2016 Musso Rio Sordo Barbaresco DOCG 750 ml

The 2016 Musso Barbaresco Rio Sordo had blown us away when proprietor Valter Musso poured it for us at VinItaly, where it stood out against a backdrop of thousands of Italy’s top wines. Now, in a convivial, dimly lit dining room, it was the 95-point Nebbiolo’s time to shine—with a serious meal.

This Musso masterpiece packs a mouth-watering, savory, quintessential Barbaresco experience—one that, on many a restaurant wine list, will cost you one to two bills, easy. But today, we’ve got this cellar-stocker Barbaresco blockbuster that Wine Enthusiast named a 95-point Editors’ Choice—for just $40 per bottle.

We couldn’t resist taking the Musso to Hollywood’s legendary Musso & Frank Grill because of the name, of course, but that’s not all—the century-old institution was a perfect proving ground for the wine, as the menu is as stacked with the kind of old-school steaks, chops, and savory pastas that scream for cru Barbaresco. 
 
By the time our midrare ribeye cap and garganelli with wild mushrooms hit the table, the aromas of the Rio Sordo were practically enticing us from across the table, the deep ruby and brick-red Nebbiolo bursting with a beautiful ensemble of dried red roses, tar, and wild strawberries. When we finally took a sip, a seductive dance of red berries, fresh-turned soil and winter spice complemented the rich body, lively acidity, and the kind of long-lasting tannins that are perfect with a rich steak or creamy, earthy mushroom pasta.
 
Musso & Frank has been slinging martinis at Hollywood and Cherokee for 100 years, and Musso has been producing Barbaresco almost as long. It was founded in 1929 by Sebastiano Musso, who toughed out the depression years with his single hectare (about 2.5 acres) of vines. Decades later, after Barbaresco earned DOC status in the late Sixties and demand grew in Italy and abroad, the estate expanded.
 
Although the Musso holdings now consist of ten hectares, the Rio Sordo comes from a plot of land no bigger than Sebastiano Musso’s original vineyard: just one hectare within the coveted Rio Sordo cru, which boasts the clayey, calcareous soil and south-west exposition known for producing Nebbiolo of exquisite energy, minerality, and ripeness.
 
The Musso method is part classic and part modern: After a long maceration and twelve months in Slavonian oak, both part and parcel of Piedmont tradition, the wine spends six months in smaller oak barrels. This lend a smoothness to the tannins that translates to earlier drinkability, especially with a long decant.
 
This is a cellar-builder of a Barbaresco, and the kind of mouth-watering, super-savory red that any lover of Italian reds should have on hand at all times. If you’re in Tinseltown, take one along to Musso & Frank. Or just pop one at home, stir up a massive martini, and fire up the grill. In Hollywood or at home, it doesn’t get better than that.