Carema is about an hour's drive from Barolo and amounts to its alpine cousin.

It's one of the most riveting and most versatile wines around.

Today, we're happy to present Produttori di Carema's 2014 Carema Riserva. This was one of the greatest surprises from our tastings over the last few months.

Speaking frankly, when it comes to 2014 Piedmont, you have to pick wisely. The best wines really pop with aromatics. The inferior examples can come off as dilute and slightly underripe.

Produttori di Carema's 2014 Riserva is an almost shocking example of the vintage, showing a serious depth of complexity and soaring perfume. You can expect an ever-evolving procession of flowers, herbs, cinnamon-tinged cherry fruit, rocky minerality and spice. The wine is packed with complexity.

Because of its stunningly singular expression of Nebbiolo, the appellation has achieved a renown that belies its tiny size. Carema sits in the shadow of Mt. Blanc and totals a mere 16ha. The growers of Carema tend to have very small holdings, often 0.5ha or even less. This is where the quality-oriented co-op Produttori di Carema comes in. They handle the vinification and aging, which would be difficult for the small growers. The Carema Riserva represents a painstaking selection of the very best botti, the large casks traditional to the region.

It's rare that we find wines that deliver so much at this price point. For us, it's a cause for celebration. We taste hundreds of wines a year and only a tiny fraction shocks in how profoundly they overachieve.

To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Ian McFadden

Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits