This week from Jonah Beer:

The village of Verduno is, even amongst the tranquil villages of Barolo, quiet. Compared to the bustle of tourists in the village of Barolo, or the drama of Monforte d’Alba, it is a charming place of locals going about life at a slower pace. The wines from Verduno almost reflect this nature as if they too are easygoing and quiet.

Diego Morra is a new producer to the states but not the region. Generations of the Morras have toiled the land and tilled vineyards of their estate just north of the village and on the famed ridgeline that separates the vineyards from the Tanaro river. This side of Barolo produces the most feminine, delicate, and Burgundy-esque Barolos of all the Langhe. To me, Verduno is the Vosne-Romanée of Barolo. And, if that is true, then undoubtedly, Monvigliero is the Richebourg. This particular MGA (Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva, which is Langhe-speak for what the fine folks of Bourgogne call a climat or cru) is one of the most important in all of Piedmont. The Monvigliero from Diego Morra is precise, polished, and elegant. Their wines almost defy the stereotype of Barolo while also reinforcing that Nebbiolo can perform amazing feats of complexity just like its sibling on the Côte d’Or.

From the deck of Diego Morra, you can see the village of Castiglione Falletto. And if you squint really, really hard, you can almost see the most elegant, polished, and chiseled young winemaker of all of Barolo. Seriously, look him up. Our friend Lorenzo Scavino is the scion of the legendary Scavino family that has been watching over their estate, Azelia, for the past 100 years. Lorenzo—almost always clad in what I contend is a Prada t-shirt—carries the family tradition into this next century. Their farming is precise, focused, and organic. They have long eschewed herbicide and pesticide, and it must be working. I mean an entire century of family farming. Damn. His Barolos have a sophistication to them that mirrors Lorenzo’s own style. Never pushy, always precise, and they all look like they will age gracefully for darn-near ever… just like a Richebourg.

Check out the wines below!