Tag Archives: Recent Release

Recent Release from Vietti

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Anyone else excited about the most recent release from Vietti? I am! Believe me, these are wines to get excited about! As I’ve mentioned before, I like wines in every vintage. Vietti certainly makes good wines every year, and 2018 is no exception.

2018 Vintage

Looking back at the year 2018, you might remember that it rained quite a bit. It’s comparable to 2002, but the difference between the two vintages is when the rain fell. In 2018, the rain was concentrated around the growing season, especially in May.[1] It did rain above average most of the other months as well, causing an increase in work for the winegrowers. It’s not strange that one could think the 18’s would be “light”, especially compared to the 17’s. But so far I have been rather impressed with the 2018 Barolo’s I’ve tasted so far.

Recent Release from Vietti: Barolo 2018

Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2018

The 2018 is a bit more elegant compared to the 2017. Fruity with beautiful floral notes. A fairly structured wine with good depth.

Vietti Barolo Brunate 2018

The Brunate had a perfect Barolo nose. Complex and structured, but at the same time extremely elegant.

Vietti Barolo Ravera 2018

You can feel that power in the Ravera. Aromas of leather with a hint of balsamic. Complex but balanced.

Vietti Barolo Lazzarito 2018

Minty and herbal with a touch of balsamic. Round in the mouth, with a good finish. Very good.

Vietti Barolo Rocche di Castilgione 2018

A beautiful floral nose, a bit similar to the Brunate. Quite structured, but still elegant with a fresh fruitiness.

Recent release from Vietti: Barolo 2018

Vietti Barbera 2019

Vietti Barbera D’Alba 2019

A beautifully floral Barbera. Very aromatic. Quite concentrated, with good complexity. An incredible wine!

Vietti Barbera d’Asti 2019

A crisp and mineral Barbera, with aromas of cherry. Also quite concentrated, but a little bit less aromatic compared to the Barbera d’Alba.

Vietti Barbera d’Alba Vigna Scarrone 2019

Aromas of red fruits, especially cherry. Also some spice notes. A complex, balanced Barbera.

Vietti Barbera d’Asti La Crena 2019

The La Crena was a bit more subtle on the nose compared to the Vigna Scarrone, but also more structured in the mouth. Aromas of red fruits and spices. Will probably benefit from some time in the bottle. Has excellent potential.

Vietti Barbera d’Alba Vigna Vecchia Scarrone 2019

A very young wine that opened up in the glass. Good structure with a long finish. A full bodied, complex Barbera.

[1] https://www.barolomga360.it/en/annata-2018/

Recent Release from Burlotto

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Recent Release from Burlotto

Curious about the recent release from Burlotto? So was I.

The visits with Fabio usually tends to be one of the most educational. Yes, we taste the wines, but we also talk. About everything. And the more he talks, the more you realize how profound he is. Want to see for yourself? Check out this recording of our zoom session from last year. We talk about Dolcetto, Freisa, the 2020 and the new Burlotto entry: Castelletto 2018!

Now, back to the recent release from Burlotto. I did not taste the full lineup this time around. Both the Freisa and Pelaverga were “left out”, but I did get to sneak a peak at the 2018 Barolo’s!

Burlotto Dolcetto 2020

A very fruity and elegant Dolcetto, with a bit of structure. As Fabio says, “a lot of brightness”. There is also a sensation of bitter almonds and cherry. I am not sure if you know, but they use around 50% whole cluster in the Dolcetto, giving it that structure.

Burlotto Barbera 2020

Balanced, good body, long finish. Has a bit of spiciness and aromas of pepper, probably from stemming from the soil in Verduno. We all know the Monvigliero has that white pepper characteristic.  

Burlotto Barbera Aves 2020

The Burlotto Barbera Aves is probably one of my all-time favorite Barbera’s. The 2020 is no exception. The Aves 2020 is rich and fleshy but not heavy. Spice notes and red fruit, good structure and high acidity, followed by a long finish.

Burlotto Langhe Nebbiolo 2020

Fabio decided he wouldn’t make Acclivi in 2020, so he put the grapes into the Langhe Nebbiolo instead. Perhaps that’s why this has quite a complex nose. I found aromas of fruit and flowers, as well as leather, and tobacco. Is equally complex in the mouth. It could probably benefit from a few years in the bottle.   

Barolo 2018: A Preview

Recent Release from Burlotto

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 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.

Recent Release from Veglio

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Recent Release from Veglio

This summer I tasted the most recent release from Veglio. If I had to pick a favorite from the lineup it would be the Barolo Gattera 2017!

Recent Release from Mauro Veglio

Mauro Veglio Barbera 2020

The 2020 Barbera from Mauro Veglio is very fruity with good acidity. It’s very drinkable, light and fruity, despite the 15% alcohol.

Mauro Veglio Barbera Cascina Nuova 2018

The Cascina Nuova is their Barbera Superiore, so it’s no surprise that this wine is more complex. The ageing in wood has given the wine some spice notes as well as good structure. A balanced wine with good acidity.

Mauro Veglio Langhe Nebbiolo  2019

This wine has a beautiful nose, with aromas of fresh red fruit. It’s a bit concentrated in the mouth, but that’s not uncommon for the 2019’s. Good structure, good tannins, good length.  

Mauro Veglio Barolo 2017

The grapes in the Classic Barolo are sourced from Arborina, Castellero, and a small part of Gattera. Good nose, with red fruit and some spice notes. Quite fresh and easy to drink.

Mauro Veglio Gattera 2017

I like this wine a lot. A more masculine nose with aromas of tobacco, spices and some herbs. Quite soft tannins for a 2017.

Mauro Veglio Arborina 2017

The Arborina has that beautiful feminine nose. Quite aromatic for a 2017. A bit warm in the mouth, with round tannins.  

Mauro Veglio Castelletto 2017

More rustic nose on the Castelletto 2017, maybe even some leather. A more masculine Barolo, which is not surprising since it’s from Monforte. Dark red fruit and cherry aromas. The tannins are a bit more aggressive as well, structured with a good body.