Luigi Pira Barolo, Marenca | 2021

Marenca is a remarkable site, located in Serralunga d’Alba beside the more famous Margheria Cru. It has just two estate-bottled champions: Luigi Pira and Angelo Gaja. Luigi Pira was historically a grower, selling grapes and bulk wine before bottling under its own name in the early 1990s. Since then, the estate has settled into a very smart, pragmatic style: moderate macerations, middle-of-the-road fermentations of 10–20 days, and a mixed cellar of mostly used French tonneaux and Slavonian casks. It’s the kind of winemaking that makes the tired “modern vs. traditional” conversation feel archaic. While neighboring Margheria is sandier, Marenca’s calcareous clay soils give the wine more muscle. Still, it is surprisingly generous in its youth compared with Serralunga’s long-haul legends like Vigna Rionda, Francia, and Gabutti. For me, Marenca is one of the greatest Nebbiolo sites on the planet—and with so little bottled of it, it feels even more special. Sandalwood spice, rosy truffle, and pitch-black cherry pull you into the glass. The palate is luxurious rather grainy, but unmistakably Barolo: long-legged tannin, high-wire acidity, and a finish that just keeps going. Call it whatever you like. It’s not modern, it’s not old school, just purely acoustic, authentic Barolo. ~Allegra Angelo