Barolo for drinking now

Massolino's 2011 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is a more than worthy follow-up to the stellar 2010. Silky, perfumed and incredibly inviting, the 2011 will also give up its considerable charms much earlier. Sweet red cherry, rose petal, spice, hard candy, and mint give the 2011 its inner sweetness. Above all else, the 2011 captures a compelling middle ground that balances the warmth of the year with a classic sense of structure. The 2011 is a racy, alluring Rionda that will be nearly impossible to resist, even young.

Brothers Franco and Roberto Massolino decided to give their single-vineyard 2013 Barolos a bit more time in barrel than normal. Tasted from bottle, those wines are every bit as impressive as they were from barrel. Massolino has made compelling Barolos for several decades. Still, in recent years, they have made additional investments that include a greater focus on quality, acquiring more vineyards and completing a significant cellar expansion. As for the wines themselves, they have never been better. 

Drink 2021 - 2036 

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (October 2017)

This Monforte site has one of the highest proportions of limestone in Barolo. It sits directly opposite Serralunga, across the valley. Whole bunches were used again, to give more fruit and softer tannins; but the Monforte aspect still appears, with refined, balsamic notes, but nothing savoury. There’s a bit of muscle, without being too sinewy.

Drink 2025 - 2038

Mark Pardoe MW, Wine Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2012 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is a solid and tighter wine compared to the 2012 Le Vigne. Having said that, it veers close to being too austere and hard-bodied, especially at this young stage of its life. Of Sandrone's two new Barolo releases, this wine definitely needs more time to evolve and soften with extra years of bottle aging. The tannins are more evident and the wine's firm backbone acts to support dark fruit flavors with distant accents of spice, licorice and tobacco. - Wine Advocate

From the blended Barolo Serralunga d’Alba we move up a gear to the single-vineyard Cerretta. Noticeably more focused and more resolved than the village Barolo, this is darker plum in colour, suave, soft and generously fruity on the nose, with neat, bright intensity. One is struck by the volume of fruit on offer; succulent kirsch, currant and dark cherry, with such clean lines.

The 2007 Barolo Le Vigne presented a beguiling combination of explosive, ripe fruit and finessed silky tannins, making it a thrilling wine to taste, even at this stage in its development. Small red berries, minerals, crushed flowers, vanillin and sweet spices are woven together in a fabric of indescribable elegance. The French oak has never been better balanced, while the vibrant, crystalline finish leaves a lasting impression. The 2007 Le Vigne has all the potential to develop into a spectacular wine; it already is. This is a stunning bottle of Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. Luciano Sandrone’s wines have never been more elegant than they are today. The French oak is increasingly well balanced, and the at-times excessive heaviness of some prior vintages is long gone.

Simply put, Luciano Sandrone is at the top of his game. Never one to be satisfied, this year Sandrone showed me several experimental wines, including a barrel sample of 2009 Barolo Le Vigne vinified with 100% stems, an approach that is virtually unheard of in Piedmont. Although this wine will ultimately be blended into the Barolo Le Vigne, the all-stems Barolo was huge, explosive, and compelling. Sandrone fans have much to look forward to, as the 2008s and 2009s appear quite promising at this early stage. As for the 2007s, they are off the charts. Drink 2015 - 2027. Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (February 2011)

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2007{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] The Wine Advocate:: 96/100    

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Incredibly impressive from the outset, the colour is deep for Nebbiolo, reminiscent of Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Cotes de Nuits. The nose is majestic with notes of ripe black cherries, liquorice, ripe plums and spice. It’s difficult to stop smelling the wine, so compelling is the bouquet. The palate is well worth the wait though, as it is beautiful in the mouth, the same black and red fruit characters on the nose are complimented by more earthy, meaty notes, crisp acidity and the finest and ripest of tannins. Everything is perfectly in balance, with all the elements pulling in the same direction. Long and fine the finish goes on for a minute or more. Effortless superb are the words that springs to mind, like the finest vintages of Bordeaux first growth and Grand Cru red Burgundy this is truly majestic and what fine wine is all about in my opinion.
Chris Pollington - Italian Specialist

Darker soils than the Serralunga, with more clay, and bigger, more compact berries. Aromas of black cherry and florest floor an the nose, leading to a core of purple fruit on the palate, with finely grained tannins and a mineral spine. Structured and opulent. Drink 2022+

Katherine Dart MW, Wine Buyer

The concentration and density of this wine are evident from the outset. Tightly packed structural elements support the rich, scented, and dark fruit. The tannins are gloriously silky, and the cooling acidity provides a perfect counterpoint. This wine will reward patience.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Readers will find a silky, nuanced Barolo in the 2012 Riserva Vigna Rionda. Rose water, orange zest, cinnamon, sage, mint and dried cherry are some of the many nuances that give the 2012 its aromatic top notes, and all of the elements fall into place effortlessly. Relatively open-knit for a young Rionda, this should drink well with minimal cellaring. The 2012 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of vintages like 2010, 2013 or 2014, but it will offer tons of pleasure sooner than any of those wines. I loved it.

Massolino has really been on a roll over the last few vintages. The 2014s are truly impressive wines that further solidify the estate's place among the elite producers of Barolo. While these wines have been terrific for quite some time, in recent years Massolino has found an added element of finesse and nuance. Readers should note that Massolino did not bottle their Barolo Parussi in 2014.

Drink 2022 - 2037

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (February 2018)

The 2006 Barolo Pira Riserva Black Label is a tiny selection of about 2,400 bottles that spent five years in cask and then a decade in cement. Dense, exotic and beautifully layered, the Riserva captures that sense of timelessness that is often a signature of the Roagna wines - a place in time in which wines are both aged and young at the same time. 

The co-existence of two different worlds defines many of the best wines here. Spice, orange zest, chocolate, spice, star anise and sweet pipe tobacco lend nuance to a wine just entering its first plateau of maturity.

Drink 2021 - 2036

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (October 2021)

Of Vietti's new releases, this wine is most definitely the most shut down and less expressive at this young stage. The 2012 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione will require many years of bottle aging before it comes into its own. In general, many of the Barolo protagonists are sluggish in this vintage and this is a common theme. The bouquet moves slowly to release dark fruit, dried cherry, tobacco, grilled herb and pressed blue flowers. The mouth is powerful and determined, however, with solid structure and a tight build. Put this bottle at the back of your cellar.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 94/100

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Maria-Theresa Mascarello's 2011 Barolo is one of the more refined wines of the year, with less size than many other 2011s and plenty of immediacies. Racy and giving on the palate but with a good underlying structure, 2011 impresses for its juxtaposition of the riper elements of the vintage and more classic attributes that are such signatures at this address.

Bright red stone fruits, strawberries and crushed flowers are some notes that grace the exquisite finish. 2011 is an excellent choice to drink while some more age-worthy recent vintages sleep in the cellar. I will not be surprised to see 2011 improve from where it is today. 

Drink 2018 - 2041

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (November 2014)

Only 2,000 bottles of the old-vine La Pira, located under the castello di Castiglione Falletto, were made by the Roagna family in this excellent vintage; rather unsurprisingly given the oldest vine was planted in 1937. Compared to their normal La Pira, this oldvine version is super-suave, with velvety cassis-fruit, underpinned by a cool white-stone – almost marble – core and minerality. It's got that extra gear of fruit but also of purity and balance. This was particularly excellent in 2010; a wine to challenge Mascarello's Monprivato for purity and poise.

The father and son team of Alfredo and Luca Roagna are celebrating the completion of their new cantina in Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of La Pira vineyard, a prime location they’ve owned since 1989, but had bought fruit from since the 1950s. Both in their Barolo and Barbaresco estates (15 hectares in total), they pride themselves on their organic, grassed-over vineyards. They’re fortunate to have a wealth of oldvine fruit at their disposal which, of course, they vinify traditionally with extended maceration in large oak barrels.

Crushed flowers, tobacco, mint, licorice and dried cherries lift from the glass in Pira's 2009 Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti. Interestingly, within Roagna's range the old vines in Pajè confer power, but here they seem to add finesse. Sweet tobacco, menthol and worn-in leather add nuance on the open, expressive finish. The 2009 Pira Vecchie Viti is a bit more forward than the straight Barolo Pira. It will be interesting to see how both wines age.
Antonio Galloni - vinousmedia.com - Sept 2014

This comes from a five-hectare plot with a mix of soil types, located in a south to south-east facing amphitheatre at an altitude of 320-340 meters. It’s rich and ripe on the nose, with plush sweet fruit, smoky savoury spice and a balsamic lift. A wine of deceptive power, with drive and vibrant energy, and a touch of salinity on the finish.

Drink 2026 - 2040

Adrian Brice, Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This release is a blend of some of the best vineyards in Barolo. 45% is from Castiglione Falletto’s Scarrone, giving incredible perfume and fine, sweet tannins. The remaining blend comes from Rive, La Morra, which offers a darker fruit profile; and from their four prized vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba, giving depth, energy and saline minerality. Francesco’s sensitive winemaking shines through.

Drink 2023 - 2036

Adrian Brice, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The Bruna Grimaldi 2016 Barolo Riserva Badarina sets off according to its own careful tempo, but it opens slowly to reveal not only the beauty and intensity of this classic vintage but also the power and depth of Serralunga d'Alba, home to some of Barolo's most impactful wines. The fruit used here comes specifically from the Vigna Regnola, which the Grimaldi family always vinifies separately, especially in the best vintages. This is a finely delineated and focused expression of Nebbiolo with a firm tannic backbone that supports dark fruit flavors, crushed stone, lilac and candied orange peel. I would recommend setting this bottle aside for another 5 to 10 years, giving it time to become more supple and smooth. A precious few 733 bottles were released. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 95/100

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Pale cherry-red, the nose swoons with delicate notes of camphor and fresh, wild Amarena cherry, along with a fragrant rose-water character. To taste, this glides: it’s so pretty, so effortless with gentle redcurrant fruit and tannins so finely curated that they’re invisible.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}

{ratings}[] Wine Advocate:: 94/100

{ratings}

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