This wine was not produced in the difficult 2014 vintage. Holding us through the gap is the 2013 Barolo Terlo. By its very constitution, this Barolo is more subdued in terms of aromas and more streamlined in terms of mouthfeel and texture. What the wine lacks in nature power and muscle, it compensates with elegant nuances of wild berry, tar and dusty mineral notes. Terlo is all about length and persistence.

The 2012 Barolo Terlo is a shapely and nicely balanced Nebbiolo that shows both power and elegance. The wine delivers bright fruit with bold cherry and cassis that are immediately recognizable. As the bouquet opens, the wine offers pretty layers of ash, smoke, licorice, cola and rose hip. Overall, the wine delivers a great sense of balance and this is not an easy feat in the low-key 2012 vintage.

Matteo Sardagna's 2011 Barolo Terlo is a wine of grand intensity, personality and coherency. It opens to thick aromatic layers that peel back to reveal dark fruit, leather and spicy tobacco. By far the most compelling aspect to the bouquet is the strong balsamic component. It comes forward as dried ginger, chopped mint and rosemary essence. Those fresh elements add a beautiful sense of aromatic lift and buoyancy to this elegant Barolo.

The 2010 Barolo Terlo is a tempered and managed expression with just enough cherry and wild fruit intensity to keep your interest. That said, the wine also shows a very pretty evolution in the glass and peels back, layer after layer, with dark fruit, cola and spice. What I found of particular interest in the 2010 expression is the delicate mineral note of brimstone and lead pencil that so elegantly frames the long finish. Drink: 2016-2026. Importer: Empson USA, www.empsonusa.com

The 2009 Barolo Terlo delivers straight-up Nebbiolo appeal with detailed nuances of small berry, underbrush, pressed rose and white licorice stick. The wine is executed in an exceedingly polished and elegant style, with high energy and firmly present tannins. I especially enjoyed the silky smoothness of the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022. Luigi Einaudi served as the second President of the Italian Republic (1948-1955). In his younger years, in 1897, he purchased the San Giacomo cascina in Dogliani with 40 “days” of vineyard. In popular farming culture, the size of a piece of land was estimated by how many days it took to work the land with a pair of oxen. Today, the estate counts 52 hectares of vineyards (mostly in Dogliani) including seven hectares in Barolo and three in Barbaresco. Importer: Empson, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900