Barolo 2015 - Better late than never?
So I am slower than usual this year. You can ask for a refund. Actually I am sorry this has taken so long but life has a way of getting in the way of this hobby.
2015 is a very good vintage and will prove to be a very important vintage as well. Allow me to explain.
We have been living through an era of rapid climate change, and perhaps nowhere has been as affected as the Langhe. 2015 has been another hot vintage, though not as hot as some other notable exceptions to historic averages. Still it was HOT, over 40 degrees Celsius for a few days over the summer, and yet the wines, while full, a bit supple, and decidedly generous, are delicious, well balanced, and evocative of their respective terroir. What gives?
A few things.
First off while the weather was abnormally hot in late July and August, much of the rest of the growing season was far more typical, and above all, while the weather was hot there were sufficient water reserves in the soil to prevent hydric stress in all but the best drained soils due to plenty of rain early in the growing season. Most of the summer was hot enough to worry producers but three days of rain in mid August signaled the arrival of cooler weather that allowed for a complete and relaxed maturation of fruit on the vines.
Secondly, producers know what they are doing. The whole grape growing game has changed. Where there was once leaf thinning there is now true canopy management, creating airflow through the vines while retaining shade where it is needed. Green harvests have been generally moderated so that vines and the crop load are better balanced for their respective growing season.
And finally, and I truly believe this, the vines know better. Yes I literally mean that. It has taken some time but I believe that in the Langhe today vines have memory, the ability to adapt to the changing weather and the knowledge base to understand that weather. It sounds a bit far fetched even to me, but how else to explain the fine, and in some cases very fine quality of the wines in 2015? It would be presumptuous at best and particularly vain to assume that it is all the handiwork of man.
There is no doubt that my understanding of Barolo continues to evolve. It takes time to understand vineyards and the influence of the winemakers, particularly while each is continuously evolving. With each passing year I find producers whose product increasingly appeals to me and vineyards that give such a unique expression of terroir that I may have dismissed them in the past as being atypical without understanding the unique experience on offer.
Now onto the wines.
2015 is a very good vintage and will prove to be a very important vintage as well. Allow me to explain.
We have been living through an era of rapid climate change, and perhaps nowhere has been as affected as the Langhe. 2015 has been another hot vintage, though not as hot as some other notable exceptions to historic averages. Still it was HOT, over 40 degrees Celsius for a few days over the summer, and yet the wines, while full, a bit supple, and decidedly generous, are delicious, well balanced, and evocative of their respective terroir. What gives?
A few things.
First off while the weather was abnormally hot in late July and August, much of the rest of the growing season was far more typical, and above all, while the weather was hot there were sufficient water reserves in the soil to prevent hydric stress in all but the best drained soils due to plenty of rain early in the growing season. Most of the summer was hot enough to worry producers but three days of rain in mid August signaled the arrival of cooler weather that allowed for a complete and relaxed maturation of fruit on the vines.
Secondly, producers know what they are doing. The whole grape growing game has changed. Where there was once leaf thinning there is now true canopy management, creating airflow through the vines while retaining shade where it is needed. Green harvests have been generally moderated so that vines and the crop load are better balanced for their respective growing season.
And finally, and I truly believe this, the vines know better. Yes I literally mean that. It has taken some time but I believe that in the Langhe today vines have memory, the ability to adapt to the changing weather and the knowledge base to understand that weather. It sounds a bit far fetched even to me, but how else to explain the fine, and in some cases very fine quality of the wines in 2015? It would be presumptuous at best and particularly vain to assume that it is all the handiwork of man.
There is no doubt that my understanding of Barolo continues to evolve. It takes time to understand vineyards and the influence of the winemakers, particularly while each is continuously evolving. With each passing year I find producers whose product increasingly appeals to me and vineyards that give such a unique expression of terroir that I may have dismissed them in the past as being atypical without understanding the unique experience on offer.
Now onto the wines.
There are few surprises this year. Giacomo Conterno and Bartolo Mascarello are arguably the top wines of the year, as they usually are.
Vietti has had a very fine showing again and it is worth noting that this line-up of wines shows something has changed since the sale of the winery. I have been following these wines for almost 40 vintages and have witnessed the ups and downs during Luca Currado’s tenure. This current set of wines exhibited a lightness and confidence that other recent wines, while important and impressive, seemed to lack. I can’t wait to see what the 2016s bring.
Fratelli Alessandria has had a breakout year. The quality of these wines has been on a gradual yet perpetual upswing over the past 15 years and one of the crus has always edged into the top tier of wines, but the 2015 San Lorenzo is just flat out gorgeous, exciting and vivid with the Gramolere and Monvigliero not far behind. A must buy for me, great values.
Elvio Cogno continues to perform at the highest level with the Ravera bottling being one of the great buys in Piemonte and the Cascina Nuova one of the greatest values. While the wines are quite polished I love them and find that Walter Fissore’s line-up is stunning from top to bottom, a feat rarely accomplished. Nascetta this year was stunning.
Brovia continues to produce the most compelling line-up of great, traditional cru wines in the Langhe. Brovia’s Barolo Classico should be in every Barolo lover’s cellar.
Alberto Burzi fairly burst onto the scene just a few years ago, and while he hasn't gotten some acclaim for his Barolo he remains perhaps better known for his Barbera. That should change. I don’t think these wines have been fully appreciated yet, discounted perhaps for their relative novelty.
Guido Porro’s Vigna Rionda is a standout in his portfolio, which should be no surprise considering the history of the vineyard. If you see a bottle be sure to try it. It is a relative value for the vineyard.
Elio Grasso gets beaten up for the oakiness of there wines. I’ve had mixed experiences, times when the oak shows others when it does not. In my tasting of the 2015s the oak was not overtly evident and the wines were terrific. Your experience may vary but these two wines are worth trying.
Massolino has another very appealing Barolo Classico and a great Parafada, which for the first time in memory I preferred to the more elegant Margheria.
It pains me a little to hype the wines of Baudana produced by the lovely Vajra family ahead of their eponymous wines, but I just love this pair of wines; just a great expression of Serralunga fruit with power but not excessive weight.
G. D. Vajra what's not to like? Arguably one of the sweetest families making wine in the Langhe, and the wines are consistently terrific. Graceful, sometimes delicate, but detailed, approachable wines than never seem forced. Almost the prototype for the modern generation of winemakers combining classism and elegance.
Giulia Negri is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Such lacy, detailed, and expressive wines. Part of the newest generation of winemakers, she is helping to define a new paradigm for Barolo.
Giacosa is back. Perhaps a bit of the magic has yet to return with Bruno’s passing, but the quality here is once again absolutely top notch and worth adding to the cellar if you are comfortable with the pricing.
Palladino continues to improve. The crus are classic, traditionally styled wines that show a deft touch indeed, no doubt due to the increasing influence of a younger generation of Palladino women involved in the operation.
Aldo Conterno continues to produce wines that lean a touch modern but they are undeniably excellent in that style. In 2015, none of the crus show their alcohol, all are pretty tannic, powerful wines for the cellar. Though they seem approachable today, be fresh and sweet, they are very powerful.
Chiara Boschis still holds a special place in my vinous heart. Her wines remain oakier than I prefer, but exhibit such grace and finesse that I can’t help but enjoy them. If you enjoy more modern Barolo, and these are far from the most modern, you should love these wines.
Einaudi has finally given up on barriques, joining a growing movement, and the wines are of course better for it. I have always had a little soft spot for these wines, worth breaking out for a crowd more accustomed to oakier wines, but now they are rejoining the ranks of the more firmly traditional.
These wines were tasted in March and May of this year both in Piedmont at the cantinas as well as at ProWein. Some notes are longer and more detailed than others. Sometimes that means I found more of interest or expressiveness in a particular wine, other times I might simply have had less time to linger with each wine. This is of course simply a snapshot of each wine, a still frame from the movie that is each wine’s life, so you should judge each opinion accordingly. I generally prefer traditional made wine and will almost always opt for a Barolo free of new oak over one that wears its oak obviously. That is reflected in my reviews, but at the same time there are producers who bottle undeniable gorgeous, if oak tinged wines, and I make note of those here.
2015s, I love so many of these wines. They are rich, powerful, with tannins that are unusually ripe and polished for a warmer vintage, accompanied by fine acids There is some jamminess here and there, but I believe that is simply baby fat that time will take care of. Many of these are really quite powerful, but the balance and transparency of most bodes well for the future. At the same time, so many of these wines exhibit astounding elegance for their proportions. To a certain degree the slight dryness of the tannins in certain wines contributes to that classism and elegance, and I expect those wines with these noble, dry tannins to close up tightly, so the early approachability of many of these wines will be deceiving. I expect some monumental wines at maturity. As a final note, I have re-tasted several wines in September of this year only to find that the wines have gained further structural firmness. I am absolutely convinced that most of these wines will age spectacularly well and will emerge from the cellar as quite classic, if richly fruited wines. Buy what you can for we are certainly in a golden age for Barolo!
Vietti has had a very fine showing again and it is worth noting that this line-up of wines shows something has changed since the sale of the winery. I have been following these wines for almost 40 vintages and have witnessed the ups and downs during Luca Currado’s tenure. This current set of wines exhibited a lightness and confidence that other recent wines, while important and impressive, seemed to lack. I can’t wait to see what the 2016s bring.
Fratelli Alessandria has had a breakout year. The quality of these wines has been on a gradual yet perpetual upswing over the past 15 years and one of the crus has always edged into the top tier of wines, but the 2015 San Lorenzo is just flat out gorgeous, exciting and vivid with the Gramolere and Monvigliero not far behind. A must buy for me, great values.
Elvio Cogno continues to perform at the highest level with the Ravera bottling being one of the great buys in Piemonte and the Cascina Nuova one of the greatest values. While the wines are quite polished I love them and find that Walter Fissore’s line-up is stunning from top to bottom, a feat rarely accomplished. Nascetta this year was stunning.
Brovia continues to produce the most compelling line-up of great, traditional cru wines in the Langhe. Brovia’s Barolo Classico should be in every Barolo lover’s cellar.
Alberto Burzi fairly burst onto the scene just a few years ago, and while he hasn't gotten some acclaim for his Barolo he remains perhaps better known for his Barbera. That should change. I don’t think these wines have been fully appreciated yet, discounted perhaps for their relative novelty.
Guido Porro’s Vigna Rionda is a standout in his portfolio, which should be no surprise considering the history of the vineyard. If you see a bottle be sure to try it. It is a relative value for the vineyard.
Elio Grasso gets beaten up for the oakiness of there wines. I’ve had mixed experiences, times when the oak shows others when it does not. In my tasting of the 2015s the oak was not overtly evident and the wines were terrific. Your experience may vary but these two wines are worth trying.
Massolino has another very appealing Barolo Classico and a great Parafada, which for the first time in memory I preferred to the more elegant Margheria.
It pains me a little to hype the wines of Baudana produced by the lovely Vajra family ahead of their eponymous wines, but I just love this pair of wines; just a great expression of Serralunga fruit with power but not excessive weight.
G. D. Vajra what's not to like? Arguably one of the sweetest families making wine in the Langhe, and the wines are consistently terrific. Graceful, sometimes delicate, but detailed, approachable wines than never seem forced. Almost the prototype for the modern generation of winemakers combining classism and elegance.
Giulia Negri is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Such lacy, detailed, and expressive wines. Part of the newest generation of winemakers, she is helping to define a new paradigm for Barolo.
Giacosa is back. Perhaps a bit of the magic has yet to return with Bruno’s passing, but the quality here is once again absolutely top notch and worth adding to the cellar if you are comfortable with the pricing.
Palladino continues to improve. The crus are classic, traditionally styled wines that show a deft touch indeed, no doubt due to the increasing influence of a younger generation of Palladino women involved in the operation.
Aldo Conterno continues to produce wines that lean a touch modern but they are undeniably excellent in that style. In 2015, none of the crus show their alcohol, all are pretty tannic, powerful wines for the cellar. Though they seem approachable today, be fresh and sweet, they are very powerful.
Chiara Boschis still holds a special place in my vinous heart. Her wines remain oakier than I prefer, but exhibit such grace and finesse that I can’t help but enjoy them. If you enjoy more modern Barolo, and these are far from the most modern, you should love these wines.
Einaudi has finally given up on barriques, joining a growing movement, and the wines are of course better for it. I have always had a little soft spot for these wines, worth breaking out for a crowd more accustomed to oakier wines, but now they are rejoining the ranks of the more firmly traditional.
These wines were tasted in March and May of this year both in Piedmont at the cantinas as well as at ProWein. Some notes are longer and more detailed than others. Sometimes that means I found more of interest or expressiveness in a particular wine, other times I might simply have had less time to linger with each wine. This is of course simply a snapshot of each wine, a still frame from the movie that is each wine’s life, so you should judge each opinion accordingly. I generally prefer traditional made wine and will almost always opt for a Barolo free of new oak over one that wears its oak obviously. That is reflected in my reviews, but at the same time there are producers who bottle undeniable gorgeous, if oak tinged wines, and I make note of those here.
2015s, I love so many of these wines. They are rich, powerful, with tannins that are unusually ripe and polished for a warmer vintage, accompanied by fine acids There is some jamminess here and there, but I believe that is simply baby fat that time will take care of. Many of these are really quite powerful, but the balance and transparency of most bodes well for the future. At the same time, so many of these wines exhibit astounding elegance for their proportions. To a certain degree the slight dryness of the tannins in certain wines contributes to that classism and elegance, and I expect those wines with these noble, dry tannins to close up tightly, so the early approachability of many of these wines will be deceiving. I expect some monumental wines at maturity. As a final note, I have re-tasted several wines in September of this year only to find that the wines have gained further structural firmness. I am absolutely convinced that most of these wines will age spectacularly well and will emerge from the cellar as quite classic, if richly fruited wines. Buy what you can for we are certainly in a golden age for Barolo!
96 Points
2015 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Francia
A hint of plum greets the nose, a sort of synthesis of the last two wine with the fruit of Cerreta and the savory spice of Arione. There’s a jaminess to the wild berry fruit but no lack, full bright juicy, powdery tannins, great balance and depth with incredibly ripe tannins, powerful tannins but noble tannins here as well they lend depth and detail to the long finish, such a skillful melding of power and elegance with terrific transparency and depth. This treads so lightly but with superb intensity.
2015 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
Lots of dusty rose, violet pastille, candied flowers, spicy red fruit, and dusty clay soil, gorgeous texture. Liquory flavors but fresh with ripe tannins, with a hint of green at its core, tannins are ripe but binding, with plenty of refreshing acids, very poised and rather firm wine but with the usual impeccable balance, lots of depth and intensity on the palate, the finish is a touch short at this stage but shows lovely red fruit with fine minerality. Lovely expression of the vintage.
95 Points
2015 Vietti Barolo Rocche
Rose petals, sweet oak undertones, sweet spice notes, jammy raspberry base notes, finely textured, such smaller tannins, elegant and guy fineness, tight, so perfumed in the mouth, wow, rose petals, a hint of something exotic on the nose, passionfruit perhaps, here too one finds uncommon intensity and depth on the nose, chamomile, and stone, veers slightly chewy, broad, though remaining chiseled and transparent with huge follow through with noble tannins dominating the palate thought fruit hangs in there until the end, slightly chewy, powerful but sleek and elegant. Wow what a finish, almost bitter extract of wild cherry, stone, an important floral inner mouth perfumes.
2015 Vietti Barolo Brunate
Very floral, with dark berry fruit, a bit of earth, a hint of something animale, died meats, deep, sweet, balsamic spiced nose, dusty, hint of root veg, beet root, sassafras. In the mouth this is rich, and powerful but edgy and so well balanced. Long, rich with fine ripe tannins, so finely textured for a warm vintage, so transparent. Very complex, savory and nuanced, wildflowers and fertile earthiness adds to the palate. This has the added softness one expects from Brunate but again there's something ethereal under all this power, black cherry fruit, lots of tannins, ripe tannins, fantastic length, sapid tart red fruits on the finale.
2015 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno
A bit spicy here on the nose with darker fruit and an altogether riper complexion, still fresh with an herbal accent but a tarry torrefaction note tops the aromatic licorice laced, opulent, deep, faceted cherry fruit. Ripe, with supple tannins, this is also fabulous with such fine ripeness, again exalting the fruit. There’s fine detail here, it's got fine soil tones along with spiced, almost medicinal floral tones, but this dances across the palate. Really complete and shows an elegance and vivaciousness that sets it apart.
2015 Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera
Dark, a bit brooding, needs air, rose, deep, smells a bit of earth, tight, reticent, this reaches into your skull and grabs your brain, there s such finesse with real density to the fruit. there’s that depth and old vinyness with nuanced, rich fruit that is less playful than the Cascina Nuova, but more structured, with the fruit emerging more on the finish. A cashmere texture, and such elegance, it’s really stunning exhibiting such polish, power, and yet finesse with a long, fruit driven finish.
2015 Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 14.5%
Cherries in alcohol, rose petals, wild herbs, sandy almost beach soi combine to show great depth and definition on such a classic nose.Solid in the mouth, a sleek cylindrical mouthfeel, taut, juicy and very mineral laden. There’s great depth to the palate with a profound savory core, clean finish with great lift, and succulence. Tannins are so bright, so well balanced; this is already approachable with tannins that are so fine. Impressive persistence. Lacks a degree of subtlety perhaps, but age will bring that.
2015 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cerretta
Intense fruit, nuanced and sweet smelling with a hint of confectioners sugar over wild strawberry and cherry fruit. This is velvety already, ripe tannins, great cut on the mid palate, bright acids really freshen the ripe fruit,. The backend is weighed down with ripe round tannins but they are sweet, with the bright juicy fruit matching the tannins step by step. Such a nuanced and delicate wine with a finish that shows off a hint of nuttiness from the tannins. This really blends the power of the vintage with elegance and finesse, and man these tannins are perfect
94 Points
2015 Guido Porro Barolo Vigna Rionda
There are moments that change your thoughts about something and moments that confirm it. Putting my nose in this completely affirms the greatness of this plot of land. There's some oak to deal with, not intrusive but noticeable, which is what happens when someone gets new vineyards, but the fruit, licorice, rose petal, and dried beef umami soar from the glass. Not at a great place in the mouth, a bit disjointed but the balance, elegance, seamlessness are all here. Can’t wait to try this, there's a weightless nature that accompanies the intense and pure, gorgeously rendered red fruit on the palate, with fine focus and moderate length today,. Wow, this should turn out to be very good.
2015 Elio Grasso Barolo Casa Mate 14.5%
More intensity on the nose than the Chiniera with a strong floral top note, over earthy, ripe and gently spice red berried fruit. Here too there is a hint of something herbal but more green and spicy than the savory notes of the Chiniera, meaty, almost bacon with black pepper and dried meat with suggestions of cinnamon and cardamom. A bigger wine, more polished, lusher and smoother, this is almost chewy, with an amazingly pure and intense core of ripe cherry fruit, with tannins that are well knit,. This has terrific length and again shows just a stunning layering of fruit and terroir driven minerality, sandy and almost salty on the long finale. Surprisingly open, tannins are firm but so ripe. This is fabulously long with a return of fruit minutes after the finish ends
2015 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito
Dark, earthy, sweet cocoa notes grace the nose, here too one finds a cool, compressed, slightly meatiness with a touch of wood, dried lemon peel, and camphor. Opening with a certain density on the palate, long, tons of fruit tannins, this floats above the palate through the finish. Showing flavors of sliced cherry with hints of medical spice, while exhibiting such elegance and finesse. This s a tight example, but the balance is so fine, the tannins so ripe, laser like focus. Needs lots of time but its so finely textured, the flavors are deep, fruity yet with the bitterness extract can bring. Very slightly chewy, incredible power and yet refined and classic, shows just a touch of heat.
2015 Vietti Barolo Ravera
Here there's some oak and a hint of leather to the nose, which shows off dark, liquory fruit, earth, iris florally, menthol and something green herbal minty. Burgundian proportions in the mouth, this is seamless on the palate, though there are some wood tannins on the finish lending a bit of chewiness. As usual this is a bit more opaque to me and less appealing but the intensity of flavor is compelling, just gorgeous, with lots of wild berry fruit, but the tannins are a bit more aggressive through the finish. Shows palate staining intensity,
2015 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Aleste
Finer and less fruity on the nose than the Le Vigne, with more rose, licorice and spiced cherry orange peel character. Very fine in texture nuance, lacks the overt fruitiness of the Le Vigne but delivers a more subtle and elegant texture. Long, with superb tannins and soil tones to the long finish which shows much more fitness. Tannins are just a little edgy still but that's the only sign of warmth here. A very strong showing from Sandrone for me.
2015 Baudana Barolo Baudana
Dark, sweet, unmistakably Serralunga, with slightly animal, sauvage, dark soil aromas layered under a hint of gingerbread. Gem like on entry, this is slippery in the mouth with tannins catching the palate on the backend. A bit minty and medicinal in the mouth with dark berry marionberry like fruit, firm yet ripe tannins, faceted in the mouth. long and dry on the finish as the powerful tannins fully reveal themselves. Penetrating depth on the palate, with great clarity of the flavors that are assertively dark and masculine.
2015 Massolino Barolo Vigna Parafada
Tight aromatics feature aromas of licorice, moist soil, aromatic herbs, dried flowers. There’s more density here than with the Margheria, but more freshness as well with a dark fruit profile but one that is also more assertive. Tannins are more austere but at the same time there is more covering fruit, lending this a smoother more opulent mouthfeel that makes the emergence of those dry classic austere tannins more notable. This is showing more detail on the nose today and is altogether tighter and denser and more embryonic on the palate but the finish shows a lovely hint of pure and deep dark cherry fruit; this is really good this year.
2015 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Gramolere
Darker fruit still than the San Lorenzo. Dried fruit, more leather, balsamic, and woodland spice. Smooth, rich in an altogether more muscular style with less clarity on the palate but profound depth, superb woodland spice herbal inner mouth perfumes, and a touch of tea. Just so subtly layered and fine, so elegant with finely rendered tannins that finish with a bit more power and fine juiciness. So long just a gorgeous subtle hint of bitter cherry on the long finale and some bitter orange notes
2015 Giulia Negri Barolo Serradenari 14%
More complex and more detailed on the nose than previous wines with balsamic and savory tones, dark with almost an inky shading to the cherry in alcohol aromas laced with, rose hips, and a faint tangerine accent. Fine depth on the palate with piercing inner mouth perfumes that make this so attractive. Complex and nuanced fruit and floral aromas vie for one’s attention and they are all laid over this immensely soil driven base: sandy, salty. Clamps down on the finish, showing a fine mineral vein through the long finish. Great length and vibrancy.
2015 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche
Lovely with an extra edge of ripeness, intense rose petals, spicy base notes. Intensely ripe in the mouth as well but not losing the limestone base notes, and showing off super freshness. Starts with a super soil driven entry, elegant, fine, long, served cool. This wine has it all, great length, vibrancy, and nuance, with superb tannin ripeness, no softness here but the angles are subtle, there’s a bit of a compressed feeling to this. old school ageing requirement. Really unfettered feeling, lovely perfumed finish, and bitter cherry on the backend yields to fine minerality on the finish. Demands 6-10 years.
2015 Brovia Barolo Garblet Sue 14.5%
So floral and chalky on the nose, detailed with seductive dark cherry fruit topped by high toned pollen and ginseng aromas. So attractive in its non fruit register. Plump in the mouth, a bit, deeper and rounder than the Villero with less elegance than the Rocche. Here there is a slight bit of chew in the mouth, with dark flavors of leather and brooding black tea character. Altogether bigger and perhaps more marked by the warmth of the vintage, very good, bright acids on the finish keep this fresh. Ripe finely packed tannins, great mineral cut on the palate. A muscular Garblet Sue.
2015 Brovia Barolo Brea Ca Mia
Dark, roasted plum, hot iron and stone, extract of strawberries, dark earth, and thin mint all come together on the imposing nose. Chewy in the mouth and rich with tannins, obviously the most tannic of these, less overtly fruity, dark, brooding, slightly animale. Pleasant red currant notes balance the tannins, in fact it’s super well balanced but a bit of a monster of a wine, There’s great depth and minerality here but it clamps down on the tongue and doesn’t let go, so much bitter cherry fruit, bitter cherry skin and pit Should be outstanding if the tannins soften on schedule.
2015 Pira Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi 14.5%
Such a delicate oak framing note, just a nuanced note that joins aromas of rose petals and red fruit on the nose. Opens with good acids on the palate even if this comes off as slightly youthfully matte, but still so elegant. Fine tannins support deep cherry fruit, very red very maraschino fruit on the palate. Wood tannins emerge a bit on the finish, this starts out very 2015, then gains focus, turning quite classic, with fine soil tones and a gentle dried herbal finishing note. Tannins are noble and fairly powerful, fine bitter finale.
2015 Elvio Cogno Barolo Cascina Nuova
One can’t help but notice the small sour cherry fruit and fine transparency this has on the nose with superb soil tones and wild flower notes layered over that small wild berry fruit. Very fresh but a bit broad from the vintage on entry. Still so perfumed in the mouth, so red fruited, with fine grip that emerges on the midpalate. The tannins are important, this is a moderately large scaled but so clear, bright and juicy. There is so much going on here, and this offers so much joy. The finish shows off fine-grained tannins as this gains additional focus and snap with a salty finale. Succulent with juicy red fruit and such vibrancy, and yet it’s light and delicate on the plate and so long.
93 Points
2015 Alberto Burzi Barolo Capalot 14.5%
Intensely, deeply, fruited and detailed with something candle wax like, almost incense balsamic scented laying over a, cool, floral basenote. Seems like a cooler vintage. Chewy with dry extract in the mouth. Great, precise tannins, lend this a fine textured which remains firm and slightly dry with noble tannins. A very clear unencumbered style. Slightly salty, balsamic finish, tannins build here, really fairly powerful with old vine snappiness and terrific energy on the plate. Favors of wild berry with blueberry shadings, such finely rendered tannins, floral and nuanced.
2015 Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco 14.5%
Spice and fruit greet the nose, followed by earth, some iris notes then dark, nuanced Middle Eastern spices and a hint of leather. Very complete in the mouth, with the softness of ripeness that enrobes the tongue with spiced fruit and terrific minerality. Juicy, tannic even but so well balanced with just luxurious if never ponderous fruit, spicy till the finale, so well balanced, this finishes with stony and slightly aggressive tannins quite classic, great black spice mineralogy on the palate and through the rather long and floral tinged finish. for all its fruit, this is a bit of a powerhouse.
2015 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera 14.5%
Tight and deep on the nose with a wash of herbal top notes over a base of deep, spice and slightly rose extract scented dark cherry fruit, with just a hint of wood spice lending sweetness. This is almost plush but with finely knit acidity keeping it taut and bright. Fine-grained tannins are enmeshed in a gauzy layer of fruit laid over a fine limestone base. Tense, gorgeously well knit tannins on the long finish which shows off burnished fruit and some toasted sandalwood tones, perhaps just a touch chunky or four square, with this subtle sweetness of the vintage, then this surprises with its structure and transparency on the backend, finishes still with that suggestion of sweetness which should prove to be very appealing. Great minerality here, really impressive balance of fruit and terroir.
2015 Palladino Barolo Parafada 14.5%
Classic nose of rose, dark earth, and macerated wild cherry, all supported by a bit of chalk. Light in the mouth, vivid, high toned, with a lovely kernel of dark, dried fruit wrapped up in chewy, important tannins. The tannins are very well judged, leading to a long finish, austere yet succulent, with a delicate elegance notwithstanding the power here.
2015 Palladino Barolo Ornato 14.5%
Darker, earthier, deeper than the Parafada, almost some black olive here more vegetal, with a dried tomato accent to the rich, ripe fruit. A touch softer and less bright in the mouth with a more earthy impression, darker fruit chewier, though with more depth and length, more substance on the finish as well, which is long and persistent, more medicinal perhaps and therefor a bit more challenging than the Parafada but arguably more complete as well.
2015 Pecchenino Barolo San Giuseppe 14.5%
Absolutely classic nose, hairy fur, stone, crushed cherry, grassy accent notes, with macerated herb top notes. Lovely in the mouth, medium plus bodied so not massive but this has intensity and delicacy, great inner mouth perfumes filled with freshness Fine tannins, just the right richness of fruit then the backend is all business, Sapid tannins, long and lithe, classic; a great marriage of ripeness, elegance, and finesse.
2015 Einaudi Barolo Bussia
Intense herbal and black cherry fruit graces the nose with gentle sweetness followed by a menthol spearmint herb note. Bigger softer richer and the most successful cru of this vintage with fruit that covers the tannins which are ripe and precise. Great depth to the fruit. Nuanced on the palate with lush red. berry flavors, ripe firm fine tannins makes this a touch short today but the finish does show rose, candy and fine tart cherry fruit. Needs time but is the most complete of these today and such a pleasant surprise.
2015 Canonica Paiagallo Barolo 15%
Tight, rose petals, licorice, soil, and mulch greet the nose. Lovely austere chiseled, powerful, this is so intense yet light on the palate, gorgeous tannins, fine firm supporting acids lends length to the emerging jammy berry fruit on the palate with such fine balance. Perfumed, clean, wow the tannins are lovely and they really flavor nuance, to this on the palate and through the long finish. Shows just a hint of heat on the finish but is a great wine with a core of fruit that is so pure bright and fresh.
2015 Baudana Barolo Cerretta
Sliced plums and gaminess great the nose followed by a hint of beefy steak, again some sort of cookie spice note. This is drier, more austere than the Baudana with more noble tannins, lots of earth and tannin but the finely ripe, chalky finish reveals gorgeous clarity and tension in the mouth. Needs real cellar time, will age very well but today this is a touch skeletal, really long noble and austere with a cigar ash note joining the nose. Exceptionally elegant and fine with a hint of nuttiness to the tannins. The lack of covering fruit does allow the alcohol to become more evident here but time should resolve that.
2015 Poderi Colla Barolo Bussia Le Dardi 13.5%
Lots of rose hips on the floral nose which is laced with mineral notes, some tree bark and incipient dark cherry fruit, Polished in the mouth, with finely ripe tannins, lovely inner mouth perfumes fruit of transparent cherry and wild raspberry fruit that shows real delicacy and finesse on the backend which is long, savory, earthy, and shows a gentle sweet nutty overlay, This is so elegant with powerful yet not intrusive structure, lots of rose hips on the finish as well.
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
Classic Brunate fruit though with a slightly more herbal underlay and a spicy peppery note. Ripe tannins lends this richness in the mouth with dark cherry fruit a bit spicy with higher acidity than the Tre Tine. A hint of dried mushroom lending complexity to this already. The flavors might be out in front of the structure here and the tannins are a bit nutty and dry. Lovely floral notes on the nose and mouth. It’s very good but lacks the suave character of other recent vintages.
2015 Fratelli Oddero Barolo Bussia Mondoca
Wild flowers, stones, inky, spicy macerated flowers, all come together on this savory and tight nose which shows with great depth and lots of chinato nuance,. Delicate in the mouth, very fine grained with precise herbal notes and a touch of nuttiness here. This floats across the palate with lovely lightness and detail but it does have significant tannins still with bright acids. In a bit of an awkward phase with the finish showing little fruit and savory, salty tannins, but it’s going to evolve into something nice.
2015 G. D. Vajra Barolo Ravera 14.5%
Fruity again on the nose though with more tobacco and herb, lots of very ripe cherry fruit,. Rich, supple, and broad though with sufficient tension, this has a bit of muscle and dark brooding character on the palate that the other Crus lack. Less elegant, more powerful, deeper and darker fruit. Tannins are drier as well with a fine austerity serving as a counterweight to the rich fruit of the palate. More ageworthy, the best as in the most material of the three crus, lovely graceful wine. Sapid, almost salty finale
2015 G. D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 14.5%
So fragrant, there’s a lot of fruit here as well, slightly roasted lingonberry and raspberry fruit, wild strawberry a little fragolini in alcohol,. Supple, broad, and juicy with lots of fruit. Nice evergreen overtones lend contrast to the sour cherry and wild strawberry fruit. Has a sense of delicacy but at the same time this is not meek, a slightly chewiness though the tannins come off as fully ripe and in fact clip the finish a bit. lots of fruit and freshness in a finely balanced approachable package.
2015 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero
Slightly jammy strawberry fruit, with hints of tapenade, strawberry seeds, tar, licorice, and a fine jasmine laced pepperiness. Supple in the mouth though rich tannins show a hint of dryness earlier on the plate but this has good substance and depth, a bit more chew than The San Lorenzo, this will need more time, it’s still elegant but more powerful with a darker array of flavors, more spice driven, but texturally very complete and should age well.
2015 Luigi Oddero Rocche Rivera 14.5%
Has some more sweetness and depth of fruit on the nose than the other Crus, rose with a backing note of cinnamony spice, a touch of dried meat and braised fennel, with a middle eastern spice coriander quality,. Sleek and compact in the mouth, there is good depth of fruit here with a little added weight on the plate. The tannins are quite well rendered offering firm support on the palate to the blacker cherry fruit with shadings of licorice and blood orange adding detail. Very nice freshness with deeper, clay soil tones emerging on the backend. Fine length with an elegant finale. Very classic, just great rendition of warm vintage.
2015 Giulia Negri Barolo Morassio 14%
Gorgeous nose tight dark rose buds, briar, herb stem, with an innate sweetness to the perfumes, great complexity leaning more savory on the nose, this is impressive. There’s terrific substance to this wine with elegance, deeper and more complex than the other crus with such nuance and detail,. Long with extract of amarena cherry fruit, tight but it flows across the plate with such intensity leading to the long finish. This requires more time than the Serradenari but is as good even if I still prefer that wine.
2015. Pira Chiara Boschis Barolo Via Nuova 14.5%
Sweet oak spice and Oreo cookies pop on the nose followed by lots of floral lots aromas, sweet rose and violet, then turning into a bowl of fruit. Showing off such elegance with real cut on the palate, richly layered and yet less elegant than the Cannubi. Packed with angular fruit then finishing with real grace and lightness, good length, and gentle tannins. Very complete but really almost ready, it should age well but not for the long term. A faint suggestion of mint graces the moderately long finish with a touch of bitter, almost medicinal herbal character. Shows a hint of heat
2015 Brovia Barolo 14.5%
Tight on the nose with a little red currant lending this freshness, along with a bit of fennel, while forest floor emerges with time. Undoubtedly has the sweetness of the vintage, a bit dusty, and just a hint cedary on the palate with good acids lending the slightly roasted wild strawberry notes gorgeous tension and vibrancy on the palate. Fine detail with no excess weight; it’s just joyous on the palate, super fresh and clean with sandalwood notes that emerge on the backend. Decent length with some chinato spice emerging on the finish, lending this complexity and a slight medicinal edge. Finely packed with tannins.
2015 Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 14.5%
A little Big Red gum greets the nose along with lots of thyme, red berry fruit, and only a hint of black olive which is there but covered by other aromas. Quite well rounded and well balanced in the classic, complex and nuanced style. Subtle, with fine-grained tannins for the vintage and bright acids. While this shows terrific aromatics the palate it is a touch blocky, though admittedly with great intensity on the backend, and good length to the powdery finish. Persistent and fairly structured.
2015 Guido Porro Barolo Santa Catarina
Gorgeous aromatics show off layers of carob, earth, prune, even shadings of cocoa dust and some iron notes under the fruit driven aromatics of the Lazzairasco. A sweet entry, with flavors that are decidedly more complex than the Lazzairasco if less fruit driven, but still fruity. Nuanced earth, carob, and particularly complex spices notes emerge on the palate. The finish is currently a touch clipped by the tannin, though they are sweet and should integrate well. Absolutely delicious example of Barolo with such classic terroir driven perfumes in the mouth that haunt the finish. Carries with it fairly high acids which cleanse the palate.
2015 Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 14.5%
More depth to the nose than the Colonello, more masculine with mineral, and sandalwood aromas lending great complexity. On the nose this is nuanced and layered, still a hint of wood but here it really is layered under all the savory notes and minty-accented darker berry fruit but still not over-ripe. This is lovely, bright with juicy lingonberry and a hint of blackberry fruit. Ripe tannins, finely ripe, good acid lift lending elegance and length to this nuanced and powerful wine. This is fabulous, slightly angular, sandy tannins offering classic mouthgrab, lots of tannin in fact which are mostly hidden today by fruit which is fresh but has a lovely sweetness to it.
2015 Vietti Barolo Castiglione
Wow, very fresh on the nose with such spicy, balsamic notes then turning so sweetly florally, yet so cool. The nose here is mind-blowing, air brings out more sweetness and ripeness, along with a hint of wood spice and some dried fruit tones. Cool and compressed in the mouth, there's no fat here, which makes the austere, grand tannins quite obvious. So fresh with a hint of lemon accenting the core of wild berry, tart raspberry fruit, all showing good length, such detail and nuance. Intense, clean, fresh and precise. Such elegance, this is absolutely stunning for the price point
2015 Schiavenza Barolo Broglio 14.5%
Far more floral and precise on the nose than the Cerretta. A gentle suggestion of cellar floor and white mushroom lends complexity to the lightly medicinal nose which shows a hint of amaro like bitter/sweetness. This is ripe, broad, suave in the mouth, almost supple with all the richness but it's not weighty or clumsy. Flavors of bitter cherry fruit, bricks, and gentle spice on the long, slightly earthy finish. It's rugged, but so well rounded, a really compelling balance of ripeness and power.
2015 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Brunate
A hint of fudginess on the nose join aromas of rosehips, macerated cherries, flowers and herbs; quite aromatic and intense. Nice red fruits are layered over distinct herbal character in the mouth. A touch loose feeling and broad on the palate with bright tannins that have a touch of rusticity to them but here there are fine inner mouth perfumes, fruitier than the base Barolo but this too is a touch short at this stage. Embryonic, lovely purity on the finish, it really has lovely balance in a medium bodied style, with mint and noble austerity gracing the finish. Architectural tannins leave this feeling bright and high toned, energetic, really liking this needs 8 years in bottle, no shits given.
2015 Massolino Barolo Vigna Margheria
Lovely floral and slate aromatics greet the nose, with a hint of green spice seed top not. Brighter acids, this is very nice but here too there is a sense of imminent readiness. Lovely depth to the flavors on the palate, not terribly fruit driven but complex and nuanced with spice and seed notes, strawberry seeds, a hint of fennel and caraway seed. Ripe tannins lend length and grip to the moderately long finish, which shows a bit of lingonberry on the finale. There’s a lurking macerated cherry note that peeks out on the palate but this is atypically dark and mineral/spice driven today. Retronasally it’s very spice seeds again, fascinating wine. Wild cherry in alcohol a hint of prune balsamic spice and sand all come to the fore at times. Has some extra weight but lovely freshness and restraint for the vintage and again I am struck by the great depth on the palate which shows great cut with palate staining, powdery tannins. Cool mineral and a bit chewy. Feels soft but is tight and very well grounded by its structure.
92 Points
2015 Barolo Ettore Germano Cerretta
Aromas of chalk and antiseptic greet the nose in a penetrating and very masculine expression of Barolo; all spices, fennel, and leather on the nose. There's a sweetness here on entry, an edge of fruity fleshiness, then this turns very tense in the mouth, with finely ripe tannins that coat the palate. Shows fine length, a lovely wine that combines freshness and layers of admittedly masculine flavors. Stylistically I prefer other wines but this a solid choice for the cellar offering a fine representation of Cerretta cru.
2015 Agostino Bosco Barolo La Serra 14.5%
Darkly floral notes emerge on the nose along with a bit of ink, and some grey earthy dusty undertones. Fuller than the Neirane, but not full bodied, still transparent with lots of soil notes gracing the palate along with a relatively sweet core of cherry fruit, and some wildflower notes on the backend along with a touch of licorice spice. Shows great persistence with a real rugged feel due to the angular tannins. There’s plenty of fruit here covering the tannins and while this is almost chewy, it's a powerhouse with elegance, and great freshness.
2015 Giovanni Rocca Barolo Ravera di Monforte 14.5%
Again a bit of oak on the nose, a touch more than the Barolo but with intense perfumes of rose petals, spiced red cherry fruit, and a noticeable cinnamon note here, lending this a sweet/spicy red hots quality. Tight in the mouth, though effortlessly balanced, if with a bit of chew. More medicinal toned flavors than one finds in the Classico. Lovely ripeness to the tannins and the mid palate shows intense, chewy, soil driven flavors with fresh red cherry fruit and spice notes layered. This really is built on soil tones there’s plenty of fruit but they are almost secondary. Finishes with great length to the flavors of extract of black cherry.
2015 Cascina Ballarin Barolo Bussia 14.5%
Lots of incipient cigar box greets the nose followed by darker fruit, which is deeper and yet fresher than the other Crus here. A bit tight on the palate,, low but very finely knit, with deep, earthy, flavors. This is really quite elegant, not fully open today but it's not really hit by the wood, even the tannins remain obviously fruit tannins. Elegant subtle with some power, and great nuance.
2015 Sobrero Barolo Parussi 14%
Deep, muscular, and dark on the nose with a savory, seedy core accented with freshening notes of lemon rind and incense. A richer, rounder darker Barolo, lots of tannin here, a real counterpoint to the Ciabot Tanasio, deeper, earthier, chewier, rich with ripe tannins but more old school in the mouth. Shows good length, dark fruit with flavors of dried cherry fruit. So much more tannin and power and almost cola accented flavors.
2015 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne
Heady, ripe, lots of red fruit greets the nose along with hints of sandalwood and chestnut. Fresh if just fully ripe featuring a palate brimming with transparent fruit that is well supported by tannins that are ripe but powerful. Spice notes lend a burnished hue to the backend and long finish, which comes off as just a bit rustic. Complete if a touch matte and very youthful but with excellent balance and freshness.
2015 Luigi Coppo Barolo
Leathery on the nose which features deep, spiced, red cherry fruit and a hint of old wood. Smaller scaled in the mouth but nuanced, light and super elegant with fine detail and real tension. Lovely elegant style, juicy beautiful rendered fruit, firm but well measured tannins, they are ripe but abundant. This needs 2-5 years but should prove to be a lovely elegant, finely textured Barolo.
2015 Canonica ‘Grinzane Cavour 15%
Very sort of dusty and licorice scented, with earthy, savory, root cellar, complexity. Lovely in the mouth, bright, vertical, transparent, long, deep, minerally, leathery. Slightly dirty notes emerge on the nose. This opens to reveal a muscular core with lovely, fine grained, but abundant tannins supporting juicy, sour cherry fruit which shows good length. There’s a touch of Brett here I think so that needs to be looked out for.
2015 Cascina Fontana Barolo
Lots of berry fruit, some prune, with hints of hazelnut, mint, nettle, all lending a bit of a medicinal cast to the nose. Lovely in the mouth but the savory, nutty tannins seem to be closing this down already! Round in the mouth, vaguely opaque at this point, with good length. Rather taut yet carrying a rather heavy load of fruit. A bit rambunctious, classic slightly fruitier old school style which is powerful, yet well balanced but medium plus scale.
2015 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Arione
Decidedly balsamic on the nose with blood and exotic floral aromas lending this a delicate but savory, salty aromatic profile. Much more elegant, higher toned and more balsamic than the other Crus with a fine limestone base that emerges on the backend and drives the finish. Rather focused, wiry and lean wine, this is a more austere wine, a touch chewy, more classic perhaps but without the flesh and fruit of the Cerreta and lacking a bit of length.
2015 Pira Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi 14.5%
Dark blackberries, jammy fruit and a bit of wood spice emerge on the medium intense spicy and less overtly sweetly fruited nose. This is opulent, rich, full with black cherry/blackberry/ licorice fruit,. It’s still got enough acid to be fresh but his is a bit of a powerhouse, dark, muscular, and slightly medicinal. Quite polished and smoothly textured; it’s packed with fine-grained tannins. Savory on the palate with lots of incipient tobacco and spice on the backend. A touch animale, gamy. There’s really fine strength to the structure that should ensure long life but I would be concerned that the fruit ages faster than the tannins,
2015 Brovia Barolo Villero 14.5%
Sweet and almost spicy on the nose, here you get the sense that the heat has stripped way a touch of the aromatics. Light, elegant, with a slightly gingery aspect to the palate. Broad, very open, and on the soft side but with good structural foundation. There’s a fine gauze of red fruit, then this turns a touch dry on the finish. It’s a very pleasant wine; nicely rendered fruit is all laid out. There are no secrets here; very solid acids keep this remarkably fresh with sneaky power.
2015 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi
Rose petals, limestone, and sandalwood aromas offer up a very strict aromatic array that gains macerated citrus peels with air. Lean, ungenerous, totally classically structured and yet deep on the palate. Super fine grained tannin show, incredibly elegantly today and offer a wine with total transparency. Superb tannin ripeness, painfully classic, for the patient. Real finessed Barolo with austerity and delicacy.
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine 14.3%
Very fragrant with aromas of candied flowers and totally another level here with an intensity of fruit framed by notes of arugula and a little plantain. A hint of something vegetal between celeriac and fennel adds a grace note. Lovely feel, although this is slightly attenuated in the mouth. Tannins are ripe, good length, a bit of substance and dry extract tannins wrap it up on the finish. Good but not exceptional.
2015 Fratelli Oddero Barolo Rocche 14.5%
Tobacco, butchers wax, and dark cherry fruit join on the tight nose. And yet this is generous in the mouth with lovely bright acids lending freshness to the palate and drive to the finish, which shows lovely floral inner mouth perfumes. A bit chewy, energetic but the tannins are a bit dry. Shows, lots of limestone on the long finish, a bit chunky with fruit that shades a touch darker than, say 2013. A more opulent and structured wine.
2015 Fratelli Oddero Barolo Villero
This smells fleshy, with, lots of ripeness here, showing ripe if still fresh fruit though with a distinct burnished edge. Air brings out floral and cedar notes. In the mouth this shows impressive volume already, rounded tannins lend structure to the billowing fruit. Tannins are ripe but noble with an edge of austerity but the fruit easily handles the tannins through all but the very end of the finale, where the tannins emerge a bit exposed. Transparent, but a bit tough going today.
2015 G. D. Vajra Barolo Coste di Rose 14.5%
High toned and fresh on the nose with perfumed amarena cherries, lots of ivy, green herbs, rose stems, and sandy soil tones. Delicate on entry, fine-grained tannins lend attractive tension in the mouth which features a raspberry liquor tinged palate impression. Supple and elegant, a bit like Cannubi flavors but not in structure, this is very finely textured, very feminine feeling. Soil tones really emerge on the long dusty, almost chalky finish, which shows great delicacy and finesse. Delicious, if a bit easy today.
2015 Massolino Barolo Parussi
Sandy, almost beach notes greet the nose with a touch of salinity lurking under dark, slightly caramel tinged, roasted, candied orange notes with hints of menthol, tobacco and stone lending complexity. Lovely ripeness and brightness here, focused, a bit more focused but less expansive than the Serralunga Crus with a bitter cherry and soil driven palate. Fruitier in style this year, and while quite tannic not more tannic than Parafada. Very focused. Lovely finish of bitter cherry fruit, celery seed, and aromatic herbs but without the nuance and detail of the Parafda. Tannins seem a bit more rustic, this is quite attractive but a bit rough going today and the alcohol shows a touch here. Chewy and tannic a powerhouse; rich with dark fruit.. Deep savory flavors this should age well but will always be a bit of an angry wine though the quality is undeniable.
2015 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo
Floral with spicy pink peppercorn notes lending nice and brightness to the , strawberry tones. So fresh and bright, very red fruited on the palate with ripe tannins. Very fruity in a very sophisticated way, there’s significant firmness to the structure, though it remains quite lacy. This is fabulously elegant, bright, juicy complex enough but highlighting the fruit. Oh man this leaves nothing on the table, perhaps for earlier consumption, but what a gorgeous wine. Such incredible vibrancy and clarity.
2015 Burlotto Barolo Cannubi 14.5%
Tight with attractive aromatics, if a bit reticent but showing simple if pure cherry fruit with accent notes of very perfumy green herbs along with hints of fennel pollen and candied violet undertones. Supple, surprisingly supple in the mouth with fine grained tannins lending this transparency to the red fruits which are layered over lots of dusty, sandy soil tones. Elegant on the finish, not super impressive today but this will age particularly well. Will never be a powerhouse but marries power and elegance quite well.
2015 Ernesto Molino Barolo Bricco Rocca 14.5%
The nose here is very marked by complex dried herbs, with a little white spice lending freshness. Very elegant and fresh on the palate. Sergio says he had to pick a bit earlier because the sugar rose too fast, and that made this more linear and elegant which I happen to like. Flavors of small frutti del bosco and incipient mushroom tones grace the palate showing good complexity. Super ripe tannins are present but soft, supporting a fair carriage of fruit, which, while weighty, is not excessive. Offers a lovely finish, a bit of a peacock’s tail, with real depth and complexity. Easy to drink, even if it’s moderately tannic.
2015 Margherita Otto Barolo
Cola and spice aromas greets the nose, which are then joined by more floral notes of jasmine and layers of exotic spices with a touch of incipient forest floor. Lovely in the mouth, rich, burnished, fairly tannic, with important tannins well balanced by lovely acid. Shows a suggestion of sweetness on entry quickly followed by licorice and soil flavors that have decent length. Air reveals slightly jammy blueberry accents to the core of cherry fruit, which finishes with a minty touch. A beautiful wine, so well knit, nice blend of elegance and power that needs 5-7 years.
2015 Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello 14.5%
Wood is diminished but present, showing as a spice note. Aromas of licorice adds nuance to fruit aromas that take on a gently jammy sweetness with violet overtones. Seamless in the mouth, sweet tart on entry, though more tart than sweet, lending this a very lively nature, though wood tannins weight this down a touch. Very finely textured, gossamer with red fruits, fine mineral flavors from the mid palate and through the moderately long finish, tight, with hints of rose petals in the mouth. Turns quite rugged and chiseled, tight, very youthful, there a slight bitterness, mineral bitterness that adds depth to the palate, and contrast to the sweet fruit of the long finish. Air is kind here.
91Points
2015 Alberto Burzi Barolo 14%
Beautiful on the nose with so much red fruit and floral notes, deep but delicate, so delicate and fine, this is sheer elegance. Delivers a mouthful of subtle red fruit laid over a stony base note, with an elegant finish. Perhaps more of a super Nebbiolo than full on Barolo but the long and intense inner mouth perfumes are totally compelling. Pinotesque, it’s drinkable today, totally transparent and so finely textured but with deceptively firm tannins.
2015 Claudio Boggione Barolo Brunate 14.5%
Lovely floral and earth nose with some limestone spice and a hint of stemmy herbal/sassafras notes; dry fragrant and primary. Bright, taut, and juicy in the mouth with lots of acids here. Transparent and fairly delicate, definitely fills the mouth with fragrance, lacks a degree of integration and perhaps some flesh on the palate, though with good length, and a hidden sweetness to the fruit, austere and strict with lots of soil and mineral emerging on the nose.
2015 Guido Porro Barolo Lazzarito
Tight on the nose, which kicks off with lovely rosebud note, hints of mint, very cool and fresh. Here too one finds a hint of sweetness on entry, though the package is much more tightly bound and fresher with layers of sandalwood and cut cherry, which really extends on the finish. There's lovely detail here, a little less terroir that in the best vintages but once the wine leaves the mouth there's fantastic fruit, and more aromatics with a lovely sweetness, a touch simple but what it delivers it delivers very well.
2015 Marcarini Barolo Brunate
Soapy floral notes on the nose, a little spice, darkly fruited, very floral and very perfumed. Round with supple form in the mouth featuring lovely dark cherry/berry fruit. Slightly roasted and darkly earthy Brunate fruit here. Tannins are ripe; acids a touch soft, certainly a step up from the 14 with fruit freshening on the backend which shows off a lovely austerity. Sweet fruit emerges once again on the long finish. Really displays a peacock’s tail of a finish, classic Marcarini Brunate, subtle, sneaky power and the acids on the finish are not soft, they are covered by substance on the palate, there a lot of fruit here.
2015 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
High toned, floral, tarry, with lots of macerated wild strawberry on the very pretty, nose, with more detail and redder fruit than the Brunate. Less fat than the Bruante in the mouth, more focused and less flamboyant in feel, even more classic with hints of dried herbs, dried flowers, and sandy soil tones forming a base for the light, fresh, red fruit. Very clean and much more focused finish than the Brunate, this is austere and classic and while the Brunate does show hints of being a warmer vintage wine this retains all the cool character typical of La Serra. Savory, brushy tannins emerge on the lovely, juicy finale. Not a big wine but everything is here and well proportioned with hints of strawberry seeds and spices on the final. There is a ripeness here though a bit of extra glycerine that lends this more weight in the mouth than is typical
2015 Agostino Bosco Barolo Neirane 14.5%
Very floral on the nose with hints of sandy soil and mint. There’s a delicacy here as well as a slight oily seed darkness. Lovely on entry, transparent and taut, with tart red berry fruit, lots of soil tones, supported by angular, fine tannins. Juicy with good length, lots of floral inner mouth perfumes on the moderately long tart citrus and red fruited finish. Lovely wine, fairly tannic but with real freshness to it. All those tannins are well matched by the acidity.
2015 Reverdito Barolo Ascheri
Quite focused on the nose, though offering up old school aromas of forest floor, red fruits, lingonberry, and red currants, which are mineral laced. Supple on entry with gorgeous sweetness to the amber framed red fruit flavors. Poised on the palate, with good depth to the flavors in a linear style, clean and fresh. Well-judged tannins, which are ripe and supple, build through the palate offering some mouthgrab on the long finish, which adds a hint of grapefruit pith to contrast with the red fruit flavors. Elegance and finesse, very perfumed on the finish with lovely mouth grabbing tannins.
2015 Reverdito Barolo Bricco Cogni
Spicy and rose scented on the nose with an earthy base and rich woodland fruits that show an earthy base of chalky/slatey, white oil driven flavors and spice notes. A bigger richer mouthful of Barolo but still transparent and very fresh, really a lovely wine, not too challenging for a beginner but rewarding for those who know Barolo. Chewy on the backend, fairly long with a lovely combination of tart red fruits and dusty minerality driving the finish. There’s really very little here to indicate that the vintage was hot and nothing seems forced at all, just juicy, pure, small scaled yet very harmonious and almost Burgundian Barolo.
2015 Reverdito Barolo Badarina
More savory, darker and spicier on the nose, offering up an infusion of flowers and medicinal notes, tree bark, dried orange peel, and macerated cherries. A slightly richer and fruitier expression of Nebbiolo, real cherries in the mouth here with some substance buffering the lacy yet firm structure. Good length with lots of acid driven bite on the back end of lovely, earthy, clay undertones. Really fine balance for a slightly rounded, yet layered style of Barolo,
2015 Cascina Ballarin Barolo Tre Ciabot 14%
Leathery, and a bit spicy on the nose with aromas of cherry and cinnamon, floating above a meaty base. Dark and chewy in the mouth, which offers up lots of dark wild cherry fruit. A lovely wine showing some woodland spice and minerality on the midpalate, which remains clean and fresh. Tannins are powerful yet ripe, adding a firm kick to the rather long finish, Needs a few years but should be lovely.
2015 Cascina Ballarin Barolo Bricco Rocca 14.5%
Dried flowers and chestnut greet the smoky nose which shows a suggestion of paprika and some tobacco elements. A little fuller in the mouth, more forward, certainly richer and softer on entry, almost lush with tannins that are polished and fine. A bit short, and a bit pinched on the finish at this stage, yet also round, generous and complex. A gutsy, lusty not so little wine that also needs several years in bottle before revealing its full potential
2015 Monchiero Barolo 14.5%
A bit more savoriness here, leather, deeper, with seedy herbaceousness and a candied medicinal tone. Offers up an extra level of intensity and complexity, more tannic and more angular in the mouth than the 2014. A full, juicy, wine offering up flavors of rose hips, tart berry fruit, astringent red berry fruit with good persistence. Fairly powerful, this is very good and quite long.
2015 Rocche Costamagna Barolo Rocche dell Annunziata 14.5%
Deeper, more cherry pit fruit, dried herbs, more savory earthy character than the base Barolo. Delicate and elegant wine, with just a slight chew on the palate, which features powerful, fine grained tannins emerging on the moderately long finish. Lovely fine grained wine, very La Morra, good depth on the palate, vinous savoriness, which is slightly herbal/root veg tinged, needs 3-5 years, though the alcohol does peek out on the finale.
2015 RoccheViberti Barolo Bricco Boschis 14.5%
Leathery, bright, lovely with an almost peppery undertone to the darkly burnished, fruity aromas, which gain earthy, fresh herbal nuance with air. Rather intense and fine aromatics. Opens with a gentle sweetness on the palate, which is clean and fresh, in a classic style. Crystal clear on the palate, clean, long, with superb tannins on the finish, this shows terrific balance and a lovely presentation of ripe yet not overwhelming complexity of flavors. A little amaro like on the finish.
2015 Sobrero Barolo Ciabot Tanasio 14%
Complex on the nose and offering up aromas of dried flowers, dried strawberries, smoke, earth, and a hint of old saddle. Fresh, bright, and light on the palate, wonderfully fresh and well balanced in an easy drinking style but deceptive as this offers excellent depth and complexity. Tannins are ripe, not fierce, but important offering good length. Very delicate and nuanced perfumed on the finish and with a moderately fruity finale.
2015 Einaudi Barolo Terlo 14.5%
Sandy soil and slightly vegetal aromas frame a core of ripe red fruit that is a little smoky with a hint of dried meatiness. Cool and compressed in the mouth delivering a nuanced, elegant, and feminine palate impression. There’s real delicacy here with a firm if well measured and gentle power. Real focus on the moderately long finish where the ripeness of the vintage becomes more evident with slightly jammy accents to the sandalwood tones, wild strawberry wild cherry fruit. Lovely grip on the back end.
2015 Paolo Conterno Barolo Ginestra. 15%
Much more attractive on the nose than the Classico with more depth and nuance to the camphor, spice, and white pepper aromas that turn a bit meaty then with that wild fennel, spearmint spice of Ginestra. Very bright on entry with flavors of Rainier cherry framed with dried lemon and orange peel. It’s still a rather gentle wine, tannic and taut with fine mineral rustiness on the midpalate and extending through the finish. Not a powerhouse but ageworthy. Will be interesting to see how this ages. Long aromatic finish with a hint of warmth, and a nutty finale.
2015 Cascina Fontana Barolo Castiglione Falletto 14%
More fragrant with notable aromas of ivy, white soil, cherry and cherry stems greeting the nose. Softer than the Classico with riper tannins, more supple and fruitier character but remains very bright and juicy with more herbal nuance and detail, if a bit shorter on the finish,. This needs more time to unfold, very compact today with a decided richness of flavor early on the palate then lovely autumnal notes and ripe tannins powering the finish. Gets better with air, softer and fruitier
2015 Fratelli Oddero Barolo 14%
A touch of maple syrup sweetness here, followed by lots of very ripe fruit, a bit leafy perhaps and with an interesting juxtaposition of over ripe and ripe with violet pastille top notes. Rich, and fairly tense in the mouth, just a lovely wine full of wild cherry fruit with a bramble aspect to it, broadening our on the backend. Tannins are a hint dry, if very fine. Decidedly old school in style. Dry, clean, and soil driven with fine minerality on the long finish, showing a fine echo of fruit, and a hint of alcohol warmth.
2015 Ferdinando Principiano Barolo Ravera 13.5%
Fruitier on the nose, but so fresh with minty, green, herbal, green anise seeds accent that frame the core of lovely, liquory fruit with jasmine like, and truffle top notes. Round in the mouth, bright, lean but intense and with terrific energy. Fruity, but with a lightness and delicacy. There’s the delicacy of vines on sandy here, all elegantly rendered with braised fennel and strawberry fruit flavors that have a slight medicinal aspect to them. Licorice and balsamic inner mouth perfumes grace the moderately long finish.
2015 Giulia Negri Barolo Tartufaia 14%
Fruity and open on the nose, showing a hint of blueberry, over a mostly strawberry, strawberry tops core with just a hint of pollen flowers. Good tension in the mouth with perhaps just a bit of extra fruit weight lending this roundness. Fine if not exceptional depth of flavor, there’s certainly an elegance here and good detail on the palate with a lovely finish that shows hints of bitter briar and extract of unsweetened berry fruit. Just a touch four square.
2015 Burlotto Barolo Acclivi 14.5%
Finer more nuanced a little nuttier with a hint of rosehips and dried flowers lending complexity to the liquory red berry and wild raspberry fruit. Less overt power in the mouth than one finds with the Classico but this is both more elegant and more age worthy. Showing good nuance and complexity, it's a much more elegant style, transparent and delicate that finishes with palate staining minerality and a salty finale. Quite classic and structured.
2015 Trediberri Barolo 14%
Gorgeous intensity on the nose there is some supporting oak spice, which should integrate. Just deep briary fruit with a suggestion of bacon from the oak. A bit of chew but elegant and fresh in the mouth with dark fruit, mulberry and blackberry tinged but without jamminess. Finishes softly and a bit quietly, but this is very suave with almost an edge of sweetness to the fruit. Lacks some of the excitement of the vintages to come as it is a bit chunkier and sweetie but still very good.
2015 Burlotto Barolo 14.5%
Gorgeous fruit on the nose, with an aromatic intense to the minty, cool, dark cherry fruit that is striking. Rich, structure in the mouth is amply covered with soft fruit, revealing edges of well judged powdery tannins that seep across the palate. A bit reticent on the palate perhaps but with such fine innermouth perfumes that this remains compelling, just a bit shorter than might hope for, yet so aromatic, it’s still a wow entry-level Barolo.
2015 Luigi Oddero Barolo 14.5%
Gorgeous aromatics, ripe fruit, slightly roasted even but still red fruited, with a bit of a spicy balsamic accent and some licorice tones. Gorgeous and precise on the nose, but there’s significant ripeness here. Lovely on entry, a very attractive blend of austerity and super ripe cherry fruit. Tannins are ripe as well, very pleasurable but perhaps lacks the complexity of the best, but this does show fabulous fruit with great brightness and freshness for the vintage, lovely tannins, good length, solid base Barolo.
2015 Ferdinando Principiano Barolo Commune di Serralunga
Very liquory. A unique example of Barolo, all medicinal on the nose with a slight cola, spicy seedy top note. This is very classic, very old school, very cool climate Barolo. Tannins are firm, distinct but in total harmony with the flesh of the wine, which is admittedly modest. Dusty tannins remind me of wines produced in the 60s and 70s, Complex with such fine flavors not bound up in fruitiness,
90 Points
2015 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis
Braised herb aromas and creamy cafe at lait top the nose over a bit of blood lots of wild flower and soil aromas. Round generous almost voluptuous, with plenty of red cherry fruit which is bright and juicy if fairly ripe. Good tannic bite, a bit round already yet very fresh and with delicious if slightly simple fruit. The nose is a touch more complex than the palate none.
2015 Einaudi Barolo Cannubi 14.5%
Lovely floral, wild meadow and herbal aromas on the nose gain a very fine tiny cherries and strawberries in alcohol base note. Smokier, almost bacon fatty with base hints of balsamic herb. Lighter, lithe, and more elegant if with richer fruit on the palate. Tight and tense across the midpalate then turning fairly tannic. Perhaps a touch too tannic for Cannubi though fine inner mouth perfumes emerge on the finale. Almost a hint of blueberry reflecting the warmth of the vintage. Elegant up front, then turning a little rough on the back.
2015 Giovanni Viberti Barolo Buon Padre 14.5%
One senses the warmth of the vintage here, there’s a note of confiture to the red fruits, which are well framed by hints of spice, sandalwood, small wildflowers and a note of grassy herbaceousness. Big on entry, chewy but fresh, showing some mushroom notes deep on the palate already. Quite tannic, chewy, a moderately big wine, clean and bright on the finish but here too the flavors are gently burnished. Rose petals emerge on the nose, elegant and finely textured but big with notable dry extract. Really persistence has a finale note of wood tannin and hazelnut.
2015 Marcarini Barolo del Comune di La Morra
Wide open and a bit fleshy on the nose, with lots of sweet fruit a hint of peach and some exotic fruit accents then turning fairly floral with air. Lovely bright, transparent, tense little wine, with lots of cherry fruit, ripe tannins, lacks the power of the Brunate or the complexity of the La Serra but does offer a lovely synthesis of the two. Very juicy and showing good length. A little more approachable but still a Barolo with plenty of tannins and a lovely orange tone and rose petals on the juicy finish. Delicious and quite approachable.
2015 Reverdito Barolo Classico
Lots of cooling woodland spice, menthol, pine, and tar greet the nose, which is not very fruity, Smooth, and fairly supple, even almost sweet with jammy dark fruits on entry, then turns alive with fine acidity and polished if present tannins in the mouth. Clean and precise, much more fruit on the palate than the nose. Clean classic Nebbiolo presentation which already approachable, though tannins grow on the backend, this has retained lovely acidity and freshness. A fine showing for a wine bottled two weeks prior to tasting.
2015 Palladino Barolo Serralunga 14.5%
Dark berry in alcohol, very fruity on the nose, with lots of sandalwood spice, high toned and intense. Chewy, laden with fruit, it's very ripe but not over ripe, lots of burnished fruit, lovely transparency for a wine of this size, very subtle medicinal note on the palate and important if not big tannins on the moderately long finish.
2015 Monchiero Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 14.5%
Sweet and spiced on the nose, shows a hint of wood on the nose, floral, orange lime rind, a nicely balanced, and easy expression of Rocche, perfumes. Subtle and transparent with good length in the mouth. Fine grained tannins, lots of red fruit, just a little less intense than typical, still in this vintage it works very well, remaining quite succulent, though the alcohol does peek out on the finale.
2015 Roccheviberti Barolo Rocche 14.5%
Rose petals, wild herbs, and a hint of sweetness come together on the rather high toned and pretty nose with top notes of smoke and sandalwood but also a bit of animale, fruity, round, ripe tannins help support lovely texture in the mouth. Earthy, certainly a more rustic expression of Rocche but shows the fine balance of fruit and silky tannins of the site. Clean, fresh tight finish, overall well balanced, should improve but it's got plenty of dusty tannins that lend this some chew.
2015 Einaudi Barolo 14.5%
Shows a hint of nutty sweet oak influence on the nose. Tight, a bit heathery with some green floral notes. Supple in the mouth, lots of red fruit, easy going but attractive with sandy soil tones accenting the strawberry with a touch of spice. Fine, ripe tannins lend good persistence. Everything is in balance, no sign of heat, good clarity excellent intro Barolo. Finishes with more impact layered fruit and tannin good length if a touch simple still.
2015 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo 14%
Classic, light cherries in alcohol, sandy soil, and a faint herbal hint greet the nose. Graceful, this could be nothing but Barolo, rather floral in the mouth, with a hint of nuttiness, amarena cherries and a touch of orange rind. Deceptively supple today, there's a lovely, graceful structure here, delicacy good snap and focus on the finish which turns to a leaner expression. This needs time, will age a bit quickly and lacks the concentration of the greatest vintages but inner mouth perfumes of fruit, flowers, and even a hint of evergreen herbs portend positive development.
2015 Massolino Barolo 14%
A bit astringent on the nose, lovely aromatics, very austere, with aromas of rose hips, a bit of clay soil, small wild red berry fruit, and a touch of gaminess. Surprisingly supple, broad, and yet transparent in the mouth. Perhaps a bit more evolved than one might expect, lovely ripe tannins good acids, lovely pithy orange farming notes surround bitter cherry fruit, tannins turn nutty on the back end here as well. Very pleasant already, fairly complete but should be relatively early maturing, perhaps best between 8-12 years. There’s a very subtle but pleasant balsamic note on the finish, good length.
89 Points
2015 Anna Maria Abbona Barolo 14.5%
Intense on the nose with perfumes of rosehips, sandalwood, golden berry fruit coming together with a very high-toned profile. Lighter bodied, with lovely brightness in the mouth, though the fruit does come off as a bit burnished. Nuanced and youthful, but not for long ageing though it still needs some time, 2-3 years but delivers plenty of authentic Barolo flavors and textures.
2015 Giovanni Obrigo Barolo Ravera 14.5%
Perfumed with lovely, dusky, floral notes and aromas of roasted cherry. Subtle and nuanced, though a bit on the smoky earthy side. Supple on entry, there's a lot of fruit here though it's not fruity, shows some restraint, fine balance, tannic but not overdone. A bit earthy with balsamic hints on the back end and through the moderately long finish. A classic Barolo trying just a little too hard, though this could be the vintage, but this does feel too extracted or over ripe, just a bit too tannic as well, lots of fruit, though burnished and mature.
2015 Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia 14.5%
An accent note of wood tops the nose followed by balsamic shaded, slightly cooked yet fresh red berry fruit, which is very lingonberry raspberry toned, with leather and mineral base notes. Generous yet fresh in the mouth, broad on the palate with plenty of rich, sweet, slightly roasted red berry raspberry fruit. With good length, this carries a lot of fruit, which is already approachable. Slightly chewy with some wood tannin on the finish, which is light and fresh, this needs a bit of bottle age to find its balance.
2015 Giovanni Rocca Barolo 14%
Cedary, sandalwood, sweet red fruits, again a touch of inoffensive if obvious oak spice lends complexity, Sexy, elegant, good concentrate of red fruit, lovely depth to the macerated strawberry flavors on the palate. A touch simple at this stage, and rigid but this is lovely, fine grained tannins, washing the palate through the finish. A bit masculine, not quite, but almost medicinal in the mouth with lots of flavor. Needs 3-4 years, perhaps showing a vague suggestion of warmth on the finale, which features lots of soil driven salinity.
2015 Schiavenza Barolo Serralunga 15%
Dusty, old school aromatics, with dried burnished fruits on the nose. There's a lot of fruit here, ripe, burnished sweet, bricky old school fruit, with some bitter cherry and mineral accents. Good length, real classic muscular Barolo with powerful but ripe tannins but it does come off as a bit four square.
88 Points
2015 Flavio Saglietti Barolo Cerequio 14%
A bit soil driven, lighter on the nose, a bit more red fruited and floral, very wild herb, wild fennel, a hint of quinine and overall rather marked by cappello sommerso. Big on entry, powerful, deep, a bit chewy and a bit nutty. Shows good acids, lots of sour cherry fruit earthy and rather herbal. Biggish tannins, lots of fruit tannins, rustic with an intense herbal base note, deep, old viney, very briary, savory flavors. A throwback wine, classic primordial Barolo.
2015. Flavio Saglietti Barolo Brunate 14%
Filter paddy, floral a little spice, red fruit, reticent, fairly closed, tight, inky, muscular, almost chewy, have to go on the inner mouth perfumes, here which are very attractive, good tannins, minty, decent length along with good depth here. A really nice, rather firm expression of Brunate. Rose and black cherry fruited, but quite perfumed in the mouth, which has licorice tones and an impression of old wood impact lending complexity.
2015 Gianni Ramello Barolo Rocchettevino 14.5%
Very high toned, with very fresh, lemon zest perfumed, rosehips, cranberry fruit. Gentle and easygoing in the mouth, fairly tannic but fresh. A bit lacking in depth it’s lacy in the mouth, clean, fresh finish. A bit short today but nicely aromatic on the finish, very clean, air brings out significant, tart flavors along with some dried cherry fruit and a little cardamom spice along with some coriander inner mouth floral and more citrus notes as well. Lovely bright, honest Barolo.
2015 Rocche Costamagna Barolo 14%
Delicate on the nose, might show a suggestion of harvest late with aromas that lean toward dried fruits and spices, with a gentle floral top note. In the mouth this is very pleasant, almost ready to drink with good acids and very ripe tannins, a fine mineral hint and some clay spice on the palate. A bit short, but juicy and pleasant with finely framed fruit red cherry, easy drinking needs another year very approachable.
2015 Angelo Veglio Barolo 14.5%
A touch of wood tops a decidedly rose scented and sweet cherry fruited nose that throws off hints of violet, chalk and pollen flowers. Enters the mouth with slightly dried cherry flavors, bright with acid but the heat of the vintage does show up here. There’s a lightness to this, with good lift on the palate but that might come from some overcropping, which didn’t hurt in 2015. Floral inner mouth perfumes lead to a lovely, clean, long if simple minty, red raspberry and herb stem finish. Classic structure, fine acids and tannins, definitely aggressive today.
2015 Ciabot Berton Barolo La Morra 14%
Very fruity on the nose all cherries and raspberry preserves with lovely top notes of leather,' fennel, and roasted chestnut. Supple, rich, balanced, easy to drink quite open with tannins that creep in on the modest finish. Limited complexity but classic easy going Barolo that turns a touch spicy on the finish.
87 Points
2015 Luca Aimasso Barolo Brunate
Smells of raw wood aromas with, not much else showing up today which makes them stand out even more. Dry, delicate, and fresh in the mouth with zesty tannins. A minor wine, with a fair carriage of wood tannin. More akin to a fine Nebbiolo, a bit too delicate to be Barolo perhaps. Finishes with good length, texturally there is a lot to like here, it’s silky, delicate and fine, a touch of saltiness graces the finish.
2015 Schiavenza Prapo Barolo 14.5%
Spicy, small berried fruits greet the nose framed by hints of woodland spice, blood, and a bit creamy if not okay. Fresher and riper than the Cerretta but this too is very tannic, dry yet fine grained, a bit too austere for me even. There's a decent level of fruit here but the flavors veer off towards the mineral, limestone end of the spectrum, very tough going today. This needs time.
2015 Barolo Ettore Germano Serralunga
Very spicy on the nose with a wide array of woodland spice, spicy herbal tones, sage, chalk, and pink peppercorn. Surprisingly voluptuous and rounded in the mouth with fresh flavors but especially after the 2014 this comes off as a touch flat and soft on the palate. Classic flavors, modest length, easy going but complex, a great restaurant wine. Fairly open already.
2015 Francesco Borgogno Barolo 14.5%
Low on the nose, earthy and balsamic, with hints of roasted cherry, leather and mint. Very soft on entry, easy going, fairly tannic even if the tannins are small, making this a bit chewy. Fairly closed at the moment but it does seem to have classic character if modest proportions, lacks some height on the palate, but the flavors of black cherry, earth, and balsamic spice do emerge with time. Finishes fairly well with good fruit and floral and spiced inner mouth perfumes and lovely ripe tannins, it is just a little too soft.
86 Points
2015 Luca Marenco Barolo
Smells of new wood, which is partially the goal but also unavoidable with a new producer. Other aromas are not very intense, which makes the wood more noticeable. Dry, delicate, and fresh in the mouth with zesty tannins. A minor wine, with a fair carriage of wood tannin. More Nebbiolo than Barolo perhaps, with a nice finish. Texturally there is a lot to like here, it’s silky, delicate and fine, a touch of saltiness graces the finish.
Not recommended
2015 Schiavenza Barolo Cerretta 15%
Riper on the nose, with lots of fruit, dried cherry, chalk, leathery and a little smoky. Sweet with fruit, lacks the balance of the Broglio, lacks a bit of a middle core, and tannins are a bit harsh, perhaps a bit too warm as well, but this doesn't come off as a great success, bitter tannins on the finish, harsh, unbalanced.