Cellar Selection. This beautiful, luminously hued Barolo opens with enticing scents of perfumed berry, dark spice, eucalyptus, violet and forest floor. The savory palate combines elegance and structure, delivering juicy red cherry, raspberry compote, star anise and wild mint framed in taut, refined tannins that give it a smooth but firm texture. Bright acidity keeps energized. What a stunner. Drink 2024-2038.

The Elvio Cogno 2018 Barolo Ravera is becoming one of the most important wines in Novello, and it performs very nicely in this more challenging vintage. In fact, 2018 helps to cement Ravera's steadfast reputation precisely because it performs so well despite spells of humidity and heat. The wine shows small-berry detailing with rust and crushed stone at the back. There is a point of bitterness that accompanies the tannins of this full-bodied wine. Production is 15,000 bottles.

This is alluring for the strawberry, cherry and currant flavors, with details of iron, tar and tobacco. Starts out silky in texture, then the structure sneaks up on you as this red builds to a long finish. Best from 2025 through 2042. 625 cases made, 350 cases imported.

The 2018 Barolo Ravera is a powerful, rustic wine. Wild cherry, cedar, leather, orange zest, tobacco, herbs, menthol, iron and game race across the palate. Austere and wild, the 2018 is an assertive Barolo that will require time to come together. Even then, I expect the 2018 will always be more rustic than elegant, although I must add the 2018 compensates for some of its rough contours with good depth and tons of Nebbiolo complexity.