Vittore Alessandria did not seem especially concerned about the challenges of 2022. He described the fruit as healthy and made the wines with a similar approach to other years. Alessandria gave his 2022s 30 days on the skins, which is typical here, including extended time on the skins in what is best described as a “semi-submerged cap maceration.” Dark-toned fruit, graphite, incense, sage, mint and pine are all beautifully lifted in the glass. This potent, muscular Monforte Barolo is so distinctive.