Tenuta Sella, Lessona, 2016

Lessona is one of Alto Piemonte's most ancient appellations — a tiny zone north of the Langhe where Nebbiolo grows on sandy, mineral-rich glacial soils that produce wines of extraordinary delicacy. Tenuta Sella is among the region's most historic estates, a family that has been farming these hills for generations, long before Alto Piemonte became fashionable. The 2016 is entering its drinking window: structured enough to age further, but with the transparency and elegance that makes Lessona Nebbiolo so seductive. Think of it as Barolo's more ethereal northern cousin.