Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata 2016

A noticeably different Rocche dell'Annunziata from Scavino, more austere and compressed than this bottling has typically been, with the inner sweetness that defined past Riservas largely absent here. Whether this marks a lasting stylistic pivot or simply reflects 2016's more classical, firm-boned character is an open question. Crushed rose petal, dried flowers, mint, sweet red cherry and a lift of orange zest all show up, but they're held tight by a wound-up structure that hasn't yet loosened its grip. The tannins are fine and present, acidity firm, and the overall impression is of a wine still locked into itself. Give it time, the bones are good, but don't expect the plush, generous Riserva of prior vintages.