Musso Awards

93 - BARBARESCO PORA RISERVA DOCG 2015

The Musso 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Pora offers hints of dried cherry and dark fruit with dustings of sweet pipe tobacco. The wine is streamlined and elegant in terms of mouthfeel, although the bouquet is a notch richer and more concentrated in this warm vintage. One noticeable thing about this Riserva Pora is how soft and integrated the tannins are. The tannins are sweeter in this wine from 2015, compared to the dry tannins we saw in the 2017 (non-Riserva) edition of Pora.

92 - BARBARESCO RIO SORDO DOCG 2017

This wine offers a pretty mineral profile with crushed aspirin, wild fruit and dried rose petal. Compared to the flatter and heavier Pora, the Musso 2017 Barbaresco Rio Sordo is a pointed and linear wine that you might pair with dark turkey meat or pheasant. I prefer this expression because there is a more concrete succession of Nebbiolo aromas that lead the bouquet as the wine evolves and changes in the glass. The finish is delicate and streamlined.

90- ROERO ARNEIS DOCG 2016

Here's an excellent recommendation if you are looking for a great-value white from Italy. The 2016 Roero Arneis is a fresh and zesty white wine with lean-bodied appeal. The bouquet offers zesty and green tones of lime, tropical fruit and peach. There is a lot of citrus as well. The wine offers a superior sense of definition and sharpness, thanks to those drying mineral tones that come with the unique Roero territory. The soils here are heavy with calcareous deposits that give sharpness and focus to the bouquet

94 - BARBARESCO PORA DOCG 2014

This wine's grilled herb, dill, tobacco and violet aroma unfold in the glass.
The palate has nice length and balance, offering juicy red cherry, raspberry, smoke, star anise and game notes, with firm, noble tannins and fresh acidity.

90 - BARBARESCO PORA DOCG 2015

Exotic Spic, coconut, dark-skinned berry and camphor aromas come together in the glass. It's still young and primary, offering black cherry, plum, vanilla, and licorice alongside tight-knit fine-grained tannins. Drink after 2015

97 - BARBARESCO PORA DOCG 2016

This has a lovely, alluring nose that evokes rose, iris, woodland berry, new leather, and Cake spice along with a whiff of Camphor. It's focused and delicious with juicy Marasca cherry, star anise, clove, and mocha flavors framed in taunt, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2026 -2036

93 - BARBARESCO PORA DOCG 2017

This full-boded red offers aromas evoking blue flower, baked plum and pipe tobacco. The firm but polished palate shows concentration and structure, featuring dried cherry, steeped prune and licorice set against fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2027.

93 - BARBARESCO RIO SORDO DOCG 2015

This opens with a potpourri of red berry, rose, menthol and exotic spice aromas. Juicy and elegantly structured, the smooth palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, ripe strawberry, white pepper and star anise. Taut but polished tannins provide the framework. Drink 2021–2030.

95 - BARBARESCO RIO SORDO DOCG 2016

Underbrush, leather, floral and tobacco aromas are front and center on this radiant red, as well as a hint of menthol. The enveloping palate offers ripe plum, vanilla, mocha and baking spice alongside velvety, fine- grained tannins.

94 - BARBARESCO RIO SORDO DOCG 2017

Underbrush, new leather, violet and mature forest berry aromas lift out of the glass with a whiff of menthol. On the full-bodied palate, tightly knit, close-grained tannins support dried cherry, spiced cranberry and star anise alongside surprisingly fresh acidity for the hot vintage. A hint of espresso signals the close. Drink 2022–2029.