The 2020 Barolo Margheria is a very pretty wine that shows the gentler side of the year. Dried herbs, menthol, incense, new leather and licorice all take shape in the glass. The 2020 is a soft, uncharacteristically open-knit Margheria that will drink well with only minimal cellaring.

With fruit from the mighty village of Serralunga d'Alba, the Massolino 2020 Barolo Margheria (with 7,400 bottles made) is a classic expression. You get all those pretty Serralunga d'Alba elements with dark fruit, ferrous earth, orange peel and blue flower. I find this warm vintage to be especially fine-textured and elegant. There is a note of sweet cherry on the close. This bottle needs to flesh out with more cellar time.

Serralunga d’Alba. Beautiful lustrous mid ruby. Firm, serious minerally nose with cherry laced with oatmeal notes and iodine hints. Complex. Juicy compact cherry with spectacular, chewy tannins. Great tactile fruit finish and fantastically balanced. (WS)