Best Piedmont wines: Latest-release Barolo & Barbaresco
Look no further for the top Barolos and Barbarescos from Piedmont's latest releases, with the top scoring wines from Stephen Brook's Piedmont report...
Barbaresco
Stephen Brook has singled out 2016 as a five-star vintage for Barbaresco, so it’s perhaps no suprise to see three wines awarded 94 points and above – even more than the two from the similarly five-star rated 2015 vintage.
Equally, it seems that the latest-release Barbaresco Riserva 2014s have outperformed last year’s Riserva 2013s. Bruno Giacosa’s Asili Riserva 2014 even tops the ranking, one of the two 2014s achieving 94 point and above.
Barolo
Meanwhile for Barolo, five 2015 releases have been awarded 94 points and above, compared to three in 2014. Aldo Conterno’s Romirasco has topped the charts in both years, marking it out as a top buy, with Stephen Brook noting that it’s the most structured of the Monforte d’Alba estate’s wines and is built to last.
When it comes to Barolo Riserva, no 2013s achieved over 93 points, of which there were six wines. Four 2012 Riservas were awarded 94 points and six were awarded 93 points, and so may be the better vintage if you’re after top-end wines for ageing.
Stephen’s top scorers from his Piedmont report:
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Bruno Giacosa, Asili Riserva, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, 2014
A magnificent result for 2014, but then this is a legendary wine: a top bottling from a top estate. The nose is rich, juicy, and...
2014
Bruno GiacosaBarbaresco
Giuseppe Cortese, Rabajà, Barbaresco, Barbaresco, 2016
The Cortese brothers are among the finest producers of this great cru, and the 2016, from 50-year-old vines, is outstanding. The nose is rich and...
2016
Giuseppe CorteseBarbaresco
Aldo Conterno, Bussia Romirasco, Barolo, Monforte d’Alba 2015
Romirasco is a 3.8ha site in the Bussia cru, located on a hilltop overlooking the Conterno winery in Monforte, and it usually delivers the most...
2015
Aldo ConternoBarolo Bussia
Poderi Luigi Einaudi, Cannubi, Barolo, Barolo, 2015
Einaudi always make an excellent wine from this celebrated Barolo vineyard, and 2015 is no exception. In this vintage, the wine was aged initially in...
2015
Poderi Luigi EinaudiBarolo
Vietti, Lazzarito, Barolo, Serralunga d’Alba, 2015
Although Vietti was bought by an American company in 2016, the long-standing family winemaker Luca Currado remains in place. This powerful expression of an important...
2015
ViettiBarolo
Paolo Conterno, Ginestra, Barolo, Monforte d’Alba, 2015
Giorgio Conterno did a fine job handling a tricky vintage with his 2014 Ginestra, and the 2015 from this 3ha site in Monforte is magnificent...
2015
Paolo ConternoBarolo
Bruno Giacosa, Falletto Vigna Le Rocche, Barolo, Serralunga, 2015
Le Rocche is a selection from the highest parcels in Falletto in Serralunga, which helps to explain its great finesse. The raspberry and redcurrant nose...
2015
Bruno GiacosaBarolo
Paitin, Serraboella Sorì Paitin, Barbaresco, Neive, 2016
The excellent Paitin property, focussed on its well-exposed Serraboella vineyard, uses traditional vinification methods, with long macerations and ageing in large casks rather than barriques....
2016
PaitinBarbaresco
Castello di Neive, Santo Stefano, Barbaresco, Neive, 2016
Winemaker Claudio Roggero has long been making effortlessly good wines from this top site in Neive. The 2015 was superb, and the 2016 may prove...
2016
Castello di NeiveBarbaresco
Produttori del Barbaresco, Montestefano Riserva, Barbaresco 2014
This first-rate Barbaresco cooperative has released a superb set of Riservas, and this is among the very best. It's dense and solid on the nose,...
2014
Produttori del BarbarescoBarbaresco
