Barolo 2017 vintage report: 120 wines 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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