Every self-respecting sommelier knows that in the Langa there is a King, Barolo, and a Queen, Barbaresco, they share the production area, the Langa (between Barolo and Barbaresco there are only a few kilometers), and the grape variety of origin, the noble Nebbiolo. Compared to Barolo, Barbaresco is usually less austere and less masculine. More elegant, you might say. Certainly nicer. Abrigo Orlando's Meruzzano is created from a harvest when perfectly ripe, followed by maceration of the skins for 20/25 days. After racking, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged in 500-liter tonneaux for more than a year. Before the wine is finally put on the market, it matures for another 6/8 months in the cellar. Only at the end of this long production process, Barbaresco DOCG Meruzzano is ready to face the test of the glass. In the glass it has a beautiful garnet red color, with a rich bouquet that recalls notes of cherries and red fruits. In the mouth it is compact, with well-presented but soft tannins that tend to age for many years, making this Piedmontese red a great wine for aging. The advice is to buy more than one bottle, to be opened over the years to appreciate its evolution over time.