Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2008

An open, approachable Barolo with genuine charm, dark red fruit, smoke, licorice and a dusting of spice. The fruit is well-defined and the wine drinks easily, though the French oak asserts itself more than the underlying material can comfortably absorb. That imbalance hints at a ceiling on long-term development, but for most drinkers that's a moot point, this style rewards near-term enjoyment rather than patience. Given air, a quiet finesse begins to emerge, though the advice remains the same: drink it up over the next few years.