Vietti, Barolo + Friends PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER – 2015 Vintage


Today we offer the 2016 Perbacco in Mag, Casitglione (375ml + Mags available), Lazzarito, Ravera, Brunate, and, Barbaresco Masseria. In addition to Mags of 2016 Perbacco, possibly the best value party Neb.

Today we offer the 2016 Perbacco in Mag, Casitglione (375ml + Mags available), Lazzarito, Ravera, Brunate, and, Barbaresco Masseria. In addition to Mags of 2016 Perbacco, possibly the best value party Neb. The 2015 Perbacco in 750ml is available immediately, the rest are due late May for delivery in early June.

Vietti’s 2015 Barolos are good examples of the strengths and weaknesses of the vintage as a whole. All of the wines are fresh and medium in body, with good energy and plenty of drive. At the same time, the differences between the vineyard are not quite as marked as they are in truly outstanding years. Even so, the 2015s here are brilliant. I won’t be surprised if they show even better with a few more years in bottle, as they are among the most reticent 2015s I tasted.

Galloni

Pricing of the pre-arrival wines will increase by ~10% post arrival.

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 andvibrancy.” 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, they have never shifted to the overt new oak regimes of the likes of Clerico. 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.

This wisdom seems to have continued to the following years. The 2014 base Langhe Nebbiolo, Perbacco, is an excellent wine, upon opening it required around 3 days to deliver it’s full potential. The 2014 Barolo Castiglione and Cru’s are receiving critical acclaim.

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.

2015 began with high levels of snow providing good water reserves. Combined with mild spring temperatures and various rain falls, bud break and flowering were early, followed by an excellent fruit set. From the second half of June throughout July, there was no rain and temperatures stabilized to above-average maximums. Fortunately the vineyards were not stressed thanks to the plentiful water reserves. In terms of quantity, production was average allowing for careful, targeted green harvesting with special care taken to ensure foliage was managed to provide good protection for the clusters. There was no disease pressure so preventative measures were not required. The white varieties were harvested between the end of August and mid-September and the excellent sugars were matched by wonderful acidity. The Dolcetto harvest began around the second week in September and the wines were aromatic, softer and deeply coloured. Barbera is the variety which perhaps most benefited from the 2015 season with the usually high acidity tempered by excellent ripe tannins, dense colours and richly flavoured fruit and body. Nebbiolo ripened perfectly, though slightly earlier than the last few years. The excellent quality of the tannins balanced by perfect acidity will certainly ensure elegant, long-lasting wines with good structure.

The 2016 Vintage

The 2016 vintage was one of the longest-lasting in recent years. Early winter was dry and mild, however from the end of February through March, the temperatures dropped with plenty of rain, providing good reserves of water. The “late” cold delayed the vegetative cycle, and spring proper also started wet with average daytime temperatures but low overnight minimums, helping retain good health. This phenological delay continued until the end of the summer, which began slowly but extended until the end of September. The white harvest ran from September 5th to 20th, with the wines showing excellent aroma and good acidity due to cooler summer temperature peaks. The red harvest began immediately after with Dolcetto, followed without a break to the middle of October with the Barbera and Nebbiolo. 2016 was a very good vintage for Dolcetto, but even more so for Barbera, which acquired excellent levels of sugar over a long period of stable conditions, while maintaining the varietal’s typically good acidity. Nebbiolo also achieved good phenological ripeness, a direct result of the perfect warm, sunny conditions of the second half of September. Whilst it is still early, the 2016 vintage wines display excellent balance, generous aromatics and great structure, and in some cases lower alcohols, compared to 2015. 2016 promises to be a vintage which will be talked about for a long time to come!

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 Perbacco Langhe Nebbiolo 2015

We’ve got to remember the pedigree of this wine. The fruit comes from parcels in Bricco Boschis, Liste, Brunella, Crocetta, Pernanno, Fossati, Ravera in Novello and Scarrone. All stunning vineyards. That’s what makes it such a good benchmark for the Barolo’s from the same year. Looks like we’re in for another great crop of Vietti Cru’s in the 2014’s! All of the fruit is classified as Barolo DOCG, it’s final destination is only determined following malolactic fermentation.

Designation: Langhe DOC Nebbiolo

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Winemaking: Vinification of grapes coming from different vineyards of Nebbiolo all included in the Barolo area. Alcoholic fermentation lasts around 3/4 weeks with a temperature of 28°/32° C. Each parcel is processed and aged separately until when they select which ones will be included for the blend of Perbacco or the ones that will keep ageing to become Barolo Castiglione.

Ageing: Total ageing is approximately 2 years. After malolactic done both in barrique and big Slavonian casks, the wine keeps ageing in oak for 2 years. Blending in steel tanks to follow prior bottling.

Description: Offers up generous fruit along with menthol, spices and hard candy, showing notable intensity while retaining an essentially mid-weight style. Strong, intense and powerful when young, complex and elegant with the ageing.

92 Points

White pepper, cherry, tea, juniper and tobacco flavors dissolve into a swath of tannins that leave a grip on the finish. Though elegant, this feels more like a Barolo in profile and structure. Best from 2020 through 2030.

Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator

Vietti Perbacco Langhe Nebbiolo 2016

Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2015

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Winemaking: The grapes are selected from small vineyards spread in the Barolo region. The vines are between 7 and 40 years old, planted in a clay-limestone soil. Plants are trained with guyot method, with an average density of roughly 4500 units per hectare. All the different crus are vinified and aged separately with slightly different processes to underline the singular characteristics of each parcel and terroir. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel with daily cap submersion for extraction of flavour and colour.

Aging: The wine is aged for roughly 30 months in oak and barriques; all parcels are then carefully blended before bottling.

91 Points

Vietti's 2015 Barolo Castiglione is soft, silky and pliant, all qualities that make it a good choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so. Floral and nicely lifted, the 2015 is very pretty, if not quite the overachiever it can be. I expect the 2015 will be even more expressive once the tannins soften a bit further. In this tasting, the Castiglione stands out for its freshness and energy. Time in the glass brings out an extra layer of textural breadth and resonance that is not immediately apparent.

Antonio Galloni

94 Points

Plenty of perfume here with abundant roses and violets, as well as spice-dusted red cherries and hints of orange rind. The palate has depth and density with a sense of power and detail to the tannins. Long, dense and fresh.

James Suckling

Vietti Barolo 'Rocche di Castiglione' 2015

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Winemaking: The grapes are selected from the single vineyard Rocche in Castiglione Falletto, planted with roughly 4600 units per hectare. The vines were planted in three different moments, 1940, 1950 and 1968. The vineyard has a south-west exposure and a clay-limestone soil. Grapes are gently crushed and fermented for approximately 4 weeks in stainless steel tank with skin contact. This time includes pre- and post- fermentative maceration with the traditional method of submerged cap. Malolactic is done in oak.

Ageing: The wine is aged for approximately 30 months in Slovenian oak casks.

Description: Ruby red in color. Complex and full-bodied with intense aromas of dried roses, licorice, spice and truffles. Elegant with strong, yet balanced and silky tannins; long and persistent finish.

94 Points

The 2015 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is incredibly inviting from the very first taste. Silky and aromatic, the Rocche shows plenty of the classiness that is such a signature of this Castiglione Falletto site. As with all of these 2015s, readers will have to be patient. The 2015 gains striking volume and resonance with time in the glass, but a few years in bottle are an absolute must for the wine to show at its very best.

Antonio Galloni

98 Points

A hauntingly complex and finely detailed nose that touches so many different characters. Roses, dried wood, cedar, fine brown spices, light earthy notes, warm stones, mountain herbs and leaves. All here – very complex. The density and weight is exceptional, as is the fine, firm weave of tannins. The length is staggering and the tautness and balance are captivating. One of the stars of the vintage! Try from 2025.

James Suckling

Vietti Barolo 'Lazzarito' 2015

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Winemaking: The grapes are selected from the single vineyard Lazzarito in Serralunga d’Alba, planted with roughly 4500 units per hectare. The vines have an average age of 35 years. The 2-hectare vineyard has a southwest exposure and a clay-limestone soil. Grapes are gently crushed and fermented for 4 weeks in stainless steel tank with skin contact. This time includes pre- and post- fermentative maceration with the traditional method of submerged cap. Malolactic is done in oak.

Ageing: The wine is aged for approximately 30 months between French oak barriques and Slovenian oak casks

Description: Deep garnet red in color. Richly rounded with a robust and velvety texture; intensely aromatic with hints of figs and plums. Elegant with soft and sweet tannins, followed by a long finish.

94 Points

The 2015 Barolo Lazzarito is one of the highlights in this range from Vietti. The power and gravitas of Serralunga come through loud and clear in a deep, beautifully resonant Barolo loaded with character. Iron, smoke, sage, menthol, licorice and rose petal give the Lazzarito its beguiling aromatic complexity. The massive tannins need time to soften, but there is a lot to look forward to once that happens.

Antonio Galloni

96 Points

This is a very youthful Barolo that has attractive, fragrant perfume with freshly picked roasting herbs and a strong, central thread of ripe cherries and red plums. The pure and concentrated palate frames intense plum and cherry flavors in long, unwavering tannins that deliver rich, strong and seamless into the finish. Exceptional quality and built for aging. Try from 2025.

James Suckling

Vietti Barolo 'Ravera' 2015

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Winemaking: The grapes are selected from the single vineyard Ravera in Novello, planted with roughly 4500 units per hectare. The vines have an average age of 25 years with the oldest part planted in 1935. The roughly 3-hectare vineyard has a south-west exposure and a clay-limestone soil. Grapes are gently crushed and fermented for 4 weeks in stainless steel tank with skin contact. This time includes pre- and post- fermentative maceration with the traditional method of submerged cap. Malolactic is done in casks that will continue until late spring. The wine spends over a year on fine lees without racking it.

Ageing: The wine is aged for about 30 months in Slovenian oak casks.

Description: Intense garnet red colour. Very classic and traditional with a robust structure and intense tannins. Bouquet takes a little time to show itself with slight hints of yeast. It opens slowly in the glass touch of spice and menthol. In the final, the powerful structure and concentration soften the tannins potential.

95 Points

The 2015 Barolo Ravera is once again the head of the class at Vietti. Bright, sculpted and wonderfully nuanced, the Ravera is very pretty. Floral aromatics and the pointed, brilliant fruit that is such a Ravera signature are very much in evidence. Hints of blood orange, mint, crushed rocks and flowers add shades of complexity as the 2015 gradually opens up in the glass. This is one of the finer wines of the year. Don't miss it!

Antonio Galloni

95 Points

The beautifully fragrant roses are impossible to resist. This oozes charm. Also, there are red cherries, cocoa powder and an array of wild herbs in the mix. The palate has toned yet muscular tannins that build nicely to deliver a concentrated core of ripe red-cherry flavor that holds long, fresh and youthful. Great Barolo. Try from 2022.

James Suckling

Vietti Barolo 'Brunate' 2015

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo,

Winemaking: The grapes are selected from the historical cru Brunate, located in La Morra, on the south side towards Barolo, with 4,600 plants per hectare. The average age of the vines is 52 years old, the soil is a mix of limestone and clay. Grapes are gently crushed and fermented for 3 weeks in stainless steel tank with skin contact. This time includes pre- and post- fermentative maceration with the traditional method of submerged cap. Malolactic is done in barriques.

Aging: The wine is aged for approximately 30 months between French oak barrels and Slovenian oak casks

Description: Intense ruby red. Dry, with generous body, harmoniously balanced and velvety texture. Classic, ripe red-fruit, long finish, rich and very elegant. Spices, violet, plums and intense tar, very typical for the Brunate vineyard.

93+ Points

The 2015 Barolo Brunate is powerful and dense in the glass, with plenty of Brunate tannin that enshrouds the palate. Iron, smoke, grilled herb, menthol and spice notes add complexity to the dark, sepia-toned fruit. The 2015 is a baby. It will benefit from several years in bottle and then drink well to age 25-30, perhaps beyond. This is the first vintage made from Vietti's expanded holdings following the acquisition of a parcel that formerly went to Andrea Oberto.

Antonio Galloni

95 Points

This has a rather reserved nose with dried-herb, rosehip, potpourri and light cedary aromas, ahead of fragrant dried cherries. The palate has quite dense and smoothly rendered, ripe tannins that deliver a long, composed and approachable Barolo. Drink or hold.

James Suckling

Vietti Barbaresco 'Masseria' 2015

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Winemaking: The grapes are harvested from vineyard located Treiso. The vineyard has a southern exposure with a mix of clay and limestone in the soil. During the alcoholic fermentation, the must will remain for approximately 3 weeks in open-top stainless-steel tanks. Daily délestages, punching downs and open-air pumping overs are actioned daily. The malolactic is done in barriques.

Aging: Big oak vats, barriques and steel tanks for a total of 2 and half years.

Description: garnet ruby colour, slight garnet hue, with intense aromas of ripe cherries with intricate complexities of minerals, tea leaves and rose petals. With firm, ripe tannins, crisp acidity and feminine and round structure, this Barbaresco shows incredible finesse with excellent balance, integration and a long, lingering finish.

92+ Points

Vietti's 2015 Barbaresco Masseria is a dense, powerful wine that is going to need at least a few years to fully come together. In 2015, the Masseria is a decidedly potent, masculine Barbaresco, with huge tannins and tremendous fruit density. Time in bottle will help soften some of the edges, but I imagine the 2015 will always remain rather somber. Macerated dark cherry, scorched earth, new leather, tobacco and licorice add to an impression of virile intensity.


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Vietti, Barolo, PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER – 2013 Vintage

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