2015 La Grande Année sees Bollinger on fighting form: striking the balance between opulence and elegance like no one else can. It is generous, voluptuous and refined, encapsulating what Bollinger aptly calls “the velvet bubble”. Its backbone of Pinot Noir gives depth and complexity, and will ensure good ageing potential. But it’s worth noting that the house has chosen precisely the right time to release the 2015: it is a sensational glass right now, so if the temptation is strong, do not hesitate to open this straight away and enjoy the amplitude as it unfolds on the palate. It will not disappoint.

One of Loosen and the Mosel’s greatest vineyard sites on rich blue slate soil. (The Sundial of Wehlen) is a precipitously steep and rocky vineyard that yields wines with a lively mineral character and a delicate, zingy acidity that perfectly complements the expression of white peach and lemon fruits on the palate. The 24 months ageing gives the wine amazing complexity and length.

The Ürziger Würzgarten vineyard forms a massive amphitheatre of red, volcanic sandstone and red slate that is unlike any other site in the Mosel region. It’s compact, energetic and concentrated with a core of tantalising exotic fruits and spicy aromas.

The Barolo Cerequio was introduced to the Vietti range in 2018, and in the stellar 2019 vintage it’s hard to see how the wine could be improved. Situated in between the villages of Barolo and La Morra, the Cerequio cru is famous for its finesse and aromatic fragrance. The red-fruited and aromatic core stuns with its depth and intensity, while the mineral tinged finish goes on for days. Utterly resplendent.

Vietti’s 2019 Barolo Lazzarito is sensational. It’s energetic and explosive, while layer after layer of savoury fruits on the mid-palate taper off into a chiselled, detailed finish. As is typical of Serralunga, the tannins are stark, sharp and profound, but impeccably integrated. This truly is Barolo at its best.

This 2017, sourced from 54 year old vines in La Morra’s Brunate vineyard, is rich and concentrated, with plenty of dark fruit, cedar and liquorice notes. Brunate is always among Barolo’s densest bottlings, but Vietti’s expression of the vineyard is as balanced a wine as we’ve tasted. It’s incredibly precise, and the extraction is masterfully handled.

Sourced from the ampitheatre-shaped Lazzarito cru in Serralunga d’Alba, the 2017 Barolo Lazzarito from Vietti puts on a real performance. It’s floral and open-knit with ripe red fruit and a savoury mid palate. On the nose, it’s nuanced and complex – the kind of wine that’s hard to put down.

Sourced from old vines in the celebrated Brunate Cru in La Morra, this has layers of dark fruit, a velvety mid-palate texture, and a mineral lift that will have you reaching for a second glass in no time. Over the past few years, Vietti have expanded their holdings in Brunate, allowing for more rigorous standards of selection and more precise wines. This is absolutely thrilling.

The structured and sculpted 2018 Barolo Lazzarito is a brilliant expression of its site. Crushed rocks, graphite, and gravel run through the core of this Barolo. But there’s also finesse here: rose petal and blood orange aromas peek through. An iron fist in a velvet glove.

For years, the village of Novello and the Ravera cru were too easy to overlook. But Vietti’s Ravera is simply too good to pass up. It’s sourced from a 2.7 hectare plot of old vines, and packed full of floral notes, cedar, tobacco, and remarkable freshness.