Red berry, violet, forest floor, vanilla and balsamic aromas of menthol and camphor slowly appear on this stunning, radiant red along with whiffs of charcuterie. The vibrant, focused palate is young and taut but already impeccably balanced, evoking juicy red cherry, pomegranate, star anise and cool mint framed in firm acidity and tightly knit but fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. It's already fantastic but will hold for even more complexity. Best 2026–2036.

(94+ points) Fun fact: The accent mark on this vineyard's original name was what the Italians call an accento acuto (accent aigu, for francophiles), as in Cottá, an unusual diacritical mark to stick over an "a" in Italian. So the opposite-slanting and more common accento grave was printed on vineyard maps and wine labels starting in the 1990s, and with all the success it has had, Sottimano thinks the normalized punctuation might actually bring good luck. This is the trademark wine of this estate for its elegance, power and finesse. With an extra gear in terms of intensity, right off the bat the 2016 Barbaresco Cottá brings fullness and generosity. There are wonderful notes of mint and licorice to it, a streamlined wine with a great deal of purity. It's got a lot of volume and even more dimension. There is also that pretty salty mineral note on the close. Some 9,000 bottles were made.- ML

A beam of cherry courses through this rich red, shaded by floral, iron and tobacco accents. This is taut, finishing with dense tannins that make this suitable for the long haul. Shows fine balance and intensity, but patience is required. Best from 2023 through 2045. — B.S.