This extraordinary, single-vineyard Barolo Riserva opens with a captivating, classic bouquet of sour red cherries, wild strawberries, and dried rose petals, intricately layered with notes of tobacco, orange peel, and white pepper. The full-bodied palate displays monumental structural purity, vibrant regional acidity, and firm, aristocratic tannins that carry into a seamless finish.
Food Pairing: A phenomenal match for slow-braised beef dishes, rich wild boar ragù, fresh white truffle pasta, or long-aged regional cheeses.
97 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Though it was a very dry year, this vintage still managed to keep its impressive elegance. The wine opens with enticing aromas of wild cherry, fresh and dried roses, incense, wild herbs and savory spice. The palate is an example of thoughtfulness and craft with a core of deep wild berries, black tea, and crushed stones that are all supported by supple tannins and lifted acidity. Drink 2025–2045.
97 Points - Wine Spectator
Ever so supple and laced with cherry, raspberry, rose, licorice and mineral flavors, this Barolo is complex, harmonious and long. This is as much about the silky texture as any of the other elements that make this so compelling. Shows superb length on the finish. Best from 2025 through 2043.
95 Points - James Suckling
Notes of dried cherries and strawberries, ground spices, aged orange peel, walnuts and sandalwood. Medium- to full-bodied. Tannins are velvety and nicely integrated with a dusty texture. Complete and balanced with a polished finish.
95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is Cogno's top-shelf wine that represents a micro-vinification of the rosé clone of Nebbiolo from an even more closely defined parcel. Only 3,800 bottles were made. The 2017 Barolo Riserva Ravera Vigna Elena is a hot-vintage expression (in fact, the alcohol jumps up to 15% in this wine) with a broad and rich personality that fits in line with the character of the growing season. In addition to that textural support, this wine is also more accessible and raring to go. Blackberry is interlaced with licorice root, cola and spice.
98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Barolo Ravera Vigna Elena is made entirely from the Rosé clone and is a very special wine, in that it moves from incense to red berries, rose petal, and licorice. It has a gripping structure, though, with sweet ripe tannins and evolving orchard fruit. Everyone will get something from this wine. It is a beautiful wine in this stage, and although 2017 was a warm vintage, it is elegant and graceful. Drink 2024-2044.
97 Points - Decanter
Planted in 1991, the year the Elvio Cogno winery was founded, this vineyard was baptised with the name of Nadia Cogno and Valter Fissore’s daughter, born in the same year. It was planted with the Nebbiolo Rosé biotype, the lightest and most elegant Nebbiolo. Vigna Elena is about one hectare, inside the Ravera cru, and its soils are calcareous-clay with a southeast exposure at about 380m above sea level. Post-fermentation maceration is for 30 days with submerged cap, followed by 36 months of ageing in large 50hl Slavonian oak barrels. This 2017 shines for its Parma violet elegance allied to cinnamon spice, a restrained soapy rosewater scent, and savoury depth of camphor and subtle balsam. The attack is velvety, full, supple and refreshing. The savouriness is dominant, and the finish displays a glycerol layer and lifted acidity with extremely elegant tannins. It's a bit warming, if you want to find something not perfect in this wine.
