Tasted from magnum, the oak-aged 2009 Langhe Bianco Bricco Rovella sees 11 months of lees aging and frequent stirring. The wine's evolutionary track shows fantastic complexity. Yellow fruit aromas of preserved lemon and sun-dried apricot are followed by a very delicate dusting of salty mineral that adds a pretty sense of dryness and focus. The wine recalls an opulent Chardonnay both in terms of structure and the thickness of its texture. The acidity is low and this is intentional. According to winemaker Marco Parusso, the lower freshness threshold means the quality of the fruit is enough to keep the wine standing on its own two feet.

The 2006 Langhe Sauvignon Bricco Rovella is particularly successful in this vintage. The wine’s hallmark notes of super-ripe peaches, apricots, smoke, minerals and flowers all emerge in this round, ripe Sauvignon. The French oak helps give the wine its volume and breadth, but the toast level seems to have come down, giving the wine a pure, lush expression of this variety through the lens of Monforte terroir. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2014. Importer: Montecastelli Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 414-4898

Parusso’s 2005 Langhe Sauvignon Bricco Rovella is made in a fairly full-bodied, unctuous style. Today this soft, creamy white needs some time to absorb the French oak, but it is a promising wine. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. Importer: Montecastelli Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 414-4898