Diego Morra Barolo del Comune di Verduno DOCG 2019

Barolo has a reputation that precedes it. Known as the "King of Wines" (and to some, the "Wine of Kings"), it sits among the world's most revered red wines—every bit as iconic as Bordeaux's Left Bank or Napa Valley's cult Cabernets. These are wines of stature, depth, and grace, often fetching prices as lofty as their reputation. But, as with all great regions, behind the storied names and astronomical auction prices, there are hidden gems—producers who work with the same prized terroir yet remain unburdened by the weight of celebrity.

One such rising star is Diego Morra, a winemaker whose story is rooted not in aristocratic lineage or financial fortune, but in the land itself. His family has tended the hillsides of Piemonte for generations—not with grapevines at first, but with hazelnuts. In the mid-20th century, Diego's grandfather, Domenico Morra, saw an opportunity on these misty, rolling slopes. He began planting Nebbiolo in Verduno, La Morra, and Roddi, three communes that would later become celebrated for producing some of the most perfumed and elegant Barolo.

For decades, the family sold their fruit to established producers, their Nebbiolo quietly finding its way into other estates' bottlings. But in the 1990s, Diego decided it was time to tell the Morra story in his own voice. He built a small winery, put his family's name on the label, and began producing Barolo that expressed both the history of Verduno and his own vision for the future.

If Barolo were a symphony, each of its communes would provide a different instrument. La Morra often gives plushness, Serralunga brings power, and Monforte d'Alba delivers intensity. Verduno, by contrast, is the violin section—graceful, aromatic, and nuanced. Wines from Verduno are known for their lifted aromatics, red-toned fruit, and refined tannins, making them some of the most charming and accessible expressions of Barolo.

In the glass, Diego's 2019 Verduno Barolo shimmers with garnet hues. The nose is immediately inviting, layered with rose petals, sour cherry, blood orange, and hints of anise and spice. On the palate, the wine is structured yet supple, with fine-grained tannins framing flavors of red currant, raspberry, and wild herbs. A core of minerality gives it shape and definition, while a long, elegant finish lingers with notes of citrus peel and dried flowers. It's a wine that feels both powerful and weightless—an achievement few regions outside Barolo can deliver. In a landscape where many Barolos are priced for collectors' cellars, Diego Morra offers something refreshing: proof that dedication, humility, and respect for the land can produce results as moving as those from the most vaunted estates.