Vietti Barolo Brunate 2017

Dark, brooding, and unapologetically tannic. The Brunate announces itself with black cherry, tar, licorice and dried herbs, with a cool menthol thread running beneath the dense, iron-fisted structure. This is a wine that gives little away right now — the tannins are thick and gripping, wrapped tight around the fruit, demanding patience. Leather and spice emerge with air, but the 2017 is clearly in its infancy, and pushing it before its time would be a mistake. Cellar through 2032–2040.