Barbaresco 2019 vintage report: 40 wines to try
Plenty of concentration in these 2019s is 'a breath of fresh air after the light 2018 vintage,' according to Aldo Fiordelli in his report on the latest releases from Barbaresco.
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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Massolino, Albesani, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Massolino manages 0.6 hectares in the Albesani MGA within Neive village. The 2019 is the first Barbaresco released by the Serralunga-based estate. Albesani is a...
2019
MassolinoBarbaresco
Carlo Giacosa, Asili, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Maria Grazia Giacosa today runs this 5ha estate with her son, Luca. The filigreed elegance of Asili is almost always enhanced by the respectful winemaking...
2019
Carlo GiacosaBarbaresco
Bruno Rocca, Rabajà, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Forget the over-extractions of the past decades; Rabajà from Bruno Rocca is today aged in both barrique and oak vessels, resulting in power and grace...
2019
Bruno RoccaBarbaresco
Ca' del Baio, Asili, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
This Asili from Ca' del Baio is an intoxicating Barbaresco. The elegance of the MGA becomes the flow of aromas: savoury rhubarb, thyme and dried...
2019
Ca' del BaioBarbaresco
Bruno Rocca, Currà, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Currà is for Bruno Rocca a Barbaresco of delicacy and elegance. The nose is focused on sweet spice and sophisticated Parma violet. The fruit is...
2019
Bruno RoccaBarbaresco
Rizzi, Pajorè, Barbaresco, Treiso, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
A wine completely focused on floral characters such as rose and violet, enhanced by rhubarb and dried cherry. The tight palate with filigreed structure is...
2019
RizziBarbaresco
Ceretto, Asili, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The 2019 Asili sports refined aromas of kirsch, cola and balsam herbs that mingle with darker nuances of scorched earth. It's both deep and vibrant,...
2019
CerettoBarbaresco
Giuseppe Cortese, Rabajà, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Giuseppe Cortese owns four hectares in Rabajà, planted 50 years ago and Guyot trained. The soil is rich in limestone and clay. Concrete fermenters were...
2019
Giuseppe CorteseBarbaresco
Albino Rocca, Cottà, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Despite the slight rusticity on the finish, this is another gem from Albino Rocca. Cottà is an MGA from Neive on mostly limestone soil with...
2019
Albino RoccaBarbaresco
Carlo Giacosa, Montefico, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The talented young Luca Giacosa is managing his top crus within Barbaresco admirably. The east to southeast exposure of Montefico, an enclave in the southernmost...
2019
Carlo GiacosaBarbaresco
Pietro Rinaldi, San Cristoforo, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
San Cristoforo is a complex hill within Neive village. Pietro Rinaldi manages a southeast facing vineyard here - his boutique winery is focused on traditional...
2019
Pietro RinaldiBarbaresco
Carlo Giacosa, Ovello, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The long growing season in 2019 seems to have assisted the phenolic ripeness of the grapes from Ovello, one of the more austere MGAs of...
2019
Carlo GiacosaBarbaresco
Bera, Serraboella, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Bera is an authentic estate on the hills following the road from Neive to Neviglie. The altitude is relatively high - between 320 and 380...
2019
BeraBarbaresco
Cascina Luisin, Rabajà, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Rabajà stands out in the 2019 vintage. Here, it gives an intense Barbaresco full of floral rose, dried cherry and rhubarb, sweetened with cinnamon spice....
2019
Cascina LuisinBarbaresco
Cascina Morassino, Ovello, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The greater concentration of the 2019 vintage compared to 2018 provides a better balance to the cool and austere Ovello cru. Roberto Bianco ages his...
2019
Cascina MorassinoBarbaresco
Ceretto, Barbaresco Bernadot, Treiso, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
From a vineyard lying at 450 metres above sea level in the township of Treiso, the 2019 Bernadot offers restrained aromas of tart blackberries, grilled...
2019
CerettoBarbaresco Bernadot
Cascina Luisin, Asili, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The vines managed by Cascina Luisin here are 65 years old. The yields are pretty low and the handling is very classic, with 40 days...
2019
Cascina LuisinBarbaresco
Bruno Rocca, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
An open-knit Barbaresco focused on spices, dried cherry and smoky woodland notes, with a subdued floral character. Savoury and delicious to drink, it's neither light...
2019
Bruno RoccaBarbaresco
Castello di Neive, Albesani Vigna Santo Stefano, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The combination of the clay-rich soil in the lower part of Vigna Santo Stefano in the Albesani MGA seems to have enhanced the density and...
2019
Castello di NeiveBarbaresco
Massolino, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Ripe juicy upfront nose, wild strawberry and licorice. Vibrancy in the mouth with freshness of sour red cherries and crisp acidity. A great example of...
2019
MassolinoBarbaresco
Luigi Giordano, Asili, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Laura and Silvia Giordano, Luigi's daughters, are managing the estate today. Respectful winemaking is their signature, with lighter extraction and Slavonian oak for ageing. Very...
2019
Luigi GiordanoBarbaresco
Mura Mura, Starderi, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The Starderi cru rises on the side of the ridge where the eponymous hamlet is located. Mura Mura's vineyard here faces southwest over a clay-loam...
2019
Mura MuraBarbaresco
Albino Rocca, Ronchi, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The easterly exposure of Ronchi, an MGA within the village of Barbaresco, is either loved or hated. The fresher side of the hill enhances the...
2019
Albino RoccaBarbaresco
Negro Giuseppe, Gallina, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Fermentation and maceration in stainless steel tanks for two weeks at controlled temperature followed by malolactic fermentation in tonneaux and ageing for 24 months in...
2019
Negro GiuseppeBarbaresco
Paitin, Serraboella, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Paitin is a very traditional estate where the winemaking is focused on submerged-cap maceration of one month and ageing in big Slavonian as well as...
2019
PaitinBarbaresco
Bel Colle, Pajorè, Barbaresco, Treiso, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
This Barbaresco comes from 41 hectares in the Pajoré MGA in Treiso. The handling is pretty classic, included the use of half Slavonian oak and...
2019
Bel ColleBarbaresco
Enrico Serafino, Bricco di Neive, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Bricco di Neive presents a southwest exposure with 40-year-old vines over a clay-limestone soil. The fruit character is enhanced by a cold soak for a...
2019
Enrico SerafinoBarbaresco
Ceretto, Gallina, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
The second release from this highly regarded cru in Neive, the 2019 Gallina unveils alluring scents of sweet cherries and rose petals framed by a...
2019
CerettoBarbaresco
Antichi Poderi dei Gallina, Gallina, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Antichi Poderi dei Gallina is a small estate with hospitality in Neive. This is a barrel sample of its Gallina MGA. Intense floral aromas are...
2019
Antichi Poderi dei GallinaBarbaresco
Massimo Rattalino, Quarantadue, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Quarantadue is a blend of different vineyards in Barbaresco. The assertive, citrussy character with layers of pomegranate and watermelon show the elegant and tight profile...
2019
Massimo RattalinoBarbaresco
Michele Chiarlo, Faset, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Chiarlo's steep vineyard lies within Faset in the central and higher part of the MGA in a sort of wedge with Pora. It's one of...
2019
Michele ChiarloBarbaresco
Col dei Venti, Tùfoblu, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Col dei Venti is a small estate managed with passion by Ornella Cordara. Tùfoblu comes from southwest-facing vineyards in Neive, aged for 24 months in...
2019
Col dei VentiBarbaresco
Castello di Verduno, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
A Barbaresco full of assertive character, this is youthful and almost estery on the nose, focused on red berries with a veneer of sweet spices....
2019
Castello di VerdunoBarbaresco
Fratelli Giacosa, Basarin, Barbaresco, Neive, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Basarin is a well exposed, south-facing slope in Neive where Fratelli Giacosa manage 4.5 hectares of Nebbiolo and 0.5ha of Dolcetto. After a long maceration...
2019
Fratelli GiacosaBarbaresco
Bera, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Light cherry compote and floral nose. Good ripeness with pomegranate and orange, juicy, light yet dusty and crunchy.
2019
BeraBarbaresco
Alessandro Rivetto, Montersino, Barbaresco, Treiso, Piedmont, Italy, 2019
Montersino is one of the southernmost MGAs of Treiso. After a cold soak of two days, Alessandro Rivetto ferments the must in stainless steel with...
2019
Alessandro RivettoBarbaresco
