Another year of zoom tastings and sampling wines in isolation doesn’t sound very inspiring on paper. Nevertheless, the capacity for wine to exhilarate transcends even the most prosaic circumstances. And, in all truth, I eventually braved the nightmare of travelling so that I could return to Italy.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Michaela Morris’ top 10 fine wines of 2021
My top picks for 2021 include a trio of Nebbiolo from northwestern Italy’s outstanding 2016 vintage. The Barolo couplet is a tip of the hat to two of the region’s leading producers – GB Burlotto and Bartolo Mascarello. Both wines have ties to Cannubi, a legendary site that lived up to its historic reputation in 2016.
{"content":"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"}
Michaela’s top 10 fine wines of 2021:
{}
{"wineId":"54336","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"47545","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46049","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"47679","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46663","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54335","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"50363","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"48243","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"47971","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54334","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
