Fratelli Abrigo Barolo 2015 Ravera

I found this bottle of 2015 Barolo in the grocery store after having enjoyed a 2018 Barolo in a restaurant earlier in the week. I was surprised that the 2015 tasted like a younger wine than the 2018! It was a beautiful translucent ruby with slightly orange edges in the glass. The alcohol seemed to burn off after a few hours and as the evening progressed this wine softened into an elegant red-fruity bomb with firm tannins and a moderately long finish. The 2018 wine was a little more strawberry-ish while the 2015 bottling had a more astringent quality. Clearly, this is a wine that will continue to age gracefully. And maybe the 2015 vintage needs a few more years in the bottle. According to James Suckling: The full capability of the nebbiolo grape’s expressive nature is alive in Barolo 2015 and it is a vintage to really celebrate. In general, the wines are exuberantly fragrant and show fresh clear fruit on the nose with abundant aromatic complexity. Structurally they are rich in ripe, fine and powerful tannins. They are toned, muscular and athletic, coupled with freshness, a keen sense of focus, great length, and an astute balance. 

I loved this wine. The 2015 vintage made me think of the way a beautiful woman ages: brash and sexy in her youth, self-assured and confident in her maturity. Like the gorgeous Italian actress Sophia Loren.