This exhibits violets and tar, as well as underbrush and a distant bitter-chocolate note. The palate is angular and incisive, well-constructed with a harmonious interplay between the focused acidity, fine grained tannins and delineated, fleshy fruit. Precise. Best ever from here. Better in 2028. Jacobo García Andrade Senior Editor

A sleek, elegant red, silky in texture and linear in profile. Rose, macerated cherry, strawberry, mineral and spice flavors abound, while a line of energetic tannins shows up on the long finish. This wine's purity and structure show the potential of the vintage. Best from 2028 through 2047.

One of the overachievers of the vintage for a regional Barolo and a strong contender for top of the year lists, the 2021 Barolo Ludo pours a reflective brick red color and is attractive on the nose with notes of cinnamon sticks, fresh cherries, mossy earth, and anise. The palate offers a good balance of richness in the structure of its medium-bodied frame, with ripe tannins, lovely clarity of fruit, and refreshing ripe acidity. A gorgeous entry-level Barolo, it’s stunning now and has the potential to age with ease over the next 12-15 years.

The Poderi Luigi Einaudi 2021 Barolo Ludo is light and delicate in appearance with a dark ruby shine. The bouquet has a lot going on with sweet cherry, cola, blue flower and spicy rosemary essence that comes through with more clarity the longer this wine stays in the glass. It offers young tannins that could surely benefit from more years of bottle age. Ludo is a big production of 54,335 bottles. - ML

From the Latin ‘ludus’ which means playful, Ludo assembles young vine plots in Bussia, Terlo, Monvigliero and Cannubi. Aged in a mix of large cask and tonneaux, it proposes a brambly nose that recalls cranberry bush, wild currants, rooibos and baking spice. Midweight and streamlined but still textured, this is built around succulent wild red fruit. Elegant tannins are light and crisp, matched by enjoyably tart, brisk acidity. The finish is long, with a subtle mushroom accent. Makes you thirsty for more.

Think of this as Einaudi's greatest hits album. Young vineyards across Barolo come together to create something that just works. Fresh fruits and sweet spices play through a gorgeously textured palate, showing exactly why blending across sites can create such beautiful harmony. A wine that makes you smile while it teaches you something. A great entry point for those wanting to learn Barolo or a place that feels like home for the initiated. — Jeff Porter