Amphora aged wines have been having a moment recently and there appears to be no end in sight. These once peculiar unicorn bottles are now well stocked at your favorite local wine shop. Although aging in these vessels dates back nearly 6,000 years, there is a potential to tag these wines as gimmicky given their current popularity. This is emphatically not the case with Ronchi’s 2019 ‘In Amphoris’ Nebbiolo, which should be tagged under the category: transcendent.

The perfume is downright intoxicating. The red fruit notes of cherries and strawberries were so pristine they initially ground any further assessment of the wine to a halt. This cheerful bouquet ran parallel with darker tones of dried roses, incense, dried thyme and truffles. The texture continues this synchronicity with vibrant acidity that rapidly lays out a silky touch before finishing with Nebbiolo’s gripping tannin signature. The grapes are from the same prized Ronchi Cru vineyard that goes into their flagship Barbaresco bottle. This is quite the source to experiment with Amphora. More than just a wine, this was a palpable, memorable experience. Nebbiolo in Amphora? We’re for it!