The fate of a wine writer is tasting dozens of wines soon upon – or even prior to – release in order to assess a vintage and predict ageability. Far less often are we privileged to sweeping overviews once the wines are sold and tucked away in cellars.

Scroll down to see the top wines from the Barbaresco 2013 retrospective tasting

While I have been visiting Barbaresco regularly since 2004, the first anteprima, or press preview, I attended was in May 2016, when over 100 Barbaresco from the 2013 vintage were presented. Contrary to the latest releases from 2020, which are already accessible, 2013 was patently austere. Even at subsequent estate visits, the 2013s contradicted conventional drinking guidance that Barbaresco should be approachable by the age of five.

A turning point

Nevertheless, 2013 has earned a reputation as one of Barbaresco’s top vintages in the last decade or so, along with 2010 and 2016. Furthermore, when 2019 was released in 2022, the wines were compared to 2013, and as they are approaching 10 years old, I was curious to check in with them.

The 2013 vintage has often struck me as a turning point for the denomination, as it started to usher in a young generation and new labels. Furthermore, with 2013, Gaja returned to the Barbaresco fold with the estate’s cru wines, and Bruno Giacosa began producing a Rabajà bottling again.

With approximately 200 wineries producing fewer than 4.7 million bottles from 729 hectares (2013 statistics), Barbaresco is a small, contained denomination. As such, staging a retrospective tasting was relatively uncomplicated. Above all, the excellent Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco was an enormous help. This wine shop in the centre of the village works with most of the region’s producers, and the team swiftly assembled 60 wines and coordinated a blind tasting in the town hall.

I supplemented this with visits to a handful of prominent estates who were not able to send samples – namely Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Ca’ del Baio, Bruno Rocca, Cantina del Pino and La Ca’ Nova – rounding it out to an even 70 wines. I have included notes for all wines tried apart from a small handful that were noticeably flawed.

The 2013 growing season

Looking back to the 2013 growing season, it bucks the general trend of recent vintages. After a long, cold, snowy winter, bud break was two weeks late. Early spring saw low temperatures and abundant rainfall. Warm, dry conditions finally arrived in June, enabling flowering mid-month.

Temperatures continued to increase in July, but crucially there were no heat spikes in summer and cool temperatures returned in August. Improvements mid-September brought sunny days with above-average temperatures countered by cold nights.

As the vines were unable to compensate for the early-season delay, harvest was correspondingly late, starting 15 days later than the previous 10 years, according to the grower’s consortium. Picking began firmly in October and continued through to the beginning of November.

‘2013 was one of our latest picks, on October 20th,’ says Jeff Chilcott at Marchesi di Grésy. Similarly, Luisa Rocca recalls surveying the vineyards and estimating harvesting seven to 10 days later. ‘When we returned a week later, the grapes were still barely ripe,’ she recounts.

Speaking with producers today, there is much enthusiasm for the vintage. ‘2016 may be considered the vintage of the decade, but 2013 is just so classic,’ raves Produttori del Barbaresco’s Aldo Vacca. ‘It is like 2019 but with more structure.’

Others, such as Bruna Giacosa were less impressed. ‘I liked the wines we made but it isn’t a vintage that made me say “wow!”’ she admits. Federica Grasso at Ca’ del Baio is pragmatic. ‘It was a great vintage, but not in all the vineyards,’ she asserts, stating that the tannins in the estate’s Asili were slightly green.

Notes from the tasting

As demanding as it was to taste 2013 upon release, the virtues of the vintage were perceptible in the better wines: aromatic complexity from long ripening, reasonable alcohol levels, and ageworthy structure. Six to seven years later, it was rewarding to revisit, and particularly gratifying to find wines that achieved their early promise.

Those that demonstrate balance today were balanced from the start and are now revealing more of their charms. While an innate austerity persists, they boast beautiful fragrances and stately tannins with depth of fruit to match.

Conversely, time has not corrected imbalances such as underripe, overripe and/or oxidised fruit, excessively hard tannins or ungainly oak.

Most wines are entering their drinking window – but in some cases only just. For the most successful wines, this is not a vintage you need to hurry to open. Those ageing less gracefully provide a challenge of when to drink, as fully developed flavours may be met with wiry tannins.

The majority of wines submitted bore a Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA), meaning they hailed from one of Barbaresco’s 66 official geographic sub-units. This provided an opportunity to consider the personality and quality of specific zones, particularly when there was more than one example: Serraboella showed its signature muscular tannins; Roncaglie its steely, mineral drive; and Nervo its tension.

There were triumphs in each of Barbaresco’s three major townships. Neive’s Albesani MGA lived up to its esteemed reputation, and Gallina charmed with its fine-boned graciousness. In Treiso, the northern sector where the ridges slope west was particularly noteworthy with Bernadot, Nervo and Rizzi, as well as Pajorè.

The sweet spot was the western slopes of Barbaresco; think Secondine, Pora, Faset, Rabajà, Martinenga and Roncaglie. That said, one of my top wines – Albino Rocca’s gorgeous Ronchi – is located on the village’s eastern flank.

Surprisingly variable was the illustrious Asili MGA. Both Michele Chiarlo and Ceretto’s showed much potential upon release, but the latter in particular seems to be going through an awkward phase. Conversely, Produttori del Barbaresco’s bottling was a stunning demonstration.

Ultimately, quality came down to the combination of site and deft winemaking. The best estates read the vintage well, finding optimal picking time, preserving aromas and freshness, and carefully managing tannins.

In general, top producers such as Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Produttori del Barbaresco, Albino Rocca and Bruno Rocca measured up to their high standing, while Rizzi’s Boito and Castello di Neive’s Vigna Santo Stefano stood shoulder to shoulder with these wines. It was also encouraging to see less fêted estates like Piazzo, Marco e Vittorio Adriano, San Biagio, Ca’ Rome’ and Cascina Luisin in the upper echelons.

An old-school vintage, 2013 will satisfy classicists and may even challenge Barbaresco stereotypes. It is also a vintage that heralds an upward trajectory as Barbaresco continues to gain a critical mass of high-quality wines.

See the score table featuring all 65 Barbaresco 2013 wines here

Michaela’s top Barbaresco 2013 wines from the retrospective tasting

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• Barbaresco: panel tasting results
• Barolo & Barbaresco: 10 high-flying vineyard sites

More elegant and less powerful in style, Barbaresco suffered much more in the lean 2018 vintage than Barolo. The hail and downy mildew, for those who were affected by it, further complicated things. In 2019, patchy hail was present again. Angelo Gaja, for instance, did not produce his estate’s top selections, Sorì San Lorenzo and Sorì Tildin. Although Angelo was not convinced, his sons persuaded him to blend the Sorì into the Barbaresco.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Barbaresco 2019 wines

Barbaresco 2019

The vines sailed through a long, warm growing season with no damage from frost or hail. Hot spells in June and July were followed by a near-perfect harvest. Concentrated, complex wines.

4/5

Extremes

‘The growing season was characterised by extremes,’ said Enrico Delmondo, representative for the Consorzio Albeisa during a presentation of the 2019 vintage at the Nebbiolo Prima event in Alba.

‘2019 was weird. After a super-dry winter with just three episodes of rainfall in three months and temperatures excessively over average, April and May worked against the trend with cooler temperatures and abundant rainfall. The 15th of May fell to a record low of 0°C, which was exceptionally cold.’

In June, Barbaresco experience a heatwave for four days, peaking at over 40°C. This was repeated at the beginning of July. The heatwaves were, however, mitigated by the water reserves from the previous months.

September was dry, with high diurnal temperature variations between night and day. Some vineyards were affected by two storms which hit early in the month, in some localities including hail.

All in all, 2019 was an exceptionally challenging vintage – almost heroic. There are, however, several reasons to consider it fairly successful.

With the warm winter, Nebbiolo bud-burst occurred very early, around 5 March. The constant flux between warm and cool temperatures combined with a regular September extended the growing season to a total of 200 days, while the mid-May frost reduced yields by 5 to 10%.

According to Delmondo, the musts showed higher acidity compared to the 2018 vintage.

Although we are yet to taste the finished Barolo 2019s, it’s likely that the Barbaresco 2019s could end up being more concentrated thanks to the fact that Barbaresco is typically more exposed to Mediterranean winds. These were exceptionally strong in 2019 where, in Roero for example, vines were bent over. Meanwhile, Barolo, is sheltered by the La Morra and Monforte ridges. In combination with the high temperatures in 2019, these winds helped to concentrate the grapes by acting as a drying agent.

This concentration seems to be a breath of fresh air after the light 2018 vintage. Such vintages allow for a deeper look at the varied terroir profiles within Barbaresco: the elegance of MGAs such as Asili are complemented by more concentration, while cooler expressions such as Ovello – often too austere in the leaner vintages – shine with a refined structure for ageing.

Thus in the end, the wines show good acidity, an outstanding ripeness of tannins and overall complexity, expressing the minerality that is accredited to a longer growing season.

Aldo’s top Barbaresco 2019 recommendations:

Wines tasted in February 2022 in Alba at the annual Nebbiolo Prima event, the vintage preview organised by Consorzio Albeisa

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The Barolo 2018 vintage has produced some delicious, open-knit and approachable wines due to moderate acidity and ripe tannins, as well as good complexity displayed in the top examples. But mostly, it’s just very tasty!

Is it a great vintage? Probably not, but only because the ageing potential is supposedly shorter.

Barolo 2018

A warm, rainy vintage with a sub-zero February and a very wet May. Downy mildew and localised hail posed problems for some producers. Village-level Barolo is of variable quality; many are excessively dilute. The best wines show sweet tannins, concentration and a degree of elegance.

3/5

Barolo 2018 growing season

The 2018 vintage started with a debate about the buds. At the beginning of the season, they initially appeared to be dried, a supposed outcome of the parched 2017 vintage. Yet it was not clear if that was the reason, or whether it was a result of the winter frost. ‘We had an arctic descent in February with temperatures in the Langhe plunging to -7° to -8°C,’ says Edmondo Bonelli, Consorzio Albeisa producer association’s viticultural consultant. ‘In my opinion, the dried buds were a result of the frost.’

May was very rainy. ‘It was difficult to go in the vineyards,’ notes Valter Fissore at Elvio Cogno (Novello), and Fabio Alessandria at GB Burlotto (Verduno) adds: ‘We had 22 to 23 days of rainfall in May. July was warm, but it still rained.

‘Our vines,’ Alessandria continues, ‘have always had ample access to water, so they soaked up a lot of potassium. The tartaric acid decreased while the pH levels increased. The maturity and integration of the tannins were very good. When you’re dealing with an acidic and tannic grape such as Nebbiolo, these are factors that will generally help in the approachability of the wine. The 2018s are very tasty, but there is also a downside in them having less of an ability to age in the bottle.’

The warm character of the year – a rainy but not cool vintage – has been described by some producers as almost tropical. Several occurrences of Downy mildew were reported and Serralunga was also stricken by hail. Some of the top wines, such as Roberto Conterno’s Monfortino, were not produced.

See the top scorers from Aldo’s Barolo 2018 & Barolo Riserva 2016 reports

See all 109 Barolo 2018 wines tasted

Decent outcome

In the end, 2018 was quite consistent with vintages when harvest occurs around 4-5 October. This is just a week earlier than average in years when the timing is regarded as ideal, in the second week of the month.

‘We reintroduced submerged cap maceration. The grapes were delicious and the tannins well integrated,’ reports Maria Teresa Mascarello in Barolo. Bonelli compares the 2018 vintage with 2009, while for Mauro Veglio (La Morra) it appears like the very good 2004 vintage, which followed a dry and warm 2003.

All in all, 2018 was obviously not a top vintage, as several producers openly admit. Alessandria at GB Burlotto defines the 2018 vintage as more inviting to drink compared to 2017: ‘Perhaps the 2017 will be longer-lasting while the 2018 will be ready to drink in the next 10 years.’

In my opinion, yields were critical for success: some estates needed to recover production after the shortage of the drought-affected 2017, and this seems to be most evident with village-level 2018s, which are often excessively dilute.

In terms of village performance, La Morra and Barolo recovered well compared to 2017, while Monforte performed very impressively in both vintages. Serralunga suffered a bit more in 2018 compared to 2017.

And while this vintage is ultimately marked by the higher quality of Barolo at MGA-level, I agree with Maria Teresa Mascarello’s claims that Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d’Alba 2019 or 2020 could be better than the village-level Barolo 2018s.

Should we start to think of Barolo in a different way compared to the stern, traditional model of the past decades? Probably, yes – and this should not necessarily be interpreted as bad news.

Roberto Conterno is just one producer who is considering bottling his Barolos one year earlier in response to the effects of climate change.

Aldo’s top Barolo 2018 recommendations

Wines tasted in February 2022 in Alba at the annual Nebbiolo Prima event, the vintage preview organised by Consorzio Albeisa

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The greatest excitement around wines such as Langhe Nebbiolo is not only the drinkability compared to fellow territorial teammates like Barolo and Barbaresco, but also the bang for your buck.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Aldo’s top-rated Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 and 2018 wines

The eagerness to taste these wines as soon as one can is understandable, as it’s an opportunity for wine lovers to foresee the quality of their more noble Langhe counterparts in any given vintage, one or two years before Barolo and Barbaresco are released.

Langhe Nebbiolo is mostly a by-product of those two flagship wines: most of the time, a producer designates the grapes from younger and lesser-quality vines to the production of Langhe Nebbiolo.

In difficult vintages, such as those with extremes such as drought or too much rainfall, the differences are significant.

Old vines with deeper roots naturally produce more balanced grapes, regardless of climatic variation. However, in very good vintages young vines and less prominent vineyards are often capable of producing outstanding grapes too.

Langhe Nebbiolo 2019

This was the case in 2019 in the Langhe, a balanced vintage with a long growing season and a classic albeit slightly late harvest in mid-October, with no extremes.

A heavy hailstorm hit on 5 September, but was mostly concentrated to Serra dei Turchi and Bricco Manescotto in La Morra; Fontanafredda in Serralunga d’Alba; and in Grinzane Cavour. The average temperature was slightly higher than the 10-year average from 2006 to 2016.

‘It seems safe to say that 2019 was a good vintage, in a number of cases even very good or excellent, with substantial acidity and alcohol levels that are not extreme,’ comments cartographer Alessandro Masnaghetti in his detailed report.

Tasting the first samples of Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 it would seem that the wines are extremely balanced, with a suppleness and concentration of fruit to counteract the firm structure of Nebbiolo and its nervous acidity. This balance is apparent amongst the good quality producers but widely depends on which village the grapes come from. Across the region, from Verduno to Serralunga, from La Morra to Monforte, several samples were just too austere.

I’m dazzled by the refinement of these Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 wines and I would bet on this vintage for Barolo and Barbaresco.

On the contrary, the damp and rainy 2018 vintage produced quite simple, sometimes raw Langhe Nebbiolo, lacking definition, concentration and – in the worst examples – length. They could be limpid and deliciously perfumed, yet no more than ready to drink now.

Langhe Nebbiolo vs Nebbiolo d’Alba

This report focuses on Langhe Nebbiolo but it’s worth discussing the differences between them and Nebbiolo d’Alba.

In theory, Nebbiolo d’Alba has better quality: Langhe is a territorial denomination, a category based on careful selection of grapes in the vineyard, including Freisa, Dolcetto and Barbera.

A Nebbiolo vineyard that produces grapes destined for Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero and Nebbiolo d’Alba will often also produce grapes for Langhe Nebbiolo DOC.

Nebbiolo d’Alba, on the other hand, can be produced only with Nebbiolo grapes from specific villages in the Alba province, among which La Morra (partially), Grinzane Cavour, Novello, Verduno, Monforte and Diano d’Alba. This freedom excites producers for more than one reason one.

Premium producers can carry out severe selections for their Barolo and Barbaresco from top sites, putting significant amounts of decent, if not great, grapes into Langhe Nebbiolo.

At the same time, these relatively affordable Nebbiolos have become an easy way for a consumer to bring top Barolo and Barbaresco brands into their homes.

Today, prices for Langhe Nebbiolo are trending upwards, towards significantly high in some cases – but this reflects the product itself, which is soaring in quality. Thus, a lot of estates in the region are opting towards Langhe Nebbiolo in order to achieve a premiumisation of their Nebbiolo.

Top Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 and 2018

View all 23 Langhe Nebbiolo wines tasted

View all 23 Langhe Nebbiolo wines tasted

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The 2015 vintage

2015 was a warm yet good vintage.

According to Langhe Vini, the consorzio for Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe and Dogliani, ‘the climatic conditions recorded at the beginning of the summer laid the foundations for the ripening of the grapes about 10 days earlier than in the previous vintage, but in line with what we would call a “normal” year.

‘In terms of quantity, production was on average within the norm.’

Scroll down to see Aldo’s top-scoring Barolo Riserva 2015 wines

The insolation improved the colour-giving anthocyanins accumulated within the grapes.

In the finished wines, the quality of the tannins ensures elegant, long-lasting Riserva with good structure.

The 2015 vintage has been compared to 1999 by some commentators.

In my opinion, 2015 is without a doubt a good vintage – 4 out of 5 stars – with some outstanding wines, however, some of the wines are rather bold and lacking freshness.

Barolo trends

So, has Barolo Riserva gone out of fashion?

There is no doubt that the birth and development, since 2010, of the Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA) – 181 specific subzones within the Barolo appellation – has overshadowed the prestigious Riserva category.

Of course, MGA and Riserva could move forward arm in arm.

The idea was suggested at the last Nebbiolo Prima preview, where 330 wines were tasted but only 31 of which were Barolo Riserva.

These particularly long-aged wines represent a niche production, but the selection presented at Prima does not illustrate the whole picture.

What can be said is that the 2015 vintage was a great opportunity to produce a top Barolo built to age.

Despite labels such as Monfortino, which is the guiding light for Riserva, I must admit that I would have expected a bit more quantity and quality from the 2015 Riserva.

In terms of quality, outstanding examples aren’t lacking, mainly from suitable MGAs such as Bricchi or Sorì.

In terms of quantity, a lot of producers are releasing still-older Riserva: Oddero’s Vignarionda 2014, Domenico Clerico’s PerCristina 2011, Parusso’s Oro 2000.

This is a long-time tradition in Barolo, ever-present and possibly reinvigorated by the birth of the MGA system.

‘Riserva,’ explained Fabio Alessandria at GB Burlotto, ‘is an old idea of ancient winemaking based on high alcohol and cellaring to achieve quality’.

Top Barolo Riserva 2015 wines:

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Piedmont wine vintage guide: vintages to drink and to keep

Piedmont vintages to drink up soon: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2012

Piedmont vintages ready to drink: 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014

Ratings are from one to five stars.

Vintage: 2019

Rating: 4*

A mixed year, with heat, rain, and some disease. Expertise in the vineyard was rewarded with fresh fruity wines.

Vintage: 2018

Rating: 4.5*

A hot season but fresher than 2017 after an Indian summer.

Keep

Vintage: 2017

Rating: 4*

Extreme heat led to opulent wines with lowish acidity. Many excellent wines but not a vintage for the long term.

Keep

Barolo 2017 vintage report: 120 wines tasted | Barbaresco 2017 full report (2020)

Vintage: 2016

Rating: 5*

Very warm weather in early September and October fully ripened the grapes, which remained healthy. Exceptional vintage for Nebbiolo.

Keep

Barolo 2016 ‘classico’ late releases tasted| Barbaresco 2016 & Riserva 2014 (2019) | Barolo 2016 ‘MGA’ late releases tasted

Vintage: 2015

Rating: 5*

Torrid July but cooler, moister conditions in August and September brought the grapes to ripeness, especially in Barbaresco. A small crop of charming wines.

Keep

Barolo 2015 vintage report (2019)| Barbaresco 2015 & Riserva 2013 | Barbaresco Riserva 2015 full report (2020)

Vintage: 2014

Rating: 4*

After a stormy summer, a fine September saved the vintage, although hail did much damage. Yet top growers produced fine, elegant wines. Better in Barbaresco.

Drink or keep

Barolo 2014 vintage report| Barbaresco 2016 & Riserva 2014 (2019)| Barbaresco 2014 vintage report

Vintage: 2013

Rating: 4.5*

A cool summer and an abundant crop that need to be thinned to achieve full ripeness. A year of fragrant, elegant wines that are now gaining in structure.

Drink or keep

Barberesco Riserva 2013 report| Barbaresco 2015 & Riserva 2013| Barolo 2013 vintage report

Vintage: 2012

Rating: 3*

Hail and sunburn were just some of the problems this year, and growers had to respond adroitly in the vineyards. Some fine wines, but others are soft and forward.

Drink up

Barolo Riserva 2012 report

Vintage: 2011

Rating: 4.5*

Hot humid conditions led to wines that are ripe and sumptuous, but already beginning to drink well. Excellent wines from Barbaresco.

Drink or keep

Top Barolo 2011 Riservas| 

Vintage: 2010

Rating: 5*

Superb weather in late summer and September, giving slow ripening. The wines are vibrant and structured, with admirable tension and ageability. Marginally less successful in Barbaresco.

Keep

Barolo 2010 vintage guide | From the archive: Barolo 2010 panel tasting results (2018)

Vintage: 2009

Rating: 4.5*

A hot year, delivering lush succulent wines, but with moderate acidity. Can already be enjoyed for their abundant fruitiness.

Drink or keep

Barolo 2009 vintage guide | From the archive: Barolo 2009 panel tasting results (2018)

Vintage: 2008

Rating: 4.5*

A difficult summer with some hail, but September was fine. Wines with firm tannins and rich fruit. Excellent in La Morra.

Drink or keep

From the archive: Barolo 2008 panel tasting results (2018)

Vintage: 2007

Rating: 4*

Warm weather led to an early harvest of fruity grapes with fairly low acidity. Many delicious wines, best enjoyed young.

Drink up

Vintage: 2006

Rating: 5*

A tricky growing season but a classic year, delivering bold, tannic, and sometimes austere wines that will repay cellaring.

Drink or keep

Barolo 2006: panel tasting results (2020)

Vintage: 2005

Rating: 4*

The cool August and some autumn rains made this a tricky vintage, but the best wines, especially from Barbaresco, are fresh and lively.

Drink or keep

Vintage: 2004

Rating: 4*

A mild summer was followed by a dry autumn, yielding fruity wines with immediate appeal. But they have evolved fast.

Drink up

Vintage: 2003

Rating: 2.5*

Intense summer heat, although refreshed by late August rains, led to super-ripe wines high in alcohol. Many cooked and dry wines.

Drink up

Vintage: 2002

Rating: 1.5*

Hail after a poor August damaged grapes. Only the most selective growers made decent wines.

Drink up

Vintage: 2001

Rating: 5*

After a hot summer, a cool September slowed ripening. Those who waited made superbly structured wines with excellent balance.

Drink or keep

Vintage: 2000

Rating: 4*

A hot late summer led to very ripe wines with moderate acidity and some jamminess. Appealing but initially overrated.

Drink up

Vintage: 1999

Rating: 4.5*

A fine vintage despite some September rains. Elegant and balanced wines with ageing potential.

Drink or keep

Vintage: 1998

Rating: 4*

A hot summer and cool September, but the grapes did ripen, although the wines are tannic and sturdy.

Drink or keep

Vintage: 1997

Rating: 3.5*

A hot and precocious summer led to some overripeness, though fresher in Barbaresco. Plump wines with immediate appeal, but limited structure.

Drink up

Vintage: 1996

Rating: 5*

Storms and cool spells meant the summer was imperfect, but a fine September brought full ripeness. Excellent in Barbaresco. Robust, structured wines with high acidity.

Drink or keep

1996 Piedmont: A retrospective

Vintage: 1995

Rating: 4.5*

A cool summer with sporadic hail. But the autumn was fine and the crop healthy. Elegant wines that lack some weight.

Drink 

Vintage: 1994

Rating: 3*

A decent summer, but September proved cool and damp. Selection required to avoid rot. Patchy wines.

Drink up

Vintage: 1993

Rating: 3*

An Indian summer in October couldn’t make up for an uneven summer and wet late September.

Drink up

Vintage: 1992

Rating: 2*

A wet, cool growing season led to lightweight wines.

Drink up

Vintage: 1991

Rating: 2*

Heavy September rain killed expectations after a good summer. Forgettable.

Drink up

Vintage: 1990

Rating: 5*

A perfect September led to an easy and healthy harvest in early October. Superb wines.

Drink

See also

All Piedmont latest releases

Decanter collector’s guide: the rise of Piedmont

All Tuscany latest releases

It will not be easy to bring wine lovers together to talk about the 2018 vintage in Barbaresco.

There were several objective challenges throughout the growing season, not without some extremes. But there is undoubtedly a certain appeal to these wines, which are less extracted than usual.

‘In the 1970s, Barbaresco shined for “less”: less concentration, less structure, less expensive,’ quips Angelo Gaja. ‘Today, things have changed,’ he concludes. Well, that’s not quite true in the 2018 vintage – a return to the “less” character in this cool, damp and fresh vintage.

It’s deserving of four stars but should be intended for short-term drinking rather than long cellaring.

Scroll down to see Aldo’s top-scoring Barbaresco 2018 wines

The 2018 vintage

The 2018 vintage started with a long winter with plentiful rainfall, restoring the soil’s water supply which had diminished due to the dry 2017 season.

Budbreak was regular, with none of the problems caused by late frosts. Between the end of May and the beginning of June there were numerous storms, bringing abundant rains that created some difficulties in the vineyards – the average precipitation level in 2018 was second only to the terrible 2002 vintage.

According to cartographer Alessandro Masnaghetti’s report, ‘between 1 May and 13 June, there were 24 out of 44 days of rain’.

View all Barbaresco 2018 40 wines

The summer was regular but on 17 July there was a heavy hailstorm in Barbaresco. September was not easy, with temperatures rising up to 30°C with excessive humidity: ‘Problems were recorded associated with fungal diseases wherever it was not possible to intervene in time,’ the Consorzio del Barbaresco reported.

To thicken the plot, several producers admit that mistaken forecasts forced some of them to harvest in advance. However, after the warm and dry 2017 vintage, prospects were good.

The number of fertile buds was plentiful due to the reserves within the vines from the previous year. A similar example can be seen in the abundant yield of the 2004 vintage after the record heat of 2003.

In fact, the crop was not smaller: according to the consorzio, ‘green harvesting became necessary for nearly all varietals in order to curb production within the limits provided for various production regulations’. This opportunity to select the grapes saved the vintage. Nevertheless, some of the long macerations typically employed for Nebbiolo to extract noble tannins had to be shortened, as did oak ageing.

Should I buy any Barbaresco 2018 wines?

So, on the one hand we have clean and perfumed Barbaresco with plenty of fresh, if not tart, fruit character and softer extraction, resulting in wines that are poised right now: a gift for the current consumer trend which favours polished wines with complexity yet minimal austerity.

On the other hand, more traditionalist Barbaresco collectors will not fully appreciate this vintage’s lesser ability to age.

The 2018 Barbaresco vintage could also revive (and exacerbate) another debate: in difficult vintages such as this, is it better to blend grapes from different crus or to produce a single MGA?

‘We did not produce our Sorì [Sorì San Lorenzo and Sorì Tildin],’ commented Rossana Gaja. ‘It was a classic vintage, similar to 1991 or 1993,’ she continued.

The more structured MGAs such as Asili or Rabajà in Barbaresco, however, performed quite well.

If I must admit my preference, I would bet on these MGAs over time, but for now I’m drinking the blends.

Aldo’s top Barbaresco 2018 wines:

View all 40 wines

View all 40 Barbaresco 2018 wines

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Barolo 2016 ‘classico’ late releases tasted

Barolo 2016 ‘MGA’ late releases tasted

The sandstone and limestone soils of the Langhe normally lend themselves to raising chalk-like dust, but the Barolo 2017 vintage will be remembered as the ‘dust harvest’.

A phenomenon more often seen during the height of the summer, Maria-Teresa Mascarello at Bartolo Mascarello, in the Barolo township, recalls that, ‘we harvested in the dust. We had a cooler climate at the end of the season, which was crucial for the quality of the grapes, however, we had four months without rainfall’.

Scroll down to see Aldo’s top-scoring Barolo 2017 wines

According to Paolo Scavino’s report on the 2017 vintage, the Castiglione Falletto-based winery recorded 54mm in May, 42mm in mid-June, 44mm from a thunderstorm on 29 July, and 20mm at the beginning of September. There was no rain whatsoever in August.

According to cartographer Alessandro Masnaghetti’s 2017 vintage report, between January and October there were just 38 days of rain – a total of 352.2mm – each month recording less rainfall than the 10-year average.

Drought conditions

Drought was by far the main threat in 2017, while concerns over pests and disease that often raise their heads in damper conditions were kept to a minimum.

Summer temperatures were hot, particularly at the end of June and into July, although they didn’t quite reach the extremes of the boiling 2003 summer, for example.

Importantly, night and day temperature variations were reasonable, helping to retain freshness in the grapes.

The drought conditions forced an early harvest. The average start date for Nebbiolo grapes in 2017 was 25 September, ending on 7 October.

During a second round of berry sampling from the estate’s vineyards, Paolo Scavino’s report records that, ‘we noticed that the plants began to resist the destemming. To make up for the lack of water in the soil, the plants began to recover it from the berries. So we decided not to wait any longer and to start the harvest, picking the most urgent vines first’.

View all 120 Barolo 2017 wines

Harvesting

The harvest in 2017 was quick, minimising what in the Langhe is called ‘la legge del bar’: whisperings at the local café about who has started to pick and where, which convinces other producers to begin their harvest.

‘We finished harvesting on 9 October in 2017, while in 2016 we wrapped up on 30 October,’ said Daniele Gaia from Réva in Monforte.

Maria-Teresa Mascarello finished harvesting her vineyards on 23 September. However, she observed, ‘2015 and 2011 were also harvested in the second half of September.’

The harvest in Monvigliero ‘was brought forward by nearly an entire month in 2017,’ according to Fabio Alessandria at GB Burlotto: ‘we finished picking Nebbiolo on 30 September,’ he pointed out.

The statistics suggest that we can bet on the quality of the 2017 vintage: yields were average, seemingly not influenced by the drought conditions. This is a signal of balance given that severe spring frost in April ravaged vines, affecting yields in some – mainly lower altitude – vineyards.

Phenolic ripeness remains the Achilles heel of this vintage. The long, submerged-cap macerations typical of Nebbiolo grapes were shortened – ‘20 days instead of 40 to 50,’ in Maria-Teresa Mascarello’s case. ‘I preferred to use selected yeast instead of our usual indigenous ones, due to the heat and the potential alcohol,’ added Fabio Alessandria.

What are the 2017 Barolos like to drink?

Despite everything, the first impressions of the wines are quite good. Most of the wines in 2017 show the typical leafy lightness of Nebbiolo without any overripe character, even in this hot year – a consequence of the drought and an early harvest. ‘Bussia is able to express its classic eucalyptus notes,’ said Mariacristina Oddero. 

‘We don’t find wines with too much alcohol and concentration,’ added Alfio Cavallotto from Castiglione Falletto, ‘because the ripening was stopped by the drought. But where the vineyards are planted on mostly sandy soil it was difficult to preserve aromas.’ 

Of course, there are wines marked by the main flaw in 2017 – an austere finish, with dry if not hard tannins. But the old vineyards and the best examples, produced by severe selection, performed well, and many 2017 Barolos have brilliant acidity and ripe tannins.

Drinkers should expect wines with a bit less extraction – not entirely bad news considering Nebbiolo is a grape that often needs taming. It’s a vintage that should suit contemporary consumer trends for earlier-drinking wines.

The pH in these wines is quite low, giving a good sensation of freshness. The combination of less extraction and low pH (high acidity) ensures the Barolo 2017 wines are well balanced, and so this can be considered a vintage for the long haul, even if it’s not as ageworthy as 2016 or 2013.

Which are the best Barolo 2017 wines to buy?

There are, of course, variations from one village to another, but it seems that the wines performed better overall in Monforte, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga compared to La Morra and Barolo.

The MGAs (Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva) to look out for are

• Vignarionda (Serralunga)
• Lazzarito (Serralunga)
• Parafada (Serralunga)
• Mosconi (Monforte)
• Paiagallo (Barolo)
• Brunate (Barolo/La Morra)
• Cannubi (Barolo)

Top-rated Barolo 2017 wines:

View all 120 wines

View all 120 Barolo 2017 wines

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Barolo’s lengthy ageing requirements – a minimum of 38 months – stipulate that the wines cannot be released until the fourth January following harvest. This means that the highly anticipated 2016 vintage was first previewed in January 2020.

At that early stage, some wines are not yet bottled and various producers hold off until annual trade fairs held in spring, or occassionally even longer, before a formal introduction. ‘We prefer to wait in order to propose expressive wines with a degree of harmony that make them representative of the vintage,’ says Federica Oberto at Ciabot Berton.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Barolo classico 2016 late releases

As wine tastings and travel had essentially ground to a halt by March last year, many wines were released without fanfare. The silver lining for Barolo producers is that the reputation of 2016 had customers clamouring regardless.

I returned to Barolo last autumn to round out my tastings, sampling a number of wines during a requisite two-week quarantine and at wineries following this.

I have divided these Barolo 2016 late releases tastings into two sections: those with an MGA on the label, and those without. Most of the latter are blends of different crus. You can find my report on the non-MGA Barolos below, and my report on those with MGA designations will follow shortly.

Barolo classico 2016

Despite the rise of single MGA, or ‘cru’ Barolo, the longstanding tradition in the region is to blend fruit from parcels across the territory. The district of La Morra has long been prized for elegance, while Serralunga d’Alba is well-known for lending structure, for example.

In reality, blending from various zones was a tool to manage the vagaries of vintages, especially in the last century when the cooler climate made it challenging for Nebbiolo to reach full ripeness in anywhere but the warmest spots. While achieving ripeness has been less difficult in the last couple of decades, hotter years present new challenges.

This is one of the reasons why Maria-Teresa Mascarello has upheld the tradition of blending. ‘It allows you in a difficult year, either because it is cold or hot, to have a wine that is better balanced and more consistent.’ One of the few producers who declines to bottle crus separately, she believes that the ‘best’ vineyards do not always give the best wine every year.

Alan Manley, who launched his Margherita Otto label with the 2015 vintage, has followed suit. ‘I want to show what these pieces of land in combination can achieve,’ he says, referring to the two hectares of disparate plots that he has managed to cobble together.

The concept is that the whole is better than the sum of its parts. Carlotta Rinaldi at Giuseppe Rinaldi acknowledges that they could make a separate Ravera bottling, ‘but we don’t feel it is harmonious on its own,’ she explains. So intead, the fruit goes into the estate’s superb Tre Tine blend.

Benefits of blending

There are other practical reasons for blending. Many producers only have tiny holdings in each vineyard – bottling each separately would result in tediously small quantities of many different wines.

Furthermore, not every Barolo vineyard is designated as a cru, nor are all MGAs of equal repute or strength of character to stand on their own. As such, producers often choose only the most prestigious crus – and/or those with sufficient production – to bottle separately.

Whatever holdings remain tend to be blended together. However, rather than just blending together any remaining fruit, it is often a well thought through process, as it’s in an estate’s best interest to keep the quality of all of its Baroli high.

Defining ‘classic’

The term classico or ‘classic’ has been unofficially adopted to refer to a Barolo without an MGA, especially to distinguish it from an estate’s cru Barolo. (This is not to be confused with the Classico which in other Italian regions legally defines the original production area.)

Classic is more appropriate than ‘basic’ or ‘normal’, as Barolo is neither of these. It also implies something traditional, which the practise of blending parcels is. However, many of these wines depart from tradition in that they are crafted to be more accessible than the typical Barolo of the past.

Like other producers, Fernando Burani, export manager at Mauro Molino, sees the classic Barolo as an ambassador for the estate. Besides having the personality of a Barolo, ‘it should also be pleasant, velvety and elegant so that it can be consumed even when it is young,’ he says.

Semantics aside, there is an enormous range of prices and stylistic interpretations of wines that are labelled without an MGA.

Some aren’t even from multiple sites at all, they simply refrain from declaring the MGA for various reasons. Furthermore, Baroli that do blend several MGAs are not necessarily inferior to their cru counterparts – some are among the greatest wines of Barolo.

Finally, many represent tremendous value for money, especially in a vintage such as 2016.

Top three Barolo classico 2016 picks:

• Bartolo Mascarello, Barolo 2016: A co-fermentation of multiple plots, this ageworthy Barolo is a classic in the truest sense.
• Fratelli Alessandria, Barolo 2016: Beautifully captures the elegant fragrant side of Barolo without sacrificing structure. An overachiever.
• Azelia, Barolo 2016: In the world of Barolo, this offers exceptional value for money.

See the tasting notes and scores for Barolo classico 2016 late releases:

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Tasting Ceretto’s 2016s

‘1996 is one of the best vintages of the last century,’ declares Fontanafredda’s winemaker Danilo Drocco. ‘The problem is that it came right before 1997.’ The latter was much hotter and its seductively flamboyant, open-knit wines initially overshadowed the more austere offerings of 1996. But it is this cooler vintage that’s lauded today and its wines have outlived most of the 1997s.

The growing season in 1996 was unpredictable and proved quite challenging. The summer months were cool and cloudy, with their fair share of rain. But in Piedmont, it is September that really counts and the weather suddenly became warm, dry and breezy. Apart from a heavy two-day downpour later that month, ideal conditions continued through until harvest, which lasted well into October.

Complex and powerfully structured, the wines have taken years to come around. I remember sampling a number of them soon after their release and thought I had hit a brick wall. They were unrelentingly backward with searing acidity and arduous tannins.

The tasting

Almost 20 years later, I had the opportunity to check in on this storied vintage at a retrospective tasting in Vancouver, Canada in early February. It was organised by Peter Rae at International Cellars, a local importer responsible for bringing in some of the top names from Piedmont, and Vancouver-raised Ray Signorello, proprietor of Signorello Estate in Napa Valley.

Most of the wines hailed from Signorello’s private collection amassed directly from the wineries on his travels. The remainder (Paolo Scavino, E Pira & Figli, Ceretto, Domenico Clerico and Gaja) were contributed by attending collectors who purchased bottles upon release.

The event was held at Lupo Restaurant – a staple for Italian cuisine in Vancouver since opening its doors in 1994. (This is where my own Italian wine education began when I started waiting tables there in 1996, coincidentally.) We tasted through the 13 wines on their own, before enjoying them with a Piemontese-inspired dinner.

Winemaking philosophy

While the tasting was not designed to be a comparison of modern versus traditional wines, it is impossible to speak of the 1996 vintage without considering distinct winemaking philosophies of that period. This was the zenith of Piedmont’s modern revolution, epitomised by the ‘Barolo Boys’.

It is symbolised by the renunciation of large, old Slavonian oak casks (the traditional ageing vessel of choice in Piedmont) and the espousal of small French oak barriques, often new. However, proponents also adopted non-traditional techniques such as rotary fermentations and short maceration times of mere days.

The goal was to craft wines with greater international and immediate appeal. The most extreme examples have since been criticised – not just for winemaking obscuring grape and place but also for a poor ability to age.

The wines tasted fell predominately into the modern camp and included bona fide ‘Barolo Boys’ – producers like Luciano Sandrone, Paolo Scavino and Domenico Clerico. More traditional examples were represented by Brovia, Bruno Giacosa and Aldo Conterno. However, even the latter estate was using rotary fermenters and doing macerations as brief as one week in the mid-1990s.

The verdict

Overall, the wines have aged well, especially those in magnum. The stamina of the vintage was evident. And rather than one style ageing better than the other, in this tasting it depended on each individual producer.

However, the most generously oaked wines made themselves known. The wood is still apparent, especially in the chunky nature of the tannins, even after 24 years. These wines in particular I would drink now while they still have the fruit to balance. The top wines of the vintage will continue to age.

In terms of personal preferences, Ceretto’s Brunate was among my favourites for its sheer, undemanding drinking pleasure. I was also charmed by Luciano Sandrone’s Le Vigne, the most gorgeously textured and perfumed wine on the table.

The two most impressive wines were Gaja’s Sperss and Giacosa’s Falletto di Serralunga. Essentially opposite in personality, the former bolted out of the glass, almost stubborn in its power; while the latter snuck up gradually. The tasting also included two Barbarescos and I was pleased to see Albino Rocca’s Vigneto Loreto hanging on gracefully.

Added perspective

The event was held just days after I had returned from Italy for Nebbiolo Prima, which included a showing of the highly acclaimed 2016 Barolo. These new wines fresh on my palate provided great perspective. Since the late 1990s, winemakers in the Langhe continued adapting their practices and the pendulum has swung the other way. Most have reduced or abandoned new oak, some have returned to or incorporated large vessels, and long macerations have made a comeback.

‘I was in full experimental mode,’ recalls E Pira & Figli’s Chiara Boschis of the 1996 vintage. At the time, she was using 100% new barriques but has now reduced that to a maximum of 30% along with introducing larger casks of 2,000 litres.

Today the lines between modern and traditional are blurred. Rather than two definitive sides, it is a continuum. These wines from 1996 therefore offer a snapshot of bygone, but very important, era that was significant in the Langhe’s evolution.

1996 Piedmont: The wines

Quality is the watchword for Barolo 2010, Ian D’Agata finds the vintage already displaying real density of textures and vibrant acidities.

At a glance

Classic, balanced wines from a relatively cool growing season and late harvests. Probably the best long-term potential of wines from 2009–2012

Once in a while, a vintage that is truly special appears to come knocking on the doors of wine lovers everywhere. Rarer, but even better, are those occasions when wine lovers are confronted with an embarassment of riches: such is the case with the 2010 Barolo vintage.

In 2010, the cool growing season and late harvest reminded me of vintages from the 1970s or early 1980s. Spring and summer were generally cool and rainy, delaying budbreak and ensuring a long, late growing season. August was characterised by foggy but warm weather (canopy management was particularly important to prevent stagnant humidity), followed by a September and October that were mostly dry.

Slow, even ripening and lack of excessive heat explains wines characterised by real density of texture and vibrant acidities. In some instances, because of the low crops of grapes the vines were carrying, some producers even harvested earlier than usual.

What the merchants say

‘A great year? Maybe yes, but I think we need more time to assess how the 2010 Barolos develop’ Bruno Besa, Astrum Wine Cellars

‘2010 is the defining vintage for the region’ Hew Blair, Justerini & Brooks

The better wines are characterised by good depth, precision, complexity and energy. However, since 2010 was not an especially hot year, cooler sites or those located at higher altitudes (or with overly high crop levels) experienced ripening difficulties and a few wines seem lean. When tasting the new wines last year I found them to be very classic, high-acid wines that were not especially fat or opulent; but their make-up has changed considerably over the past 8 to 10 months.

While once very youthfully austere, many 2010 Barolos are now surprisingly approachable, some almost too fat and alcoholic. In fact, Savio Daniele of the up-and-coming Le Strette estate in Novello remarked: ‘We are surprised by how forward some of the 2010 Barolos are turning out to be.’ In this light, be forewarned that the best 2010 Barolos were usually made from grapes grown in the most prestigious vineyard sites, so wines from lesser sites suffer in comparison to those made from the likes of Brunate or Prapò.

However, most of the 2010 Barolos will prove very ageworthy thanks to sound acidities; all should further gain in texture with age. Luca Currado of Vietti put it succinctly: ‘Quality in 2010 is all about location, location and location: it’s 80% terroir, 10% the work of man and 10% luck.’ Last but not least, though you will read otherwise elsewhere, I do not believe one commune outperformed the others, and the same was true of the 30 or so winemakers I talked to recently: some liked La Morra’s wines, others Serralunga’s, still others Castiglione Falletto’s.

Overall, I believe that 2010 was slightly overrated by some critics, who often taste too early when the wines really aren’t developed. That said, the 2010 Barolos are generally very good to outstanding. Most will never reach the lofty quality levels of the five stellar Barolo vintages of the past 50 to 60 years (1961, 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1989), but many will be memorable wines.

In fact, 2010 is the best Barolo vintage of the 21st century to date (along with 2001), and will go down in the books as one of Barolo’s better vintages. Last but not least, the fact Bruno Giacosa chose to declassify his wines and not bottle any 2010s is not a comment on the vintage’s quality but rather of problems at the winery linked to his poor health and temporary absence, problems that have since been resolved. His 2011s, for example, promise to be outstanding.

What the producers say

‘Modern-day, excellent Barolo: ageworthy, but many are readier to drink sooner than originally thought’

Federico Scarzello of Giorgio Scarzello and also president of the Enoteca Regionale del Barolo

‘2010 is a classic, exciting Barolo vintage; one of the finest. It is rare, in that the wines have almost perfect balance. Still young, they show somewhat linear structures but have real complexity, depth and and harmony’ Elisa Scavino, Paolo Scavino

‘2010 is a gift of nature and these are Barolos that warm our hearts! They offer a glimpse of both
the past and future of Barolo’ Aldo Vajra, GD Vajra

‘The wines are luminous, rich, savoury: I especially like their high acidity’ Marta Rinaldi, Giuseppe Rinaldi

‘The 2010 Barolos are complex wines that won’t be approachable soon, as the tannins will need time to come around’ Mariacristina Oddero, Oddero

‘2010 is an outstanding Barolo vintage, with wines of rare power and refinement that

will age splendidly’ Alessandro Ceretto, Ceretto

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Barolo 2010 panel tasting results

Barolo Riserva 2013

A cool spring with disease pressure was followed by a warm finish to the growing season with grapes ripening slowly, producing lean but nuanced wines in general with some first-rate examples.

4/5

The problem with 2013 was disease, or at least the constant threat of disease.

A cool spring and a rainy May forced growers to intervene to prevent the spread of maladies. The early summer was fine but the weather had resulted in large clusters, so growers had to thin bunches and also remove leaves to speed up maturation, which had been retarded by the poor spring.

Chiara Boschis of E Pira & Figli insisted that disease was easy manageable for those who de-leafed early and paid close attention to their vines.

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Barolo Riserva 2013 tasting notes & scores

The weather warmed up in September, with hot days and cool nights that were perfect for the balance of the fruit. There was no rush to harvest.

2013 was never going to be a crowd-pleasing vintage. The wines are perfumed rather than opulent, the structures lean and nuanced rather than full and weighty, yet many excellent Barolos were made in this vintage. Gaia Gaja remarked that ‘the grapes ripened slowly, and the wines are evolving slowly.’ So it comes as no surprise that there were many impressive Riservas produced in 2013.

Relevance

But tasting through them recently did make me wonder what purpose the category serves – a Barolo simply needs longer ageing, especially in bottle, to qualify as a Riserva. It’s reasonable to assume that they should be made only from the best sites and after selecting the best parcels or bunches, but that is not a legal requirement and it would be impossible to verify.

Many top properties never produce Riservas, probably on the grounds that they always seek to make the best, most balanced wines they can anyway.

There’s also the question of extremely long cask-ageing, which can, and does, result in wines that are excessively savoury and tannic, lacking in sheer fruitiness. Moreover, few modern consumers want to cellar Riservas for a decade or two before they become truly enjoyable – or, disappointingly, fail to do so.

Nonetheless, there are some first-rate wines here and those looking to buy some Barolo 2013 Riservas have a number of good options to choose from.

Stephen’s Barolo Riserva 2013 top picks:

See all of Stephen’s Barolo Riserva 2013 tasting notes & scores

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Stephen Brook reports on the 2015 Barolos - the latest vintage to be released. Are they worth buying?

Barolo 2015

A very hot summer with cooler weather at harvest time led to the risk of overripeness and lack of acidity – but the best wines combine sumptuous fruit with a robust structure for drinking over the next decade plus.

4.5/5

After the nail-biting climatic conditions in 2014, growers were relieved that 2015 proved less trying.

The flowering was successful but there was some poor weather in early June, which reduced yields. July proved extremely hot, even hotter than 2003, but the warmth was steady and there were no vertiginous heat spikes to burn the grapes.Intermittent rain refreshed the vineyards so there was no drought stress either. Cooler weather followed in late August, while September and October were sunny, leading to a harvest two weeks earlier than in 2014.

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Barolo 2015 tasting notes & scores

So far, so good. But the growing season was not entirely problem-free. Alberto Burzi in La Morra found danger lurking in torrid July: ‘Some outstanding vineyards are south-facing but they are also the hottest, so it was essential to maintain a good canopy to protect the bunches from excessive sunlight.’

It’s the same problem that growers in other regions and countries routinely encounter in the scorching summers that are becoming routine: strip leaves to improve ventilation and deter disease and you risk dehydrating the grapes. Maurizio Anselma added that another consequence of these changing conditions is that there can be great variation from site to site.

The other problem was acidity. Giacomo Conterno of the Aldo Conterno estate noted: ‘The Nebbiolo was beautifully ripe but one had to avoid excessive ripeness that could give cooked aromas and flavours.

‘It was also essential not to extract too much so as to preserve freshness, so our macerations were shorter than usual.’

Indeed, there are quite a few Barolos in 2015 that, while perfectly ripe, are also rather soft and lacking in energy and flair. They resemble vintages such as 2007 and 2009 – both lovely years that also provided many disappointing wines.

The wines recommended in this report are for the most part free of overripeness or soupy textures. But heavy wines do exist – they’re not poor in quality but they can lack structure and nuance and are unlikely to age very well.

What to buy in 2015

Quality seems fairly consistent across the board. There are some limpid and ethereal wines from Barolo itself, but many La Morra wines are rounded and forward.

Castiglione Falletto has delivered rich, solid Barolos that sometimes lack freshness or complexity, but in general they are well made.

Monforte also produced many solid wines, and Serralunga, as so often in recent vintages, delivered wines with heft, structure and staying power. Some are too dense, but most are polished and persistent.

Smaller communes such as Novello, Roddi, and Verduno are the source of many excellent wines. Ravera from Novello in particular has excelled in 2015.

2015 is being acclaimed as a great vintage, and in many respects it is. Unripe flavours and grating tannins are almost non-existent and if you’re looking for Barolo to drink over the next decade, this is an ideal vintage.

For those who enjoy the complexity that bottle age can bring to Nebbiolo, then this may not be an ideal year – it’s a question of taste rather than quality. Nor is there any shortage of magnificent bottles that manage to combine sumptuous fruit with a robust structure and good ageing potential.

It’s worth noting that similar reservations were expressed about 2009 Barolos, yet many of them show no signs of flagging.

Stephen’s top Barolo 2015 wines:

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Barbaresco 2016

Very warm weather in early September and October fully ripened the grapes, which remained healthy. Structured, balanced wines of finesse and freshness. Worth waiting for.

5/5

After a mild and mostly dry winter, the spring of 2016 was rainier but cool temperatures kept disease at bay.

It also slowed down the maturation cycle, and moderate summer temperatures didn’t allow the vines to speed up their growth. September and early October were warm and dry and enabled the Nebbiolo grapes to ripen fully.Overall it was a cooler summer than in 2015, and while the grapes did not lack ripeness, they could be picked in perfect conditions. There was more acidity than in 2015 so the wines are structured and balanced, with lower alcohol than the previous vintage.

Anna Lisa Nada of the Ada Nada estate summarised: ‘There was sufficient rain to keep the vines balanced and healthy. Because there was no extreme heat, there was no pressure to harvest early and picking the grapes took place in fine weather, resulting in elegant wines.’

There’s an invigorating freshness to the 2016 Barbarescos. They are not massive or overbearing but they have an intensity and verve reminiscent of 2010 in the best cases. And while the 2016s may not have the weight of the 2015s, they show more finesse.

The wines are quite open now, but it’s possible they will close up after a year or two in bottle. They may require some patience but they will be worth waiting for.

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Barbaresco 2016 tasting notes

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Barbaresco 2014 Riserva tasting notes

Barbaresco 2014 Riservas

A fine September saved the vintage, producing light but elegant wines. Good examples of 2014 Riservas are thin on the ground.

4/5

If the summer was splendid in 2016, that was definitely not the case in 2014. Steady rain in late July and August stressed not only vines but growers, as they had to combat mildew and other maladies, and good ventilation of the bunches was crucial.

In Barolo some producers such as Cavallotto declassified all their Barolos to Langhe Nebbiolo, however Barbaresco fared much better.

There was some hail in Barolo, but none in Barbaresco, and the rainfall was lighter. Amazingly, given the short distance between the two regions, there was little rain from mid-August, whereas many Barolo sites were drenched.

The second half of September was sunny with cool nights, so those with patience could harvest ripe grapes. The result was a set of relatively light but elegant wines, especially from the top sites with the best expositions and drainage. Yields were close to normal, whereas Barolo suffered heavier losses after the difficult spring and flowering.

Although 2014 has probably been underestimated overall, it was not an ideal candidate for Riserva wines. Wineries such as the Produttori del Barbaresco delivered a fine set of wines – but it specialises in Riservas.

In general, good examples are thin on the ground. There’s a lack of flesh in the 2014s, and that’s not going to be enhanced by prolonged ageing – with just a few exceptions.

Equally important, given the relative lightness of the vintage, many winemakers did not want to skim off their best and ripest grapes for separate Riserva bottlings that might have reduced the quality of their regular Barbarescos.

Stephen’s top Barbaresco 2016 and Barbaresco Riserva 2014 wines:

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The best wines showed a distinct personality, and there were few disappointments in this 63-strong panel tasting. Subscribe to Decanter Premium to read the full report, including tasting notes & scores from our three judges...

• Sixty-three Barolo 2008 wines tasted, with five rated Outstanding by our panel of Stephen Brook, Michael Garner and Susan Hulme MW

Read the full report by signing up to Decanter Premium below

Go straight to the wines: See all 63 tasting notes & scores from this panel tasting

Summary

Somewhere between bashful and truculent in their early years, these 2008 Barolos are now revealing a high standard of complexity and character, says Stephen Brook…

The tasting suggested that the wines from the Barolo 2008 vintage are maturing quite quickly, developing secondary aromas and gaining in weight of fruit.

As Michael Garner put it: ‘They’re reaching that plateau stage where the wines will continue to evolve but more slowly. There is no rush to drink the best wines.’ The word ‘classic’ was used by all the tasters, in contrast to vintages such as 2007 or 2009 which had more opulence and were user-friendly from the outset. The 2008s needed time to shed their initial austerity, but that is true of many great Barolo vintages.

Scroll down to see the top wines from the panel tasting

Garner added: ‘2008 was relatively cool, but it had also had longer hang-time and was picked late. That’s ideal for Nebbiolo, as it helps the grapes acquire aromatic complexity.’

For all the tasters this vintage character was entirely positive, and the tasting itself met their high expectations.

Susan Hulme MW detected a slightly green character in some wines, though it was welcome in both adding complexity and offering a contrast to the more obvious opulence of hotter years. She added: ‘The vintage is clearly underestimated, probably because it’s less voluptuous; what we have are wines that are balanced and harmonious.’

The tasters found excessive tannins in only a handful of wines. Few had been over-extracted and the tannins, while present, were well integrated. The same was true of acidity. Barolo needs both, but the task of winemakers is to keep them in check – by and large they succeeded.

Some earlier assessments of the vintage argued that many wines were too oaky, deforming Barolo’s authentic character. But this was not the panel’s conclusion. A few wines seemed marked by barriques, but not in an exaggerated way.

Garner had no quarrel: ‘You may lose some of the meatiness of Nebbiolo by using barriques, but you can also gain sweeter tannins. You may like or dislike that character, but it seems to me to be an entirely legitimate choice on the part of winemakers.’

Although there were some excellent examples in the riserva category, only one made it into the tasting’s top 10. Overall they showed no evident superiority to the best regular Barolos in this vintage. In some cases the long wood-ageing had tired the wine. Garner observed that few producers are skilled enough to manage very long wood-ageing without losing freshness.

Nor were early suggestions that La Morra had delivered the best wines borne out by the tasting. The tasters did not know the communal origin of the wines but, based on the results, Serralunga, La Morra and Barolo all appear to have performed well. But a more comprehensive tasting may have given different results.

The profusion of high scores confirms that the tasters were greatly impressed by most of the wines. Nebbiolo is notoriously difficult to vinify and age, even in its Barolo heartland, so it was gratifying to find so many excellent wines. They are evolving in different ways: some still rather brawny and reserved, others nearing their peak, others on a plateau on which they are destined to remain for many more years. The best wines showed a distinct personality, and while some were more successful than others, few were bland, overripe, or lacking in character.

This is a vintage that can be bought with confidence, although as always with Barolo, there are variations in style as well as quality. Some wines are opening up, but there is no rush to consume them, and the majority may well improve with further cellaring.

The scores

63 wines tasted

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to Barolo 2008 wines, including riservas

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 5

Highly Recommended 35

Recommended 22

Commended 1

Fair 0

Poor 0

Faulty 0

See all 63 wines from this panel tasting

Our tasters each pick their top three wines from the tasting:

Stephen Brook

Brook has been a contributing editor to Decanter since 1996 and is Regional Chair for Piedmont at the Decanter World Wine Awards. He is a widely published wine writer and educator, and has authored more than 40 books, largely in the fields of wine and travel, for which he has won numerous awards.

Ettore Germano, Cerretta 2008

Serralunga is packed with good producers, and Sergio Germano is among them (terrific Riesling too). This wine dazzled here. Aged in 700-litre barrels, it’s a compromise between traditional and modern styles and none the worse for it. 98 Drink 2019-2031

Marcarini, Brunate 2008

Marcarini’s Baroli from La Morra are first-rate. Unswervingly traditional, given a long fermentation and then at least two years in large casks, often combining floral aromas with an imposing tannic structure. 96 Drink 2018-2029

Silvio Grasso, Ciabot Manzoni 2008

This barrique-aged Barolo from La Morra is a wine that always needs time to become harmonious, and is now achieving its balance. One of six Baroli made by Federico Grasso and his family. 96 Drink 2018-2029

Michael Garner

Garner lives in rural Devon and has worked in the wine business for more than 30 years, specialising in Italian wine for more than 25 of them. He is a regular contributor to Decanter and DWWA Regional co-Chair for Italy. He is author of Amarone and the Fine Wines of Verona and co-author of Barolo: Tar and Roses.

GD Vajra, Bricco delle Viole 2008

The same wine showed wonderfully well at Decanter’s recent Italy Fine Wine Encounter Barolo Masterclass and it didn’t disappoint here. A wine of tremendous balance and style, the combination of freshness and opulence is quite outstanding. 98 Drink 2019-2029

Terre del Barolo, Cannubi 2008

Usually known as the source of bargain basement Barolo, the area’s largest cooperative also produces a range of premium wines. This is an impeccably crafted example which shows off the distinctively aromatic character of Barolo’s most famous vineyard. 98 Drink 2019-2030

Ettore Germano, Cerretta 2008

Sergio Germano’s wines are always worth looking out for and epitomise the rich, powerful style the valley is reputed for. Beginning to drink beautifully and will last. 96 Drink 2019-2031

Susan Hulme MW

Hulme is a wine writer specialising in Italian wines. Since 2016 she has written regularly for Decanter and Decanter.com. Hulme has lived and worked in Italy and regularly travels through its wine regions. She became a Master of Wine in 2005, winning the Madame Bollinger medal for outstanding performance in the tasting exam.

Ettore Germano, Cerretta 2008

Sergio Germano’s favourite Barolo from his portfolio is the quintessence of Serralunga – power and intensity without being heavy, with a shock of electric energy to balance the concentration and depth. 97 Drink 2019-2031

Poderi Aldo Conterno, Cicala 2008

One of the great names who helped to revolutionise the quality and image of modern Barolo. The 2008 Cicala truly reflects some of the cool, green, balsamic qualities of the vintage; edgy, tightly structured but generous and approachable. 93 Drink 2019-2029

Bruna Grimaldi, Badarina 2008

This producer was an exciting discovery for me at the 2018 Nebbiolo Prima. The quality impresses, as does the enthusiasm and commitment of Simone Grimaldi, involved since 2015. One to watch. 92 Drink 2019-2030

About Barolo 2008

If the public perception of the 2008 vintage in Barolo is somewhat blurred, that is probably because the producers’ own experience of the vintage is inconsistent. Local microclimates and the range of exposures and elevations mean that growers can encounter considerable variations.

In a climatically uniform and acclaimed vintage, or conversely in a rainy, rot-infused vintage, all growers will have lived through much the same conditions, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

In 2008 the spring was cool and wet, and outbreaks of mildew and oidium, although treatable, did result in crop reductions. August was characterised by both wind and hail (again localised), but conditions improved in September. Nonetheless some individual vineyards had been damaged by adverse weather and needed to be harvested with care.

One characteristic shared by most wines was that the tannins were firm and the wines would need time to mature. There were undoubtedly problems with other varieties such as Barbera in 2008, but Nebbiolo coped better.

Slow starters

Overall, 2008 was a cooler year, so overripeness and high alcohol were not major issues. However, the pronounced tannins made the wines difficult to appreciate and assess when young: an occasional herbaceousness and rigidity, while characteristic of Barolo in such a year, could give the impression of austerity. The wines are now revealing their full potential, and many of them will offer good value compared to more acclaimed vintages such as 2009 and 2010.

Enrico Rivetto in Serralunga was not that happy with the vintage, but other growers such as Luciano Sandrone and Pio Boffa were more enthusiastic, describing it as classic and pure. Some find a resemblance to 1998, others to 1978. Some consider it relatively accessible, others, such as Pietro Ratti, as more acidic but also more profound. As for communes, La Morra seemed to have fared best, followed by Barolo itself.

Such assessments were made when the wines were young, and one would expect a decade to have smoothed out any rough edges. Diverging assessments may also reflect the success of each estate. A handful decided not to produce any single-vineyard (cru) wines, though these were in the minority.

One consistent thread in appreciations of the vintage is that tannin levels were high, and the management of those tannins proved crucial in the ability of each wine to evolve. This is the right moment to see how they are developing, although the best will surely have a long life ahead of them.

Barolo: the facts

Surface area 2,161ha

Growers 770

Sole permitted grape variety Nebbiolo

Maximum yield 56hl/ha

Minimum alcohol 12.5%

Both regular Barolo and Barolo riserva must spend a minimum of 18 months in wood, and the total ageing period for regular Barolo is 38 months, and 62 months for the riservas.

Barolo: know your recent vintages

2017 Hail in April, sporadic rainfall, and a long, dry summer with heat spikes. Small berries, concentrated wines that may lack perfect balance.

2016 Fine summer weather continued into September, with cool nights giving prolonged hang-time. Potentially superb. Drink 2021-2038

2015 July was hotter than 2003, but it cooled off in late August. Early-drinking vintage, resembling 2007 and 2009. Drink 2019-2030

2014 Early summer was wet with sporadic hail, but sunny days from mid-September. October weather worsened, leading to some variable quality. Drink 2018-2028

2013 Wet spring but good flowering, some mildew in a fairly cool summer. Generous crop, and a wet September gave less rich wines, but the best are perfumed, elegant. Drink 2019-2030

2012 Complicated by hailstorms, heat spikes, and sunburn, but there are some excellent wines. Drink 2018-2025

Top Barolo 2008 wines from the panel tasting:

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Premium: Barolo 2009 panel tasting results

Premium: Barolo 2010 panel tasting results

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Travel: Eight of the best wine destinations to visit in October

Following on from the recently re-published Barolo 2010 panel tasting, we have delved deeper into our archive to bring Premium subscribers the Barolo 2009 results - lauded by our experts as a vintage that confirms Barolo's greatness. See the full report with all 140 tasting notes and scores below.

Published in the November 2013 issue of Decanter magazine and now available online and in full, exclusively for Premium subscribers.

• 140 Barolo 2009 wines tasted, with nine rated Outstanding

• ‘Quite an achievement when you consider the vintage conditions,’ agreed our panel of Paolo Basso, Ian D’Agata and Michael Garner

Barolo 2009 vintage summary:

Rating by Stephen Brook in 2018

Drink or Keep

A hot year, delivering lush succulent wines, but with moderate acidity. Can already be enjoyed for their abundant fruitiness.

4.5/5

Summary

This was a tasting that confirmed Barolo’s general greatness. Encouragingly, we saw top performances from a mix of more established and younger producers, reports Ian D’Agata in Decanter’s November 2013 issue…

An admirable performance, everyone agreed. I was surprised by just how luscious and downright enjoyable almost all the wines were – and, though they might not be the most ageworthy Barolos of the past few decades, the better wines will improve over the next 10 years and have enough acid and tannic spine to age for another 20.

Quick link See all 140 wines from this panel tasting

A number of very interesting observations arise. First, that great Barolos were…

…made across sub-zones in 2009, with splendid wines from both famous and less famous crus: Monvigliero in Verduno (Fratelli Alessandria) and Ravera and Bergera Pezzolle in Novello (respectively by Elvio Cogno and Le Strette). The Scuola Enologica d’Alba also turned in a very good effort from Grinzane Cavour.

Scroll down to see the top wines from the panel tasting

However, there is no clear-cut winner among the communes: Barolo and Monforte each placed six wines in the top 20, La Morra four; and, at two each, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga are perhaps somewhat less represented than current wisdom might have led one to imagine.

The big five communes of Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Monforte and Serralunga remain the source of the vast majority of great Barolo, an observation further strengthened by the fact that those producers who own vineyards and make wines in other communes still chose to send in a wine from one of the big five (producers were allowed to send in only one wine each).

A very encouraging finding is the many up-and-coming producers confirming the many good things being said about them: Bric Cenciurio, Diego Conterno, Bruna Grimaldi, Ciabot Berton, Giacomo Grimaldi, Ferdinando Principiano, Rivetto, Serradenari, Sobrero and Virna are just some of the many rising stars of the region.

Another plus is that some estates appear to have made one of their best wines in a decade – I don’t believe I have ever tasted a better wine from Stefano Farina or from Serio & Battista Borgogno.

Last but not least, all the usual suspects have confirmed their star status, with outstanding wines made by the likes of Brezza, Ceretto, Conterno Fantino, Renato Corino, Marengo, Paolo Scavino and many more.

There were some usually very great wines that performed poorly (Sandrone, E Pira & Figli, Castello di Verduno and Cavallotto); though on other recent occasions I had personally found them to be better – a slight tannic grittiness may have held less appeal on the day of this particular tasting. Time will tell.

The scores

140 wines tasted

Outstanding 9

Highly Recommended 56

Recommended 69

Fair 6

Poor 0

Faulty 0

Continue reading below

See all 140 wines from the panel tasting

The results

It was a warm year, but Barolo producers came up trumps in 2009, crafting wines that bowled our judges over with their drinkability, refinement and sheer deliciousness. Christelle Guibert reports…

With more than 95% of wines recommended and nine Outstanding wines, the Barolo 2009s definitely impressed our judges.

After two days of tasting, they were blown away by the quality of the wines. ‘I can’t remember having been to a Decanter tasting before where I saw such a high standard across the board,’ enthused Michael Garner. Indeed, judges deemed 2009 one of the best vintages in the last couple of decades.

Quite an achievement when you consider the vintage conditions. ‘It’s a great year, but a warm year,’ explained Ian D’Agata. ‘August was very hot and some vineyards underwent metabolic stress and blockage which can cause green and astringent tannins.’ Thankfully, with only a handful of these wines not recommended, consumers can feel confident in their purchase.

Paolo Basso noticed an evolution in winemaking style: ‘2009 was hot but the wines tasted prove that today, producers have a better understanding of their terroir and can master hot vintages, which wasn’t the case 10 years ago. The 2009s don’t display the characteristics of a hot year, which means Barolo producers had better control of the picking window.’

Communes

Communes were pretty consistent. Garner commented: ‘I’ve never seen such a clear-cut demonstration of the different styles of the main communes.’ The best were Barolo and La Morra. Garner felt the La Morra wines ‘were very accessible, aromatic, ripe, seductive and lovely’.

Serralunga d’Alba, the darling of Barolo, was the most criticised. D’Agata explained ‘there is no kind way to say it, but producers’ skill level in Serralunga is not as high as in La Morra or Monforte. In the past, every producer wanted to buy grapes from Serralunga because they all knew it was the best commune for Nebbiolo. And as growers had no problem selling their grapes, they had no reason to make their own wines.’

Basso echoed this view: ‘Terroir is essential but it always comes back to the producers. Even a great terroir will not express itself in the glass without a producer who understands it.’

Garner praised the structure of wines in the tasting: ‘They’re so well-balanced, they have a bit of everything: beautiful structure, really good acid, just the right amount of tannin, lovely ripe fruit – delightful.’ D’Agata also described them as ‘fleshy, charming and immediately delicious,’ not typical of Barolo.

Surprisingly, the judges felt many wines were drinking well already, though some would improve over the next 10 to 15 years. D’Agata elaborated: ‘The vintage will probably age a little less well than 2001 and 1996, but it will age, and there will be wines that are great for beginners who see Barolo as a behemoth. With 2009, people have a chance to taste Barolo when it’s fleshy and fun – a bonus for everyone: restaurants, consumers and producers.’

Barolo has a reputation for being over-oaked but judges felt the use in 2009 was more controlled. D’Agata found that in this tasting those wines matured in big oak casks ‘that have no sexy wood spice, no vanilla’, came out on top – ‘the strength of the fruit came out first’, he said.

Basso added: ‘A decade ago, small barriques were fashionable, and it’s nice to see producers going back to traditional methods.

Garner summed up: ‘Classic Barolo is getting better and better. The winemaking approach is quite rightly being consistently refined and I think we’ve hit a new high with 2009.’

Our tasters each pick their top 3 wines from the tasting:

Paolo Basso

Basso is the regional chair for Switzerland at the Decanter World Wine Awards. He is a wine trader and consultant through his own company, Paolo Basso Wine in Lugano, Switzerland, as well as a wine producer. His first own label red wine, ‘Il Rosso di Chiara’, was dedicated to his daughter.

Basso has won many awards, including Best Sommelier of Switzerland 1997, Best Sommelier of Europe 2010, and Best Sommelier of the World 2013. He is one of just six sommeliers to hold both the European and world titles. Since 2014 he has been in charge of the wine selection for Air France and he is a member of the technical committee of the International Sommelier Association.

‘After this amazing tasting of Barolo 2009, we can highlight two important facts: the high quality of the vintage and the increasing sensibility of the winemakers to the use of wood.

‘2009 is an outstanding vintage that has allowed producers to bring grapes to a high level of maturity. The balance between alcohol and acidity has given well-concentrated and harmonious wines with great personality. There is a lot of high-end wine from all villages, with an outstanding performance from the Cannubi vineyard in Barolo.

‘One key fact of this vintage is the high maturity of the tannins, which allow wines to be drinkable in the short term, as well as having good ageing potential. The other good news is the increasing sensibility of the winemakers to better calibrate the use of wood. The trend to use bigger barrels seems to be a good way for maturing Nebbiolo, which traditionally was aged in large botte in the past.

‘Barolo producers are generally moving together toward a high level of quality, improving their knowledge and integrating modern winemaking techniques with traditional methods.’

Virna, Cannubi Boschis 2009

The seductive nose of wild strawberries is mixed with aromas of balsamic, eucalyptus and anise. The wood is well-integrated and gives notes of vanilla and sweet spices. A rich, complex mouthfeel, complemented by round, ripe tannins and a long, savoury aftertaste. 96/100 Drink 2015–2025

Rocche dei Manzoni, Perno Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano 2009

A refined wine from one of the lesser-known crus of Monforte d’Alba. Violet, roses, sweet spices and blackcurrant introduce a wine of great personality, deep taste, velvety tannins and very long finish. You can enjoy it young, but it will age well. 95 Drink 2015–2035

Paolo Manzone, Meriame 2009

This lovely wine from Serralunga d’Alba displays aromas of ripe plums, cloves, dried violets and black pepper. The gentle winemaking technique gives a round, soft and well-extracted, full-bodied wine. This is a very pleasant Barolo with a great price-to-quality ratio. 91 Drink 2015–2025

Ian D’Agata

At the time of this tasting D’Agata was a DWWA Regional co-Chair for Italy and was named Italy’s best wine journalist 2012 by the Comitato Grandi Cru d’Italia. He is an award-winning author of The Ecco Guide to the Best Wines of Italy, and The Native Wine Grapes of Italy.

‘I do not recall ever taking part in a better panel tasting at Decanter. The quality of the wines was absurdly high overall, with bottle after bottle that was, at worse, very good, but with most superb and many downright outstanding, as shown by our very high scores.

‘The 2009 vintage is a great one, and the wines are in the hot weather style of 2001 and 2007 – but due to good day-night temperature differentials, the vintage avoids the excessive traits of an unsuccessful year such as 2003.

‘It follows that the 2009s are fleshy, soft and offer plenty of early appeal: ideal for those who wish to know Barolo better or those turned off by the wine’s “monster tannins” reputation.

‘The only wines that disappoint are those made with very young vines or in very sandy soils, as the strong heat of the summer caused some wines to have less than perfectly ripe tannins. Less successful wines – happily, a minority – are marred by a green streak and rough tannins. There were excellent wines made in all the various crus and townships – another plus.’

Luigi Pira, Marenca 2009

A Serralunga d’Alba Barolo that is slightly more approachable than most, given the tough-as-nails tannins this area is known for. This result is a fitting tribute to a family that has been making outstanding wines for decades. 94 Drink 2015–2024

Oddero, Rocche di Castiglione 2009

There might be better traditional Barolos than Oddero’s, but not many. Mariacristina Oddero runs the estate with passion, grace and charm, and this wine, though less famous than her Vigna Rionda or Brunate, is an excellent introduction to the house style and to Barolo. 91 Drink 2014–2025

Francesco Rinaldi & Figli, Cannubbio 2009

You’d never guess this sat for 36 months in oak: it’s an absolutely splendid rendition of the Cannubi vineyard. Like at Oddero, women run the show here, and run it well. 90 Drink 2014–2022

Michael Garner

Garner has worked in the wine business for more than 30 years and has specialised in Italian wine for more than 25 of them. He is the co-author of Barolo: Tar and Roses, writes and judges for Decanter and has taught for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

‘I was really impressed with this tasting: there were so many good wines. Above all else, I saw definite stylistic traits from each of the five major communes, which can be seen as a clear indication of just how good a vintage 2009 is.

‘The wines are fairly forward, perfumed and very well-balanced, with beautifully ripe tannins. And, while they are very approachable already, they should also last well in the medium term – five to seven years.

‘So I’m delighted that the overall standard was high with reassuringly little evidence of careless cellar practice – many of the smaller up-and-coming producers gave a very good account of themselves, which bodes well for the immediate future of Barolo.

‘I must put in a word for the wines of Castiglione Falleto, the smallest of the major communes. While correspondingly there were fewer examples on show, I found the general level of the wines to be first-rate. Castiglione Falletto is traditionally said to combine the elegance and approachability of the more westerly communes with some of the power and structure of those to the east (Monforte and Serralunga d’Alba) – and that showed through on the day.

‘How drinkable these wines are and will continue to be!’

Fratelli Savigliano, Barolo 2009

This is from a Dolcetto specialist at Diano d’Alba. I loved the unrestrained exuberance of the wine – its fleshy, ripe and scented character is so typical of La Morra. 96

Drink 2013–2022

Virna, Cannubi Boschis 2009

Barolo’s most famous vineyard doesn’t always deliver, but this example was seductively aromatic and expressive, yet with decent structure too, highlighting the tendency for the wines from this commune to show a little more substance than those from La Morra. 96 Drink 2015–2025

Sobrero, Ciabot Tanasio 2009

nother winery I had not come across before: tasting this traditionally styled wine was a little like stepping back in time. Lovely aromas with good texture and a tight structure, which promises the ability to age well. Classic Nebbiolo. 96 Drink 2014–2022

About Barolo

Barolo is one of the world’s best wines and one of its most beautiful wine tourism destinations. The bucolic countryside located near the charming town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, is blessed with a truly noble grape, Nebbiolo, which delivers full-bodied wines exuding unforgettable aromas of sour red cherries and red roses, with noteworthy ageing potential.

Barolo demonstrates extreme site-specificity, with hundreds of small, family-owned estates, and cuisine that rivals the best of Italy’s many regions. It’s not surprising that many believe Piedmont bears more than a passing resemblance to Burgundy.

Barolo wines have never been better, with a string of strong vintages in the first decade of the 21st century. The producers are, for the most part, a united bunch, greatly helped by institutions such as the Enoteca Regionale del Barolo and the local consorzio, both of which help promote the wine and the area.

Witness the Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (delimiting the individual vineyards), a rarity in Italy. Though the creation of the MGAs has attracted some criticism (some are simply too large), everyone in Barolo can, largely, be happy with the result. The classification is not a quality scale of the single vineyards, but rather characterises the area in which a specific Barolo wine is made – a good idea given the geological variation of the production zone.

Styles and trends

The wines can be remarkably different: the extremes are represented by the communes of La Morra and Barolo, which produce earlier maturing, perfumed, less tannic wines, while wines from Serralunga d’Alba and Monforte d’Alba are bigger, tougher and slower developing.

The wines of Castiglione Falletto fall somewhere in between in style, and Barolos from Verduno, Roddi and Novello are different still.

Current trends include an increasing number of small-production wineries as more enthusiasts try their hand at making Barolo; wines being aged in bigger oak casks or tonneaux (500-litre barrels) rather than barriques (225 litres); and a marked shift towards organic growing.

Except for some limited-quantity collector items, prices are reasonable. An unfortunate development would be further enlargement of the Barolo production zone: being very site-sensitive, Nebbiolo can give truly world-class, unique wines only in specific areas. There is already a chasm between wines made from the best sites of Monforte or Barolo and those made in Cherasco or Roddi.

Barolo 2009

The outstanding 2009 vintage offers Barolos with plenty of early appeal, fun to taste even when young, though the best will age 30 years or more.

The vintage qualifies as a warm-weather one, similar to 2007 – the wines have greater flesh than 2005 (but less perfume) and are less tannic than 2006. A minority are marred by vegetal notes and rough, unripe tannins, either because of the brief but extreme summer heat causing metabolic blockage in younger vines and those in sandier soil, or over-extraction.

However, there are great wines to be had from virtually every Barolo sub-zone.

See Stephen Brook’s vintage summaries for Piedmont going back to 1990

-Updated in 2018-

Top Barolo 2009 from the panel tasting:

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Barolo 2010 panel tasting results

Ten of the best Italian vineyards & terroirs

Tasting Borgogno Barolo Riserva back to 1937

10 hidden gems in Southern Italy

Stephen Brook provides individual reports on the latest releases from Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero, with tasting notes and scores for more than 170 wines...

The great Nebbiolo wines of this Italian region have an avid following, so the release of new Piedmont vintages always generates some excitement – and occasionally some disappointment.

The starting gun is triggered at an event in Alba now known as Nebbiolo Prima. It’s not an official launch, but is the first opportunity for the press and sommeliers to taste the new releases of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero at a leisurely pace.

 Scroll down to see Stephen’s Piedmont reports

Go straight to the reports published so far: 

• Barbaresco 2015 & Riserva 2013: Latest releases

• Barolo 2014 vintage report and tasting notes

Quick link: View Stephen’s tasting notes & scores for all 172 wines included in the report

Nebbiolo Prima is a blind tasting, and its sole drawback is the sheer number of wines to be tasted, varying from 70 to 90 each day, amounting to a total of over 300 bottles. With very few exceptions, the wines will have been bottled only a few months previously.

Since there’s no official launch, importers, merchants and the estates themselves are free to release the wines commercially whenever they choose – thus, in the tasting report that follows, the majority of wines will have been tasted at Nebbiolo Prima in May 2018, but others will have been sampled at the producer’s estate or at importers’ tastings earlier in the year.

Like any tasting report, this doesn’t claim to be definitive. There were instances of some bottle variation, so wines were retasted when possible to give them the benefit of the doubt. Nor do all producers participate in Nebbiolo Prima, which has its own terms and conditions that some wineries decline to sign up to. Nevertheless, this report does offer a generous cross-section of wines from across the region.

Piedmont new release reports:

Barolo 2014 vintage report and tasting notes 

 Barbaresco 2015 & Riserva 2013: Latest releases

Barolo 2012 Riserva: Top rated wines 

Roero 2015 & Riserva 2014: Latest releases

Coming soon:

Barolo Riserva 2012 

Roero 2015 & Riserva 2014

Other articles you might enjoy:

The cru-isation of Barolo

Barolo 2013: Top wines and vintage review

Brunello di Montalcino 2013: Report and top wines

See our Piedmont vintage guide here: Updated in 2018

Stephen Brook takes a look at the latest releases from Roero, including tasting notes & scores...

Roero, being just the other side of the Tanaro river from Barolo and Barbaresco, enjoyed – or suffered from – similar climatic conditions as the two better known zones.

2015 offered a very hot summer and very ripe wines, delivering wines with immediate appeal and considerable ageing potential. Daniela Tibaldi is one of a number of producers, however, who believes that 2016 will be even better.

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Roero tasting notes & scores from this report

2014 was more problematic.

Roero was largely free of frost and hail, but the summer was cool and cloudy. This lack of sunshine slowed the ripening, and in many cases the Nebbiolo wasn’t harvested until late October.

Although some perfectly good wines were made from a small crop, it was not the kind of vintage normally earmarked for Riserva wines – on the other hand, the slight austerity of the vintage may work in favour of wines crafted to show more density and structure.

The main problem for Roero is not climatic, but the reluctance of many producers to validate the appellation. It is perfectly legal to label a Nebbiolo as Langhe Nebbiolo – Barolo-based producers such as Sandrone have long done so and see no reason to change.

Thus although the potential production of Roero is 1.5 million bottles, in reality only 500,000 bottles are declared as such. This reduces the visibility of this DOCG, and robs Roero of some of the renown which it does indeed deserve.

Stephen’s pick of Roero 2015 & Roero Riserva 2014:

Back to our Piedmont new releases homepage

Stephen Brook takes a look at the latest vintage of Barolo Riserva to be released. Read on for tasting notes and scores...

Barolo Riserva 2012

Drink or keep

Sunburn and hail were just some of the problems this year, and growers had to respond adroitly in the vineyards. Some fine wines, but others are soft and forward.

4/5

2012 was an inconsistent vintage, complicated by a cool and rainy spring, sporadic summer hailstorms, and rainfall in late August and early September.

Variable weather in the spring had led to an uneven flowering, which complicated the vintage and required growers to be vigilant and attentive in the vineyard. There were periods of intense heat, and there were reports of sunburn in some exposed vineyards.

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Barolo Riserva 2012 tasting notes

Hail did the greatest damage in La Morra and Barolo, however the naturally thick Nebbiolo skins allowed many of the bunches to emerge unscathed.

Overall quality was good but not exceptional, and the grapes reached proper ripeness after improving weather in September. The wines are generally juicy and accessible, although growers that didn’t harvest the uneven crop scrupulously may have picked some bunches with aggressive tannins.

Although it wasn’t a vintage that would seem to result in a profusion of Riservas, the decision to produce one is often based on localised factors, and there are certainly some excellent results. Tastings of regular Barolos from this vintage in 2018 suggested the wines were evolving quite fast, but Riservas are of course in a different category, with intrinsically more weight and density.

Stephen’s pick of Barolo Riserva 2012

Back to Piedmont new releases: Full report

Stephen Brook reports on the tricky 2014 vintage in this renowned appellation. Read on for his top recommendations, plus dozens more tasting notes and scores...

Barolo 2014 at a glance:

Keep

After a stormy summer, a fine September saved the vintage, although hail did much damage. Yet top growers produced fine, elegant wines. Better in Barbaresco.

4/5

For growers in the Barolo zone, 2014 would offer a summer of anxiety. Although spring was early, there was little frost. Temperatures were normal in early summer, but there were some spells of localised rain.

In late July, when rainfall was particularly fierce, some vineyards were drenched, while a couple of kilometres away the vines received a mere sprinkling.

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Barolo 2014 tasting notes

On high alert

The combination of warmth and humidity put great demands on growers, who had to be constantly on the lookout for outbreaks of disease, mildew especially, which had to be fought with timely spraying. Poorly ventilated or overcropped vineyards suffered most.

Conditions improved in the second half of September and into October, with warm days but cool nights. Hail was minimal, mostly confined to Serralunga. Interestingly, despite these difficulties Serralunga seems to have delivered many of the best wines this year.

Yields were generally low, as reported by Roberto Voerzio, who had hail in some vineyards, and Elio Altare, who lost 60% of the crop.

Dr Francesco Baravalle at Elvio Cogno summed up the demanding vintage: ‘You had to work hard in the vineyard to manage leaves and bunches to get the best exposure. You had to work constantly in summer because of the humidity. You also had to sort at harvest.’

How growers responded in this tricky year:

While some growers, such as Giacomo Fenocchio, Boglietti and Paolo Scavino, made their full range of wines, others had to make some big decisions.

Cavallotto declassified all their Barolo to Langhe Nebbiolo (although, mysteriously, some websites seem to be offering some of their 2014 Barolos for sale!).

Others had to pass on some of their cru wines because the crop was too low to justify a separate bottling. Gianluca Grasso says that although the end of the season was fine, it wasn’t good enough for him to produce any of his single vineyard wines, so he blended all the grapes into a single generic Barolo.

Giacomo Conterno says it was crucial to wait into October for full phenolic ripeness, which many growers were reluctant to do, preferring to pick early. Conterno picked selectively, as did some others. Although costly, this helped to eliminate sub-standard fruit.

Exposition and drainage in this hilly region often forced growers into picking earlier than they would have liked, however. Enrico Rivetto, while not dissatisfied with the quality of his wines, wished he could have waited another ten days for more complete ripening, but mid-October rains meant delay was impossible.

Early reports of the poor summer persuaded many journalists to write off the vintage, but it’s clear that many very good wines were made – mostly by leading producers with the means to be highly selective.

Marco Marengo summarised: ‘In Barolo, this was a winemaker’s vintage because of all the decisions that had to be made. You couldn’t leave anything to chance.’

Variation

What makes it a challenging vintage for consumers is the variation in style and quality. Even within a single producer’s portfolio, single-vineyard bottlings can range from the alluring to the humdrum.

Mario Andrion, winemaker at Castello di Verduno, noted that the rain led to thin skins for the Nebbiolo, so long macerations weren’t possible. This led to a lack of extraction and density.

Some winemakers reduced the ageing period in casks for fear of drying out the wine, yet Vittore Alessandria of Fratelli Alessandria points out that polyphenol and tannin levels were surprisingly high.

While some wines show astringency and leanness, the best have aroma, purity of fruit, fine acidity and enough structure to ensure medium-term ageing. It’s not a great or immensely ripe vintage, but it shouldn’t be underestimated.

Some wines can be broached within a year or two and will give great pleasure; others will surely improve over the next 5-10 years. Only a handful of wines will benefit from extended cellaring.

It would be advisable to purchase and taste a single bottle before splashing out on a case, so striking are the variations in quality. And the wines need to be offered at sensible prices, especially with the more promising 2015s waiting in the wings. 

Stephen’s top picks of Barolo 2014:

An update of Stephen’s Barolo 2014 preview, published in late 2017

Back to our Piedmont new releases homepage

Stephen Brook takes a look at the latest releases from Barbaresco, including tasting notes & scores...

Released a year ahead of Barolo, the latest releases from this appellation are Barbaresco 2015 and Barbaresco Riserva 2013.

Barbaresco 2015

Keep

A hot July, with cooler conditions in August, including some rain, and good weather in September brought the grapes to ripeness, especially in Barbaresco. A ‘reasonably copious vintage of excellent grapes.’

5/5

A wet and snowy winter ensured that water levels in the vineyards were generous, which assisted early growth in 2015. Temperatures were mild and although the weather was less ideal in the late spring, flowering was successful.

The summer that followed was hot, indeed scorching in July, and to some extent this slowed the ripening process. Although the heat was steady, with average temperatures higher than they had been in the torrid year of 2003, there were no heat spikes to burn the vines. Nonetheless, veraison was some two weeks earlier than in 2014.

August provided some cooler nights and also some rain towards the end of the month. This reduced the drought stress, and good weather continued into September, with the Nebbiolo achieving full ripeness. Without those beneficial rains, it’s quite likely that 2015 would have produced wines as overripe as the 2003s.

Harvest was relatively early. In contrast to the rollercoaster of 2014, Barbaresco growers found themselves with a reasonably copious vintage of excellent grapes. There was some rain in late September, but by that time most of the grapes had been picked.

Here, as is so often the case, Barbaresco had the advantage over the later-ripening vineyards of much of the Barolo zone – Castello di Verduno reported that quality was so high in the Rabajà cru that the entire crop will become a Riserva.

Some acidities may be lower than usual, suggesting that a forward and approachable vintage along the lines of 2007 or 2009 is probable. There’s also the suggestion from some camps that 2015 could be as splendid as 2010 – Gaia Gaja finds the 2015s have complexity as well as fruit, and that the single vineyard bottlings clearly show their individual characters.

Quick link: See all of Stephen’s Barbaresco latest release tasting notes

Barbaresco Riserva 2013

Keep

A cool summer and an abundant crop that needed to be thinned to achieve full ripeness. A year of fragrant, elegant wines that are now gaining in structure.

4.5/5

As a vintage, 2013 had initially been underestimated, as the growing season had been fairly cool. However, from mid-September conditions improved, with hot days and cool nights meaning there was no pressure to harvest rapidly, enabling growers to wait for optimal maturity.

The wines were subtle and perfumed, but recent tastings have revealed more structure than was apparent at first. Some wines may lack richness but compensate with their purity and elegance. The only fly in the ointment was that downy mildew in the spring had reduced the crop.

The best wines have gained in weight and complexity, but whether 2013 will emerge as a truly great vintage, rather than just very good, it remains too early to say. No doubt it will depend on the capriciousness of individual sites, as well as the farming and winemaking decisions of individual growers.

Stephen’s pick of latest release Barbarescos:

Back to Piedmont new releases: Full report

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Stephen Brook reviews the 2014 vintage in Barbaresco and picks his top wines...

Barbaresco 2014 vintage summary:

• Escaped the hail that blighted Barolo

• Wet and warm July and August made for humid conditions which threatened the Nebbiolo grapes

• A disappointing vintage overall, although Treiso stood out.

Scroll down to read more about the vintage

Stephen Brook’s top 2014 Barbarescos:

View all of Decanter’s Barbaresco 2014 tasting notes

After a normal early summer, heavy rain set in, especially in late July, even though the downpours were localised. It was warm too, so disease flourished, and growers had to react fast with treatments.

Although the weather improved in September and October, the damage had been done, and yields were reduced too. Outbreaks of hail, also localised, didn’t help either.

Some growers declassified their Barolo to Langhe Nebbiolo. Barbaresco, however, was spared the hail and there was far less rain than in Barolo.

The importance of location

Site made a huge difference. Claudio Roggero, winemaker at Castello di Neive explains: ‘At our top vineyard, Santo Stefano, we had no rot and perfectly healthy clusters at harvest. But you had to work constantly because of the humidity. Removal of bunches and leaves was essential too. Cooler and drier conditions in September helped the Nebbiolo. But the vintage showed the quality of the best sites.’

The vintage style

The wines were mostly disappointing, with many showing thin fruit and green tannins. In quite a few cases the extraction did not seem to be modified to allow for the lightness of fruit. However, there were some excellent wines from Treiso in particular.

Is this a vintage to buy? I would suggest you proceed with care.

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Stephen Brook gives his view of the Barolo 2013 vintage and recommends his top wines.

Barolo 2013 vintage summary: 

• Very good overall quality, despite common disparities between Piedmont areas

• Less grip than 2010, more freshness than 2011 and more structure than 2012 with delicate, fine tannins. Some forward wines, while others should blossom with ageing.

Scroll down to read about the growing season and communes 

Five of Stephen Brook’s top Barolo 2013 wines:

Click on the wine to see the full stockist details for US and UK, where available, as well as the whole tasting note.

View all of Decanter’s Barolo 2013 tasting notes

Why vintage character is rarely uniform in Barolo country

While the topography of vineyards in Burgundy or Bordeaux tends to be uniform, in Piedmont diversity is the rule not the exception.

Vineyards face in all directions, depending on the exposition of the slopes on which they are planted. The best sites were invariably reserved for Nebbiolo, which is the latest-ripening of the Piedmontese varieties.

But global warming is prompting many growers to question that conventional wisdom – with torrid heat spikes now commonplace in many vintages, direct exposure to scorching sunlight may no longer be so desirable.

Moreover, weather trends here tend to be localised. Rainfall is often scattered, drenching one vineyard while leaving another, 3km away, untouched. This means that statements about vintage character and quality usually need to be qualified.

Nonetheless it is fair to state that 2013 is a very good vintage in Barolo.

The 2013 growing season in Piedmont

The early spring was cool and it rained copiously in May, with more wet days than dry ones. However, the downpours were welcome as they provided reserves of water for the hot summer months.

Disease, especially downy mildew, threatened the vines, so it was essential to intervene to deter its outbreak or spread. But this is something that Barolo growers know how to do, although some vineyards were simply too wet to allow tractors to spray the rows, so treatments had to be done by hand.

The weather improved in June, with good flowering conditions mid-month, and July was fine, too. August was hot, but not excessively so. The spring rains encouraged the formation of large clusters, but they tended to be compact.

There were few summer days with very high temperatures, and mildew and downy mildew continued to strike in the vineyards. Timely leaf removal and green harvesting were essential to keep disease at bay.

Most of September and early October saw a stretch of sunny days and cool nights. That meant there was no rush to pick, and most growers picked relatively late, until temperatures dropped in mid-October, bringing the harvest to an end.

Vintage style

The upshot of the growing season was that the wines, while structured, are marked more by perfume and finesse than power. The tannins, undoubtedly present, are nonetheless delicate and fine-grained. The producers are enthusiastic, and with good reason.

Intercommunal differences

Although weather conditions were fairly uniform across the region, variations from village to village were discernible, though in some cases the characteristics of a wine may be due as much to the skill (or lack of it) of the producers as to local microclimates.

Barolo from La Morra was varied in style, with some obtrusive oak, and some wines were rather hard and possibly less than optimally ripe. All the wines displayed youthful tannins and some grip, but some are harder and more extracted than others.

Wines from Novello were a mixed bag, but Verduno produced some excellent bottles.

The village of Barolo also showed well, though there were a few slack and overripe wines.

Monforte was slightly disappointing, with some weak and simple wines, as well as more structured ones – but one expects a good deal from Monforte.

Castiglione Falletto was more consistent, with some lovely wines.

Serralunga produced some of the best bottles, with a welcome freshness and absence of over-extraction.

Conclusion

Barolo 2013 is not an easy vintage to compare with predecessors. There seems slightly less grip than in the magnificent 2010s, more freshness and zest than the fleshier 2011s, more structure and complexity than the 2012s.

Some wines seem quite forward, but I suspect many of them, including some that may seem a tad disappointing now, will blossom after a few more years in bottle.

This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Decanter magazine.

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Decanter’s experts tasted Piedmont Nebbiolo for the July 2017 issue of Decanter magazine.

Admirers of northwest Italy’s mercurial reds can find plenty of early enjoyment in the wines of DOCs Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d’Alba. Nebbiolo is synonymous with two of Piedmont’s most famous and finest wines, but what’s happening beyond Barolo and Barbaresco?

‘The exciting thing about this tasting is that it shows another side of Nebbiolo and expands its offer,’ declared Michael Garner.

The scores:

72 wines tasted

Exceptional – 0

Outstanding – 0

Highly Recommended – 15

Recommended – 43

Commended – 8

Fair – 4

Poor – 0

Faulty – 2

The judges:

Andrea Briccarello; Michael Garner; Susan Hulme MW

Click here to view the full results of the Piedmont Nebbiolo Panel Tasting

The idea of a Nebbiolo tasting that excludes the two most famous Piedmont DOCGs of Barolo and Barbaresco is timely, since Nebbiolo as a variety has never enjoyed such popularity, and Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d’Alba wines are becoming increasingly fashionable.

This is partly because these two DOCs allow producers to make wines that are accessible when much younger, while also being available on the market sooner than Barolo or Barbaresco.

Furthermore, Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d’Alba wines are far less expensive and can act as an introduction to the qualities of Nebbiolo, hopefully providing a stepping stone to Barolo or Barbaresco.

Continue reading below

Piedmont Nebbiolo Panel Tasting top scorers:

Click on the wines to see UK and US stockists, where available, and also the full tasting note.

To read Decanter’s full Panel Tasting reports, subscribe to Decanter magazine – available in print and digital.

Within the two DOCs, wine styles can range from light and delicate to robust and firmly structured. Generally, producers are moving away from maturation in small oak barriques and are returning to botti grandi, to allow the purer flavours of Nebbiolo to be expressed.

Langhe Nebbiolo

‘Langhe Nebbiolo wines are usually from grapes planted within the growing areas of Barolo and Barbaresco, often from younger vines and often made in such a way that they do not conform the Barolo and Barbaresco spec, particularly in relation to the ageing’, said Garner.

‘Langhe Nebbiolo wines can really give you a feel for what a Barolo or Barbaresco producer’s house style is all about’, added Briccarello.

Nebbiolo d’Alba

As for Nebbiolo d’Alba, Garner identified it as a strange, more difficult category: ‘It’s in the zone that surrounds Barolo and Barbaresco, and many of the sites are not brilliantly situated. It’s also a denomination with stricter discipline, which doesn’t necessarily play to the strength of Nebbiolo.’

Differing opinions

Unsurprisingly, the panel found some noticeable differences in style within the different denominations, and opinions were not always shared. Garner identifed Langhe Nebbiolo as similar to Barolo and Barbaresco but fresher, fruiter and lighter in style, though with less of the secondary and tertiary characters.

However, Susan Hulme MW was expecting a little more: ‘I find slightly more supressed fruit on some. There were a lot of very good wines but not many outstanding ones. I think there is a slight reluctance to take risks, almost as if they are trying to be Barolos instead of celebrating their own identity in a more vibrant, fruit-driven style.’

The panel found less of the fruity character in the Nebbiolo d’Alba wines. ‘Nebbiolo d’Alba usually spends some time in oak – not as much as Barbaresco or Barolo, but more than Langhe – and I think it suffers for it,’ said Garner. ‘It doesn’t have the complexity and richness of Barolo or Barbaresco, but nor does it have the sort of fresh, frank and fruity aromas that appeal in Langhe Nebbiolo.’ Unfortunately this tasting didn’t feature enough samples from the other Nebbiolo denominations to make a judgement on them, but Briccarello was impressed with the few wines from Gattinara and Roero.

Vintages

The 2015s seem to be the star of the show, Briccarello describing them as ‘approachable and easy to enjoy, with soft tannins and beautiful bramble fruits’. Despite 2014 being a more difficult vintage, Garner was pleasantly surprised: ‘Some were mean, lean and green but there were plenty of drinkable styles to enjoy now.’

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The vintage

This was a rollercoaster vintage, with fluctuating weather conditions – wet March, hot April, cool and sometimes stormy early summer, and a hot August.

Cooler, damper conditions in September slowed the ripening but led to ripe grapes with excellent colour and tannins. The harvest was about two weeks earlier than usual and completed by the end of September.

Uneven ripening was a characteristic of the vintage, but conscientious growers could rectify that in the vineyard and by sorting.

The wines

Like the 2007s and 2009s, these are wines packed with fruit, which makes them accessible relatively young, although they have the structure to age. Acidity is generally higher than in 2009.

Elisa Scavino of the Scavino estate sees the wines as ‘aromatic, with rounded fruit, lower in tannins than 2010 or 2013 but more structured than 2012. They’re elegant wines with silky tannins.’

The quality seems to be consistent across the region.

To buy or not to buy

The Riservas are now coming onto the market, and a selection, from which the following recommendations was made, was tasted blind in Alba, and non-blind in London.

Riservas, with their longer ageing (62 months in all) and, one hopes, stricter fruit selection, are inevitably more expensive than the regular Barolos, but such is the appeal of the latter, that the additional outlay for a Riserva may not always be justifiable. It’s an individual decision.

Certainly, the best wines are excellent and will repay cellaring.

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Everything you need to know about the Piedmont 2000 vintage, including Barolo and Barbaresco wines.

keep

Quality is good to very good in all the major DOC/Gs.

4/5

Weather Conditions

Unsettled weather with often unseasonal extremes made this a difficult year to manage in the vineyard, but producers who reacted promptly to the vagaries of the weather had cause for satisfaction with the harvest.

A warm spring with well distributed rain brought flowering forward and laid the basis for what could have been an abundant crop, but the early promise was complicated first by a cool damp July and then by record high temperatures in August.

Hail storms hit the region at the end of the month, causing significant damage especially in the Alba DOCs. The red grape harvest began around 10 September and was all finished, up to ten days early, by 15 October.

Best Appellations

Quantities across the region were uneven. The total crush was down by just under 10% on last year, but the amount of red wine made was almost 20% less than 1999. Quality is good to very good in all the major DOC/Gs.

For Moscato it was probably the best vintage in the last ten years. Low yields for Barbera and Nebbiolo resulted in very concentrated musts with high sugar and very good colour and extract, and also good balancing acidity.

In Barolo and Barbaresco, although the wines may be in short supply they will be well worth looking for. The style of the vintage looks softer than 1996 and more like the ripe and full-bodied 1997 and 1999.

Extra commentary from Tom Maresca (Originally published on Decanter.com in 2004)

The 2000 vintage in particular had received a rush of early publicity, creating the impression that it would be a superb vintage. In fairness, it should be noted that the hype originated with journalists, not winemakers, many of whom were far more measured in their assessment. In the final analysis, such caution was justified.

Aldo Vacca, director and winemaker of Produttori di Barbaresco, compared the vintages: ‘The 1999 has great character, while 2001 is less powerful, and more elegant. In 2000 the vintage is more alcoholic; its fruit is almost sweet because the grapes had higher than normal sugar levels at harvest.’

Bruno Rocca, a prestigious small producer, made the same comparison even more emphatically: ‘Both 1999 and 2001 are fantastic vintages, much better than 2000.’

New oak, now widely used, was evident only in elegant grace notes on big, harmonious wines and rarely as an over-riding vanilla flavour, though the opposite was true with many of the Barolo 2000s.

Though very young, many of the wines revealed the distinctive flavours of their terroir, particularly in the mineral notes evident in many of the wines from the commune of Neive.

More Piedmont vintage guides:

See Decanter.com's bitesize guide to Barbera, including Barbera d'Asti DOC wines. You'll be an expert in no time...

What is Barbera…?

• Barbera is a low tannin, red grape variety that has been cultivated in the region of Piedmont, north-west Italy, since at least the 13th century.

• Barbera produces youthful wines bursting with red and black fruits.

• Wine lovers should not confuse it with Barbaresco, a DOCG wine made from Nebbiolo

Barbera’s natural high acidity can be out-of-balance in cheaper bottles from high yielding vineyards.

But the best examples are of high quality and most critics consider them to be excellent everyday wines. These include wines of Barbera d’Asti DOC.

Did you know: The Casale Monferrato Cathedral in Piedmont contains the first known documented planting of Barbera, which was in the 13th Century.

Food

Thanks to low tannins and high acidity, Barbera is often a fantastic match for the rich cuisine Piedmont is renowned for.

• Drink it with: Mushroom Agnolotti | Red cabbage and apples

Barbera commonly grows on the lower slopes of this hilly region. This is because winemakers and growers usually reserve the most desirable locations higher up for Nebbiolo.

More and more Barbera is now spending some time in oak. This is because producers want to add complexity, as well as an appealing vanilla signature to their wines.

• 12 of the best Barbera d’asti wines

Barbera is currently the most widely planted grape in Piedmont.

Barbera’s popularity has also spread outside of its native region. Producers and growers use it as far afield as Argentina, California and Australia.

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It’s been an exceptional start to the 21st century for Piedmont’s Barolo producers. Michael Garner finds out what’s behind this unprecedented string of strong vintages and homes in on the producers and wines to seek out...

By the turn of this millennium, Barolo’s golden age was underway. From the second half of the 1990s, a span of successful vintages leading up until the most recent in bottle, 2010, was interrupted by only two consecutive harvests – 2002 and 2003 – which were sub-standard; the rest are classified in varying degrees between good and outstanding.

This is hardly typical: even as recently as the 1980s, an average of three or four good years per decade at best was the norm. With no historical precedent for such a favourable run, clearly some sort of explanation becomes necessary.

Changes in the field

Climate change is certainly a factor. Whether higher temperatures in recent years can be attributed to global warming or the cyclical nature of weather patterns remains uncertain. However, growers agree that the warmer weather has been a bonus as the Nebbiolo grape typically ripens in mid-October, and historically even later.

A more considered explanation points to a much improved approach to viticulture, particularly throughout the 1990s, from which growers are reaping the benefit. Better clonal selection; treating each vine individually rather than systematically; a general shift from the use of chemical treatments and fertilisers to more environmentally friendly farming methods; and finally widespread use of bunch thinning have combined with dramatic effect.

Bunch thinning, in particular, has helped ripen fruit more quickly, though some argue that the practice promotes a surge in sugar levels for the harvest, with a corresponding drop in acid levels and little benefit for the phenolic maturity of the grapes.

Earlier ripening does, however, allow the crop to be harvested before the arrival of the unpredictable weather that hits the area around mid-October onwards. Growers recount how their fathers would be a bag of nerves leading up to harvest time, never knowing whether or not the grapes would ripen before the bad weather set in.

The green scene

With the recent UNESCO recognition of the area as a World Heritage site, the organics movement is gathering momentum. Chiara Boschis, who runs the historic E Pira & Figli with her brother Giorgio, maintains: ‘We’re creating a mini El Dorado. This was an area people couldn’t wait to get away from – now everyone wants to join us. Our future is definitely green.’

Cordero di Montezemolo, one of the few estates with a vineyard that surrounds its hilltop winery, will release the first vintage of certified organic Barolo shortly. Cavallotto, similarly blessed with wraparound vineyards, has been practising sustainable methods for decades – so far without seeking official recognition. Others are following.

Yet such is the stigma attached to using synthetic treatments that some growers perhaps ‘protest too much’. There is less interest evident, for now, in biodynamic farming, although Ceretto, never a company to let the grass grow under its feet, is reputedly moving in that direction.

The third major factor is a much more careful approach to cellar practices. Improved hygiene was undoubtedly a necessary step, as was the use of better-maintained and cleaner wood, whether large or small barrels (the recent trend is back towards the former).

Fermentation practices are better researched, though there is plenty of variation – from fermenting in open-topped wooden vats (as still practised at Giuseppe Rinaldi for its Brunate Barolo) through to batteries of gleaming stainless steel fermenters of all shapes and sizes – allowing producers ample scope for freedom of expression.

This gives Barolo today a broad spectrum of styles, ranging from a bright, pale garnet to a much deeper and darker, ruby-toned colour; from intense and ethereal to richer and more powerful aromas; and from medium to full body. A structure based on high levels of acid, tannin and alcohol remains constant.

Nature or nurture?

Combine these three factors and the onset of a golden age makes a lot more sense. The region is already basking in a newfound sense of self-confidence: production has doubled over the past 25 years thanks to rising demand. Growers have built on that success and Barolo has a far more commercial, approachable style than ever before.

But anomalies remain. Where once warmer years were the most successful, nowadays cooler vintages seem to produce the truly classic wines. Barolo never fails to surprise. Perhaps it’s simply that producers have learned how to cope with trickier vintages.

Barolo producers you can rely on

• Aldo Conterno
• Altare
• Brezza
• Bruno Giacosa
• Cavallotto
• Ceretto
• Clerico
• Conterno Fantino
• Cordero di Montezemolo
• E Pira & Figli
• Ettore Germano
• Gaja
• Giacomo Conterno
• Giuseppe Rinaldi
• Massolino
• Mauro Mascarello
• Ratti
• Sandrone
• Scavino
• Vietti
• Roberto Voerzio

Barolo vintage guide: 2000-2010

2010

A glorious vintage to sign off the decade with! The coolish and sometimes wet growing season gradually improved through a fine September with more stable conditions at harvest time. The wines have a lot in common with 2008, although rather higher acid levels should help give them an even longer life. They show exceptional early promise: elegant, beautifully balanced and perfumed wines that could live for decades.

Drink 2020-2040

Recommended Francesco Rinaldi, Cannubi; Livia Fontana, Villero; Serio e Battista Borgogno, Cannubi; Rivetto; Serradenari; Sobrero, Ciabot Tanasio; Gigi Rosso, Arione.

2009

A warm, generally dry vintage with slightly higher than average temperatures resulted in round, fleshy and friendly wine, with lowish acid levels that are excellent for short to medium-term consumption (generally before the 2008s and 2010s).

Drink 2015-2030

Recommended Bovio, Vigna Arborina; Rocche Costamagna, Rocche dell’ Annunziata; Bussia Soprana, Vigna Colonello.

2008

A cooler vintage with a smallish crop helped by stable weather towards the end of the growing season. These are classically styled wines that show firm tannins and good sugar/acid balance; they should age very well.

Drink 2018-2035

Recommended Ascheri, Sorano; Sergio Barale, Bussia Riserva; Serradenari; Oddero, Bussia Riserva, Vigna Mondoca.

2007

A generally warm and dry vintage for an early harvest of ripe and healthy fruit. Wine styles are very forward and expressive, with lowish acid and high alcohol. Again, delicious for early consumption.

Drink 2015-2025

Recommended Sobrero Pernanno, Riserva; Boroli Cerequio; Rocche Costamagna, Bricco Francesco; Oddero, Bussia Soprana, Vigna Mondoca

2006

Despite heavy rains in early September, stable conditions returned towards the end of the month carrying through into October and prolonging the ripening season for a relatively late harvest. Splendidly aromatic and intense wines with good levels of tannin and acidity, marking the vintage out as a classic with excellent ageing potential.

Drink 2020-2035

Recommended Boroli, Villero; Marcarini, Brunate, Livia Fontana, Villero; Podere Luigi Einaudi, Nei Cannubi; Seghesio, Riserva.

2005

A criminally under-valued vintage! At first, due to the relatively early harvest (avoiding the heavy rains predicted for October), the tannins seemed hard and green, but the wines have developed beautifully in bottle. The best have a quite magical fragrance that sets 2005 apart from most other Barolo vintages.

Drink 2017-2030

Recommended Sobrero, Ciabot Tanasio; Bovio, Vigna Arborina; Boroli, Cerequio.

2004

A much heralded vintage, with a larger than normal but healthy crop. The wines have not held up quite so well, ageing more quickly than anticipated: fleshy and ripe, although often one-dimensional.

Drink 2015-2020

Recommended Castello di Verduno, Massara; Bovio, Arborin; Sobrero, Pernanno Riserva, Podere Luigi Einaudi, Nei Cannubi; Marcarini, Brunate; Livia Fontana, Villero.

2003

The warmest vintage of the period. Hot, jammy aromas and flavours and high alcohol levels characterise the wines, as do green tannins due to a lack of phenolic ripeness at harvest. Few excelled, though E Pira and Brezza were better than most.

Drink 2015

2002

Everything that could go wrong did, and few growers released any Barolo at all. With careful selection however, decent wines were made, the best being: Castello di Verduno, Monvigliero; PaoloScavino, Bricco Ambrogio; Massolino, Vigna Rionda.

Drink 2015

2001

A great, classic vintage. Following a long, sometimes hot summer with decent rainfall, cooler conditions towards harvest slowed down ripening and allowed for full phenolic maturity along with good levels of sugars and acids. Barolo at its best: the wines are built to last and the best promise to develop further.

Drink 2018-2035

Recommended Oddero, Mondoca di Bussia; Castello di Verduno, Massara; Marcarini, Brunate. Cavallotto, Bricco Boschis, Vigna San

2000

A reasonably warm year with decent rainfall and an early harvest. Charming wines. Good acidity and tannins have enabled them to hold up well.

Drink 2015-2025

Recommended Ascheri, Sorano; Sergio Barale, Bussia Riserva; Silvano Bormida, Bussia; Sobrero Pernanno Riserva.

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Another 2008 vintage saved by an Indian summer. Expect intense flavours but a more elegant structure than last year. Low yielding harvest.

4/5

Weather Conditions

A relatively benign start to the year saw vines ahead of schedule, but all changed with a cool, cloudy April and 17 days of intense stormy rain between mid-May and mid-June across the key Langhe and Asti wine regions. A dreary July followed and the once precocious growth cycle was trailing by a fortnight. Growers were kept busy not only controlling rampant mildew and rot but also thinning out overly vigorous canopy growth (an impediment to ripening) in the Barbera vineyards in particular.

But by mid-August it was warm and dry and Pinot Noir, Riesling, Dolcetto and other earlier ripeners were picked from early September. Super-chilly air currents stalled ripening briefly mid-September but otherwise very warm days and cool nights saw the Nebbiolo and Barbera reach optimum ripeness by early to mid-October. A late-October finish made the harvest one of the decade’s latest.

Best Appellations

As in Tuscany, it’s the later-ripening varietals that make the vintage in Piedmont. Nebbiolo was the richest and ripest fruit of 2008, and while Barolo may not have the power of last year, the wines promise to be firmly structured with fine acidity and soft, rounded tannins. Deep colour and intense flavours and aromas will be hallmarks; similarly, the Barbaresco.

Barbera, too, was very healthy with good to excellent sugar levels and promising levels of acidity. The best wines will be full-flavoured, clean and elegant. As for early ripening Dolcetto and white Moscato, having missed out on September’s perfect ripening weather, wines based on these grapes may not deliver quite the same ‘wow’ factor.

Best Producers

Not sufficiently tasted as yet (especially the big Nebbiolo DOCGs) but good ratings so far for BARBERA D’ALBA: Castello di Neive; LANGHE: Renato Ratti; DOLCETTO D’ALBA: Batasiolo, Marchesi di Barolo; DOLCETTO DI DOGLIANI: Bricco Rosso

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Lengthy ripening season produced well-structured, aromatic wines with plentiful but ripe, velvety tannins.

4/5

Weather Conditions

One of the driest and mildest winters of the past 50 years was succeeded by one of the hottest springs in the same time period. The result was that the usual growing cycle was brought forward by around three weeks, though lack of rain meant grape clusters were sparser than normal.

June rains replenished soils in time for more record temperatures in July, though cool nights and more rain early August eased up the accelerated maturation rates that were throwing picking dates completely off schedule. In the end, the vintage culminated in one of the earliest harvest in 30 years, with the main bulk of the Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo grapes being picked by the end of September. Overall yields were down 10-20% on last year.

Best Appellations

Producers were predicting a limited but extremely high quality vintage across most of the region thanks to the hottest second half of the year in the last two centuries. Naturally reduced yields and the lengthy ripening season produced wines with excellent aromatic profile and beautifully textured, ripe tannins. The wines are balanced and well structured, with Barolo the stand out appellation. But watch out too for Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Asti and Roero (red and white).

Winter drought and poor bud set in the Langhe has produced less noteworthy wines this year.

Best Producers

Not sufficiently tasted as yet (especially the big Nebbiolo DOCGs) but good Moscato, Dolcetto, Barbera and Arneis wines from GD Vajra, Elio Perrone, Giorgio Pelissero, Conterno Fantino, Bruno Giacosa.

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Climate conditions have been erratic with many producers saying it’s been a tough and difficult vintage

2/5

Weather Conditions

Climate conditions have been erratic in Piedmont with many producers saying it’s been a tough and difficult vintage. The early part of the summer saw draught and moderate temperatures before rains came mid-August. To compound the draught stress, the region experienced hailstorms and an attack of Baco 22—a disease which causes vines to dry out and die. Overall, even the best conditions were difficult.

Best Appellations

Barolo and Barbaresco

Best Producers

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Well balanced wines with ripe fruit

4/5

Weather Conditions

Late in starting due to abundant rains in the first months of the year.

Winter temperatures remained low for longer than normal, delaying budding and flowering. Summer temperatures were in the norm with sunny days and cool nights throughout September and October, ripening the grapes slowly. These offered ideal conditions, particularly given the strong temperature variation between day and night throughout most of the growing season. Given the conditions, most producers started harvesting 10-20 days later than in 2003 and production levels were up in by 20%-35% compared to 2003.

Best Appellations

Barolo and Barbaresco

Best Producers

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Deep, bold reds with high levels of alcohol and in the best cases balanced with ripe fruit. Full-bodied whites

4/5

Weather Conditions

It was the earliest harvest for 200 years in Piedmont. Piedmont also suffered from excessive temperatures and no rain over the four summer months. Autumn in Piedmont, as in most of northern Italy, were characterized by lower temperatures, balancing sugar, acidity levels and aromatic profile.

‘The change in climate in September was a godsend,’ says Giovanni Minetti.

Thanks to the climate change the results are considered very good, and even better than 1997 and 2000. Production levels were up by about 5%.

Best Appellations

Barolo and Barbaresco from top producers

Best Producers

drink now

An average year, the best of which will be a relatively elegant style of Barolo and Barbaresco

2/5

Weather Conditions

Rain, hail, cool temperatures and wind wiped out many of Piedmont’s top productions. Although Piedmont was badly hit, Nebbiolo did fairly well due to Indian summer conditions that allowed them to ripen reasonably. Search out the Barolos and Barbarescos from better estates.

Best Appellations

Barolo and Barbaresco

Best Producers

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A decent vintage with a good late ripening season, quality depends on the individual grower

3/5

Weather Conditions

The year began with temperatures back to normal levels after two unusually warm winters. Healthy amounts of snow fell in January and March, helping to restore water reserves in the subsoil. Bud-break was on time and mild weather with plenty of rain meant an initially rapid growth of vegetation. Frost damage was limited to low-lying, lower quality vineyards. Continued rain meant that peronospora was a common problem in mid-May. June, however, brought hot, sunny weather alternating with storms. This pattern continued into July. August was unusually cloudy and often cool, but the weather turned around in September to allow a good final ripening and harvesting period for the late-ripening black grape varieties.

Best Appellations

1999 looks to be a good vintage, hugely overshadowed by its two predecessors. Quality is particularly dependent on yield in 1999. As so often in the Langhe, the top growers will shine while much average quality wine will be produced.

Best Producers

The style of the best wines is more nervous and less opulent than 1997 and 1998. Good complexity and aromatics are already evident in many Nebbioli and there are many very good Barberas. Dolcetto was successful yet again with a vivid primary fruit character.

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The third great vintage in a row

5/5

Weather Conditions

January and February were mainly very mild. Growers were concerned with the virtual absence of rain or snow. In March the weather was very dry and warm. Temperatures even hit 20-24 degrees C in Serralunga and Castiglione Falletto. As in 1997 bud-break and all subsequent phases of maturation were about 2 weeks in advance of the norm. Frosts were not severe and vines remained healthy. April and May saw a welcome return of rain in higher than average amounts, albeit with accompanying problems of peronospora, especially in the communes of Barolo and La Morra. Flowering took place without problem at the end of May. June marked the beginning of one of the hottest summers of the century, with temperatures peaking at 35 C in Castiglione Falletto. There were sporadic hailstorms in Monforte and La Morra. The heat continued, peaking between 9 and 12 August, with temperatures recorded at over 40 C in parts of the Asti area. September put the brakes back on the ripening process with the return of normal seasonal temperatures and cooler nights. A few days of rain at the end of September and beginning of October did little damage to the crop, and there were few problems over what ended up a surprisingly prolonged harvest.

Best Appellations

Early ripening varieties such as Moscato were lacking acidity due to the great heat. Dolcetto was mainly successful if sometimes overripe and lacking freshness. Piedmont 1998 was perhaps the ultimate year for Barbera, with unsurpassed levels of concentration and ripeness and naturally moderate acidity. Sugar levels in Nebbiolo again surpassed 20 degrees Babo but did not quite reach the record levels of 1997. The 1998 vintage must, however, be categorized in the same, exceptional, class.

Best Producers

Many outstanding Barberas have now now been released and should be snapped up for medium term drinking. Some of the exceptional examples include:

Barrel samples of Barolo and Barbaresco show superb colour and very ripe style. At this stage it looks as if the 1998 Nebbiolo-based wines may be drinking slightly before the 1997s, in some cases lacking (only by comparison) the last ounce of complexity and structure. As in 1997, low acidity is the only question mark against the long term keeping properties of the vintage.

drink now

A troublesome vintage, though the top growers still managed to produce some excellent wines

5/5

Weather Conditions

January began with plenty of rain and snow, after which February and March were relatively dry. A wet April gave problems with the development of fungal diseases, but May and June were drier and the weather was hot for flowering, subsequently reaching peaks of 36 C in Barbaresco on June 12. After the heat, the weather was variable into July with widespread rain. July and August remained rather cool and variable with above average rainfall. After a wet start, September was warm and dry up until 4 days of heavy rain from the 19th of the month. The end of the month and early October was dry for picking.

Best Appellations

Despite a difficult vintage all areas in Piedmont produced some very good wines. Barolo in particular showed greater ripeness than in 1995 with marginally lower levels of acidity. Barbaresco was a notch above 1995 in quality. 1996 was a good vintage for Barbera, similar to 1995 but with lower acidity.

Best Producers

There are a number of delicious Barbareschi that can already be approached with confidence. Outstanding growers are Bricco Rocche (Bricco Asili), Cigliuti, Giuseppe Cortese, Gaja, La Spinetta, Pasquero, Pelissero (Vanotu) , Albino Rocca, Sottimano

In Barolo the best growers include: Altare, Clerico, Aldo Conterno, Corino, Giacomo Conterno, Conterno-Fantino, Gaja, Elio Grasso, Silvio Grasso, Bartolo Mascarello, Prunotto, Oberto, Paolo Scavino, Roberto Voerzio

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An over-hyped vintage at the time, the wines now seem lacking in fruit

2/5

Weather Conditions

After a fairly mild winter, 1995 was affected by extremely variable conditions for flowering and setting of fruit at the end of May and early June. Summer was cooler than normal with frequent rain and violent hailstorms in August. September was a fairly mixed bag, fine sunny days alternating with wet weather. A fine, warm, sunny start to October rescued the vintage for those prepared to wait.

Best Appellations

A sense of relief was felt by growers. They were mostly able to harvest a small, fairly healthy crop of Nebbiolo and Barbera with decent sugar levels. Not the great vintage that a few prematurely proclaimed it, but a useful, early-drinking year. Barbaresco tends to show more ripeness than Barolo.

Best Producers

1995 saw the arrival of the new D.O.C.s for Langhe and Piemonte varietal wines which meant the end of the Super Vino da Tavola category in Piemonte. A number of very good examples of Langhe D.O.C. were made, e.g. Pin (Rivetti), Monpra'(Conterno-Fantino), Paitin (Pasquero). Fine Barbaresco came from Cigliuti, Gaja, Pelissero and Albino Rocca.

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Prolonged rain caused serious problems although a few producers still made good wines

2/5

Weather Conditions

A moderately cold winter was characterised by high levels of rainfall. March in Piedmont was dry and warmer than normal. Spring was cold with damaging late frosts in April. June was cool and rather wet for flowering. July and August were hotter the norm and mainly dry. A promising vintage was spoilt, for the fourth year in a row, by an extremely wet and cool September.

Best Appellations

Yet another desparately difficult year for growers, with more rainfall than any year since 1981 and even less sunshine to boot. A part of the Roero was spared the excessive rain in September, meaning that for perhaps the first time, this emerging area on the right bank of the Tanaro was able to produce better wines than its more famous neighbours Barolo and Barbaresco. The best Barolo and Barbaresco show fairly classic aromas, albeit perceived through ‘the wrong end of a telescope’. A deficit of structure means that the best wines are enjoyable now, but have no pretence to longevity.

Best Producers

In 1994 the blended “Super Vino da Tavola” styles such as Pin (Rivetti), Monpra'(Conterno-Fantino), Vigna Larigi (Altare), Darmagi (Gaja) were more successful than their classic counterparts in Barolo. Very good Barbaresco was made by Gaja and Pelissero (Vanotu). Outstanding in Roero were Matteo Correggia and Malvira’.

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A variable vintage of irregular quality. Some good Barolo and Barbaresco

2/5

Weather Conditions

The year began cold and frosty with little snow. February was much warmer and spring-like, although it ended with a cold and snowy sting in the tail. March began wintry, became warmer and humid then ended cool and dry. Spring came in April with higher temperatures followed by cooler periods with plenty of rain. May was very wet until the last 10 days. Peronospora was a continuing problem. June was hot and well-ventilated in Barolo but Barbaresco suffered a deluge. July was stormy and variable until late in the month when summer really kicked off. August was largely hot and sunny. The crucial month of September was variable with some fine days, but then finished with copious rainfall, in dreary replication of the previous two harvests. October saw little relief for harvesters, beginning with 10 continuous days of light rain. A sunny gap in mid-month was a cue for frantic picking of the remaining Nebbiolo crop before the next barrage of rain.

Best Appellations

Some reasonable quality Barolo and Barbaresco was made, but this was another less than inspiring year. After the disastrous quality of the two previous vintages, it was to be expected that some desperate growers attempted to hype the 1993 vintage. Often very enjoyable at an early stage in their development, the Nebbiolo-based wines lack any great structure. Even the best are now already in decline.

Best Producers

Good Barolo was made by Azelia, Clerico, Michele Chiarlo (Cerequio), Gaja, Elio Grasso, Principiano, and Revello. Names to look out for in Barbaresco include Albino Rocca and Gaja.

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Cold and wet weather at harvest time produced thin, light wines

1/5

Weather Conditions

In January Piedmont began cold and clear and ended warm and wet. February and March were variable in temperature with fairly low precipitation. April was capricious, with long periods of rainfall and fluctuating temperatures. May began warm and dry but the final third of the month was cool. June was very wet giving problems of disease and a difficult flowering. July continued wet then warmed up with fairly normal summer temperatures continuing into August. Autumn arrived early in September and then incessant rain made final ripening and harvesting extremely problematic. Rain continued into October to the extent of widespread flooding.

Best Appellations

As in 1991, damp and cool final ripening conditions made Piedmont 1992 a vintage for growers to forget as quickly as possible.

Best Producers

Most of the best growers declassified the bulk of their Barolo and Barbaresco. Clerico and Paolo Scavino produced highly-rated Baroli in the context of the vintage. Most wines that were released should, with any luck, by now have been drunk.

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A superb vintage all round with Barolo and Barbaresco set for a long life

5/5

Weather Conditions

In Piedmont the year began with extremely low temperatures and dry conditions. At the end of January, a pattern of very mild weather began and lasted through February. The absence of rain or snow continued. March was a topsy-turvy month, beginning with cold weather and then turning so warm as to cause wildfires and in some sites Nebbiolo even broke bud. At the end of March some rainfall finally arrived. April brought welcome and abundant rain. At the end of April warm weather returned and lasted for the first 20 days of May. May ended with variable weather with some rain and scattered hailstorms. This mixed weather continued until June 20, causing problems for flowering and setting of fruit. The last ten days of June brought the start of a long, hot summer. Some rain and hail at the end of July did little to slow the rapid maturation of the fruit. August remained mainly extremely hot. September continued very fine for the crucial final ripening period and allowed a harvest that was 10-15 days in advance of the average. By the time rain arrived in October, most of the crop was safely in.

Best Appellations

After all the hype accompanying the 1989 vintage, it was ironic that 1990 turned out even finer. The only major problems for growers in 1990 were an irregular flowering and setting (a help to those growers reluctant to reduce yields by other means), and drought inhibiting full ripening in a few cases. Across the board, the 1990s, especially from Barolo and Barbaresco, show a fine combination of power and complexity. The excellent late summer/early autumn conditions for the final period of maturation resulted in more open and rich wines than the slightly tighter 1989s.

Best Producers

1990 was a rare vintage with high standards across the board in both Barolo and Barbaresco. The modern-day kings and princes of Barolo – Altare, Clerico, Corino, Aldo Conterno, Gaja, Sandrone, Paolo Scavino, and Roberto Voerzio all made great wines. Others to join them in making superlative wines in 1990 were Batasiolo (Cordero della Briccolina), Brovia, Capellano, Michele Chiarlo (Cannubi), Elio Grasso, and Rocche dei Manzoni (Vigna Big). Stars in Barbaresco included Cigliuti, Gaja, Moccagatta and Pasquero. Many superb Barberas were released from growers such as Altare, Braida, Coppo (Pomorosso), and Prunotto.

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An excellent vintage, free of the rains which plagued the rest of Italy

5/5

Weather Conditions

Despite a cold winter with periods of sun alternating with heavy fogs, there was no snow for the second year in succession. The dry spell continued throughout the early spring with temperatures climbing towards the end of March for bud-break in the better-exposed sites. April, however, was wet and foggy. Though temperatures continued to rise, stormy weather brought hail at the end of May and the beginning of June. The communes of Barolo and Serralunga suffered the worst. Fortunately humidity levels remained fairly low and the diminished crop healthy. The weather turned around in the middle of June with a succession of warm, dry days and though violent hailstorms hit the Roero in the second week of July, the rest of the month was very hot and dry. Although a little variable to start with, most of August enjoyed warm and dry conditions. The beginning of September was disappointing and retarded the development of crop which, up till then, was very advanced. The second half of the month was very fine for the Dolcetto and Barbera harvests and the Nebbiolo crop was in perfect shape when picked in early October.

Best Appellations

A uniformly exceptional vintage, on a level with 1985, if perhaps bettered by 1990. Hail in some parts of Barolo reduced the crop. Some Baroli reached close to 15% alcohol. The wines are big and powerful, with masses of ripe fruit overlying a tight structure that in many cases is just starting to become accessible.

Best Producers

In a year of so many greats, it is hard to single out a few wines for praise. Altare, Clerico, Corino, Aldo Conterno, Gaja, Sandrone, Paolo Scavino, and Roberto Voerzio all made superlative wines in Barolo

In Barbaresco, Cigliuti, Gaja, Moccagatta, Pasquero and Prunotto (Monte Stefano) hit the heights.

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October rains were a problem but the wines from this vintage finally turned out well

4/5

Weather Conditions

Following a mild, dry winter, the first rains fell at the end of March. Spring was rather variable, but because of the generally moderate conditions, budding took place as early as 9 April in Barolo. The uneven weather continued throughout May with heavy rains during the second week. Towards the end of the month, the weather had turned cloudt and rainy with fairly high humidity.

The Nebbiolo vines began to flower towards the end of May, but the variable start to June delayed the other varieties. After some mid-month hail, the rest of June was wet and stormy with high humidity. Following a patchy start, July enjoyed hot and dry weather though humidity levels rose towards the end of the month. Similarly, the first three weeks of August were hot and dry with more uneven weather in the final week, The start of September saw a drop in humidity and the return of cool night temperatures, Most of the rest of the month was fine and the grapes in very healthy condition heading into the final phase of ripening, October began well, but fairly heavy rains between 10th and 16th dashed hopes of a truly great vintage in Barolo (though most of the Nebbiolo crop had already been picked in Barbaresco). However, the sun returned immediately after the rain, drying the grapes quickly for a medium-sized crop of good if not great quality.

Best Appellations

After a poor beginning to the growing season in Piedmont , good mid-summer conditions ripened grapes evenly. Barbaresco was in general more successful than Barolo, but those who delayed picking were saved by a sunny, dry spell. The overall style of the Nebbiolo-based wines is quite ripe and forward, but lacking in structure and concentration. Tannins are sometimes rather hard and not supported by sufficient depth of fruit. At the time, 1988 received the typically over-hyped acclaim of a good vintage that follows a couple of poor ones.

Best Producers

Many bottles that were very enjoyable in the mid-90s are now in decline, and 1988 has become a vintage to be enjoyed sooner rather than later. Even exceptional wines such as Elio Altare’s Barolo Arborina, and Angelo Gaja’s Sori’ San Lorenzo are now just past their peak. 1988 was notable for the first release of Gaja’s superb Barolo Sperss.

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Uneven quality overall

2/5

Weather Conditions

In Piedmont the year began with heavy snows and cold temperatures continuing through February and March. The first week of April was cold and wet but conditions improved with warmer weather for bud-break at the end of the month. The first half of May was cooler with some rain, but the second half was drier and brighter. Poor conditions prevailed at flowering in June, with rain and humidity. A fairly even, warm and dry summer meant that the grapes were ripening well with few disease problems. Heavy rains began at the critical final ripening and harvesting period from the second week of October onwards.

Best Appellations

Those able to pick early fared the best, and Barbaresco is more successful in general than Barolo. However, much of the crop was either not fully ripe at picking, or damaged by rain. Some Barbera was fully mature before the rain arrived.

Best Producers

Initially with reasonable balance, the 1987s have already seen better days and should be drunk without delay. Barolo from Paolo Scavino and Sandrone was surprisingly successful.

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Serious hail problems in many Barolo communes. Some good wines were still made

3/5

Weather Conditions

A cold winter with some snow in later January, during the second half of February and mid-March. Spring weather was very variable but seemed to be picking up in May when disaster struck in Barolo on 29 May with a now-legendary hailstorm. The higher and more exposed sites were particularly badly hit and some growers were forced to write off their entire crop. Barbaresco was spared by the storm. Flowering was delayed by low temperatures in early June. The month ended with warm, sultry weather. July was inconsistent with bouts of rain and high humidity, but picked up in the final week. He brighter spell continued through most of August and into the final week of September. Thereafter, the weather was humid and rather cool, but brightened up at the start of October and remained fair for the harvest.

Best Appellations

Piedmont 1986 was a very uneven vintage, with dramatically varying quality even in neighbouring vineyards. Production in Barolo was only half of a normal vintage. The growers who were able to release Barolo produced ripe wines lacking in great depth or structure. Despite easier conditions in Barbaresco, problems with humidity were rife, and the wines seem lacking in intensity.

Best Producers

A vintage to be drunk soon. The Barolos of Altare, Clerico, Paolo Scavino (especially Cannubi) and Sandrone, as well as Gaja‘s Barbaresco were up to their now-consistent high standards.