A lucid, ruby-hued vintage, rich in perfume, textural delicacy, artistic expression and more than a few moments of grandeur. A year of broadly warm but never excessive conditions experienced under the cloud of Covid-19, more than once we heard about a region in battle-mode. Luckily, this social, global generation of young Piedmont producers proved themselves as agile and focused as ever, the resulting wines very much in tune with their extroverted, artistic creators. A vintage that delights from the off and captures the essence of fine Nebbiolo in its perfume, radiance and textural delicacy, the 2020s have a great deal more freshness and precision than a typical solaire year.
Wine and art are commonly paralleled – particularly in Italy. Both require a creative mind and appreciation for the ephemeral. In tasting the 2020s, to us they elicited the work of the sculptor more than the painter – the opposite of the cool, blue-violet, expressionist 2014s, for example. The stirring, textural satisfaction of the 2020s, with their porous, ornate aromas and sunburst scarlet, ruby and auburn tones; pinned down by layers of pliant, reassuring tannin etched like a fine engraving – it all recalls the great Italian terracotta vase, in look and feel. If 2016 and 2019 had the physicality of figures carved from marble – Renaissance Nebbiolo, with a statuesque, chiselled permanence – then 2020 is the tactile, slickly contoured piece that shines with sophisticated simplicity. Satisfying to taste, and highly impressive in its own right, there is a lot to love in this vintage.
“A vintage of quality and quantity, perfumed, not austere or too powerful – a beautiful interpretation of Nebbiolo.”
Elisa Scavino“Expressive fruit but with freshness and acidity, something in-between 2018 and 2019 in style.”
Maria Teresa Mascarello“The wines straight away were fruit driven but fine and easy to drink. The vintage has a warmer expression, but the wines are impressive and appealing.”
Carlotta
Rinaldi“2020 is a year of expression and drinkability, but they are bright in feel with structure and minerality. We have bottled our Riserva wines for release in a few years, which tells you that we believe in the quality.”
Emanuela Busso
“2020 offers an incredible range of Barolo, with a finesse and delicacy that we haven’t seen in a few years. I think of vintages from the past like 1998. As soon as it was released it seemed simple and small but over the years it grew and now it is considered one of the most sought-after vintages, still sharp and on point.”
Silvia Altare- Winter was dry with barely any rain from December 2019 through to April 2020 – and no snow. The soils were helped in part by water reserves established off the back of heavy rains in November 2019.
- March was warm and sunny, which kicked the growing season off two weeks early, the vines homogenous and healthy.
- A week of rain in April brought plant development back in line with a normal year.
- Conditions remained clement and warm until late May, early June, where a few weeks of unstable weather and rain slowed down the cycle, but crucially, replenished water reserves and alleviated stress on the plants.
- August was warm but consistent with no heat spikes, allowing for regular, even-ripening conditions. Attention was required to manage sunburn on the grapes.
- September temperatures cooled by 7-8 degrees on average, ideal for slowing sugar development in Nebbiolo in the late stages of the season. The earlier picking estates began harvesting Barolo/Barbaresco around the third week of September.- 2nd October was a key date as it marked a downpour. It would become a reference point. For most producers, harvest resumed around 5th/6th October, concluding the vintage over the next week to ten days.
- Considered an overall warm and relatively easy year in the vineyards – the key viticultural decisions, as ever, revolved around: water retention (particularly in the context of young vines); canopy management during the heat of the summer; green harvesting; harvest dates (weighing up sugar and phenolic ripeness, against forecast October rains); and finally, the level of selection required on the sorting table.
- Most estates harvested grapes in excellent sanitary condition, the skins in good health, once sunburned grapes were discarded.
- Healthy pH levels, higher than 2019 but lower than 2018 and 2017, indicate stability and freshness in the wine.
- Time on skins varies widely from producer to producer according to individual style, ranging from the habitually short Altare, 5 days, to 40-45 days at the likes of Castello di Verduno and Piero Busso. For those who prefer long macerations, the duration was on average shorter than in 2019 by 7-10 days, but longer than in 2017 and 2018 thanks to the better quality of tannin and higher acidity. Consequently, colours are bright and limpid – erring to bright ruby rather than violet.
- Healthy skins and good levels of dry extract permitted submerged cap vinification where desired, in either wood or stainless steel – this is typically read as another quality indicator. In vintages where the grapes are more fragile, the trend is to prioritise
pumpovers and/or gentle manual pigeage for a shorter amount of time.
- Fermentations passed quickly with no interventions or adjustments required (amongst the producers we spoke to).
- The choice of ageing vessel(s) is a matter of personal preference, though the trend toward reduced (or no) new oak continues. Producers for the most part cited the need to harness the natural radiance and perfume of the 2020s.
- Bottling times vary widely, from 20 months to 36 months, occasionally more. We observe a growing movement towards slightly shorter ageing in wood, the idea being that by bottling “younger” wines on their freshness, they will develop more evenly in-bottle over the long-term. It is true that not all of the great Piedmont wines of old have aged in predictable fashion.
- The majority of 2020s will prove enjoyable after just a few years – though have the substance and complexity to age.
On the whole, the 2020s offer early appeal and a midweight, ripe expression, delivered with finesse and freshness. Like that famous terracotta vase, the best Barolo and Barbarescos this year have a timeless and enduringly beautiful feel. They straddle traditional and contemporary tastes. And if it is true that terracotta is typically more associated with Tuscany, Rome and the Italian south, we must consider that we live in an era of global warming, the effects of which Barolo and Barbaresco producers are beginning to feel acutely. As of February 2024, producers in Piedmont have had three dry winters in a row, and would kill for the winter rains that the central and southern regions have received.
In that sense, how Piedmont producers draw inspiration from the great works and vintages of old, and posit them in the modern era will determine the future and success of this first-class wine region. The trilogy of 2019, 2020 and 2021 proves that as long as it is in step with attentive viticulture and a sensitive hand in the cellar, a certain glow and perfume in a young Barolo can in fact enhance its allure, at no cost to
individuality. For arch Nebbiolo-philes, it’s good news too – for despite their effusive charm, growers are confident that the 2020s will age along traditional Piedmontese lines.
Finally, a word on style. Justerini & Brooks is privileged to work with some of the region’s greatest growers, and we take the view that there is no linear correlation between any one individual approach and quality. Land on a producer that chimes with your palate today, and you are likely to enjoy the wines year-in year-out. Or deep-dive into vineyard or commune and see how different artistic interpretations of the year play out in bottle. All of the detail on that front is laid out in our producer profiles and notes.
However you choose to approach this offer, when it comes to drinking the wines, you’ll wish you bought more.
We understand that many Justerini & Brooks customers are fully au fait with the intricacies of Piedmont’s two principal wine regions, Barolo and Barbaresco, but for those less familiar, or perhaps just in need of a refresher, we provide here a summary of the key communes in both regions. When one considers the diversity of soil, elevation, aspect and micro-climate across the Langhe, even before the complexities of vine age, clonal variation, training methods and winemaking philosophies, it becomes ever-clearer that the wines of Barolo and Barbaresco comprise some of the most terroir-driven of any region in the world.
In the context of noteworthy single cru Barolo and Barbaresco, the likes of which are represented in our offer today, a little insight into the broad characteristics of each commune may help to narrow down a selection of wines that will appeal to your personal tastes. For the connoisseurs, we hope that a quick overview might tempt a move into new areas, or lesser-known crus, in the pursuit of diverse, contemporary Barolo and Barbaresco collections.
For your convenience, we have also included a summary of the single crus we offer from each commune. Whilst there are a total of eleven approved communes in the DOCG Barolo appellation, we have opted to focus only on the most prominent six. Not included are Roddi, Grinzane Cavour, Novello (home to Ravera – an increasingly famous, windy single vineyard), Cherasco and Diano d’Alba. In Barbaresco we have opted not to include San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, the southernmost zone of Barbaresco, officially in the municipality of Alba. At present, plantings are dominated by Dolcetto and simple Nebbiolo, but due to its cooler microclimate, has potential for the future as growers explore later ripening areas for Barbaresco production.
The township of Barolo lends its name to the DOCG appellation, and functions both physically and metaphorically as the heart of the region. Situated in the centre of the appellation, what it lacks in area under vine versus its neighbours Monforte d’Alba, La Morra and Serralunga d’Alba, it makes up for in
prestige, thanks largely to the historical importance of the Cannubi vineyard. Cannubi is undisputedly one of Italy’s great “Grand Crus”, with ancient documents marking out its significance for the region as early as the 1700s. The soils across the Barolo commune are broadly the softer Tortonian, made up of Sant’Agata Fossil marls, clay and sand, rather than the older, harder and calcareous Serravalian soils found commonly in Serralunga d’Alba and Monforte d’Alba. Being the lowest township in elevation, the diurnal swing is not as pronounced in Barolo as it is in other communes and this, combined with generally deep, complex soils tends to produce grapes which ripen earlier. Consequently, the wines of Barolo are prized for their rich fruits, bold but sweet tannins and overall engaging, pliant feel. The wines of Barolo tend to drink on the early side, despite a concentration level which allows for extended ageing if desired.
- Cannubi, Elio Altare
- Sarmassa, Roberto Voerzio
- Bricco delle Viole, Marco Marengo
The small, pretty village of La Morra is the focal point for what is in fact the largest commune in the appellation, both in terms of production and area under vine. The wines of La Morra have a reputation for elegance, perfume, and finesse, even if the reality is a little more complex. Given that there are 62 wineries physically located in La Morra, and many who vinify grapes from the area outside, it is unsurprising that La Morra produces a wide range of styles. Overall though, the facts are that it is, with Monforte d’Alba, the highest commune, which means extreme shifts in temperature between day and night – perfect for ripening Nebbiolo with huge perfumes and fresh acidities.In practice, La Morra can be divided in to three sub-regions, each producing wines in subtly different styles. First, the vineyards around Santa Maria; the wines here tend to be correct and solid, grown on a heavier clay base at generally lower elevations. Second, the cluster of vineyards around the hamlet of Annunziata – home to the mighty Rocche
dell’ Annunziata and the lesser-known but high quality Arborina and Torriglione crus. Here the wines tend to be rounder and fuller with marked violet and rose perfumes. Lastly, the vineyards on the small, steep “Rocche” ridge comprising La Serra, Cerequio, Brunate and Fossati; Champions League sites which marry La Morra’s trademark seductive character with a certain mineral austerity. The commune’s overall soil composition is complex but, like Barolo, is comprised primarily of silty-clay-sandy Tortonian soils with pockets of limestone.
- Brunate, Marco Marengo
- Brunate, Roberto Voerzio
- Arborina, Elio Altare
- Rocche dell Annunziata, Roberto Voerzio
- Rocche dell Annunziata Riserva, Paolo Scavino
- Cerequio, Roberto Voerzio
- La Serra, Roberto Voerzio
A commune that for a long time sat under the radar but is now widely regarded as one of the region’s most exciting, Verduno is famed for the Monvigliero vineyard – a small, steep amphitheatre producing
some of Barolo’s most collectible wines. Barolo’s northern outpost, dubbed “The Watchtower”, Verduno is unique in being directly influenced by the Tanaro river which separates Barolo from Barbaresco. Well exposed vineyards and continuous breezes, combined with slightly lower temperatures produces Barolos of soaring aromatics, lightness and spice. A radiant, luminous character characterises many of the wines produced here, which often bear a closer resemblance to Barbaresco than other Barolo communes. Vineyards like Massara and San Lorenzo di Verduno tend to provide more accessible drinking options in typically bright, perfumed styles, whilst Monvigliero’s exposure and greater complexity in general requires a decade or more in the cellar to express its true potential.
- Barolo Comune di Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria
- Barolo, Castello di Verduno
- Massara, Castello di Verduno
- Monvigliero, Castello di Verduno
- Monvigliero Riserva, Castello di Verduno
- Monvigliero, Fratelli Alessandria
- Monvigliero, Paolo Scavino
- San Lorenzo di Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria
Castiglione Falletto, though small, is one of the most prestigious communes in the Langhe. Vineyards such as Monprivato, Rocche di Castiglione and Villero have long been highly desirable. In recent decades vineyards such as Bricco Fiasco (Bric del Fiasc), Scarrone, Pira and Bricco Boschis have seen a surge in reputation thanks to a younger generation of producers. Located in the centre of the Barolo appellation, Castiglione Falletto sits on a rift between the Tortonian and the Serravalian soils. Many argue that the best wines combine the lifted, fruit purity and finesse of the former with the minerality and depth of the latter. There is no doubt that the best wines from Castiglione age tremendously well, though the sandier sites, of which there are a number, produce wines which are on the whole remarkably charming and attractive in youth despite their deep-seated latent power. An overall balance of power and aromatic complexity is perhaps that which best characterises Castiglione Falletto. Typically, the wines are potent and mineral, with waves of strawberries, cherries and spices.
- Bricco Fiasco, Azelia
- Bric del Fiasc, Paolo Scavino
- Rocche di Castiglione, Brovia
- Villero, Brovia
- Garblet Sue, Brovia
- Scarrone, Rocche Rivera, Luigi Oddero
Located on the eastern side of the appellation, Serralunga d’Alba has the highest number of classified single crus in the Barolo region and historically served as an important component in Barolo Classico blends. A clearly defined, baritone, austere profile to its wines has always made it a highly desirable area for Nebbiolo. The commune is characterised by a long ridge line which runs north to south, dividing the vineyards between the south south-west exposures and the south south-east. On the eastern slopes, vineyards such as Brea, Prapo and Cerretta tend to produce structured but polished Barolos with complex licorice and dark fruits with powerful but ripe tannins. On the western slopes, the drier soils of Vigna Rionda and Margheria, for example, tend to produce wines of a more ferrous, stony, saline expression. Serralunga sits, unsurprisingly, in the Serravallian sector where the soils are older
and more compacted with a higher proportion of limestone and white and grey marls.
- Margheria, Azelia
- San Rocco, Azelia
- Cerretta, Azelia
- Cerretta, Riserva, Elio Altare
- Brea, Ca Mia, Brovia
- Vigna Rionda, Luigi Oddero
- Prapo, Paolo Scavino
Monforte d’Alba is, like La Morra, a large and high commune. However, unlike La Morra, and especially Serralunga, the maps in Monforte were drawn to allow for fewer but more extended single vineyards. That a vineyard as large as Bussia, for example, could possibly have a clear-enough identity to be consistent across all producers is unlikely. This, combined with a significant increase in Nebbiolo plantings in areas formerly deemed unsuitable, has put the commune in a slightly troubled position. When the wines are well made and gently handled, they are dark and powerful, but at the same time mineral, fragrant and fine boned. Salty, fragrant, ferrous, almost citrus-driven Barolos are typical of the commune. Ginestra and Bussia (specifically the sub-plots of Pianpolvere and Dardi) are the two most lauded and historic crus of Monforte, though Gramolere and Perno produce increasingly fine wines too. Given the size of the crus it is common to see better wines labelled with the name of the subplot or zone below the official MGA (single cru). The soils are Serravallian with a high proportion of sandstone and chalk, but do vary widely from vineyard to vineyard.
- Gramolere, Fratelli Alessandria
As a rule, the wines of Barbaresco tend to drink slightly earlier than those of Barolo. This is evidenced in many of the beautifully succulent, full bodied wines found in the Neive commune. Built around fruit expression and bold but ripe tannins, some of Barbaresco’s most lauded wines hail from Neive. The soils in Neive have a high presence of blue marls, with a deep seam of limestone and clay and big presence of Sant’Agata Fossils.
These combine to make for well-draining, drier soils on the surface with a hard but relatively steady water supply towards the bedrock. The vines’ roots are forced to bury deep in in order to stabilise and thus there is a high proportion of old vines in Neive which are prized for their consistency, verticality and complexity. Hightoned, floral and bewitching Barbarescos of intensity and persistence.
- Albesani-Borgese, Piero Busso - Gallina, Piero BussoBARBARESCO (BARBARESCO)
The historic commune in the heart of the appellation, Barbaresco itself produces complete, rounded expressions of Nebbiolo, resplendent with fine, linear tannins, brittle but jostling perfumes and lashings of red fruits and spices. Elevations overall are not especially high but a slightly cooler and breezier micro-climate compared to Neive means good freshness, while a high presence of sand in some of the most fabled sites such as Asili produces wines of incredible refinement and noble aroma. Rabaja, another great site, tends to
display darker, spicier berried fruits, with epic energy and fine balsamic and mineral notes. For those starting out, Barbaresco tends to produce consistent, fruity and elegant wines with long aging potential.
- Rabaja, Castello di Verduno
- Rabaja Bas, Castello di Verduno
TREISO (BARBARESCO)
The highest commune in the Barbaresco appellation, rising to over 400m, Treiso is notably cooler than its two neighbours, in some cases ripening almost a full month later. Harder and more compact soils, more Serravallian in profile, means darker and slightly wilder-styled wines tending towards crisp, forest fruit flavours, earth, salt and spices. Where the wines are occasionally described as austere, this is rarely borne out in the best examples, which combine freshness, depth and tense, jewel-like berry flavours.
- Rombone, Luigi Oddero
- San Stunet, Piero Busso
Sometimes overlooked in favour of the single cru Barolo, the traditional blended Barolo Classico is a wonderful category, produced nowadays in styles that are generally approachable from the off. This selection comprises wines of real distinction and class, at prices that won’t break the bank.
Barolo, Castello di Verduno 2020
Barolo, Comune del Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria, 2020
Barolo, Altare, 2020
Barolo, Fratelli Brovia, 2020
Barolo Comune di La Morra, Roberto Voerzio, 2020
These five wines represent a confident spread of winemaking styles and all hail from outstanding single vineyards. They can be broached over the next five years, but will all improve over the next fifteen years if cellared properly.
Barbaresco, Rabaja Bas, Castello di Verduno, 2020
Barbaresco, Rombone, Luigi Oddero, 2021
Barbaresco, San Stunet, Piero Busso, 2020
Barolo, Brunate, Marengo, 2020
6x75cl
These five recommendations represent some of our out-and-out favourite wines from the offer this year, irrespective of price. They are likely to be highly sought after but will provide decades of drinking pleasure and memorable drinking experiences if you are lucky enough to secure a case. They should all be laid down for ten years.
Barolo,
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The architect of exceptionally elegant wines and hotly tipped by many of Piedmont’s starriest names, Pierguido Busso is as brilliant a winemaker as you are likely to meet. Inspired by the artisanal, historic wines of the Langhe, and those of the Cote d’Or, Germany and Champagne – he is an imbiber and student of fine wine in all its forms – Piero’s Barbarescos reflect the attentive nature and quiet ambition of their creator. Aided by propitious old-vine holdings in some of Neive and Treiso’s most desirable vineyards, he produces wines of haunting finesse and lighttouch tannic delicacy. He favours organic, adaptive vineyard work, working with cover crops and the canopy to boost the plants’ chances of developing their natural, inner rhythm. Piero’s sister Emanuela took advantage of his absence to share her admiration. “Behind the elegance and drinkability of our wines is a lot of stress. He absolutely lives it day and night. Recent harvests have pushed him to the limit, but he always keeps a smile on his face – he is an incredibly hard worker.” The 2020 vintage was smaller than average here, amounting to 3,000 bottles (at best) per cru – a consequence of rigorous grape selections in the vineyard during harvest. Stylistically, Emanuela likens 2020 to 2018, noting that “2020 is a year of similar expression and drinkability, but they are brighter in feel with better structure and minerality. We have bottled our Riserva wines for release in a few years, which tells you that we believe in the quality.” The wines were vinified in traditional wooden cask for around 40 days on the skins via submerged cap. The 2019 Gallina, always released after an extra year in bottle, saw 60-65 days. The wines are aged for two years in large barrels and released according to Barolo timelines.
Barbaresco Albesani-Borghese 2020
CASE PRICE DRINK FROM
6x75cl £365 2025
Complex and tactile with a pliant red and dark fruited feel with touches of sun-baked stones and licorice, a footforward, bold and engaging 2020. Vigna Borghese is a sub-plot in front of the Busso cellar, home to the estate’s oldest vines, averaging fifty years old. A southwest facing vineyard at 280 metres elevation planted on sandy white limestone soils. Aged in 25 hl casks for 24-26 months.
Barbaresco San Stunet 2020
6x75cl £365 2026
1x1.5L £135
1x6L £600
Fresh herb and forest fruits and red cherries emanate from the glass. Glowing, with touches of crushed rock, camphor and licorice, the 2020 revealing a slightly more exotic profile than usual in this otherwise well-sculpted Barbaresco. From the commune of Treiso, San Stunet is a southeast facing vineyard at 400m altitude, one of the highest parts of Barbaresco. The soils are mostly limestone with some blue Marl. The site is late ripening, usually picked ten days after the others. Typically, the wine is more linear in structure than Busso’s other Barbarescos. Aged for two years in 25hl Slavonian oak casks.
Barbaresco Gallina 2019
6x75cl £495 2026
1x3L £375
Radiant and expressive with the most alluring perfume. Strawberries and sunshine with notes of geranium, kombucha, fine earth and rock salt. Well-structured, it is more serious on the palate than its heady, alluring nose leads one to believe. The Busso part of Gallina is considered a good one, as it is well-exposed, facing Ovello to the west rather than full south, so it benefits from breezes coming off the Tanaro.
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Mario Andrion is Head Winemaker at Castello di Verduno and one of the Langhe’s most gregarious characters. He must have charmed his way in to the job as a boy, for despite his energy, he’s been there for over twenty years. Finally, the wines are getting at least some of the credit they deserve. In that sense, it is tempting to find an inflection point; a step-change in the vineyard or cellar that resulted in the evolution of style and fortune. But in Castello di Verduno’s case, it is one of those reassuring examples of a small estate just quietly going about their business, producing consistent, slender, attractive wines for years. Thanks in part to the halo that shines over Monvigliero, the Castello’s effusive, finely tuned wines are at last on the radar. “Our wines are unusual in that we work with the most gentle Barbaresco-like Barolo sites, and the most complex Barolo-like Barbaresco sites” they like to remind outsiders. Advocates for long macerations and fine, neat tannins, the 2020s were produced in the usual fashion; time on the skins a little shorter than in 2019 but still classically hewn – 45-60 days for the single crus, around 30 days for the straight Barolo and Barbaresco. Ageing is carried out in traditional oak casks, 18 months for the straight Barbaresco and 20-22 months for the rest. As ever, this is an immediately attractive, echoing style of Nebbiolo that will appeal to wine drinkers of all inclinations. The Barolo Classico (produced from fruit exclusively in the Verduno commune) feels more complete and accomplished than ever this year, the perfect calling card for the estate.
Barbaresco 2021
6x75cl £175
2024
Always a delicate drinkable style of Barbaresco with good intensity of flavour whisked along by light, crisp acidity and tannin. A blend of predominantly Faset (90%) and declassified Rabaja and Rabaja Bas, all in the Barbaresco commune. Fermented in stainless steel with 30 days of skin contact and aged for 18 months in large casks.
Barbaresco Rabaja Bas 2020
6x75cl £220 2024
Burnished, copper-red fruit, light in tannin - a jovial, berry-rich Barbaresco. Fragrant rosemary and thyme hints, on the subtler end of garrigue, the palate is nice and velvety but stops short of feeling too polished. A wine that is pleasurable from the get-go. Contrary to the name, Rabaja Bas is not the lower part of Rabaja but a continuation of the ridge, at the same elevation, on the west facing end as opposed to the full south of Rabaja. The Castello’s plot was planted in 1942 during the war. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in cask for 20 months.
Barbaresco Rabaja 2020
6x75cl £265
2026
More polished than the Bas, with a deeper succulence, structure and gravelly blackberry notes. A wine of grander proportions and assertive minerality – a stunner. The Castello has a total of 1ha in the steepest part of Rabaja, 0.5ha of which is 40 years old and 0.5ha is 15 years old (this goes to the Barbaresco Classico). It spends its whole life in oak as it is fermented in oak tine. The 2020 saw 40 days skin contact with submerged cap and two years of ageing in 25hl Slavonian oak casks.
Barolo 2020
6x75cl £185
2024
Technically a “commune di Verduno” Barolo, the 2020 offers up an array of dried spices and perfume, unmistakably of the village. Light and radiant and latterly peppery, with a rich seam of glowing red fruits and pressed rose petals. Fluid and engaging, another delicious, highly drinkable 2020. Produced from four vineyards, vinified separately. Boscatto, close to the La Morra border, brings power from the younger clay soils, whilst Campasso, Rodasca and Massara have similar soil compositions of primarily fossilised Sant’Agata marls. Massara has a bit more limestone than the others.
Barolo Massara 2019
6x75cl £315
2026
The Massara is commanding in 2019. Imbued with dark fruits cloaked in a rich structure, it offers a lot and after the first taste proves really quite giving for a wine of this stature. Red plums, blood orange and ferrous notes intermingle with fresh compost, sweet, glossy dark fruits with a bite of stony-citrus like acidity. Impressive. A real shape shifter.
Barolo Monvigliero 2019
6x75cl £390
2026
A cracker of a Barolo, the Monvigliero 2019 is more vertical and finer pitched, strutting its way out of the glass with a beam of stony tannins and tense, resonant freshness. Like a ball caught in motion. Persistent and mineral, evidently a very Grand cru. This bottling comes from the younger plot of 28-35 years old vines.
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Bewitching Barolo at its finest, the Fratelli Alessandria 2020s were bottled in December 2023 after three years in large old oval casks, the Nebbiolo harvest taking place in early October, only a week earlier than in 2019. Vittore Alessandria explained how in warm vintages such as 2020 they avoid drastic crop reduction in the vineyard – a philosophy which runs counter to those who see a green harvest as essential in alleviating stress on the vine. They prefer to encourage leaf cover to shade the grapes, and for a while now have stopped using fertilisers, gradually reducing vine vigour. “We don’t want to feel forced in to picking early. We need the diurnal shifts that come later to enhance perfume and complexity in our wines.” Vinifications are carried out plot by plot and blended gradually over the course of the ageing process. In 2020, maceration time averaged 30 days, the ferments carried out in stainless steel as usual, with only light pumpovers for the extraction of colour, no submerged cap, no pigeage. As always, this is a tender, pale and delicate range – perhaps even more so in 2020 than in previous years. Citrus-driven red fruits and flowers lead the way in the wines from Verduno, star anise, berries and mint in Monforte. Please note that the Fratelli Alessandria wines will be released later in June 2024.
Barolo Comune di Verduno 2020
CASE PRICE DRINK FROM
TBC TBC 2024
Cherry Bakewell, lavender and pot pourri, the 2020 exhibits good clean acidity and neat tannins. Some candied fruits with peach skin and citrus notes. It has a pared-back crisp feel built around freshness. A blend of five vineyards all in Verduno: Pisapola, Campasso, Boscatto, Rocche dell’Olmo and Riva Rocca. The first four plots are cofermented whilst the bigger Riva Rocca plot is blended in later. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in 25hl Slavonian oak cask for three years.
Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno 2020
TBC TBC 2025
A bouquet laced with lean red fruits and macerated cherries, the 2020 has a pulpy feel on the palate with fresh peachy notes – easy to drink. Silty, soft soils with limestone underpinning, San Lorenzo is the lower continuation of Monvigliero. It has the same south facing exposition but generally produces wines with an extra layer of lovely glossy fruit. Alessandria has 0.8ha here. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in 25hl Slavonian oak cask for three years.
Barolo Monvigliero 2020
TBC TBC
2026
Ebullient ripe red fruits, sweet raspberry with a citrus-rich iodine, orangey bite. More intense and complex, herbal and grippy with a grainy focus and light, reverberating acidity. Attractive and more accessible in youth than it ordinarily might be – a finer-pitched, more delicate style of Monvigliero. Alessandria has a sizeable 1.4ha and first bottled the wine as a single vineyard in 1978. Aged for three years in 25hl Slavonian oak casks.
Barolo Gramolere 2020
TBC TBC 2026
Gramolere displays and array of pixellated fruits, in a redder register than usual in 2020. It exudes wafts of damson, red cherry, star anise and fresh mint, with cooling forest fruits in support. Not a dense wine, the acidity and tannins are crisp and composed. From a 2ha plot inherited by Vittore’s mother, a Manzone (of the Giovanni Manzone estate). Steep and west facing at 400m elevation, the vines are an impressive 60 years old and harvest takes place a week later here than in Verduno.
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Lena Oddero was succinct. “2019 is depth, 2020 is finesse, 2021 is both.” She is right of course, and her new releases, stewarded from bud to bottle by the exceptional ex-Giacosa winemaker Francesco Versio, express the sentiment better than any of us can. Figli Luigi Oddero is now entering something of a purple patch, as the fruits of Francesco’s early labour (he joined the estate in 2017) are coming to fruition. Significantly, this year sees the long-anticipated release of Vigna Rionda Riserva 2016 – a parading, baritone Barolo of sculpt and sinew, just as you’d hope it to be. At 32ha the estate is relatively large by Langhe standards, endowed with a patchwork of top vineyard sites, incorporating La Morra, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba. These are complimented by the particularly good Rombone Barbaresco, a well-exposed, river-influenced site in Treiso. Fermentations are carried out in stainless steel save for three wooden tine which are reserved for the single vineyard Barolos. Ageing takes place in large oak casks, two Stockingers, the rest French, for two years for all Barolo and Barbaresco bar Vigna Rionda, which sees three years in wood.
Barbaresco Rombone 2021
6x75cl £220 2024
Expressive blue fruits and dark cherries with top notes of violet, the 2021 Rombone is prettily incisive with impressive concentration and length, some salt and pepper – very complex and restless. Perhaps the best they have made. A Barbaresco vineyard from the Treiso commune that sits at 290 metres above sea level, this south south-west aspect ensures great sun exposure whilst the sandy clay and limestone content in the soils yields aromatic wines of grip and balance. Aged for 18 months in large old wooden cask.
Justerini & Brooks Barolo 2020
6x75cl £155 2025
The 2020 comes from four vineyards in three communes: 30% Rive (La Morra), 30% Scarrone (Castiglione Falletto) from the middle part of sub-plot Rocche Rivera (the higher part goes to the MGA), 20% Baudana (Serralunga) and 20% Broglio (Serralunga). The vineyards are vinified and aged separately for two years in large French oak casks and blended after 24 months. The licorice of Serralunga feels very present this year, bringing a virile, ferrous feel to the bouquet. Complex and intense on the palate, rich in tannin and structure. Camphor and blood orange and star anise are some of the flavours that jostle around. One of the more cloistered 2020s we tasted, it will benefit from a few more years in bottle.
Barolo Scarrone Rocche Rivera 2020
6x75cl £625
2028
Radiant redcurrant-like fruit with mineral, stony inflections and succulent, sweet strawberries, the Rocche Rivera is perhaps less immediately complex and expansive on the nose than the regular Classico, instead it speaks to the purity and finesse of the single cru model. Elegant, long and effusive, it is more harmonious, ethereal and less tannic than the Classico today. Rocche Rivera is the historic name for a little-known plot planted in the early 1990s in the Scarrone vineyard MGA. It is effectively a continuation of the famous Rocche vineyard of Castiglione, sitting above and to the right of Roagna’s Pira. The poor soils of sandy limestone with some clay, as well as east facing exposure, make for a wine that favours elegance, freshness and minerality.
Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva 2016
6x75cl £790
2024
Vigna Rionda is one of the four or five undisputed Grand Crus of Barolo and 2016 has already reached legendary status after just a handful of years. A wine of profound richness and depth and dark tar-like licorice notes. Authoritative in style with bound up blackcurrant and leafy-minty notes too – it is long and finessed. The revered soils of Vigna Rionda add a saline streak to the bassy thrum of acidity. Aged for 3 years in 35hl barrels. Held back in bottle for release in 2024.
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Silvia Altare believes “2020 offers an incredible range of Barolo, with a finesse and delicacy that we haven’t seen in a few years. I think of vintages from the past like 1998. As soon as it was released it seemed simple and small but over the years it grew and now it is considered one of the most sought-after vintages, still sharp and on point.” Quotable as she is, “still sharp and on point” is a phrase that encapsulates our view of Altare as a whole. Silvia must be one of the very last to work with French barrique only. She is master of the art. By gradually reducing the amount of new oak over the years to zero on the Classico and just 10-15% on the crus, Silvia’s wines retain the same full, even-keeled feel that followers of Altare have adored over the decades, but with improved transparency of fruit, freshness and vineyard signatures. Suave but corseted in sweet tannins, the 2020s here are all silk and allure. The 2021 Langhe Rossos are particularly good too. Silvia is proud to say that “they represent continuity in the path set out by Elio.” However, flavescenza dorata is steadily killing the Larigi Barbera vines and yields are down from 3000 bottles to an unsustainable 900 bottles a year. Buy the juice of these 75 year old vines today, before they are gone forever. And a final insider’s tip, the 2020 Barolo Classico exceptionally includes a good dollop of fruit from Cerretta. It shows.
Langhe Rosso Larigi 2021
6x75cl £290
2026
Plush redcurrants and plums with good acidity and a firm, concentrated core, the 2021 Larigi is intense and virile though it carries it well. Barbera tends to accumulate high alcohol, so landing on the right picking date can be complicated. Its saving grace is high acidity. Altare explained that they now have an interplanted mix of young and old vines because of flavescenza dorata. Production has dropped from 3000 bottles down to an unsustainable 900 bottles per year. A stunning 70-year-old, south-facing Barbera parcel sitting at the top of the Arborina vineyard.
Langhe Rosso Giaborina 2021
6x75cl £290
2026
One of the best we have tasted here, the Giaborina 2021 is beautifully supple and pliant with a wash of steeped strawberry, wild flowers and cherry stones inspiring a nice high toned feel with bright, sculpted tannin and acidity. 100% Nebbiolo produced from two plots in the Arborina vineyard, one from the 1940s and one from the 1980s, fermented and aged in 100% new oak barrique for 18 months.
Langhe Rosso La Villa 2021
6x75cl £290
2026
A more animated, dynamic incarnation of La Villa, the 2021 is lifted in style with a predominance of fresh, lightly crushed berries rounded by touches of mocha and spice. A blend of 60% Nebbiolo and 40% Barbera from Arborina, fermented and aged in 100% new oak barriques for 18 months. The name La Villa is taken from the original plot for this wine in Monforte d’Alba. Many moons ago they lost the lease on that vineyard but trademarked the name for the blend.
Barolo 2020
6x75cl £275 2025 1x1.5L £100
Super stylish, fragrant and detailed with vivifying red fruits and salts. Finely carved with touches of iodine and citrus. The blend this year includes 15% Cerretta which may account for the enhanced minerality and sapidity. Accompanying is Sarmassa (a plot on the border with Le Liste, in the Barolo commune), Pernano in Castiglione Falletto and Bricco Ambrogio in Roddi. Aged for two years in neutral barrique.
Barolo Arborina 2020
6x75cl £395 2025 1x1.5L £140
Ripe and contoured with sweet tannins and a gently building presence, Arborina is medium in body and red fruit forward, complimented by background notes of rock salt, nutmeg and stone. A clay-dominated south to southeast facing amphitheatre in the Annunziata hamlet of La Morra. Raised for 24 months in 15% new barriques after fermentation in stainless steel.
Barolo Unoperuno 2020
6x75cl £1200 2030
1x1.5L £450
What began as a super-Cannubi is now a super-Classico, representing a cross-section of their best sites, all hand destemmed and co-fermented in barrique. They do three passes over three weeks so that they achieve an even mix of ripeness levels and then the juice is blended. The 2020 feels like a slight departure in style, with a clearer cherry stone, Alpine accent. Rosehip, mint, tobacco and a tense, crisp acidity, it is on the expressive and elegant side. Just 900 bottles were produced.
Barolo Cannubi 2020
6x75cl £775 2030
The magic of Cannubi is its ability to deliver impeccably sweet, lush fruit with power. The velvet glove 2020 is a wine of substance and complex, sparkling fruits with good inherent freshness and structure – delicate yet fully glorious. From the historic central part of Cannubi, steep and well-draining, the wine was aged for 24 months in 15% new barrique after fermentation in stainless steel.
Barolo Cerretta Riserva Vigna Bricco 2018
6x75cl £445 2026 1x1.5L £155
Paler hued than previous years, a diversion from its true inner power, the Cerretta 2018 is broad and complex on the nose, leading to a snappy, salty, muscular Serralunga palate. A fine clay-rich Serralunga vineyard produced for the first time by Altare in the 2006 vintage, Cerretta is made and aged the same way as the estate’s other Barolos but with an extra two-years bottle age before release.
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2023 was a bit of a watershed year for the Marengo family. Of course, the 2019 vintage brought attention to Barolo generally, even if this came as a surprise to Marengo, who was dubbed by one producer we met, “the Brunate master”. The family simply aren’t used to attention and have never sought it. We didn’t help their quest for quiet, for thanks to the generosity of an ardent collector and long-serving Justerini & Brooks team member, we organised a once-in-a-generation vertical tasting of said Brunate from 1997-2019 last year. It took place in a small cellar in London’s Covent Garden. Jancis Robinson, writing a full-page feature in the Financial Times, said, “what was extraordinary about the line-up was how uniformly fine they were,” noting the esteem in which the family is held by worldwide terroir guru Pedro Parra. Happily, apart from a newly framed article on the wall of the tasting room, nothing much has changed here. The 2020s are as lovely as ever, and were presented to us in the family’s habitually cheery, life-affirming way, this time by Juventus-mad, cheeky chappy Stefano Marengo. An absolute chip off the old block, he lowered his head, peered over his glasses and grinned. “2020 is a year of quality and quantity. We are happy that we can drink them young, and they will endure for a long time.” On the basis of what we tasted in Covent Garden, you’d be bonkers to bet against him. What’s more, they remain very fairly priced.
Barolo 2020
12x75cl £335 2024
1x1.5L £75
An engaging and user-friendly Barolo that delivers clear fruits, juiciness and an agreeable mouthfeel. Produced from four vineyards all in La Morra: Serradenari, Roncaglie, Boiolo and Fossati. Each component is vinified separately and blended in stainless steel tank four months before bottling. The wine is aged for 24 months in 15% new oak barriques.
Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2020
6x75cl £215 2026
1x1.5L £90
Darker fruited and more serious than the Barolo Classico, the Bricco Viole is assertive, displaying notes of dark plum, raspberry and cool clay. Produced from 70-80 year old vines inherited from Marco’s mother’s side of the family. Bricco Viole is a very fine Barolo vineyard that translates as ‘Top of the Violet Hill’ and is one of highest vineyards in the Barolo commune at 400–450 metres above sea level. Marco’s windy, exposed parcel is blessed with a fair chunk of old vines. It is a late-ripening vineyard that produces small intense berries. Compared to Brunate there is a little more clay in soil here. The ageing is the same as for Brunate, 24 months in barriques, with 15% new oak.
Barolo Brunate 2020
6x75cl £280 2026
1x1.5L £110
1x3L £224
A wine of substance and interest without verging into power. Nicely weighted red berries and limestone inflections with touches of menthol and violet. One of the top cru vineyards of Barolo, situated high up in the La Morra commune. Marengo’s parcel of Brunate, situated at 350 metres altitude, has been owned by his family since 1903 and the vines average seventy years old. Aged in 15% new oak barriques for 24 months.
Barolo Brunate Riserva 2018
6x75cl £375 2025
1x1.5L £150
1x3L £295
A very pure-fruited Riserva this year, the 2018 is harmonious and enveloping with a supple core of crushed fruits and flowers with tobacco leaf and sapid, juicy violet-hued fruits. The Riserva comes from old vines the heart of Brunate, the upper middle part, planted in 1942. Produced in the same way as the other wines with 24 months in 20% new oak barrels, but kept for an extra two years in bottle.
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Roberto Voerzio describes 2020 as a “a beautiful, regular, classic season. The wines exhibit excellent structure, being intense yet fine and elegant at the same time. A beautiful ruby red colour stands out. The aromas are deep, reminiscent of violet, wild strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and currants. Given the finesse and elegance they already possess today, they will undoubtedly become extraordinary and unquestionably long-lived wines when they reach 8-10 years of age. They could follow a similar path to those of the 1998 and 2001 vintages.” Roberto is as youthful and active as ever. One would never know he was in his seventies. A man who has always trod his own path, Voerzio stepped back from what he dubs “score politics” a few years ago, believing that the wines need time to settle post-bottling and be given time to breathe in the glass – a model that doesn’t necessarily accommodate journalists on a tight schedule. He has a point though. For the 2020s we tasted evolved remarkably over course of our meeting, revealing glimpses of true grandeur with air. We were bowled over by the Fossati. Ferments are spontaneous in stainless steel and tend toward a sumptuous, silky La Morra feel, anchored in fine minerality according to site. Ageing takes place in a range of formats, based on volume. For most of the wines this means a combination of traditional large cask and 500L tonneau, with a very a small amount in barrique – just Torriglione and Sarmassa – for two years. 2020 is an effusive, successful vintage here, complete in style with real breadth and finesse. To consider that they might develop along the lines of the 2001s is a very exciting prospect.
Barolo Comune di La Morra 2020
6x75cl £475 2024
Rich and heady with a silky brambly nose, a touch of supporting sweetness. Deep and filling on the palate with a cut of tannin and fine freshness. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in one cask of 35hl two of 25hl and a combined of 5hl in barrique. A blend of plots from La Serra, Fossati, Case Nere and Cerequio.
Barolo Cerequio 2020
6x75cl £1235 2025
Cerequio centres on sensual, ripe red fruits, sandalwood spice and sweet flowers, coaxed by velvety tannins and a burst of liqueur cherries and stones. The 2020 has an impressive talc-like tannic grip and minerality. One of the historic single vineyards of La Morra, south-facing and planted at 300 metres above sea level on sandy clay soils. Sarmassa is the lower continuation of Cerequio.
Barolo Rocche del Annunziata 2020
6x75cl £1235 2025
Broader, sweeter luxuries are on display in the Rocche – plush but with plenty of substance and a core of compact, nervous acidity. A touch of supporting oak rounds out the finish. From two parcels south and southeast facing within one of the region’s great vineyards, situated in the Annunziata sub zone of La Morra. Just 3,000 bottles were produced.
Barolo La Serra 2020
6x75cl £1235 2025
La Serra is lifted in style, aromatic and detailed with darker fruit notes along the lines of bramble, currants and crunchy blueberries, delivered with levity. Sappy acidity, all violet and fresh red plum on the palate, this is a complex but juicy Barolo of great class. A total of 3,400 bottles were produced, aged in a combination of 25hl cask, barrique and tonneau.
Barolo Brunate 2020
6x75cl £1235 2026
More deeply structured and interwoven, Brunate is rather more introverted today, displaying powerful dark fruits nuances with veins of redcurrant, saline with a linear focused feel. Really quite serious and profound. One of the great crus of Barolo, situated high up in the La Morra commune just underneath La Serra, with a south to southeast exposure. 3,000 bottles were produced.
Barolo Fossati 2020
6x75cl £1235
2026
Grippy mineral and salty, the Fossati is very accomplished and pure, steered by smart glossy purple fruits, bullace, damson with hints of balsamic and wildflowers. Vertical and focused and ballasted by lots of fine grained, precise tannin. Long, rich and intense, really superb. Fossati is 33ha in total, the upper part in La Morra and lower part in Barolo. One of the smallest cuvees in the Voerzio stable, just 2,200 bottles were produced.
Barolo Sarmassa 2020
1x1.5L £410
2026
A wine of breadth and power, Sarmassa 2020 has a distinct red fruited profile with robust red plums and currants, vibrant red cherries and a spearmint note on the finish. A rich wave of glamourous fruit frames the wine, leading in to a long deep finish. Typically, the vines here produce clusters with very small berries. Aged for two years in barrique, just 900 magnums have been produced.
Barolo Torriglione 2019
1x1.5L £410
2029
Taut and firm, intense and high toned in the context of this typically brooding site, the 2019 offers a good deal of transparency, the driving, pent-up acidity taking in pools of strawberries and dark cherries, bitter chocolate, bold tannins and a long, commanding finish. Aged for two years in barrique and bottled exclusively in magnums.
Barolo Riserva Case Nere 2014
3x75cl £615 2024
Always released after ten years, the 2014 is savoury and evolved in a really elegant way. Paradoxically, it freshens up with air, proving to be very saline and juicy, not necessarily a wine of fruit, more of vitality and spark. Edgy and restless and quite serious, delivering small dark fruits with fine earth and a stony grip. A wine that you can enjoy now or hold for a further ten years.
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Enrica and Elisa Scavino have delivered a remarkable 2020 vintage. We left feeling that the wines are more finely carved, tactile and precise than ever – here a floral kick, there a sinewed grip, Nebbiolo on the beat. Elisa describes 2020 as “a vintage of quality and quantity – perfumed – not austere or overly powerful, a beautiful interpretation of Nebbiolo. It is not a vintage of huge concentration but elegance.” Followers of Scavino will know that their lease on Cannubi came to an end in 2018, bringing a 32-year affiliation with the site to a close. With it went Carobric: a trademarked name that referenced its constituent parts; Cannubi-Rocche di Castiglione-Bric del Fiasc. Happily, the Cannubi story now turns a page, as 2020 sees the release of Rocche di Castiglione as a standalone wine – even if just 800 bottles were produced. In the cellar, several small but collectively important developments have been instigated over the past five years. The first is that the wines are now aged almost solely in large cask for two years – just offcuts and experiments going in to barrique. Fermentation is in a more even mix of stainless steel and wood, adapted according to site, to the extent that their stock of large vats has grown from two in 2016 to fifteen today. Reducing temperatures and carrying out fewer pumpovers during the vinification are further tweaks to improve the perfume – “some years support a wilder profile, others less.” Lastly, they are moving to 20 months in oak (the origin of which is being more closely paired to the cru) instead of 22 months “in the direction of having less evolved, fresher wines going in to the bottle.” If all that wasn’t enough, a very grand-scaled, aristocratic Barolo Riserva 2016 hits the shelves – one of the best wines we tasted on our trip.
Barolo 2020
12x37.5cl £200 2024
12x75cl £370
One of the airiest and most intricate straight Barolos we have tasted here, offering top notes of bullace, strawberry and dark cherries with rumbles of licorice and grilled hazelnuts. Elisa added that they now do around 60 microvinifications a year across the whole stable, many of which come together to form the Barolo Classico. The 2020 comes from eight different vineyards in La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga and Monforte, including a plot in Bussia Fantino (which the estate purchased in 2018). From 2021 Bussia has been bottled as an individual MGA wine.
Barolo Bricco Ambrogio 2020
6x75cl £280 2025
A vineyard close to the Scavinos’ hearts, they bought in to the relatively unknown Bricco Ambrogio in 2002 and have expanded their holdings from 5ha to 7ha. Wild, lacy dark herb-infused fruits with concentration and creamy tannins, supported by dusty cocoa and sweet earth. The top cru of the lesser-known commune of Roddi, a very windy terroir exposed southeast and planted at 150 metres above sea level.
Barolo Monvigliero 2020
6x75cl £365 2025
1x1.5L £135
The prized 0.8ha that the Scavinos own in this great site was bought at the same time as Bricco Ambrogio, in 2002. Higher toned and more complex, the 2020 Monvigliero is intense, mingling super-finessed, calm, slightly exotic fruits, with a sun-on-stone mineral feel – transported by a twinkling acidity and a glamourous, open feel. Elisa considers it one of the best 2020s and we agree. Fantastic. From two parcels planted in 1968 (0.6ha) and 2005 (0.2ha). First bottled as a single cru in 2007, their holdings form a pyramid shape from the mid-slope up to the tree at the summit.
Barolo Ravera 2020
6x75cl £345 2026
£130
Fresh forest fruits, cool and agile in profile with peppermint and violet aromas. Ravera is a big vineyard and the highest plot that they own, at over 400m. Airy red cherries and black raspberry leaf, with a refined, vertical dimension to the structure, Ravera is the day to the Prapo’s night. The Scavinos’ 2.5ha is all east exposed which brings a great deal of freshness.
Barolo Prapo 2020 6x75cl £345 2026
Prapo is a prestigious Serralunga cru but it is less labelled and marketed than others so tends to be lesser-known. After Ravera, the Prapo comes across as darker and plusher, more expansive in fruit weight, centred around dark plums and currants, a touch of Serralunga licorice. More on texture and density than austerity. That richness and hint of wood tannin on the finish suggests it will need a couple more years than the others in bottle.
Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 2020
£225 2028
The inaugural release of Rocche as a single vineyard. Produced from just 0.2ha of vines and a total of 800 bottles, the rarest wine in our offer. Quantities are naturally severely limited.
Barolo Bric del Fiasc 2020
£435 2026
£160
Glamorous, yet focused, perhaps the most noble Nebbiolo in the cellar; harmoniously weaving flowers, salt, fruit and minerals together, so long and flowing with a fine grip and delectable vibrancy. Superb. The Scavinos own 2.8ha in the centre of the vineyard, facing south west.
Barolo Riserva 2016
6x75cl £1150 2026
1x1.5L £400
There is something rather magical about the idea of an ultimate Barolo blend, particularly after navigating the Scavinos’ big, accomplished range of single vineyard wines. The Riserva is a blend of equal parts Bric del Fiasc, Bricco Ambrogio, Ravera, San Bernardo (Serralunga) and Albarella (Barolo), fermented and aged entirely in cask for two years. Complex and very grown up on the nose, lavish in its intensity and fantastically integrated acidity, touches of noble spice, sandalwood, grilled hazelnut and fine leather shoes, with positive fresh dark and red berries and stony-salts, ensconced in the most sophisticated oak. Harmonious and fulfilling, big and aristocratic with a finer edge and less cream than the 2011 Novantissimo (the last equivalent Riserva bottling). Grand-scaled and memorable.
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“We love the approachability of 2020. The wines have been aromatic and generous on the nose from the beginning and the structure is there. Without the power of 2019 or 2016, the tannins are better and more present than in 2018 and the acidity is higher than you’d think. This stands them very well for the future.” Lorenzo and Luigi Scavino liken 2020 to 2005 but with more precision. A warm March kicked the season off two weeks earlier than usual, but a cooler spring and early summer brought dates back in line. August was hot and dry but cool nights helped, leading in to a cooler than average September, thanks to snow in the Alps which lowered the temperatures in the Langhe by 7-8 degrees. At the end of the month, Luigi explained, producers arrived at a crossroads. Rain was forecast (and came to pass) in early October, prompting growers to decide whether to pick everything before the rain, or risk it and wait for the rains to pass in the hope of better phenolic ripeness. “Those who had the courage to wait were rewarded. The rains were not too bad and proved to be beneficial after the dry summer. My father opted to wait, so our Barolo harvest continued until October 13th, in line with a pretty (modern) classic year. If we think about 2015 or 2017, that relief and extended ripening means that the tannins are better. In some ways it recalls 2005 but now we have better sorting tables, stricter selections and more experience with variable seasons, so the 2020s are better versions – we adapt more quickly.” As has been the norm here for a while now, all the Baroli are fermented in bespoke designed stainless steel tanks and aged in large cask. The 2020s were bottled later than usual in October 2023.
Barolo 2020
12x75cl £365 2024
1x1.5L £70
A slender, leaner-styled medium bodied Barolo Classico with good acidity, a mix of red and dark fruits and an herbaceous edge. The Azelia Barolo Classico is made from a selection of grapes from 50-year-old vines in seven different crus across the Castiglione Falletto (30%) and Serralunga d’Alba (70%) communes, a big part of which is Cerretta and Bricco Voghera. The wine is aged in large Slavonian oak botti for two years, so there is very little oak influence.
Barolo Bricco Fiasco 2020
6x75cl £405 2025
1x1.5L £145
1x3L £375
Piercing red fruits and a more exotic perfume soften with hints of soil and sandalwood, the palate sapid and tense with lots of fine-grained tannins and a cleansing, refreshing stone-laden acid base. The Bricco Fiasco is a relatively sandy plot at the top of the Fiasco hill in Castiglione Falletto, planted with 70-year-old vines. Since 2016 the wine has been aged exclusively in large oak botti, for two years.
Barolo Margheria 2020
6x75cl £405 2026
1x1.5L £145
1x3L £375
Super smart and very finely carved, not aggressive but tapered, the tannins more complete and less austere than they have at times been. Hedgerow fruits with herbs and salts, soil and wild heather. Long and smart and mouthwatering. Intensity without density. The plots within Margheria are quite spread out so creates a difference of altitude 100m. From a prime south and southwest facing 55-year-old plot in the Serralunga d’Alba commune planted on white clay and limestone soils. Azelia’s vines sit alongside those used for Gaja’s Sperss. Aged in the traditional way, for 28 months in large Slavonian oak botti.
Barolo San Rocco 2020
6x75cl £405 2026
1x1.5L £145
1x3L £375
A deeper more sensual Barolo driven by fresh blackcurrant flavours, camphor, a touch of blood orange and a firm minerality. Texture and tannin combine beautifully. Predominantly south facing, though they have two exposures in San Rocco which helps round out the mouthfeel. An Azelia monopole San Rocco is a top notch Serralunga vineyard that faces south and southwest, where the soils are practically 100% clay, a very hard compact grey clay. The vines are over 70 years old. Aged exclusively in large oak botti for two years.
Barolo Cerretta 2020
6x75cl £465 2028
1x1.5L £165
1x3L £420
The elegant side of Serralunga, the 2020 Cerretta is all violets and silky finesse. Clay based with veins of iron which produces a red colour, with aeration there is a great deal of nuance here – teasing umami and soy, along with mint and blackberries. “The freshest single vineyard in Serralunga according to Alessandro Masnaghetti on account of constant cooling breezes.” Azelia has a big block of 2.5ha, but only 3500 bottles go into the single cru wine. It is typically aged in one big barrel for 30 months. The rest of the juice is declassified into Barolo Classico.
Barolo Riserva Bricco Voghera 2014
6x75cl £800 2024
1x1.5L £275
1x3L £645
Deep roots and small berries produces very mineral, very complete suave wines here, the 2014 Riserva super complex, seemingly steeped in herbs with a touch of vermouth, citrus and quinine. Fresh and engaging, nothing dominant bar a beautiful glow and fluidity to the wine – ready to be broached but with the stuffing to keep going. The vines here average 100 years old. The Riserva grapes come from a south facing plot of 0.85ha at 360m, the soils are clay-limestone, and the wine is raised in large cask for five years and a further five years in bottle. It is only bottled in the best vintages.
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www.justerinis.com/en-primeur/piedmont
Justerini & Brooks, and our partner Estates, intend for wines to be acquired for their primary purpose of being consumed. As such we kindly ask that wines bought through Justerini & Brooks are not sold or moved out of storage with us within five years of the wine being physically released. For this reason, moving wines out of Cellarers Wines Ltd within this time frame, other than to a home delivery address, could jeopardise your future allocations.
If you have any questions, please contact your account manager
Justerini & Brooks
61 St James’s Street
London SW1A 1LZ
United Kingdom
Email: justbrooksorders@justerinis.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7484 6430
@justerinis
Justerini&Brooks