We don’t often see two whizz-bang vintages happen
back-to-back (the 2009/2010 combo in Bordeaux and 2015/2016 in Tuscany come to
mind) but that very abnormality has happened recently in Piedmont. We saw 2016
coming for miles: outstanding quality up and down the Italian peninsula (in
much of Western Europe, truthfully), a classic,
put-it-on-the-shelf-and-admire-it kind of vintage that produced exquisitely
built, ageable wines, there was no doubt that these Barolos and Barbarescos
would be crazy good. 2017, however, is more of a surprise: hotter than Adam
Driver in a bad mood, 2017 had mixed results in the rest of Italy, stealing
elegance in exchange for oomph, not always welcome in more finessed wines. As
the Italian 2017s were released over the last two years, there was good reason
to expect that the northern Italian Nebbiolos, always released a little later,
would be flat and cooked.
But then the 2017 Barolos and Barbarescos started to be
released, and reviewers and collectors alike exclaimed a very
green-eggs-and-ham-like “Saaaaaaaaaay!”. There’s a little more fruit present,
but not over-ripeness or cooked notes, notably because growers have had to
figure out how to cope with a hot year (they’re not as surprising anymore),
and they’re way better at producing elegant, classic Nebbiolo despite
the added challenge. Vinous’ Antonio Galloni says “the wines challenge
preconceived ideas of what wines from hot years can be”, and although he and
Parker slightly favour the 2016s, James Suckling actually favours the 2017
vintage.
So, needless to say, I’ve been busy. I’ve been collecting
small batches of 2016s and 2017s, and just like with Burgundy, I buy wide but
not deep, so there’s often only a few bottles of each selection. This is a big
collection – probably the most Piedmont I’ve ever offered – so take your time
with it, but if you want something don’t delay because you’re probably not the
only one who does.
We begin:
Figli Luigi Oddero
Odderos have been Odderoing in Barolo since the 1800s, and were part of the
first wave of producers to sell wines straight to consumers, rather than to
their local church. Seeking a different path than his brother Giacomo, Luigi
Oddero split with his family’s winery in 2006 to start this eponymous house,
which was going great until he passed in 2010. His wife Lena and their two kids
carried on his work, but without Luigi’s generational wisdom in the cellar they
were lost, until Lena made the best decision possible: she hired Dante
Scaglioni—a local who had worked for 25 years as the winemaker for the
legendary Bruno Giacosa, and the fireworks went off. Neither firmly in the Trad
nor Modern camp, Dante makes clean, precise wines using older methods (long
ferments, old oak Botti). I have:
Luigi Oddero Barbaresco Rombone 2016
From a 2 ½ hectare plot of 30yr-old vines in Rombone cru
in Barbaresco’s Treisa region. Great purity of fruit: rose-covered strawberries
and sweet cherries, held together by a firm but kind structure. Herbal and
forest floor notes linger. 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 6 bottles available,
$99.98 +tax
Luigi Oddero Barolo 2016
A gorgeous swirl of high-toned spices and deep red fruits, culled from
several of the family’s holdings in various crus. Good tension between fruit
and structure. Generous and fresh, a nice statement of vintage. 96 points
Wine Enthusiast, 6 bottles available, $106.98 +tax
Luigi Oddero Barolo Rocche Rivera 2008
Blast from the past from a cru in a cru – adjacent to the
Rocche di Castiglione in the Scaronne cru in the commune of Castiglione
Faletto, Rocche Rivera boasts the best exposure in the whole cru. Built like a
racehorse, it has only just entered the don’t-bite-me window and will remain
here for two decades. Mentholated cherries, crushed stones and herbs.
Conservate and elegant. 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 6 bottles available,
$193.98 +tax
Pico Maccario
Long-time growers but recent winemakers (founded in 1997), Pico and Vitaliano
Maccario’s first love was Barbera, but the brothers have grown their
forward-looking winery in Mombaruzzo to include small releases of Nebbiolos as
well. Quick ferments and modest barrel-aging in both Barrique and Botti make
bold, direct wines of purpose.
Pico Maccario “Tre Roveri” Nizza 2018
The Smart Italian Party Wine. 100% Barbera from their
family’s vineyard in Nizza (the only DOCG where Barbera rules the roost). Loud
and proud with unapologetic heft and oaky notes of vanilla supporting the spicy
dark berries. Coffee and anise dance throughout. This Barbera never got pushed
around in the schoolyard. Quite untraditional and outstanding, drinks like
twice the price. Tre- Bicchieri (3 glasses = top score) Gambero Rosso, 5
6-packs available, $51.98 +tax
Pico Maccario Barolo 2017
Nebbiolo mostly from the feisty commune of Serralunga d’Alba, bold and
balanced with strong fruit and a surprising level of drinkability and
concentration. Lavender and strawberry lead the nose, licorice and rich cherry
glide from palate to finish. Well-integrated even this young, featuring high
levels of Deliciosity™. Not yet rated, 3 6-packs
available, $62.98 +tax
Elio Sandri
I’ve never met Elio Sandri – I’m
not sure I could, as he’s known to chase wine press off his property with a
rake – but based on his wines I’m guessing I could outrun him because he’s
probably too traditional to wear shoes. This is the Barolo of yore, vinified by
basically waiting, with months-long whole-cluster ferments, minimal extraction
and ancient oak. Tiny productions from the wee Perno cru and a haphazard
approach to marketing and exports (and answering the phone) have only increased
his legend; far more markets want his wines than get his wines,
which is why it’s nearly miraculous that I can offer the following:
Elio Sandri Barolo Perno 2016
A future epic. Earth and tobacco
surround the bright cherry notes, with plum, olives and leather falling into
place. A portal to the past that won’t open for another 5 years. Mint and cedar
on the statuesque finish. 96 points Wine Enthusiast, 3 6-packs available,
$111.98 +tax
Elio Sandri Barolo Perno Riserva 2015
Roses and orange zest
open the festivities, with violets and saline-tinged berries rounding out the
middle and end. Unusually for a Sandri wine, this one is aaaaalmost
there – it’s rounder than much of his work – but a couple more years would be
ideal. 96 points Wine Enthusiast, 95 points Vinous, 3 6-packs available,
$123.98 +tax
Domenico Clerico
An unabashed modernist, Domenico Clerico has caught
flak for his use of Barriques and Burgundian casks, but his critics forget that
when he inherited his family’s plots in 1977, his approach was
traditional – it was only his decades-long relationship with the few vineyards
he farmed that led him to micro-focus on the unique fruit footprints of each
site, seeking clean, transparent Burgundian expressions of place. These 2016
Barolos are the last ones Domenico made before his passing in 2017.
Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana 2016
From the Pajana vineyard in the
Ginestra cru in Monforte d’Alba, named after an ancient path that bisects it,
and planted by Domenico’s dad in 1971. Intense and concentrated with game,
forest floor and blood orange underscoring the cassis and plums. Quite full,
about 3 years out from paydirt. 96 points Robert Parker, 96 points James
Suckling, 6 bottles available, $166.98 +tax
Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin 2016
Also in the Ginestra cru
at the top of the hill, the east-facing vineyard named Ciabot Mentin (after the
previous owner’s tool shed) produces a dynamic balance of grace and oomph.
Densely structured but nearly in the drinking window, orange and mint
give way to layers of cassis and violets – a huge body but a wonderfully
elegant landing. 97+ points Robert Parker, 95 points Wine Spectator, 6
bottles available, $166.98 +tax
Domenico Clerico Barolo Aeroplan Servaj 2016
His father, out of
admiration and concern, called free-spirited young Domenico “little airplane”,
a nickname that the adult Domenico gave to this west-facing vineyard in the
Baudana cru of Serralunga d’Alba. A study of how richness and energy play off
of each other, with lurking ferrous notes beneath the linear cherry and
garrigue. More high-toned and savoury than his other Barolos, this gorgeous
beast was Domenico’s definitive statement. 97+ points Robert Parker, 6
bottles available, $192.98 +tax
Produttori del Barbaresco
Although Angelo Gaja is primarily responsible for initially putting Barbaresco
in people’s minds, this superlative co-operative helped put Barbaresco on the
map by putting it in people’s hands. Started in the 1890s, dissolved in
1930 because, you know, Fascism, then rebirthed in the 1950s, Produttori
gathered enough quality growers together to export great Barbaresco to
the wine-drinking world, creating an amazing first impression and cementing the
village’s status as a worthy partner to Barolo. Avoiding the stratospheric
price jumps of most of their contemporaries, Produttori is nonetheless
considered a benchmark of traditional Barbaresco, farming choice plots in the
best crus, such as:
Produttori del Barbaresco Paje Riserva 2016. A south-west facing natural amphitheatre whose collected heat is tempered by the nearby Tanaro river. Slightly brandied cherry notes surrounded by tar and smoke, quite dense with broad shoulders, long anise-laced finish. Best in 5 years. 96 points Vinous, 95 points Robert Parker, 95 points Wine Spectator, 18 bottles available, $80.98 +tax
Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva 2016
South-east facing,
collecting the morning sun. Accordingly, Muncagota is more delicate on the nose
(not the body, yowsers), with heightened floral aspects and characteristic mint
vibes over the earth-driven iron and gravel notes. Full and bold on palate with
considerable structure. 96 points Robert Parker, 95 points Wine Spectator,
18 bottles available, $80.98 +tax
Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo Riserva 2016
A long hill with
south-west exposure, known for softer structures and hidden power. A burst of
licorice and eucalypt over a medium body of plums and salinity. 96 points
Robert Parker, 95 points Wine Spectator, 18 bottles available, $80.98 +tax
Michele Chiarlo
For four generations, the Chiarlos have been
delicious pragmatists, farming all over the Langhe, never putting all their
chips on one village or one grape, and focusing on balanced, terroir-correct,
ultimately drinkable wines. Even in off-vintages (which these are not),
they excel in putting a wine in your glass that will perfectly show the grape
and region with no caveats (and no bells or whistles). We have:
Michele Chiarlo “Palas” Barolo 2016
A multi-commune cuvée, with fruit
from Monforte, Verduno, and La Morra. A drinker’s Barolo, with soft(ish)
integrated tannins supporting the balsamic strawberry and vanilla notes. Not
super pigmented but quite powerful, my colleagues and I tasted this blind and
put it closer to $100 – wonderful value, exclusive to Everything Wine. 94
points James Suckling, 6 cases available, Reg price $59.99, Sale Price
$54.99 +tax
Michele Chiarlo “Cipressi” Nizza 2018
100% Barbera from
Chiarlo’s La Court estate in Nizza, using only the sunniest parcels. Sweet
spices lift the fresh raspberry and blackberry compote over a full-bodied bed
of violets. Less acidic than most Nizza, a soft landing with more lingering
cinnamon and nutmeg. Not yet rated, 18 bottles available, $39.99 +tax
GAJA
Angelo Gaja, besides revolutionizing and modernizing what was once an unknown,
backwards wine village, put Barbaresco into world-wine-consciousness by sheer
force of personality. Now semi-retired, the estate is run by his daughter Gaia
(never thought of it before, but I’m grateful that my parents didn’t name me
Jordan Giordan), but the family strengths live on in the wine and personality
(Gaia is her own proper tempest). Global shipping awesomeness prevented me from
grabbing more, but I’m grateful to have:
GAJA “DaGromis” Barolo 2016
Back in 1995, Gaja acquired the
vineyards adjacent to their Sperss and Contesia sites from the Gromis family
(DaGromis literally means “at home with the Gromisses”), and they vinify each
vineyard separately before ultimately blending them into this deeply rich cuvée
with fresh overtones. Aged in Barriques for 2 ½
years, the nose shows intense orange and red grapefruit over cassis,
crushed rocks and cinnamon. Racy and powerful. Not submitted for review, 12
bottles available, $169.98 +tax
Giacomo Fenocchio
When Claudio Fenocchio took over winemaking duties after his dad passed in
1989, he was the fifth Fenocchio to make wine in the Barolo commune of Monforte
d’Alba, but the first to scale back his methods to adopt a non-interventionist
approach (as much as one can in a colder climate), seeking to return to
pre-industrial expressions of his ancient crus. He farms organically and
favours long, spontaneous ferments, aging only in large, Slavonian casks,
producing Barolos of precise terroir and purpose. The New York Times rated
Fenocchio second place in a tasting of 2010 Barolos – coming behind only
Elio Altare and ahead of Elio Grasso, Massolino, and Vietti, and his wines sell
out quickly. I’m stoked to have:
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Villero 2017
Hints of mint, white
pepper and sandalwood float over the classic traditional Barolo notes of blood
orange and morello cherry. A subterranean note of asphalt lurks with lavender
on the finish. Ideal in 3 years. 97 points James Suckling, 2 6-packs
available, $102.98 +tax
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Bussia Riserva “90 di” 2015
Way cool, Barolo á la
Druid. Fruit from the family’s holdings in the mighty Bussia cru is left to
ferment with ambient yeasts after crush and then… nothing. They do nothing.
Claudio leaves the juice alone for 90 days, no pump-overs, no punching the cap,
just the ancient act of allowing the skins to fully influence the ensuing wine.
Fruit leather and game notes hold the black cherry and juniper just above the
earthy tannins, this is a complex Nebbiolo that, although inscrutable now, will
grow into a layered, gorgeous Barolo. 6 bottles available, $163.98 +tax
Musso
Although there was a Musso mayor of Barbaresco in the early 1600s, the family
didn’t get into the wine game until 1929 when Sebastiano Musso started the
winery that his father could only dream of – just in time to see the world
economy crash and Fascism take hold. Wheeee!! Inch by inch the Mussos grew the
operation until in 1966 the village got its DOC status and their wine saw
export. Today Valter Musso and his sons tend to the estate, crossing
traditional and modern methods to build big, beautiful Barbarescos like these:
Musso Barbaresco Pora 2017
A full-throated expression of the
Pora Cru, near the village of Barbaresco. Blue flowers and raspberries open to
a full, generous brew of cinnamon, vanilla and cherry. Still youthful and
tannic, but the fruit weight nearly balances. Not yet rated, 12 bottles
available, $69.98 +tax
Musso Barbaresco Pora Riserva 2015
Large and in charge. Mentholated
espresso beans dance with drunken cherries holding orange peels like a whip. A
strong argument to be made for this 2015 already being in the window. 95
points Wine Enthusiast, 94 points Wine Spectator, $89.98 +tax
Nada Fiorenzo
The Nada story is more like a cycle. Since Carlo Nada
started the business by selling garage-brewed Nebbiolo to local restaurants,
every subsequent Nada son swore off the wine biz and sought fame an fortune in
nearby Torino, only to be disenchanted by the big city and return home to fall
in love with the land anew. It’s like watching 3 Hallmark movies back to back.
The Nada style is pragmatic, using long, wild ferments but employing a mixed
media of barrels for aging (although 4th Gen Danilo Nada has been
slowly steering away from Barriques). First time in BC, I have:
Nada Fiorenzo Barbaresco Rombone 2016
The Rombone cru is the
first site the Nada family ever vinified; they know that terroir like my kids
know the Skip the Dishes site. An éclair of kirsch, fennel and herbs greets the
nose, gliding towards a mid-weight, quite velvety palate. The acidity on the
close speaks louder than the tannins right now, everything else is a go but I’d
like to drink this in 2025. 96 points Vinous, 95 points Wine Spectator, 6
bottles available, $112.98
Tenute Guardasole
This is where Nebbiolo goes skiing. Boasting the
highest vines in Alta Piemonte, the subalpine town of Boca experiences drastic
swings from day to night, and the steep slopes make it tough to farm here,
which explains all the abandoned vineyards around the village (decades ago when
Piemontese wine was dirt cheap, producers favoured moderate, flatter sites that
could be farmed mechanically to save money). Marco Bui of Tenute Guardasole is
one of a handful of winemakers who have begun rehabilitating those ancient
vineyards, making gorgeous high-altitude reds like this:
Guardasole Boca 2016
A burst of friendly energy. Dried flowers, tar and
white pepper all surrounding the Tesseract. Clean, transparent and feisty, 80%
Nebbiolo, 20% Vespolina, medium bodied and laser focused. The finish is still a
bit feral, give this one 3 years at least. 95 points Vinous, 6 bottles
available, $84.98 +tax
Poderi Marcarini
6 generations strong, the Marcarini family is still
doing what they do best: overserving me because their wines are so deceptively
gulpable. Honest, contemporary Barolos are their calling card, “intervening”
just enough to let the vineyard character shine through, using quick ferments
but large casks that preserve purity of fruit. I have:
Marcarini
Barolo del Comune di La Morra 2017. New skin for the old
ceremony. Only its third year on the market, this is a co-ferment of several
crus with Tortonian soils within the La Morra commune. Gloriously floral and
perfumed, with light cherry and forest floor serving a tangy body, full of
orange peel and star anise. 95 points James Suckling, 10 bottles available,
$66.99 +tax
Marcarini Barolo La Serra 2017
From the rugged, southwest facing
La Serra cru in Serralunga d’Alba. Strawberries rolled in ash with black tea
and ferrous notes. A very serious customer. Linear in shape with great
intensity and mineral components from front to back, built to withstand a plane
crash, needs 4+ years. 97 points James Suckling, 5 bottles available, $84.99
+tax
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli
The Rinaldi name in wine dates
back to the 1870s, and in 1922, like many houses in Piedmont (and Burgundy),
the family splintered into separate wineries: Giuseppe and Francesco. More
traditional than a sharpened stick, current cellar master Luciano Rinaldi
employs month-long ferments and exclusively large, old Slavonian casks. These
wines became available in BC for the first time this year.
Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Brunate 2016
Straddling the border of the
Barolo and La Morra communes, the Brunate cru hides a lot of magnesium and
potassium amongst its reams of limestone, building complex phenolic
concentrations in this dark and dense Nebbiolo. All manner of green herbs trip
up the rosewater, raspberry and cinnamon on the nose, with pomegranate and
smoke in faint hints. Layered and in no hurry, medium bodied, almost in balance
(the acidity is a little hey-how-ya-doin’ right now). 94 points Vinous, 6
bottles available, $111.98 +tax
Francesco Rinaldi Barolo 2007
From La Morra, Barolo and
Castiglione Faletto communes. A spicy thread from front to back, black tea and
worn wood are a platform for dried red fruits and dried blackberry,
medium-bodied, intact finish – this could still go another decade without
breaking a sweat. 6 bottles available, $197.98 +tax
Poderi Colla
The first family to include cru names on a Barolo
bottle in 1961, the Colla family – now headed by Tino Colla, practices mostly
traditional winemaking, with a few modern tweaks for clarity of terroir. Tino
is known for organizing a stratified harvest, with different altitudes being
picked on widely different days, and then added to the ferment as they come in
over several weeks – approximating the approach that Barolo houses had to use
decades ago when there wasn’t enough money to pay pickers to get all the grapes
at once. This allows the tannins from the first grapes to polymerize (bind to
form solids) as the others are added, softening the profile a tad. I have:
Poderi Colla Barbaresco Roncaglie 2016
Intense but not heavy, in
fact it’s light enough to dance around the rhubarb, truffle and mint notes
before dropping on the palate with a kaboom. Roncaglie is an
amphitheatre-esque, south-facing steep hill that will likely go up in price and
prestige once Vietti starts releasing the Barbarescos from their recently
purchased plot there. Deliciously long finish, great value (for now). 95
points Vinous, 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 8 bottles available, $80.98 +tax
Cappellano
One of Barolo’s most renowned (and feared) traditionalists, Augusto Cappellano
carries on his father Theobaldo’s commitment to terroir expression and minimal
cellar interference, as well as his father’s tendency to shoo away wine
reviewers who might possibly assign a numbered score to his wines. His wines
reward patience, and they sleep like dragons.
Cappellano “Otin Fiorin” Pie Rupestris 2016
This will cellar like
wines 4 times its price. Quite Burgundian in nature, there are subtle hints of
dried fruit, herbs and spices, but the finish is disjointed and spiky.
Collectors will be highly rewarded for keeping this at least 10 years,
but right now it drinks like a misunderstanding. Once integrated, the 2016
Rupestris will match power with delicacy and drink like a halo, this will be a
remarkable Barolo. 6 bottles available, $167.98 +tax
Azienda Agricola Azelia di Luigi Scavino
This
famously innovative house celebrated its centennial with the release of their
2016s, which threatens to compromise their best-kept-secret-under-the-radar
status. Organically farmed and using a pragmatic blend of old/new methods, The
Scavino family (Luigi and his son Lorenzo) sources fruit from some of the
regions best crus:
Azelia
Barolo Bricco Fiasco 2016. The first cru owned by the
Scavino family, Bricco Fiasco (hill shaped like a flask, or fiasco) sits in the
Castiglione Faletto commune, and the Azelia vines were planted by Luigi’s
grandfather in 1940. Brilliant blue fruit with chalk and cassis notes, a
medium-full body and a gorgeously floral finish. Aaaalllmost in the drinking
window, 2 more years should do the trick. 96 points Wine Spectator, 96
points Robert Parker, 4 bottles available, $169.99
Cesare Bussolo
When he’s not working with cult Barolo producer
Roberto Voerzio, Cesare Bussolo quietly makes a few cases of wine under his own
label. Did I say quietly? No chance of that now, as Cesare’s wines have
blown up in Europe with long waiting lists, and they make their first
appearance in BC this year. Like his mentor Roberto, everything is done on a
super small scale with ambient yeasts and small barrels. I can offer:
Cesare Bussolo Barolo del Comune di La Morra 2017
Compact, vibrant fruit on
the nose: cherries, roses, sage – this is built like a 1er Cru Volnay,
medium-bodied and long. Elegant and super-fine tannins, everything is arguably
in balance now, but there’s no doubt that it’ll improve in 4-5 years. Not
submitted for review, 6 bottles available, $156.98 +tax
Poderi Aldo Conterno
The
Modernist Who Wouldn’t Be. When Aldo, the second son of Barolo legend Giacomo
Conterno, came of age, he did what many young Italians did: he got as far away
from Italy as possible. Seeing that a post-prohibition Napa Valley was
ascendant, Aldo emigrated to the US to start a winery with a few uncles when –
oopsy! – he was drafted into the Korean war, where he served two years before
an honorable discharge. Finding himself back in Barolo wondering what happened,
he joined his brother Giovanni at his ailing father’s estate, and was soon
fighting with his family about how they made wine. Inspired by the modern moves
that Angelo Gaja was making in Barbaresco (although let’s be real: a “Modern”
technique in 1961 Langhe was cleaning your cellar a bit), Aldo struck out on
his own to become the blasphemous “Modernist” of the family. But was he? He
only really tweaked his family’s ancestral methods, his stuff was – and still
is, after his 2021 passing and his sons in charge – pretty old school, as well
as gorgeous and iconic. I have:
Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2012
From 50-yr-old vines, this 2012
from the Cicala vineyard in the Bussia cru (in Monforte d’Alba commune – these
really are Russian dolls) is just entering the zone. Leather is starting to
move into the nose of nutmeg and mint, with ferrous tobacco notes and cherry
holding strong. Lots of yums. 95 points James Suckling, 6 bottles available,
$289.98 +tax
NON-STOP
CLASSIC HITS
What follows is a brief listing of some
wines that fit this theme and have previously been written about, but featured
again for the benefit of those who’ve recently joined my Collectors List and
may have missed ‘em the first time. If anyone requires more info, I’m happy to
send over the original blurb to you.
Pelissero
“The Long Now” (Nebbiolo/Barbera) 2015. 95 points Vinous, 12
bottles available, $65.98 +tax
La
Ca’ Nova Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina
2017. 96 points Wine Enthusiast, 18 bottles available, $67.98 +tax
La
Ca’ Nova Barbaresco Montestefano 2017. 96 points Wine Enthusiast,
18 bottles available, $67.98 +tax
Until
next time, Happy Drinking!