The 2016 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is every bit as magical as it has always been. Deep, layered and explosive, the 2016 dazzles from start to finish. It possesses remarkable textural depth and mind-blowing balance. Even so, it has shut down considerably since I first tasted it. Rüncot is a wine that typically needs time to be at its very finest. That is especially true for the 2016.

The ripe ruby-colored 2016 Barolo Riserva Runcot was raised for 48 months in entirely new French barriques, but the oak spice is surprisingly well-integrated. Boasting noes of baked red cherries, polished leather, savory sweet tobacco, menthol, and cigar box, it offers a plush a rounded texture on the palate, with a nicely balanced, salty, mouthwatering feel, a ripe core, and its polished oak spice perfume lasting on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next several decades. This is a profound wine that I wish I had in my cellar.

The Elio Grasso 2016 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is intense and powerful. However, there are a number of tertiary notes, some veering all the way to porcino mushroom and wood pile, but you also get threads of ripe black cherry, plum and even some dried prune. You can't escape a note of painters' studio with linseed oil. Bitter cacao or rhubarb also appear. This is an excellent example of an aged Barolo Riserva, but ultimately, you'll get more pleasure drinking this in the medium term without having to age it. She's ready to go.