Gianluigi Lano, Barbaresco “Rocche Massalupo”

It’s exciting to watch when, out of nowhere, the sommelier community really gets behind a new wine and then the momentum and buzz takes on a life of its own. Such was the case with GIanluigi Lano’s Barbaresco. Right about the same time SommSelect offered a previous vintage of this stunning wine last year, it simultaneously began lighting up top wine lists in Northern California. A coveted by-the-glass honor at The French Laundry. Next, a star turn at San Francisco’s Quince/Cotogna/Verjus mini-empire.The explanation for all this attention isn’t complicated: With intense perfume, vivid terroir, and the near-perfect 2015 vintage to boot, today’s bottle is an exceptional expression of the hallowed Barbaresco terroir. I can easily name 5-10 outstanding $75-$100 bottles of Barbaresco in the US market, but there are few possessing this unique ratio of quality to low price. I encourage anyone with the means to enjoy a bottle immediately, and also stash away five or six bottles in the cellar. H