2016 Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo Piedmont 750 ml

You won’t find tourists at Massimo Camia Ristorante, a locals’ favorite in La Morra. What you will find is a pillowy truffle-and-egg-dough pasta worthy of the establishment’s MICHELIN star—and a Barolo of such bold, wild beauty that we were staggered to discover the price tag.

The 94-point 2016 Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo was among the most affordable bottles on the menu that night—a tenth the price of the $400 Langhe heavyweights alongside it. Today it remains one of the must-have Barolo deals from Piedmont’s spectacular 2016 season.

The cuvée’s name, Lecinquevigne, refers to the five famous Barolo crus it’s sourced from: Cannubi, Liste, Cerequio, Brunate, and Raviole. The estate—which dates back to 1890, making it one of the oldest houses in the region—has been working with the southeast-facing vineyards of these villages for generations.

The combined picture of the terroir, amplified by 40-year-old vines and elegant calcareous-clay soils, “offers a 360-degree view of Barolo with pretty primary fruit backed by elegant tannins and mid-weight fruit fiber,” says The Wine Advocate. It’s everything we love about Barolo, at a value only made possible by the deep roots of “one of Barolo’s most historic families,” writes Vinous.

Since 2008, Damilano has committed to a traditional expression in the cellar, moving away from French barriques in favor of large, untoasted oak casks that keep the wine’s fruit front-and-center. That’s exactly what you want in a vintage like 2016, which showed immense balance and harmony right out of the gate.

It’s discoveries like this that make the unquiet life on the wine trail worthwhile. Little else in the world of Barolo will add as much value to your cellar as this phenomenal release.