The 2011 Barolo Riserva Vigna Elena is a pure expression of the Rosé clone, a subvariety of Nebbiolo that is seeing a small but steady upswing in popularity. This wine is only made in the best vintages and it was not produced in 2008 or 2002. It probably will not appear in 2014 either, I'm told. But the 2011 vintage is well worth your attention. This is a deep and brooding wine that carries its extra weight and volume with the grace of a classic ballet dancer. There is ample power and determination here that will undoubtedly carry the wine forward in its aging trajectory.

Only made in the best vintages, the 2010 Barolo Riserva Vigna Elena is a stunning and magnificent achievement. This is a complete wine that reaches to the far sides of the aromatic spectrum. The bouquet offers crushed mineral, black fruit, balsam herb, cherry cola, anise and a seductive dose of earthy black truffle. It has it all. The mouthfeel is rich and determined, but there is a point of tightness within the tannic structure that will require more years of bottle aging.

It's hard not to be smitten by the 2009 Barolo Riserva Vigna Elena. This is a gorgeous expression with a compelling sense of depth, flavor intensity and extraction. This wine is made with a rare Nebbiolo clone called Rosè. It was not produced in 2008 because damaging hailstorms ruined much of the fruit that year. Riserva Vigna Elena exhibits enormous attention to detail with micro aromas of wild berry, spice, cola, licorice and white truffle that are fused together in a penetrating aromatic front. The tannins finely textured and silky.

The collection concludes with the truly stunning 2007 Barolo Riserva Vigna Elena. This wine radiates with a youthful looking ruby appearance and delightful aromatic complexity that spans the entire Nebbiolo playbook. From black licorice to dried cherry, mint and pressed violets, you get it all. I drank from the bottle one and two days after it was open and the wine displayed even more breathtaking beauty and complexity. It has the bones for some serious cellar aging should you decide to hold this bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2035. A visit to the cellars of Elvio Cogno is always a fascinating learning experience. I had my first taste of a beautifully fresh and fragrant white wine made with the Nascetta grape here a few years ago. The variety was new to many of us then, but thanks to vintner Valter Fissore and his wife Nadia Cogno it is strongly identified with the territory today. More recently, the couple started to produce limited cases of Barbera d’Alba made from pre-phylloxera vines (most more than a century old). That they were able to tap into that ancient genetic patrimony in this well-trodden part of Italy is something of a small miracle. They are also credited with putting the little-known Novello township on the Barolo map. Importer: Imported by Elvio Cogno, Suasalito, CA; tel. (917) 699-2647

The 2006 Barolo Riserva Vigna Elena is huge, dark and totally sensual. Black cherries, menthol, tar and spices flow gracefully from this dark, powerful Barolo. Today the Vigna Elena is virile, intense and at times a bit on the austere side. Over time the aromas and flavors emerge from a wall of massive tannins. The huge, implosive finish suggests the wine has a very bright future. Today the 2006 is very, very young, but there is little doubt it has all the qualities to grow into a splendid wine. This is another impressive showing from Cogno. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. Proprietors Valter Fissore and Nadia Cogno are at the top of their game. I tasted a number of Baroli from cask, all of which point to a number of stunning wines in the pipeline. As outstanding as the Baroli are, the truth is that all of the wines in the estate’s lineup are fabulous from top to bottom. Cogno is one of Piemonte’s up and coming stars. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200