Luigi Pira Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba 2021

A magnificent Northern Italian red wine displaying a beautiful, classic garnet color with subtle orange reflections warming the rim. Masterfully crafted by the historic Luigi Pira family—who have farmed the steep, limestone-rich slopes of Serralunga d'Alba since the late 19th century—this exceptional "commune" bottling is a harmonious marriage of select estate parcels including younger vines from their legendary crus. Traditionally vinified using indigenous wild yeasts and aged for 24 months in large 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks, it balances the powerful structural imprint of Serralunga's clay soils with a wonderfully accessible grace. The complex, expressive nose opens with a savory bouquet of ripe dark cherries, red plums, and a hint of blood orange zest. The layered nose is beautifully supported by regional characteristics of saddle leather, dry wild hay, damp tilled earth, fresh eucalyptus, and a sophisticated touch of sweet baking spices and tar. On the palate, it balances a structural, medium-to-full-bodied core of dark red fruits and a vibrant, linear alpine acidity with tightly knit, youthfully assertive tannins, concluding in an incredibly long, detailed, and mouthwatering finish framed by a distinct streak of iron-rich minerality and crushed stone brine.

Food Pairing: Pairs flawlessly with slow-braised beef shanks (Osso Buco), wild boar ragù over pappardelle, roasted duck breast, or aged hard cheeses like Castelmagno.

91 Points - Wine Spectator

Plum, cherry, tar and menthol flavors are the themes in this dense, tightly wound red. The dusty finish is compact for now, though the flavors linger, with an emphasis on the savory side. Best from 2029 through 2045. 1,500 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.