Elio Sandri, Barolo Riserva Perno DOCG (2010) – Piemonte

Sixteen years on, 2010 is only just starting to open, and it’s worth the wait.

2010 is one of the great Barolo vintages, and Sandri’s Riserva shows why people still chase it. Black tea, tar and wild cherry sit over tannins that are no longer rough but still have real bite. It rewards a slow dinner and a long decant.

THE GRAPE
100% Nebbiolo from Sandri’s best parcel on Perno hill, in Monforte d’Alba. The vines are old, the yields low, and the site is cool and northeast-facing, which is what keeps a wine this long-lived fresh.

THE WINE
Tar, sweet herbs, baked wild berries and black tea on the nose, with smoke, orange zest, violets and licorice coming through as it opens. The palate is rich and still firm, with wild cherry, earthy depth, assertive tannins and a very long finish. It’s a traditional Barolo, not over-extracted and not oaky, and a bottle this age should be decanted well ahead.

FOOD PAIRING
Roast game, truffle risotto, braised veal cheek, aged Parmigiano. Decant for at least an hour and serve at 16–18°C.