Barolo 2018 vintage report plus top-scoring wines

The 2018 Bricco Rocche has a dark and complex nose with nuances of sour cherries, cumin, incense and a hint of dark spice. It begins ample and fruit-forward, then turns increasingly tannic and mineral-driven. Perhaps it lacks the mid-palate concentration of the best vintages of Bricco Rocche, but will drink extremely well for the next handful of years.

For the first time, Fabio Alessandria invested in Monforte, where he now manages a vineyard in Castelletto. The MGA was deliberately chosen due to its easterly exposition, in order to preserve as much as possible the freshness of fruit in this Barolo. Perky orange zest shines on the nose, along with watermelon peel, red currants and balsamic whiffs. Savoury and dense with a significant concentration and thickness, it doesn't come across as overextracted but the tannins are muscular and dusty, allied to a kernel flavour on the ripe finish. It's all underlined by firm, quite high acidity. Great tension for the 2018 vintage in this Castelletto, more bony than meaty. One to follow.

With young soils and steep hills, the importance of Arione is easily understood. The southern exposure helped the quality in this vintage and the wine shows a restrained red currant fruit aroma with graceful cinnamon, sweet violet and watermelon, allied to an anise, almost herbal, whiff. Full, refreshing and very elegant yet not without a firm structure, it features an extracted chalky finish. It will age quite well for a 2018.

Serra is a small and misunderstood MGA. The reason is possibly due to its dual east and west exposures. Giovanni Rosso manages a plot in the eastern part which exacerbates the fresh and austere character of these wines. The colour is very pale and bright garnet, the nose restrained and austere. Perky pomegranate fruit is allied to macerated flowers and pot pourri, with earthy tones in depth. Full of sucrosity on the palate, this 2018 shows chewy tannins, extracted and muscular yet ripe, with almost zesty high acidity which is perfectly woven with dried cherry on the finish. An austere wine, definitely not for Barolo beginners. It should be intended for the long haul due to the freshness of the fruit and the stern structure. Great.

Less intense than usual yet elegantly focused on wild strawberry and chestnut earthiness, this Parafada shows an intoxicating fresh orange peel flavour that you can't spit, perfectly woven with lifted acidity and just a bit of warming alcohol. The tension keeps it going with a tight liquorice and cherry kernel finish. Great concentration for the 2018 vintage.

Cerretta is the last MGA to be harvested by the Scavino family. For the 2018, the grapes were picked on 20 October, fermented and macerated for 50 days then aged in large oak casks for up to 30 months. Reductive at first, the wine reveals graceful aromas of sweet Parma violet alongside new leather, dried cherry and meat. The palate is full of sucrosity, with still-rugged tannins and a savoury character allied to crisp acidity and a blood orange flavour. Refined on the finish, it again finds its integration and an almost-mineral character. What a great example of the 2018 vintage!

The ripeness of Cannubi here saves a difficult vintage and gives the wine concentration, balance and refinement. This is more modern then the classic examples of the past, yet is still built for the long haul. The structure is refined and the texture dusty - in a positive way - for a young Barolo. The super-elegant attack features Parma violet, a touch of mint, watermelon, rhubarb and framboise sauvage, accompanied by silky tannins, concentration of fruit and refreshing acidity. The finish is quite thick, savoury and long, enhanced by cherry kernel and liquorice.

Vigna Ca' Mia is in the most southeasterly part of the Brea MGA in Serralunga. Definitely the most representative wine of this 'menzione', the wine is very pale ruby in colour with an intense aroma of violet and red currants which then opens up to reveal sweet, exotic spices with touches of linden tree and camphor depth. This interpretation exhibits elegant tannins, between chalk and dust in terms of texture, with crisp acidity and a good, slightly bitter finish which imparts character and length to the wine.

This is the first vintage where the estate is certified organic. Still ruby in the glass, the wine starts with a poised nose of intense pot pourri, restrained dried cherry fruit and a whiff of tar. Very elegant, it features dense, velvety tannins, super-refined and umami, woven with refreshing acidity and assertive liquorice and sweet violet flavours. The tannins develop a dustiness on the finish, combined with pipe tobacco notes. A great wine.

This Mosconi from Chiara Boschis comes from a calcareous marl soil at almost 400 metres above sea level. The wine is quite a dense ruby colour in the glass, with restrained forest floor scents and whiffs of rosemary, chocolate and wild red fruits. Filigreed and complex, the palate has a delicate attack, firm tannins and good density, with flavours of tar and plenty of violet and pomegranate. Biting and still austere but softened by the French barriques - where the wine ages for two years - it's not ready to drink now yet will evolve nicely.

A super-classic Barolo made with a long maceration and extended ageing of 36 months in large oak casks. It features aromas of orange leaf, bright cherry, confected and dried fruits, and savoury depths of liquorice. Full bodied with good concentration of fruit, it has crisp acidity and a great quality to the tannins, whose dusty and massive structure is balanced by the fruit. The savoury finish is not brief, with cherry kernel and floral notes.

Luca Gagliasso ferments his Torriglione with spontaneous yeast in stainless steel at 30-31°C. After a long maceration of 20 days, the wine is aged firstly in French barrique (10% new) for six months then blended in large oak vessels, where it ages for another 22 to 24 months. Ruby in the glass, it has a restrained balsamic tinge followed by delicate cherry and raspberry scents allied to delicacy on the palate, showing rose and smoky woodland flavours. There's great concentration of fruit and weight, with ripe yet crunchy tannins and crisp acidity. The earthy finish enhances this wine's complexity.

The grapes for Gaja's Conteisa all come from Cerequio. 'Just 5,000 bottles this year, while in the best vintages we could reach 10,000,' said Gaia Gaja. The nose is highlighted by kirsch, dried cherry and earthy tones with subtle mint and peony. Cherry and strawberry dominate the fruit-driven palate, with a touch of coffee. The wine is full, with ripe tannins of great quality and moderate acidity.

The exposure of Cannubi gives this 2018 a special concentration. Dried cherry and pot pourri with vibrant mint leaf and almost peppermint aromas are allied to dried cherry flavour, ripe and velvety tannins, and moderate refreshing acidity. The wine is sustained more by the muscular tannins than the acidity but it's overall well balanced and delightful to drink now.

The nervy style of Bricco delle Viole is excited by the lightness of the 2018 vintage. The nose is dominated by leafy lightness and vibrant aromas ranging from cherry kernel to lemon leaf. It could seem to have low complexity but its focused on a sort of austere freshness that's worth discovering. The firm palate with quite aggressive acidity and almost sturdy youth is allied to great fruit concentration. The savoury finish is loaded with dust and chalk. Needs time.

Roberto Conterno ferments his wines in conical oak vessels and ages them in large Austrian Stockinger casks. His Cerretta is full of complex, heavier aromas of tar, aromatic herbs and leather, focusing in on graceful mint, chocolate and a camphor depth. Full and austere on the palate, it shows great concentration for 2018, with moderate acidity and thick, grainy yet ripe tannins. Remarkable savoury finish.

Sordo's Monprivato is classically vinified with a long submerged-cap maceration for four to seven weeks. Natural malolactic fermentation is done in stainless steel before 24 months of ageing in Slavonian oak barrels. Violet, rose, earthy strawberry and cherry introduce a blood orange flavour accompanied by velvety tannins and firm yet integrated acidity, long, lifted and elegant. The refinement of the tannins seems to be Monprivato's signature of elegance, allied to a sweet violet aftertaste. Youthful and brilliant to the end, this will last.

Tre tine' is the name used by Beppe Rinaldi since 2011 to summarise Cannubi-San Lorenzo-Ravera, from which the grapes are sourced for this wine. Not one of the easiest Barolo tasted, it is more than restrained: reluctant and tight-lipped. It seems to be simple but indeed it's not. Leafy lightness on the nose is saturated with red currant and blood orange. The sternness dominates the palate in perfect Rinaldi style, with firm, muscular, grainy yet ripe tannins. Tension and some roundness make it classic; austere to drink now but with great potential for lovers of traditional Barolo.

Managed since 2009 by the Vajra family, Luigi Baudana's Baudana is fermented in oak then aged in large casks for 32 months. Open-knit with a stunning intensity of pot pourri, wild strawberry, camphor in depth and sweet violet, its graceful style continues on the palate with refined silky tannins - firm and slightly dusty - refreshing acidity and a slightly warming finish. The finish is austere yet full of liquorice elegance, and the woven integration it exhibits will keep this strong for decades. A major success for a vintage of often leaner wines.

This Margheria from Pira is elegant and restrained, showing leafy lightness with red currant and confected violet aromas. After a silky attack, it demonstrates delicacy on a warming palate, with ripe tannins and quite high, crisp acidity integrated into a tight-knit structure. The finish is more austere and dusty, too young now but intended for the long haul: the freshness of red currant fruits allied with the savouriness of the liquorice will help during bottle ageing. Very classic.

This 2018 is the third vintage of Mauro Veglio's Paiagallo. Here, Alessandro Veglio today manages a plot of 40-year-old vines in the middle of the hill, between 240 and 270 metres above sea level with a southeast to east exposure over sandstone soil (more so than the lower plots). The wine packs a punch for its multifaceted aromas of peony and violet, wild strawberry and blood orange. Both violets and oranges come back on the palate, not ungainly woven with firm tannins. It's full on the mid-palate, with almost-zesty acidity and a sweet, ripe finish. The wine is aged in large French untoasted oak casks for 24 months. A great example of the 2018 vintage.

Meriame lies over a calcareous clay soil at 350 metres above sea level. The vines here are 70 years old and the wine is traditionally aged in large Slavonian oak for at least 24 months. Leather and macerated flower scents appear first, then liquorice and balsamic tones in depth. It has great concentration on the full bodied palate, which is unexpected for a 2018 tasted blind yet makes sense given the age of the vines. The tannins are ripe and of great quality, supporting a vibrant and savoury palate. It's a bit rustic on the finish but is authentic, with dried cherry and liquorice notes. One to follow.

Pio Cesare owns the largest part of Ornato, located between Briccolina and Falletto. The Serralunga character is exquisitely typical here, with wild strawberry and cherry fruit allied to rhubarb and minerality. The attack is silky, with great concentration and savouriness, woven acidity and refined tannins to the persistent finish.