an increase in the price of vineyard land. Alan Manley of Cantina Bartolo Mascarello notes a recent sale of a half hectare in Cerequio, a top Barolo vineyard, for 2 million euros. Ten years ago a hectare in a top Nebbiolo vineyard might sell for 800,000-1 million euros, he estimated. As in Burgundy, multiple producers may own small parcels within famous vineyards. Unlike in Burgundy, the greatest Barolo vineyards are not ranked as premier- or grand-cru. The creation of an official hierarchy is frequently discussed in the Barolo winemaking community, but imposing such a system on the particular topography of this part of Italy presents challenges. For example, Bussia, a legendary Barolo vineyard, is very large; how could a single ranking account for all of its output? “It’s so diversified and has so many different expressions,” said Isabella Boffa Oddero, who runs Poderi e Cantine Oddero with her aunt, winemaker Mariacristina Oddero. Whereas the red grape of Burgundy, delicate, temperamental Pinot Noir, is fruitier and softer, the Nebbiolo grape of Barolo has more structure and tannins. Different as Burgundy and Barolo wines may be, however, they are both very specific to their places of origin. Perhaps that’s why they’re often sought by the same oenophiles—many of whom have begun buying more Barolo than Burgundy. “We’ve had a lot of collectors show up here and say, ‘I can’t buy my favorite Burgundies,’ ” said Mr. Manley of the Mascarello estate. The very best Burgundies can easily cost in the five figures, whereas great Barolos are comparatively attainable. The top names sell for several hundreds of dollars—$350-400, currently, for a bottle of the 2013 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. There are even first-rate Barolos to be found for $100-200 a bottle, or less…”