Barbaresco, “Asili”

This highly regarded cru in Barbaresco is prized for its finesse, which Luisin’s version provides in spades. Compared to its sibling “Rabajà”, the graceful, majestic “Asili” is amply structured but the structure feels more a matter of fact than a particular point of emphasis, and the overall impression is one of lifted, red-fruited elegance. The oft-articulated differences between Barbaresco and Barolo can sometimes be overstated, as cru character and (especially) grower style play exceedingly significant roles, but Luisin’s “Asili” could come from nowhere else but this zone.