The 2013 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is a stunning beauty. Vibrant and powerful in the glass, the 2013 shows all of the classical austerity of this late-ripening vintage along with the extra kick of richness that comes from three and a half years in 100% new French oak. Dark macerated cherry, tobacco, spice, licorice and dried flowers flesh out in a wine that is powerful, sumptuous and full-bodied to the core. Grasso will release the 2013 in 2020, a year later that is typical, but that probably won't be enough for this wine to be fully expressive. Rüncot is a wine that needs time to fully emerge, but the 2013 is incredibly promising even in the early going. Wow!

Ripeness of the vintage comes through with dried strawberries and porcini with hints of lily, following through to a full body with chewy, polished tannins and a lightly mouth-puckering finish. Still very youthful, yet so bright and focused. Drink or hold.

A powerhouse, this is packed with cherry, plum, licorice, soy, menthol and mineral aromas and flavors. Tightly coiled, with energy and a vibrant profile that drives the long finish. Fine balance. Best from 2022 through 2038. 500 cases made, 60 cases imported. — BS

If any Italian wine from this decade can undeniably be called a reserve, it is the 2013 Barolo Riserva Rüncot. This wine was not made in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 nor 2018. (The 2013 vintage will be released commercially in February of 2020, and this is the wine's first official review.) Gianluca Grasso holds the precious bottle I tasted from as if it were a newborn child. This vintage saw a relatively long growing season, and it offers greater fruit density, structure and acidity than the last edition that was made, the 2010. There is more vibrancy here and a true sense of energy brimming right there under the surface. The wine goes through 45 days of extended maceration post-fermentation and then a solid seven years of aging between oak and bottle. The resulting Riserva Rüncot has a stunning bouquet that is all violets and prunes, followed by a classic palate of minerals, herbs, cinnamon and delicate wafts of white truffle. This wine tells a story from nose to finish, like a flashing film reel. Fewer than 5,000 bottles were made. This is a crowning achievement for the hard-working and passionate Grasso family, led by father Elio and son Gianluca. Congratulations. ML