(93+) The Valmaggiore vineyard in Roero hill on the left bank of the Tanaro river has been pumping out some really impressive fruit lately. The 2015 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is a prime example of this site-specific excellence. Nebbiolo from Valmaggiore tends to reveals floral intensity and that's what you pick up here. The bouquet is laced with many small details that keep your attention and form a greater web of nuance and complexity. Violets, wild berries, campfire ash and licorice root are part of this winning formula. The mouthfeel is consistently linear and tight. The Sandrone family first came to Valmaggiore in 1990. It took them several years to buy up the 28 individual parcels that form the three-hectare holding farmed today. -Monica Larner

A cherry- and berry-flavored red, showing fine tension and structure. Made in a firm, sinewy style, with accents of earth, licorice and mineral. Finishes with a chalky sensation. Drink now through 2024. 220 cases imported. –BS