The 2013 Barolo del Comune di Barolo emerges from a parcel in Terlo, in the center of the town of Barolo. The aromatics alone are striking. Deep and nuanced, the 2013 has so much to offer. Graphite, smoke, leather, tobacco and cedar give the 2013 a distinctly earthy, savory feel. All of the mystery that makes Barolo such a beguiling wine is in the glass. There is just so much to like here.

This is a new wine from the Roagna estate with properties in both Barolo and Barbaresco. The 2013 Barolo del Comune di Barolo comes from a tiny, tiny vineyard parcel measuring a mere .017 hectare with 50-year-old vines. Only 1,000 bottles were produced. Luca Roagna tells me that rather than a vineyard, it’s more like a house garden. The property is technically located in the Terlo cru, but because this particular parcel embraces the characteristics of neighboring Rivera and Le Coste, it was decided that the wine would be labeled as being from the greater Barolo township, rather than any one specific vineyard. This Barolo (like Roagna’s other wines) undergoes a very long maceration time and is fermented in large oak casks. This Barolo is beautifully and elegantly downplayed with fine aromas of black fruit, tar, licorice and forest floor. The quality of the tannins is very interesting, showing a very long, direct and silky finish.