I figured the only way to convince you to buy two bottles of this, one to try in the relatively short-term for its exotic and enticing youthful aromatics, and the other to try when it has had time to become the wine it is destined to someday become, will be to offer an incentive to do so. In fact, if I were you and had the space and money, I’d buy three, because this wine truly does have a fascinating life ahead of it. The Odderos only bottle their Vignarionda in vintages they believe it will best show the unique qualities of this, one of Barolo’s most unique and venerated vineyards. Often called- at least by me- the Musigny of Barolo, Vignarionda manages power and elegance like no other site in the region and the Odderos’ parcel is one of the best on the hill. Its nearly white, top-soilless hardpan limestone, marl and sand can produce a wine with startling structure and tannin and a set of aromatics all its own. Never as beefy and massive on the palate as some other vineyards in Serralunga and Monforte, a great Rionda is always about elegance, aromatics and a beguiling personality that evolves only slowly in the bottle and in your glass.  The 2018, tasted as recently as last fall at the winery, reminds me of the 2011, another vintage damned with faint praise by the press but beloved by the winemakers themselves. Not a massive wine at all, the nose is warm with savory, sweet notes of hoisin, dusky plum, sandalwood, violet pastille, aniseed and gunflint. Full on the palate but not at all weighty, it seems silky and diaphanous while still hiding the iron fist underneath- Vignarionda’s legendary tannins. If you drink it young, make sure there is some richly sauced braised meat in front of you! When will it be perfect? I remember a bottle of the 2011 opened at exactly a decade being well-nigh perfect and I suspect this 2018 is on a similar trajectory. I have 18 bottles. Very highly recommended.

Wine Advocate: Only made in the best vintages, the Oddero 2018 Barolo Riserva Vignarionda reveals dark plum, licorice, tar, smoke, camphor ash and sweet cherry. Vignarionda absolutely embraces the power and complexity of Serralunga d'Alba, especially in this warm vintage. In fact, it almost goes overboard with a tightness and astringency to the tannins that will require more time in bottle, and even then, it might not ever completely integrate. Production is limited to 3,500 bottles. 96 points

Kerin O`Keefe: Intensely fragrant, the 2018 Vignarionda Riserva from Oddero has almost intoxicating aromas of wild red berry, dog rose, culinary spice and camphor. On the full-bodied, firmly structured palate, notes of ground pepper, blood orange, coffee bean and crushed mint accent a red cherry core. Tight, close-grained tannins leave a clenching, grippy close. Drink 2028–2034. 94 points