Vinous 2019 Barolo Masterclass

The Pool Restaurant, NYC
Tasted Saturday, February 3, 2024 by kenv with 157 views

Introduction

2019 is a great and classy vintage. More elegant perfume than I can remember from any other vintage at this stage. But good structure underneath. Elegance combined with medium power. Also, the terroir shows through quite well.

All the wines were opened around 9:30am and served cool (cellar temp). The tasting was moderated by Antonio Galloni and ran from 10:30am to about 12:30am.

Photos and more details can be found on my website.

Flight 1 - Flight 1: La Morra & Barolo (3 Notes)

All 3 have a beautiful perfume that seems characteristic of this vintage in this part of the region.

  • 2019 Trediberri Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [The Trediberri winery only started production in 2010. Nicola Oberto is one of the three owners and the primary winemaker. His father was the winemaker at Renato Ratti and the grapes this wine is made from used to be sold to Ratti to make their Rocche dell'Annunziata.] Gorgeous perfume of red fruit and mint. Sweet red fruit on the attack. Firm tannins on the long finish. Beautiful. 95-?

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  • 2019 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Another lovely nose of red fruit and licorice. Dark red fruit throughout. Again firm tannins on the finish with lush red fruit. 94-?

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  • 2019 Oddero Barolo Brunate 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    “This is their smallest production wine with “only one small barrel”-AG
    Again, a lovely nose with more red and black fruit and spice. Darker, richer, silkier. Needs some time. 94-?

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Flight 2 - Flight 2: Verduno (2 Notes)

  • 2019 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    “Wine is not only a handcrafted product, it’s a cultural one, it’s the music of a place. A bottle of wine, however it’s not like a cd that you can listen to repeatedly and the music is always the same, it’s something unique and unrepeatable, you can listen to only once. Its beauty depends on when you open it, with whom and your mood. It’s something mutable and alive. Opening a bottle of wine is like attending a concert, the beauty lies not only in the music but in the atmosphere it creates.” –Vittore Alessandria on FB, but this is more or less what he said here.
    Gorgeous perfume of black fruit and spice. Rich in the mouth. These wines always seem more lush and thick compared to G.B. Burlotto’s. Not better or worse, but different in style. 94-?

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  • 2019 Castello di Verduno Barolo Vigna Massara 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [First time at La Festa for this winery. Her mom was from Verduno, her dad from Barbaresco. So they make both.]
    Elegant. More in the Burlotto style than Fratelli Alessandria style. Somewhat austere at this point, but should flesh out over time. 92-94

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Flight 3 - Flight 3: Rocche (2 Notes)

Both wines really show the breeding of Rocche.

  • 2019 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche 96 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Alessandro Ceretto said that they used new barrique until 2005. Since 2010, they have gone biodynamic, started using large botti, and replanted half this vineyard using massal selection. This smallest of all MGAs is a Ceretto monopole. It is between Rocche di Castiglione and Villero.] Here the nose moves more toward sweet fruit. Rich, elegant, classic. Needs time, but this has great richness all the way through. Maybe my favorite wine from Ceretto in this millennium. 96

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  • 2019 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Alex Sanchez said that his father-in-law, Giacinto Brovia, bought this parcel in Rocche di Castiglione in 1968.] Another gorgeous, rich, red and black fruit nose. A little more backward and monolithic at this stage but should age beautifully. 94-?

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Flight 4 - Flight 4: “Nothing in common.” (2 Notes)

The title of this flight is a quote from Antonio.

  • 2019 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [A blend of grapes from Baudana (Serralunga d'Alba), Villero (Castiglione Falletto), Vignane (Barolo), Merli (Novello), and Le Coste di Monforte. The last one is new in 2019.]
    Gorgeous nose of red and black fruit. Smooth and rich on a long finish. Tannins just peeking out here on the finish. Lovely.

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  • 2015 Roagna Barbaresco Crichët Pajé 100 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    [“I’m the sorbeto.” -Luca Roagna]
    Herbal red fruit in the nose. Ethereal from start to finish. A wine of such finesse and quality. Explosive in the mouth. Amazing, a show stopper. I wanted to cry at the beauty of this wine. Sadly it is well over $1000 here in the US.

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Flight 5 - Flight 5: Monforte d’Alba (3 Notes)

Flight 6 - Flight 6: Serralunga d’Alba (3 Notes)

Here the dark, rich fruit overwhelms the firm tannins. As ethereal as the previous wines were, I will always have a special love for the added power and intensity of Serralunga.

  • 2019 Massolino Barolo Margheria 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Rich black fruit. Dark and rich. Gorgeous. Elegance and power. 95-?

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  • 2019 Luigi Baudana Barolo Cerretta 96 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Vajra is doing such great things with these sites in Serralunga d’Alba. This has power and grace. There is a sweetness of fruit throughout.

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  • 2019 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cerretta 97 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Roberto said that this is the only single vineyard Barolo he will produce in 2019. All the Francia and Arione went into the 2019 Monfortino.]
    The difference between these two Cerretta wines was subtle. The purity of fruit in the Conterno was just a bit more precise and intense, but the similarities were far greater. Given that this wine is about four times the price of the Baudana Cerretta, I would go for the Baudana.

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Flight 7 - Lunch (1 Note)

  • 2004 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [From a magnum at the La Festa del Barolo Saturday lunch. This mag was leftover from the Gala dinner the night before. So it had been open at least 20 hours.]
    Still young, but rich and fragrant. A mix of dark red and black fruit on the nose with hints of spice. Full bodied and rich in the mouth. Long finish. Still needs time, but delicious now, especially with the hamburger.

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Closing

2019 is a great vintage. These wines have gorgeous perfume and a balanced lightness from the nose through the attack and the long finish. I don't think they have the intensity to last as long as fully classic vintages like 2013 or 2016, but they will bring great joy over the next couple of decades. There is more elegance than power.

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