***Orders are subject to allocation***
Confirmation & Payment Mid-July
Delivery End-July
For the First Time 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà
Rabajà is an MGA that Vietti has a history with and with this first release it comes back into the fold!
The Prologue
Luca & Elena passed the baton to their longstanding vineyard and winery crew and have started a new chapter with Cascina Penna-Currado. Whilst at Vietti they stayed true to their convictions, and, history, acknowledging the wisdom of their family, and elder peers. While their Cru Barolos have brought them international fame, they have worked to protect patches of history for both their family and the region. Listen to Luca share his stories of retaining the Scarrone vineyard planted to Barbera when his father had planned to replant it to Nebbiolo, saving Arneis from being reconciled to a note in a wine book, and, more recently going back to Barbaresco, acquiring a parcel or Rabajà, and this becomes clear.
The drive for constant improvement continues with a parcel of Monvigliero now in the stables, whole bunch techniques are being applied with the help of Jeremy Seysses from Dujac. Meanwhile, Vietti started making Timorasso in 2018. Grapes for this white coming from vineyards located in Monleale in the Alessandria Province.
I tasted a wide range of wines on my most recent visit to Vietti. Starting with the 2020 Barolos, I tasted every wine from a just-opened bottle and a bottle that had been double-decanted two hours prior to my arrival. Aeration can be a tricky thing with young, just-bottled wines. Sometimes, air can help young wines open but also shut them down hard. In 2020, the double-decanted bottles showed better.
In 2020, virtually all the fruit for the single-vineyard Barolos was picked in late September, before the early October rains. Harvest resumed on October 5 with the second portion of Lazzarito and various parcels used in the Barolo Castiglione. The 2020s spent about 24 days on the skins, with submerged cap maceration for most lots. Time in cask was 24-26 months.
Readers will note several new wines in the range. Vietti’s 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is stellar. The same is true, incidentally, of the 2020 Barbaresco Roncaglie. I have long admired the Barbarescos here. That is once again the case this year. The 2016 Barolo Riserva is the next incarnation of the 2015 Barolo Riserva that was released last year, but it was made from different vineyards and vinified with a high percentage of whole clusters.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
A Little About Vietti
Back in 2005, I spent some time at Vietti. Their winery sits in the castle atop Castiglione Falletto. It’s walls broken by slit windows for archers to defend the grounds. The escape tunnel leading from the castle to the plains below had been filled in only a few years prior to my visit. Somehow they’ve managed to modernise aspects of the winery carving into the rock without collapsing the ancient buildings surrounding it.
One of my earlier experience of Vietti was at the Australian Wine Research Institutes Advanced Wine Assessment Course. A blind bracket of 9 Nebbiolo’s was presented, Vietti’s Perbacco from 1998 and Brunate from 1996. The Brunate was superb. My notes from the tasting read “Very complex, great harmony, texture, rich, long, very together, perfumed, incredible layers and vibrancy.” The Perbacco excellent, particularly at 1/8th the price. “Great purity, balance, and poise. Supple with an excellent core of fruit and lovely floral notes.”
In many ways, little has changed. Perbacco, typically declassified Barolo, is the wine to crack while you’re waiting for your Barolo to mature!
Vietti intrigues me. Some of the best Barolo I have devoured have come from their winery. Watching the wines evolve over time, both the same vintage and across vintages has been fascinating. Modern technology at times pierced the tradition. Last year a vertical tasting going back to 1982 was fascinating. It again highlighted my growing consensus that the drinking window for good Barolo, from great years, starts at around 10 years and is right in the zone between 15 and 20 years.
Whilst Vietti have always produced more structured wines, the wines have always shown harmony and balance. The difficult 2011 year was perhaps a sign of a maturity and wisdom in the winemaking. They guided the fruit to a state of great harmony and balance in that year, pulling back on the structural elements to produce wines that were drinking superbly in late 2016.
In the last couple of years, I have devoured many more Vietti wines including a 1996 Villero Riserva and 1997 Rocche di Castiglione. Both would be in the top dozen Barolos I’ve every been lucky enough to devour!
A couple of podcasts with the Vietti Crew
Where in the World is Vietti?
The Krause Family bought Vietti a couple of years back, leaving, Luca and the Family in full control of production, hence the name below. The winery based in Castiglione Falletto now has additional vineyard sources in Barolo with Monvigliero in Verduno in the very North of the Barolo region, Rabajà & Roncaglie in the Barbaresco, and, Timorasso plantings in the Colli Tortonesi, the most eastern part of Piedmont. In addition, they have plantings in the Roero and Asti (the Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne is a cracker).
The 2020 Vintage
Following a mild, dry winter, spring began warm and sunny. From May and into June the weather turned very wet and unstable. Due to the early vigour, green harvesting was paramount in 2020 to avoid over-cropping but generally conditions were ideal, with the rain preventing any water stress.
The harvest of barbera and nebbiolo was delayed by a drop in temperatures in the first half of September, with both immediately showing superb sugars and acids, and beautifully ripe tannins.
The 2020’s from Piedmont are showing more immediate generosity and finer, subtle more pliant tannins than the 2019’s. In general they’ll hit the drinking window before the 2019’s. We’ve hit an era of wines in Piedmont where the baseline quality from the good producers is lifting and it is becoming more a matter of timing when you drink a vintage.
Vintage reports from others to explore
Alessandro Masneghetti’s 2020 Barolo Vintage Report.
In an update to his report late last year Masneghetti wrote:
Late November 2023 update. This is what I wrote three years ago at the time of publishing the first vintage report. Today, after so many tastings carried out in recent months in parallel with the 2019 Barolo tastings, I can definitely say that this will be a very good vintage. More ready and more elegant than the 2019, and perhaps less long-lived (but that is all to be proven). That said, is certainly much closer to my personal tastes.
Your tongue will thank you!
*We will only receive a few bottles of the Crus. 1st come 1st served. Following allocation you will be invoiced for the total. The wines will be ready to ship early June.
About the Wines
Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The Barolo ‘Castiglione’ is our interpretation of a classic Barolo. The grapes for producing this wine are sourced from various very important small vineyards located all over the Barolo region. Geology: calcareous and clayey soil. The age of the grapevines is between 10 and 45 years old; they are trained in the Guyot trellis system, with an average density of about 4,500 plants per hectare.
Winemaking: All the different single vineyards are vinified and aged separately, each of them with a different winemaking procedure, with the aim to highlight the typical characteristics of their specific “terroir”. Hand-picked in October, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent between three to four weeks in contact with their skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation takes place in oak.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for about 30 months in large oak casks and, a small amount, also in barriques; after this all parcels are carefully blended before bottling. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Medium-intense ruby red colour. On the nose explosive, elegant, charming and immediate. Aromas of prunes, red and black ripe cherry, blackberry, rose petals and tobacco. On the palate it is classic, quite rich and powerful, with notes of alpine herbs and leather on its finish. The tannins are very well-integrated in the fruit structure of the wine.
Fragrant, polished and vibrant right out of the gate, the 2020 Barolo Castiglione displays beautifully-lifted notes of crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, white pepper and orange peel. This classically built, mid-weight Barolo is classy to the core. Like all the 2020s here, it will benefit from time in bottle or a good decant.
Always a popular choice, the Vietti 2020 Barolo Castiglione (made with a blend of fruit from multiple MGA sites) has a voluptuous approach with dark fruit, cola, wild berry coulis and smoky tar. The wine wears a hot vintage well, with accessible and powdery tannins for near or medium-term drinking. In terms of texture, the Castiglione has a little more brawn and body compared to your standard Barolo.
Vietti Barolo Riserva 2016
Designation: Barolo DOCG
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo 100%
The idea of the Barolo Riserva was born during continuous experimentations carried out both in the vineyard and in the cellar, for the choice of the grapes that will be used for the Barolo Castiglione. Throughout the years, some very high quality plots have started to draw our attention and pushed us to decide to create this wine whose grapes are sourced from different vineyards that are vinified and aged separately. The grapes for this vintage were selected from a vineyard in the municipality of Serralunga at 350 m asl. Calcareous-clayey soil, with eastern exposure. The vines are about 25 years old, cultivated with the Guyot system and a density of 4,500 plants per hectare.
Vineyard: A selection of only a few small vineyard parcels, for the 2015 vintage all located on various sites in the municipality of Castiglione Falletto.
Geology: calcareous marl. The age of the grapevines is between 25 and 45 years, they are trained in the Guyot trellis system, with an average density of about 4,500 plants per hectare.
Winemaking: grapes harvested around the middle of October. For this wine we have partially carried out a whole-grape vinification. The remaining part was destemmed, crushed and conveyed in steel tanks for maceration and alcoholic fermentation. After a few days of cold pre-fermentation maceration, the temperature is raised and fermentation begins; it lasts about 20 days with regular pumping-overs.
Ageing: about 24 months in large oak barrels.
Description: intense ruby red color. On the nose notes of small ripe red fruits with balsamic and citrus hints. On the palate it is medium-bodied, rich, full and elegant. The tannins, typical of the Serralunga aera, are well integrated, with a sweet finish. Its vibrant acidity gives depth to the wine.
Vietti Barbaresco 'Masseria Roncaglie' 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The grapes for this wine are grown in the single vineyard Roncaglie, in Barbaresco. This is one of Barbaresco’s crus with a long reputation for its outstanding quality. The vineyard has a southwest exposure, at an altitude of 240 – 280 meters a.s.l. and its soil is calcareous and clayey with sandy Sant’Agata’s marls. The grapevines, with an average age of 30 years, are trained in the Guyot trellis system with a density of 4,600 grapes per hectare.
Winemaking: Hand-picked on September 30th, 2018, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent about three weeks in contact with their skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for 30 months in large oak casks and, only a small amount, in barriques. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Medium-intense ruby red colour with light garnet hues. Quite intense nose with aromas of ripe red fruit (cherry), red and black berries in combination with refined floral (rose, mint) and mineral nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, well-balanced. The tannins, ripe soft and silky, are well integrated in the wine’s fruit structure. The wine shows overall an incredible finesse and great complexity. Long final with good freshness.
The 2020 Barbaresco, from vines in Roncaglie, sizzles with tension. Bright, red-toned fruit, orange peel, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks are all beautifully delineated. In many vintages, the Roncaglie is quite showy. That is hardly the case in 2020, a vintage in which the wine is classically austere and in need of time. Super-classic.
The Vietti 2020 Barbaresco Roncaglie Masseria has bright rose, cherry, redcurrant and angel food cake with strawberries. There are mineral notes as well, and the fruit unfolds over the palate with gentle intensity. There is some oak spice, but it is very well integrated; and the wine shows good balance, especially where the tannins versus acidity is concerned.
Vietti Barbaresco Riserva 'Rabajà' 2019
Designation: Barbaresco D.O.C.G.
Grape variety: Nebbiolo 100%
The grapes are sourced from the single MGA vineyard “Rabajà” in the municipality of Barbaresco. The 2019 is the first vintage of this Riserva. It is also a return for Vietti, who was already making Rabajà in the 80s. The soil is calcareous-clayey, with south/south-west exposure and an altitude of about 235-315m asl. The average age of the Guyot-cultivated vines is about 51 years and there is a density of approximately 5,200 plants per hectare.
Winemaking: grapes harvested by hand on October 11, 2019. The alcoholic fermentation lasts about 3 weeks in steel tanks in contact with the skins, with regular pumping overs. This times includes the preand post-fermentation maceration which takes place with the use of the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in wood.
Ageing: about 30 months in oak barrels.
Description: intense garnet red color. The nose is rich and delicate. Floral scents such as rosehips and violets, ripe fruits like cherry and sour cherry. On the palate it is fresh and enveloping. The tannins are ripe, soft, silky and well-integrated, donating good structure and great elegance. Very well balanced and refined overall, with a long persistent finish
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a new wine from Vietti. It soars out of the glass with a captivating bouquet redolent of crushed flowers, herbs, mint and orange peel. The aromatics alone are beguiling. Nervy and classic in build, with gorgeous inner sweetness, the 2019 is utterly irresistible.
Vietti worked in the Rabajà cru in the 1980s and has now returned to make this inaugural vintage of the latest wine to join the portfolio. And what a stunning wine it is. The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà has plush, well-rounded fruit and a generous disposition with wild mountain blueberry, grenadine and watermelon candy. There are additional hints of resin, tar, linseed oil, fern or forest plant. The nose is one thing, but the palate is even more powerful, with very solid tannins, fresh acidity and generous fruit intensity. This Riserva fires on all cylinders.
Vietti Barolo 'Monvigliero' 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The Monvigliero vineyard has not only the reputation for being the most important Cru in the village of Verduno, but also to be among the most prestigious ones in the whole Barolo region. The Monvigliero hill is exposed towards south–southeast; the parcel where Vietti grows the grapes for this wines is at about 320 meters a.s.l.. The soil is calcareous and clayey with Sant’Agata’s marls. The grapevines have an average age of about 50 years and are planted, using the Guyot trellis system, at a density of 4,500 plants per hectare. 2018 is the first vintage of the Cru Monvigliero produced by Vietti.
Winemaking: Hand-picked on October 3rd, 2018, the grapes have been only partly destemmed (40%) and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the maceration and alcoholic fermentation. 60% of the grapes were added to be vinified as “whole-cluster” with their stems. After five days of cold maceration, the alcoholic fermentation had started with increasing the temperature. The total time of contact with the skins was about four weeks, which included the pre- and post-fermentation maceration using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation took place in oak.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for 24 months in large oak casks. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Ruby red colour. Very delicate though intense aroma. Very elegant on the palate with hints of strawberry, cherry and rose. The tannins are persistent, round and silky, perfectly in harmony with the fruit structure of the wine. Long lingering aftertaste with fresh spicy notes.
The 2020 Barolo Monvigliero is a very pretty, ethereal wine. Crushed flowers, mint, bright, red-toned fruit, dried herbs and spice are nicely lifted. This pretty, nuanced Barolo is very classy, but also on the lighter side. The 2020 is beguiling, but also a bit ethereal—this fruit may have been picked too early.
A relatively new departure for Vietti, the 2020 Barolo Monvigliero is soft and delicate with pretty floral aromas, dried iris, powdered spice and a hint of tar or road pavement. The inaugural vintage was 2018. Made with 60% whole-cluster fruit during fermentation, the wine has a moment of tartness, punchy highlights, sweet grenadine and cranberry jelly. It ages in large oak casks for 24 months.
Vietti Barolo 'Cerquio' 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The grapes to produce this wine are sourced from the historical Cru vineyard Cerequio, one of the most renowned MGAs in the Barolo area. Vietti’s parcel of about 1 hectare size is located in the Barolo municipality. It is facing south, at an altitude of approximately 350 meters a.s.l.. The average age of the grapevines is 35 years, and they are planted, with a density of 4,600 vines per hectare, trained in the Guyot trellis system. The soil is calcareous and clayey with Sant’Agata’s marls. 2018 is the first vintage of the Cru Cerequio produced by Vietti.
Winemaking: Hand-picked on October 5th, 2018, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent about three weeks in contact with their skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for 32 months in large oak casks and in barriques. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Intense ruby red colour. Generous nose with aromas of ripe red berry fruit with spicy overtones. Intense on the palate, quite rich though very elegant and well-balanced. The tannins are present, but very well integrated in the fruit structure of the wine. Long aftertaste with good freshness. A wine with extraordinary finesse and balance.
The 2020 Barolo Cerequio once again confirms that buying this vineyard is one of the smartest decisions Vietti ever made. A wine of nuance and class, the Cerequio captures all the pedigree of this great site. Crushed red berry fruit, kirsch, blood orange, spice and mint soar out of the glass, all framed by nervy tannins that convey classicism. This is an exotic, racy Barolo.
The Vietti 2020 Barolo Cerequio (with 3,866 bottles made) has a little more hot-vintage thickness or softness on the mid-palate and shows aromas of dark cherry, dried mint, licorice root and naval orange. The fruit is a little more one-dimensional in 2020, although the acidity is there and the fruit tannins feel velvety and chalky. The wine completes malolactic fermentation in barrique and then goes into large oak casks for two years.
Vietti Barolo 'Rocche di Castiglione' 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The grapes to produce this wine are grown in one of the historic vineyards of the Barolo area, Rocche in Castiglione Falletto, with roughly 4,600 plants per hectare. The grapevines were planted in three different moments – 1940, 1950 and 1968 – and are trained with the Guyot trellis system. The vineyard has a southeastern exposure and a grey-blueish marly composition.
Winemaking: Hand-picked on October 4th, 2018, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent about four weeks in contact with the skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for 30 months in large oak casks. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Medium-intense ruby red colour. Complex and elegant nose. Notes of ripe red fruit (cherry, red berries) floral (rose petals with a hint of chamomile) and mineral nuances. Good intensity on the palate, fresh, well- balanced, silky, mouth-filling and rounded. The tannins are well-integrated. Long and persistent finish with good freshness.
The 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a magical wine from a magical site. It marries finesse and volume to a degree that is not found in most of the other wines in this range. Castiglione Falletto is the center of the Barolo production zone, literally and figuratively, the place where many different soil types meet. As a result, the wines often possess mind-blowing balance, which is very much the case here.
The Vietti 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a very delineated wine with sharp ferrous notes, cherry cola, redcurrant and chalky mineral. It is extremely precise in terms of its aromas. The effect is direct and layered, showing different sides and increasing complexity as it opens in the glass. Dried floral notes, purple flower and iris also appear delicately. The chalky tannins feel abrupt at this young stage, but this wine is built to last nonetheless.
Vietti Barolo 'Lazzarito' 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The grapes for this wine are sourced from the single vineyard Lazzarito in Serralunga d’Alba. Lazzarito is a wonderful natural amphitheater facing southwest, at an altitude of 260 – 390 meters a.s.l., with a clayey and calcareous soil. Vietti’s property in this vineyard stretches for about 2 hectares. The grapevines have an average age of 40 years. They are planted using the Guyot trellis system with about 4,500 plants per hectare.
Winemaking: Hand-picked on September 29th, 2018, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent about four weeks in contact with their skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for 30 months in large oak casks and, only a small amount, in barriques. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Deep ruby red colour with garnet nuances. Fascinating and deep on the nose. Notes of hay, cut grass, tobacco, white pepper and a hint of mint. Robust, muscular on the palate, with a taut and mineral finish. The tannins are typical of Serralunga: angular, austere and very deep. Appealing long lingering sweetness on the finish.
The 2020 Barolo Lazzarito is a blend of fruit picked before and after the early October rains. It marries power and finesse to a notable degree. Dark red fruit, menthol, licorice, crushed rocks and dried herbs open nicely in the glass. This is a bit light for a Serralunga Barolo, although the tannic structure is there. This is missing a bit of personality.
I tasted a wide range of wines on my most recent visit to Vietti. Starting with the 2020 Barolos, I tasted every wine from a just-opened bottle and a bottle that had been double-decanted two hours prior to my arrival. Aeration can be a tricky thing with young, just-bottled wines. Sometimes, air can help
Lazzarito stands out as one of the strongest wines in this portfolio of new releases from Vietti. With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the 2020 Barolo Lazzarito comes in at a very high threshold in terms of complexity, offering dark cherry, crème de cassis, violet macaron, dried herb and lavender. The wine's perfumes remind me of the south of France in summer. It shows elegant tannins, streamlined intensity and good acidity.
Vietti Barolo 'Ravera' 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The grapes for this wine are grown in the single vineyard site Ravera in Novello. The roughly 3 hectares owned by Vietti are located on a wonderful hillside with a southwestern exposure. The soil is calcareous clayey with Sant’Agata’s marls. The grapevines have an average age 30 years with the oldest part planted in 1935. Using the Guyot trellis system, they are grown with a density of about 4,500 plants per hectare.
Winemaking: Hand-picked on October 6th, 2018, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent between four to five weeks in contact with the skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Slow malolactic fermentation in large casks until late spring. The wine spends over a year on its fine lees without racking.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for 32 months in large oak casks. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Intense garnet red colour. A rather austere nose in the beginning, paired with complex floral and fruity notes that open in the glass after a little while. Hints of red fruit, mineral and spicy nuances. Quite intense on the palate, with ripe red fruit sensations. Firm, compact tannins make this a very classic wine. Vibrant, vertical acidity. Extremely elegant and refined. Long lasting aftertaste.
Picked on October 9 and 10, the 2020 Barolo Ravera has plenty of Ravera classicism and tension, but also feels a bit light in the mid-palate. Ravera is never a huge wine in body, but the depth is often there, even if expressed in an understated and more linear manner. The 2020 lacks that depth. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and white pepper lend brilliance throughout.
The Vietti 2020 Barolo Ravera offers dark fruit, cherry and blackcurrant enhanced by soft spice. You also get a sun-kissed note of eggplant, tomato leaf and ferrous earth. Ravera displays strong lines with good acidity and firm tannic backbone. It closes dry and ages in large oak botte only. This is one of the most eyeballed MGAs sites. Ravera, with its open mountain skyline and cool temperatures, is seen as one of the best sites in the appellation, especially as the climate changes.
Vietti Barolo 'Brunate' 2020
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)
Vineyard: The grapes are grown in the historical Cru vineyard Brunate, which is located in La Morra, south-facing towards the town of Barolo, at an altitude of 300 to 400 meters a.s.l.. The average age of the grapevines is 55 years, and they are planted with a density of 4,600 vines per hectare, in the Guyot trellis system. The soil is calcareous and clayey (Sant’Agata’s marls).
Winemaking: Hand-picked on October 5th, 2018, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent about three weeks in contact with their skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood.
Ageing: The wine has been aged for 32 months in large oak casks and in barriques. It was bottled without filtration.
Description: Intense ruby red colour. Quite explosive, powerful and generous nose. Fruity notes of prunes, grapefruit and citron, with spicy overtones. In the glass it gradually shows violet aromas, very typical of the Brunate vineyard. Full and intense on the palate. The tannins are soft, round and velvety, distinctive of the La Morra terroir. Long finish with sensation of licorice roots.
The 2020 Barolo Brunate is a dark, beguiling wine. Black cherry, dried herbs, leather, game, licorice and incense lend gorgeous sepia-toned nuance. Brooding and inward, the 2020 clearly needs time. It is a super-classic Brunate that is hard to read in the early going, but the weight, substance and power are clearly there. Dense, meaty and dark, the 2020 shows Serralunga-like intensity.
The Vietti 2020 Barolo Brunate has a dark and spicy side that is infused throughout the fruit. Dark cherry and blackcurrant are folded into ferrous earth, grilled rosemary, aniseed and a hint of fresh mint. Brunate tends to be quite austere and firm in terms of its aromas, and this vintage shows those qualities well. In fact, the character of the site comes through clearly. The wine has a precise, angular personality, and the fruit feels compact.
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