2023 Luigi Oddero Vino Rosso 'Convento'

An organic blend of Dolcetto, with some Barbera—and a touch of Nebbiolo for structure—from vineyards around the cellar at Santa Maria. Varietals are naturally fermented in stainless steel, assembled and matured for 6 months or so in cement (with the Nebbiolo component in cask) with spontaneous malo, and then assembled in the late spring after harvest for bottling. 13% alcohol.

This shows aromas of dark berries and violets, a fruit-driven palate and equally lovely crunchy red flavors. Light and crunchy with violet-y berry fruit that speaks of its Dolcetto majority, yet with decent grip and structure. This wine is crafted to be light and approachable, an excellent choice for red sauce pizza, midnight pasta, or other casual fare.

With 75 acres of vineyards across Barolo and Barbaresco—including a prized single hectare in the grand cru Vignarionda—Figli Luigi Oddero stands among the essential names in the Langhe. The estate’s wines are made traditionally, farmed organically, and crafted by a team with direct lineage to Barolo’s most hallowed modern voices. Since 2012, Luigi Oddero’s wines have been guided by the legendary Dante Scaglione, longtime winemaker at Bruno Giacosa and one of the Langhe’s most respected cellar minds. Today, his protégé Francesco Versio, named Italy’s “Young Winemaker of the Year” in 2015, continues the work. Together, they bring an approach that prizes nuance over flash, purity over power: native fermentations in concrete, long macerations, and aging in large botti preserve the character of the fruit and draw out its complexities.