The 2012 Barolo Perno Vigna Cappella di S. Stefano offers a truly beautiful and elegant interpretation from Monforte d'Alba. The wine sees 21 days of skin maceration, and the aging phase takes the wine through three years in oak and a six-month resting phase in cement eggs. Generally speaking, to my palate the 2012 vintage can often lack detailing and depth. But not this wine. It stands apart for its intensity and aromatic precision. The bouquet offers dark fruit, spice, licorice and smoky tar.

The highly distinctive 2011 Barolo Perno Vigna Cappella di S. Stefano immediately grabs your attention. This is a notable effort with a generous display of balsam and grilled herb. It also shows dark fruit and pressed cherry with brooding aromas of tar, resin and smoky road pavement. Its tannins are tight and polished, and there's a playful note of sweetness on the close.

The 2010 Barolo Perno Vigna Cappella di S. Stefano offers tight lines and sharp contours. This Barolo delivers distinct aromas of tar, licorice, pressed violet and dried cherry. Background notes of rosemary and mint also appear. The wine is well along in its evolution but still has much road to cover. The acidity and the tannins both show the promise of more careful aging ahead.

The 2007 Barolo Vigna Cappella di S. Stefano is another huge wine. It combines the power of the Roul with the delineation of the Big. The wine fleshes out beautifully on the mid-palate and through to the finish, showing off a dramatic, sweeping expression of Nebbiolo that is breathtaking. The wine continues to gain volume in the glass. The French oak is present, but there is more than enough fruit to provide balance. The S. Stefano is a dark, brooding Barolo that begs for cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. Importer: Vignaioli Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 686-3095