The 2018 Barolo Sperss is a gorgeous, gorgeous wine. The aromatics alone are beguiling. Then again, that's one of the things that makes Barolo such a totally seductive wine. Sweet black cherry, lavender, spice and leather give this unusually translucent Barolo striking layers of dimension. Potent Serralunga tannins are present, but they are beautifully woven into the wine's fabric. Sadly, production is around 11,000 bottles, down sharply from the 18,000 or so that is more typical.

With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the Gaja 2018 Barolo Sperss is impossible to confuse with any other Barolo. The bouquet has a firm, etched quality with dark fruit, pencil shavings, iron and red brick. But there is also a fragrant interlude of wild cherry, forest fruit and orange peel. The Barolo Conteisa shows more overall ripeness and silkiness in this vintage, but the Sperss is all about muscle, power and structure. It promises a longer aging potential and bottle evolution.

Sperss is sourced from a seven-hectare site in Serralunga, purchased by Angelo in 1988. This 2018 is a more delicate expression due to the cool, wet vintage conditions. It has a smoky hedgerow berry fragrance with good concentration of dark fruits underlined by grippy tannins. There's lovely acidity to provide balance, and it finishes with some playful cherry and strawberry. This will reward mid-term cellaring.

'A mild, dry winter was followed by a very rainy and cold spring. Rain and below-average temperatures continued throughout the growing season until the sunny, windy, and fresh September brought the grapes to maturity. After the late harvest, grapes in the Barolo area showed excellent ripeness, with high acidity, thick skins, and soft tannins.'  Sperss is in  Serralunga d’Alba. Poured from magnum. Pale ruby. A richer raspberry nose that the Barbarescos poured previously, with hints of cinnamon and with impressive depth. Supple pure raspberry on the palate with a thick layer of coating tannins. Beautiful length and freshness. Elegance is key. (WS)

Serralunga d’Alba. Lustrous, just mid ruby. Firm and surprisingly concentrated raspberry and cherry-fruit nose for this cool and rainy vintage. Undertow of savoury, exotic spice. Shows more and more depth the longer it sits in the glass. Pure, red fruit on the palate finely stitched together by succulent acidity and polished tannins. Fantastic balance and with loads of tactile tannins. Can already be approached but there is much more to come. (WS)