There’s not much that hasn’t already been said about Roberto Voerzio. But if I were to try and describe Roberto with one word, the word that comes to mind is “profound”. Yes, he’s a winemaker. Or, more aptly, a winegrower. But he’s so much more. He’s a farmer. A father. A grandfather. A wine lover. And it’s obvious he loves what he does. Hearing him talk about wine is like listening to a great piece of art. And I feel lucky to have had that opportunity.
There are many well-known winemakers in Piemonte, but the winemaking style of Roberto really stands out. Many years ago, the “Barolo Boys revolution” brought about a new approach to winemaking. I won’t go into too much detail right now, but the very general gist is: smaller barrels, shorter maceration, green harvest, and cleaner workspaces. Now, why am I bringing this up right now? Well, it’s mostly to talk about green harvest.
Don’t know what green harvest is? Not to worry, I’ll explain. When a winegrower does green harvest, it means that they are removing grape clusters from the vine. They do this to give the remaining grape clusters even more nutrients. The mindset here is quality over quantity. But imagine you’re a poor farmer, scraping by, and your daughter comes home and starts cutting away grapes that could be used to make wine. Let’s just say it was quite an adjustment.
Today, green harvest is a common practice across the board. And after a little detour, we’re about to get to the point. Because Roberto Voerzio has taken the concept of green harvest to the extreme. He cuts away more grapes than any other farmer (that I know of). Now, you could potentially get at least 1,800g per vine, probably even more. But for his Pozzo, he leaves only about 300g of grapes per vine. 300grams! It’s definitely one of the more extreme examples, but Roberto’s wines are some of the most concentrated wines I’ve encountered in Langhe.
Roberto Voerzio Barbera Il Cerreto 2021
Beautiful nose. Very aromatic. Very concentrated with aromas of dark red fruit. Also quite concentrated in the mouth. Almost felt like I was eating frutti di bosco. In the best way. Long finish.
Roberto Voerzio Langhe Nebbiolo 2021
Not as aromatic as the Il Cerreto, and has aromas of more mature red fruit. Quite fresh. Smooth tannins.
Roberto Voerzio Barolo del Comune di La Morra 2019
The Barolo del Comune di La Morra is made with grapes from 4 different vineyards: Case Nere, La Serra, Fossati and Cerequio. It was a bit closed on the nose at first but opened up very well in the glass. Fruity with smooth tannins.
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Fossati 2019
A beautifully elegant wine. Aromatic and intense. Tannins are quite robust. This might be my favorite wine from this tasting. A very impressive wine.
Roberto Voerzio Barbera La Serra 2015
A super aromatic wine with a beautiful nose. Intense and dense. Tannins are a bit “sharp” at first, but disappear and leave you with a round, elegant wine.
Before we dive into Barolo 2019, I want to just touch on something quickly. One can go on an on about rainfall, temperature, weather conditions, natural disasters and more, but in the end, you can’t judge a wine before you have it in a glass in front of you. I am not saying that weather isn’t important. And it definitely affects the wine. I am just saying that because vintage is defined as “warm” or “cold” or “dry”, doesn’t mean that all wines in that vintage reflect the general characteristics that go with that classification. If you catch my drift?
Anyways, a lot of good things have been said about Barolo 2019, and the vintage 2019, and I find I tend to agree. I’ve tried a few 2019’s, and my immediate thoughts are: concentrated, intense, aromatic. Now, that’s not to say that every Barolo 2019 is intense, or aromatic. But looking over my notes, those are words that pop up frequently. 2019 will most likely be remembered as a “classic” vintage, but the temperatures were quite high, which is probably what contributed to the fairly high concentration in the wines. I’m no expert, so feel free to refer to Masnaghetti or Berry Bro’s for a more detailed vintage report.
Now, moving on to the reason you’re here: Barolo 2019 tasting notes! PS: they are in alphabetical order
Tasting Notes
Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2019 Beautiful, clean, crisp nose. Complex, delicious. My notes literally say “Mouth is amazing. Full of tastes”. Smooth, but big at the same time. Round tannins. Quite high in acidity, so it has a good aging potential!
Bruna Grimaldi Barolo Camilla 2019 Beautiful nose. Aromas of dark fruit, with some spice notes. Very different from the 2019. More tension, bigger tannins.
Bruna Grimaldi Barolo bricco Ambrogio 2019 Vegetal, herbal. A bit closed on the nose, needs some time to open up. More tension in this one as well, compared to the 2018.
Bruna Grimaldi Barolo Badarina 2019 Beautiful nose, less vegetal than the Bricco Amborgio. Balsamic, herbal and fruity. I even caught a glimpse of some chocolate. A super wine!
Cavallotto Barolo 2019 Floral notes, with a hint of spices. Clean and crisp. Round in the mouth, with a long aftertaste. An approachable, balanced Barolo.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi 2019 The Cannubi is often a favorite of mine, and the 19 is no different. It’s such a beautiful wine. Aromas of red fruits, maybe a hint of strawberry? The 19 is intense, but the tannins are round. Good body with a long finish. And I think maybe I detect a hint of herbs?
Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi 2019 The Mosconi is slightly more masculine. The fruit is darker, and there is a hint of balsamic. The nose is intense. Although the tannins are more intense, they are still round. This is a wine with good body and a long finish.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 2019 The Via Nuova is even more masculine than the Mosconi. The fruit is not as dark in this wine, but there is a stronger hint of balsamic. A very intense wine. The tannins are also more intense, but not overpowering.
Cristian Boffa Barolo del Comune di la Morra 2019 An aromatic and intense wine, with a beautiful nose. Floral aromas, as well as red fruit, cherry. A mineral and crisp nose. Quite easy to drink, very approachable tannins, with a long finish.
Cristian Boffa Barolo Capalot 2019 More aggressive tannins in the Capalot, compared to the Comune di La Morra, but not overpowering. A beautiful, intense nose. Quite complex. Has good aging potential!
Elio Altare Barolo Arborina 2019 Beautiful nose, has that typical La Morra feel to it. Floral and fruity. Good tannins, with a little bit of oomph.
Luigi Pira Barolo Serralunga 2019 Their classic Barolo contain grapes from multiple vineyards including Marenca, Margheria, Sorano and Rivete. It’s aged in big barrel for 24 months. Beautiful, typical Barolo nose. Floral with hints of leather and balsamic. Big tannins, but still very fruity. A good bodied wine with a long finish.
Luigi Pira Barolo Margheria 2019 The Margheria is quite a bit more aromatic than the Serralunga. Crisp with aromas red fruit and hints of herbs and spices. Very crisp in the mouth. An elegant wine with quite approachable tannins.
Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca 2019 The Marenca spends 12 months tonneaux and 12 months in big barrels. The nose is similar to the Margheria. Maybe a bit more balsamic. The grapes come from a steep hill. The bunches are smaller, more concentrated. This is a bit more punchy, with bigger tannins.
Luigi Pira Barolo Vignarionda 2019 Now on the to grand finale: Vignarionda! The Vignarionda has a bit more masculine nose with aromas of tobacco and herbs. Powerful, but elegant. Tannins are big but not punchy.
Marengo Barolo 2019 The classic Barolo has an intense nose with aromas of red fruit, flowers, tobacco and a hint of spices. The tannins are smooth. Round in the mouth, with good balance and quite long finish.
Marengo Barolo Bricco Delle Viole 2019 Beautiful nose on the Bricco Delle Viole. More explosive than intense. A bit more floral and fruity than the classic Barolo. Bigger tannins, but still smooth. A balanced, beautiful wine.
Marengo Barolo Brunate 2019 The Brunate was, not surprisingly, a bit more complex than the other two. Beautiful nose with aromas of red fruit and spices, with a hint of floral notes. Bigger tannins, more structure, yet smooth. Good balance with a long finish.
I tasted the Luigi Pira Barolo 2019 ’s over Easter, and while they have been available worldwide for a while, the new vintage of Barolo normally doesn’t hit the Norwegian market until the fall. But let’s not get into the intricate world of Vinmonopolet now.
For those of you who are not familiar with Luigi Pira, let me just do a quick introduction. The winery was founded in the 1950’s by Luigi Pira. Today, it’s his son Gianpaolo who runs the show, with his wife Tiziana and their two daughters. It’s been a pleasure to see this winery grow and evolve, and in my opinion the wines just keep getting better and better.
Anyway, here are my tasting notes:
Luigi Pira Dolcetto 2022
The grapes for the dolcetto come from north facing vineyards right by the winery. Really good dolcetto nose. Intense and aromatic. Fruity in the mouth, mostly dark red berries, like blackcurrant. Integrated tannins. Yum!
Luigi Pira Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2021
The Barbera spends 12 months in big barrels. A very fruity and elegant wine, with a hint of spices. Balanced with good acidity and a medium body.
Luigi Pira Barolo Serralunga 2019
Their classic Barolo contain grapes from multiple vineyards including Marenca, Margheria, Sorano and Rivete. It’s aged in big barrel for 24 months. Beautiful, typical Barolo nose. Floral with hints of leather and balsamic. Big tannins, but still very fruity. A good bodied wine with a long finish.
Luigi Pira Barolo Margheria 2019
The Margheria is quite a bit more aromatic than the Serralunga. Crisp with aromas red fruit and hints of herbs and spices. Very crisp in the mouth. An elegant wine with quite approachable tannins.
Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca 2019
The Marenca spends 12 months tonneaux and 12 months in big barrels. The nose is similar to the Margheria. Maybe a bit more balsamic. The grapes come from a steep hill. The bunches are smaller, more concentrated. This is a bit more punchy, with bigger tannins.
Luigi Pira Barolo Vignarionda 2019
Now on the to grand finale: Vignarionda! The Vignarionda has a bit more masculine nose with aromas of tobacco and herbs. Powerful, but elegant. Tannins are big but not punchy.
It’s 8:59 am, and I am standing outside the big wooden door of Chiara’s winery. I am there to taste the Chiara Boschis Barolo 2019. As soon as the clock strikes 9:00, I ring the doorbell. The door opens, but Chiara is nowhere to be found. Not surprisingly, she is in the vineyard. For those of you who know Chiara, you know that she definitely prefers being in the vineyard to being in the tasting room. That’s not to say she doesn’t like showing her wines to wine lovers, or working in the cellar. She just prefers working in the vineyard.
While I wait for Chiara to return from the vineyard, I smile, as I think back to what she said during one of our live streams during the pandemic. “The wine comes from the grape.” The wine comes from the grape. So simple. And so true. Wine is indeed made from grapes. And in many ways, the wine is made in the vineyard. That’s one of the reasons why Chiara’s wines are so fantastic. She spends an incredible amount of time working with the vines, doing everything she can before the harvest, giving the grapes the best shot possible at becoming excellent wines. I’ve often thought her wines remind me a little bit of her: beautiful, energetic, bold. And although the wines reflect the vintages, the quality is consistent. Every year.
The door bursts open, and Chiara comes running in. And before we know it, we’re sitting down with the 2019 Barolo’s in front of us! Every visit with Chiara is incredibly educational and informative. Her knowledge of wine and winemaking is second to none, and you are guaranteed to learn something new every time you chat with her! And I always love to hear about her new projects. I am especially excited about this new one (stay tuned)!
Chiara Boschis Barolo 2019
We’ve finally reached the “tasting note” portion. For comparison, I’ve attached my tasting notes on the 2018’s below. I think the 18’s were a bit more feminine and approachable, compared to the 19’s. This reflects the difference in the vintages, and as always the quality is consistent.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi 2019
The Cannubi is often a favorite of mine, and the 19 is no different. It’s such a beautiful wine. Aromas of red fruits, maybe a hint of strawberry? The 19 is intense, but the tannins are round. Good body with a long finish. And I think maybe I detect a hint of herbs?
Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi 2019
The Mosconi is slightly more masculine. The fruit is darker, and there is a hint of balsamic. The nose is intense. Although the tannins are more intense, they are still round. This is a wine with good body and a long finish.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 2019
The Via Nuova is even more masculine than the Mosconi. The fruit is not as dark in this wine, but there is a stronger hint of balsamic. A very intense wine. The tannins are also more intense, but not overpowering.
Chiara Boschis’ 2018 Barolo’s
Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi 2018
I kid you not, my notes actually say “holy shit”. What a nose! Crisp, mineral, complex, rich, beautiful, feminine. There are aromas of tar and roses. Good depth and long finish. Chiara herself describes the Cannubi as “a kind wine”. And I can’t argue with that.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 2018
The Via Nuova is a bit more austere. A fruity and balanced wine. I agree with Chiara that the 2018 Barolo’s are more Burgundian than other recent vintages.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi 2018
I guess the word I’d use about Mosconi is “more”. More complex nose, more masculine, more spices, more structure. There are also hints of orange, apricot, peach and white pepper in this wine.
Before I dive into the actual topic of this article, Marengo Barolo 2019, I need to make one thing clear. I do not consider myself a wine critic. If we go by Wikipedia’s definition of the word, I guess I technically could be called a wine critic. But I’d rather consider myself a wine lover, on a mission to help people drink good wines. I try to tell stories. About the winemakers. About the wines. Yes, I do write tasting notes. But when I do, I try to accompany those notes with some background information and perhaps a few anecdotes. I do this to try and give you the bigger picture. Not just my subjective opinions about the wines.
Which brings me to another point. If I taste a wine that I don’t like, I don’t write about it. If, for whatever reason, I don’t like a wine, I leave it alone. And there could be many reasons why I don’t like a wine. Maybe it was a bad bottle. Maybe there was something wrong with the wine. Or maybe I just didn’t like it. It wasn’t for me. It could also be that the wine was bad. Because there are wines out there that are bad. But who am I to tell the world that? Now, I understand that it’s a wine critics job to critique wine. But when I was little I learned that “if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” This is especially true if what you say can affect someone’s life. Someone’s livelihood.
Some friends of mine recently received a particularly bad review of some of their wines. I won’t spend much time on that, but when I read that review I knew I had to taste those wines for myself to see they really were as bad as they were made out to be. And spoiler alert, they absolutely were not! My friends, Jenny and Marco, make excellent wines, and the 2019 Barolo’s are no different. I was also happy to see that Jancis Robinsons agrees with me, in her Financial Times article.
Jenny and Marco Marengo
Jenny and Marco Marengo are warm and generous people, who are very passionate about their wines. Together with their son, Stefano, the three of them work enthusiastically together in the pursuit of excellent winemaking. Marco really is a nerd, in the modern, positive, definition of the word. The same way Bill Gates is often referred to as a nerd, an expert and enthusiast, and obsessed with intellectual pursuit of winemaking.
And without further ado, here are my tasting notes on the Marengo Barolo 2019:
Marengo Barolo 2019
The classic Barolo has an intense nose with aromas of red fruit, flowers, tobacco and a hint of spices. The tannins are smooth. Round in the mouth, with good balance and quite long finish.
Marengo Barolo Bricco Delle Viole 2019
Beautiful nose on the Bricco Delle Viole. More explosive than intense. A bit more floral and fruity than the classic Barolo. Bigger tannins, but still smooth. A balanced, beautiful wine.
Marengo Barolo Brunate 2019
The Brunate was, not surprisingly, a bit more complex than the other two. Beautiful nose with aromas of red fruit and spices, with a hint of floral notes. Bigger tannins, more structure, yet smooth. Good balance with a long finish.
Barolo 2018 – delicious or disappointing? That is the question. But we’ll dig into that a little later. First, let’s look at some facts. As a stark contrast to 2017, which was very dry, 2018 was quite rainy. There were 62 days of rain during the growing season, just like 2014, which was considered one of the rainiest years of all time. But a few things distinguish 2014 from 2018, including the temperature. The temperature was on average higher in 2018 compared to 2014, especially towards the end of the growing season.
So what does all this mean? Well, first of all, too much rain leads to a lot of work in the vineyards. All that humidity creates perfect conditions for downy mildew, a fungus growing on the grapes. The winmakers combat this by spraying copper sulfate, but they basically have to spray after every rainfall. If you have half a hectare, that’s probably not too big a deal, but when you have three, five, or 14, it’s a lot of work.
The heavy rain combined with the high temperatures, also means quite a lot of growth in the vineyards. Which in turn meant they had to be vigilant about managing their vineyards. I think that’s really the key in any vintage: work in the vineyard. Fabio from Burlotto prefers to call himself a “winegrower” and not a “winemaker”, because he first and foremost considers himself a farmer. And when you pay a lot of attention in the vineyards, “it’s difficult to have a bad vintage.”[i] And I agree. In my experience, a good winemaker will make good wines in every vintage. And so in some vintages, like 2018, my advice would be to chose the winemaker and not the wine, if that makes sense.
Langhe July 2018
Barolo 2018 – many different opinions
I am not the first to share some thoughts on Barolo 2018. There have been split “reviews” on this vintage, both from the winemakers and from the wine reviewers. Some are on the more dramatic side, to the point of almost condemning the vintage. Others bear a more hopeful tone, highlighting that despite the difficulties of the vintage, the resulting wines are actually of higher quality than excepted.
Galloni said it’s “the most erratic, frustratingly inconsistent Barolo vintage” he has ever encountered. [ii]
Masnaghetti, a great source of information when it comes to Langhe, and the godfather of the Barolo maps, wrote this in his Barolo 2018 Vintage report: “In the history of Barolo, and not merely of Barolo, the vintages which presented themselves at their origin as problematical have been anything but rare. But, in a hypothetical classification of all the vintages, very few would be able to rival 2018.”[iii] But although the season was difficult, he thinks the wines will be “classified in the future as of good level.”
Joshua Dunning, the talent behind Word On The Grapevine, called the vintage a “tangram”. If you had to google that word, don’t worry, I did too. A tangram is “a Chinese puzzle made by cutting a square of thin material into five triangles, a square, and a rhomboid which are capable of being recombined in many different figures”. [iv] And I think it’s a fairly spot on description. He goes on to say that “challenges notwithstanding, the finished wines are an altogether more positive picture than their contributory climatic components might suggest.”[v]
Davy Żyw from Berry Bro’s and Rudd dared to say that the Barolo 2018 has “a Pinot Noir-style personality.”[vi] The same comparison was made by Fabio Alessandria when I visited him November 2021. Davy Żyw made some good points in his Barolo 2018 Vintage Report, including that the “best wines of the ’18 vintage showcase the strength of this multifaceted and extraordinary terroir, elegantly choreographed and infused by an equal sense of calm and place.”
Now, some of you might be waiting for Piemontegirl’s opinion on Barolo 2018. I have to start by saying that I believe there is not such thing as a bad vintage. However, I do believe there are bad wines. I think there is a difference between the two. What is it that they say? The proof is in the pudding? Well, in this case, the wine… There are so many really good 2018 Barolo’s out there. Floral. Fruity. Balanced. Elegant. Crisp. Wow. Beautiful. Incredible. These are only some of the words I used to describe Barolo 2018. And so yes, the growing season was difficult. And yes, overall this vintage might lack some structure compared to 2017, 2016 and 2015. But there are plenty of good Barolo’s out there. You just have to find them.
Here are some of my favorites:
Barolo 2018 Tasting Notes
Bruna Grimaldi Barolo Bricco Ambrogio 2018
A classic nose, floral and fruity. Silky tannins. A very approachable Barolo.
Bruna Grimaldi Barolo Badarina 2018
A slightly vegetal and austere wine. Aromas of red fruit, leather and balsamic. Good structure.
Burlotto Barolo 2018
Masculine nose with aromas of leather and tobacco, but still fruity and quite approachable. A gentle and elegant wine.
Burlotto Barolo Acclivi 2018
The Acclivi is a bit deeper than the Classico. So elegant in the mouth with a very gentle structure. Fruity and crisp, with a long finish.
Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 2018
Incredible nose with aromas of white pepper and red fruit, with a hint of spice. It was actually a bit spicy in the mouth as well. A very distinctive wine with a lot of personality.
Burlotto Barolo Cannubi 2018
With the Cannubi, the word elegance springs to mind. Elegant nose, elegant tannins, elegant structure. If I were to pick a wine to demonstrate how a Barolo should smell, this one would be a perfect example.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi 2018
I kid you not, my notes actually say “holy shit”. What a nose! Crisp, mineral, complex, rich, beautiful, feminine. There are aromas of tar and roses. Good depth and long finish. Chiara herself describes the Cannubi as “a kind wine”. And I can’t argue with that.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 2018
The Via Nuova is a bit more austere. A fruity and balanced wine. I agree with Chiara that the 2018 Barolo’s are more Burgundian than other recent vintages.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi 2018
I guess the word I’d use about Mosconi is “more”. More complex nose, more masculine, more spices, more structure. There are also hints of orange, apricot, peach and white pepper in this wine.
Cristian Boffa Barolo 2018
A delicate and balanced Barolo, with aromas of red fruit and strawberry. Long finish, with round, sweet tannins. A very good Barolo!
Diego Morra Barolo Zinzasco 2018
Beautiful nose with aromas of fruit, flowers and white pepper. Round tannins and good body. A wine with quite a lot of depth.
Diego Morra Barolo Monvigliero 2018
Floral aromas with hints of white pepper. A very good wine with good structure. Might need some time to open up fully.
Fratelli Revello Barolo Gattera 2018
The Revello Gattera has aromas of red fruit, liquorice and roses. It’s an elegant wine with soft tannins.
Marengo Barolo Bricco Delle Viole 2018
Wow! What an incredible nose. So floral and fruity, yet complex. Smooth tannins. Easy to drink.
Marengo Barolo Brunate 2018
Tried this straight from the tank, before it went into the bottle. A beautiful wine. Complex nose with aromas of leather, tobacco and a hint of chocolate. Good balance and structure. Long finish. balance.
Marengo Barolo Riserva 2018
“Very young, but so good.” Enough said. Or maybe not, but that’s all my notes said…
Nadia Curto Barolo La Foia 2018
Amazing nose with aromas of roses, red fruit and a hint of tar? Good body with round, smooth tannins.
Nadia Curto Barolo Arborina 2018
The Arborina might be a bit more complex than the La Foia. More leather, tobacco and spice aromas. More powerful, more intense. This might be due to the south exposure and long extraction.
Paolo Giordano Barolo 2018
I was really impressed by this wine. Good structure, but still easy to drink. Round, well integrated tannins. And it really opened up in the glass.
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Del Comune de La Morra 2018
A complex wine with a good nose. Aromas of spices and a hint of mint. Delicious. Good grip in the tannins. A long finish.
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Brunate 2018
I’ve tasted this both from tank and from bottle. The tank sample had an incredible nose. Concentrated with aromas of dark fruit. Elegant. Classic. Then, when I tasted from the bottle the nose was quite closed. But it had that wonderful combination of a feminine nose and complex body. Tannins were a but dry, but the aftertaste was incredible. Long finish.
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Fossati 2018
I also tasted this from both tank and bottle. When I tasted from the tank the wine was quite masculine with aromas of tobacco, some herbs and quite harsh tannins. Then, when tasted from the bottle, the nose was still quite masculine, but the harsh tannins were gone and the wine was quite feminine. With a long, good finish.
Roberto Voerzio Barolo La Serra 2018
A wine with an interesting nose. Red fruit, spices and a hint of licorice? Smooth tannins, good body and good deoth. Easy to drink. Integrated tannins.
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio 2018
Stunning! I really liked this wine. Aromas of red fruit and tobacco. A bit austere maybe. But WOW what a delicious wine. A good example of how maybe the nose and taste don’t always “go together”.
The first time I tried Chiara Boschis’ 2018 Barolo’s, they came straight from the tank. It was bottling day at the winery, and the 2018 Barolo’s were making their way from tank to bottle. The wines were obviously a bit stressed, but I remember thinking that the 2018 vintage was something to look forward to! And I was right.
I know there have been mixed messages about the 2018 vintage, but I will say what I always say: there is no such thing as a bad vintage. And Chiara Boschis’ 2018 Barolo’s are proof. Seriously, they are stunning.
But before we dig into the 2018 Barolo’s, I’d like to share my notes on her other wines as well. I myself am a huge fan of Dolcetto, and don’t think the wine gets nearly enough attention! And guess what, Chiara thinks “there might be a return of Dolcetto”.
Chiara Boschis Dolcetto 2021
One of my absolute favorite things about Dolcetto is it’s aroma. And the one from Chiara Boschis is no exception! Beautiful nose; so fruity. But the wine isn’t just fruity. It also has some structure. She makes one of the more complex Dolcetto’s in Langhe. A true treat.
Chiara Boschis Barbera 2020
A stunning Barbera. 2020: bad year for human kind, good year for wine. A bit of an austere nose with aromas of red fruits. Good structure and great potential for aging.
Chiara Boschis Langhe Nebbiolo 2020
Typical Nebbiolo nose with aromas of red fruit and rose petals. A very fruity and fresh Nebbiolo.
Chiara Boschis’ 2018 Barolo’s
… and a surprise treat at the end!
Chiara Boschis’ 2018 Barolo’s
Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi 2018
I kid you not, my notes actually say “holy shit”. What a nose! Crisp, mineral, complex, rich, beautiful, feminine. There are aromas of tar and roses. Good depth and long finish. Chiara herself describes the Cannubi as “a kind wine”. And I can’t argue with that.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 2018
The Via Nuova is a bit more austere. A fruity and balanced wine. I agree with Chiara that the 2018 Barolo’s are more Burgundian than other recent vintages.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi 2018
I guess the word I’d use about Mosconi is “more”. More complex nose, more masculine, more spices, more structure. There are also hints of orange, apricot, peach and white pepper in this wine.
Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 2010
The Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 2010 is still so fresh! It’s basically a baby. Floral and feminine with almost no tertiary aromas. Still has good structure. You can keep this for quite a while, if you’re still lucky enough to have a bottle or two.
Introducing Burlotto Castelletto 2018 – the latest addition to the Burlotto estate. Fabio has been thinking about expanding his lineup for some time, looking mainly at vineyards in the south-east part of Barolo. At the beginning of 2018, opportunity came knocking. A plot in Castelletto had become available, and Fabio acquired about 1 hectares of vineyard. Which plot, you might ask? If you imagine the Castelletto hill, it’s located along the wooded area, towards the bottom. For a more accurate description, you can check out the zoom session with Fabio, where he talks about his new wine!
Castelletto
Castelletto is located in Monforte, near Gramolere, at around 250m.a.s.l. The highest part has looser, more sandy soil, while the lower part has more compact soil, giving the wine a bit more powerful tannins. The wooded area creates a slightly cooler microclimate than in Mosconi, perhaps giving the wine less intensity. At least compared to other Monforte Barolo’s, like Mosconi or Gramolere.
As Fabio said, “I adore the 18’s”. I too adore the 18’s. Don’t get me wrong, I like the 17. And 16. And 15. And 14. I think each vintage has their own characteristics, and will honestly go so far as to say that there is no such thing as a bad vintage. And it seems, on this, Fabio and I agree.
Because we pay a lot of attention in the vineyard and in the cellar, I think that it’s difficult to have a bad vintage
Fabio
According to Fabio, he had more work in the vineyards in 2018 than 2017. The spring was more humid, which led to more mildew. The wetness also led to more vegetation and good growth. Overall, the 18’s are quite approachable, gentle and elegant. Although Fabio finds it hard to predict the age of a wine, he thinks the 17 might age a bit better than 18. But as he also said, “it’s important to have wines that are more drinkable in the beginning.”
Burlotto Castelletto 2018
The Burlotto Castelletto 2018 has the structure of a Monforte Barolo, but the tannins were not invasive. So elegant in the nose, floral and fruity, with aromas of mint and orange, along with a balsamic note. A very balanced wine, with good length.
Vietti Barolo Castiglione – the “entry” Barolo from Vietti. But, I am not sure calling it an “entry” Barolo really does it justice, as it’s a very high level Barolo, so I’ll refer to it as their “classic” Barolo instead. And what do I mean by “classic”? In the Barolo lineup, the Vietti Barolo Castiglione is the only blend Barolo, made with wines from different plots in the Barolo area. The rest are single vineyard Barolo’s, including Brunate, Monvigliero, Lazzarito, and Ravera.
View of Serralungs vineyards, including Lazzarito
When deciding which grapes to blend in the Barolo Castiglione, they always start with Ravera and add in the others. The blend can differ every year, but usually includes some grapes from Castiglione, Monforte, Barolo and La Morra. Vietti has many different vineyards to choose from, including: Bricco Boschis, Scarrone, Villero, Codana, Parussi, Brunella, Bussia, Le Coste, Le Liste, Ginestra, Mosconi, Boiolo, Rocchettevino, Fossati and Camilla.
Winemaking
They select the grapes from many different vineyards from different villages in the Barolo area, always starting with Ravera. The different single vineyards are vinified and aged separately, and then blended right before bottling. This allows them to highlight the typical characteristics of each terroir, resulting in the best wine possible. The wine ages for about 30 months in oak barrels of different sizes, before it’s blended and then bottled.
Vietti Barolo Castiglione Tasting Notes
I recently tasted the 2017 and 2018 Vietti Barolo Castiglione side by side, allowing me to really see some of the differences between the two vintages. As most of us know, in 2017 is was very dry and quite hot, as opposed to 2018 which was quite rainy. But, we, myself included, must be careful not to judge a vintage before we have had the chance to taste some of the wines. More often than not I am pleasantly surprised by the wines. Even in what could be classified as a “difficult” vintage. I think Fabio Alessandria said it so well:
Because we pay a lot of attention in the vineyard and in the cellar, I think that it’s difficult to have a bad vintage
In the Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2017, I found some warm notes, of darker and a bit riper fruits, but the wine is still fresh and fruity. I also found some spice notes. The tannins are quite round, and warm, if that makes sense. I would definitely call this a balanced wine, with a good finish. The 2018 is a bit more elegant. Fruity with beautiful floral notes. A fairly structured wine with good depth.
I’ve tasted quite a few Barbera 2020 this past year, and since I drink a lot of Barbera during the holiday season, I thought it’d be the perfect time to highlight some of my favorite ones! Barbera pairs very well with a lot of Norwegian Christmas food like pinnekjøtt, ribbe and turkey. The acidity in the Barbera goes very well with fatty foods, which is the common denominator in a lot of Norwegian Christmas food. But keep in mind the wine pairing also depends on the side dishes.
Anyways, here are some of my Barbera 2020 highlights. The tasting notes are in alphabetical order.
Alberto Viberti Barbera
I tasted the Alberto Viberti Barbera 2020 2 weeks after it was bottled, so the wine was a bit stressed. But even then this wine showed very well. A very fruity Barbera that will only get better after a while in the bottle.
Burlotto Barbera
The grapes in the Burlotto Barbera come from vineyards in Verduno and Roddi, including a vineyard that borders Monvigliero. Therefore it’s not odd to find notes of pepper in this wine. A very balanced Barbera with good acidity and good body.
Burlotto Barbera Aves
The Aves has a tad more acidity than the classic Barbera, good structure and a long finish. Notes of spices and red fruit. The Aves is rich and fleshy, but not heavy.
Crissante Alessandria Barbera
The Crissante Alessandria Barbera has quite a brilliant color. Notes of red fruit with a good acidity. A balanced wine.
Diego Morra Barbera
Notes of cherry and spices. Round with a good body. A very good wine, both on the nose and in the mouth.
Emilio Vada Barbera d’Asti
The Emilio Vada Barbera d’Asti 2020 has a very fresh nose with notes of raspberry. A very drinkable Barbera.
Ettore Germano Barbera d’Alba
Beautiful barbera with intense notes of Cherry. Quite concentrated in the mouth with good structure.
Fratelli Revello Barbera d’alba
A bit concentrated on the nose, but not warm. Aromas of dark red fruit. This wine would go very well with food.
Ghiomo Lavai
I tasted the Lavai 20 days after bottling, so it was very young. A wine with good balance that developed in the mouth. A balanced wine with a long finish.
La Vedetta Barbera Sarasino
A fruity, full bodied wine. A bit concentrated on the nose with aromas of dark red fruit.
Malabaila di Canale Barbera
This Barbera was very drinkable. Aromas of dark red fruits. Could I sense some notes of blueberry?
Marengo Barbera
A floral and fruity wine with a long finish. Balanced with good acidity.
Mauro Veglio Barbera
A very drinkable Barbera. Light and fruity. Couldn’t feel the 15% alcohol at all!
Nadia Curto Barbera
A fresh and mineral Barbera with notes of cherry. Balanced with good acidity. Cherry, fresh, mineral. Good acidity, balanced.
Paolo Scavino Barbera
Dark dark purple with bright hue, a very intense color. Fruity in the mouth with a bit of structure. Aromas of plum and ripe cherry.
PIEMONTEGIRL 