2025 Barolothon

Annual Barolothon - Roagna Vertical

• 2019 Roagna Barbaresco Vecchie Viti Pajè 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/25/2025)

  Very elegant and ethereal, this wine shows a translucent color, lifted aromatics, and a striking sense of poise. The palate is super smooth, metallic, and polished, with saline minerality and refined tannins that speak clearly to old vines and limestone soils. Lots of signature Roagna characteristics are on display—transparency, energy, and a weightless yet powerful finish. 95-96

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• 2013 Roagna Barolo Pira 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/25/2025)

  The wine took nearly two hours to fully open, eventually revealing rose petals, cooler red fruits, and a brighter profile than Roagna Pajè. Fruit is long on the palate with good acid and tannin, finishing longer, sweeter, and more ethereal, with a lifted, translucent feel. Compared to the Vecchie Viti, this was smoother and more graceful tonight, emphasizing elegance over depth. 95

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• 2013 Roagna Barolo Vecchie Viti Pira 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/25/2025)

  This shows more secondary complexity, with dense aromas of cherry and rose layered over earth, tar, and spice. There is high acidity and gripping tannins, with a sense of fine but quite extracted structure, and a touch of alcohol that slightly masks some nuance at this stage. Powerful and serious, this old‑vine Pira feels coiled and built for long aging rather than immediate pleasure. 94-95

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• 2013 Roagna Barbaresco Vecchie Viti Pajè 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/25/2025)

  The nose opens with wet leather, menthol, dark rose petals, and smoke, showing more depth but less overt fruit than younger examples. On the palate, dark red cherries and roses emerge with silky red fruit before turning more serious, with grippier tannins and tar taking hold. This is a brooding, old‑vine expression with layered complexity and a firmly structured, age-worthy finish. 94-95

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• 2010 Roagna Barolo Vecchie Viti Pira 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/25/2025)

  Much brighter than many of the other wines on the night, this shows classic Roagna finesse and elegance, with a lifted, crystalline profile. Aromatically it layers ripe tobacco, strawberries, rosehip, wet slate, and a subtle hint of mint, all carried by vibrant acidity and old‑vine concentration. The palate is precise and energetic rather than heavy, with mineral tension and a long, refined finish that underscores the pedigree of the Vecchie Viti bottling. 94

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• 2013 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (10/25/2025)

  This bottling leans toward darker fruits than the 2013 Pajè Vecchie Viti, showing a more immediate, fruit‑forward profile. The palate is very fruity, almost bubble‑gum‑like, with sweet red fruit and fine tannins, offering early charm over depth. While less complex than the Vecchie Viti, it remains beautifully balanced and highly enjoyable. 94

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• 2010 Roagna Barolo Pira 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/25/2025)

  This bottle showed as surprisingly mature, with noticeable browning at the rim and a nose of striking but hard‑to‑place complexity. It felt more rustic and evolved than expected, leaning toward forest floor, tea leaf, and earthy tones rather than primary fruit. The palate was broad and firm, marked by bitter tannins and a sense of heat, suggesting either an off bottle or advanced development relative to the vintage’s usual trajectory. 93

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• 2006 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/25/2025)

  Drank from a 3L, this was in a perfect drinking window, showcasing classic Monvigliero white pepper, herbal lift, and a clear sense of whole‑cluster aromatics. Slightly darker than recent vintages, it balances beautiful tannins, vivid acidity, and extraordinary length, unfurling endlessly on the finish. Very, very long and profoundly expressive, this was an absolute standout and a joy to drink now. 96

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• 2019 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Bussia 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/24/2025)

  Really pretty floral aromatics burst from the glass—rose petals, herbs, and balsamic lift—followed by more power than the Rinaldi Brunate while retaining finesse. The palate delivers lots of balsamic notes, candied red fruits, gorgeous texture and density, and ultra‑refined tannins, all wrapped in remarkable purity. Despite its structure, this was drinking incredibly well on the night, a testament to the harmony and balance of this Bussia bottling. 95

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• 2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/24/2025)

  This bottle showed a bit more oxidation than ideal, yet remained a really pretty aged Barolo with layered complexity. Beneath the maturity is a bigger core of muscle, tannin, and structure, with cool red fruits, darker leather, and savory depth, all lifted by Rinaldi’s signature finesse. While seemingly advancing faster than expected, the wine still delivers haunting balance and traditional authority. 95

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• 2013 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/24/2025)

  Granted it is young, this Monfortino is very powerful, with a darker fruit profile, spiced tree bark, graphite, and tar driving the expression. It feels more tannic than surrounding vintages, with monumental structure and tightly wound intensity that dominates the palate. Despite its current austerity, the balance and depth suggest it should age beautifully over decades. 94-95

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• 2011 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/24/2025)

  PnP for a couple of hours. The 2011 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris unveils layers of rose, red cherry, spice, and wet tobacco after some time in the glass, with an aromatic and subtly floral nose. The palate is light yet structured, balancing bright acidity with firm, integrated tannins and nuanced notes of cherry, soy, and iron. Alcohol is superbly woven in, and the finish lingers, echoing the wine’s complexity and savory depth. Exceptional elegance and character mark this classic Barolo from Cappellano. 94-95

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• 2014 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (10/24/2025)

  Beautiful aromatics lead the way, with lifted rose petals, red cherry, and floral spice, a hallmark of Cannubi in this cooler vintage. On the palate there is more acidity and biting tannins, giving the wine a taut, iron‑tinged structure that feels iron framed in rose petals, echoing classic Nebbiolo tension. The wine shows elegance over power, with fine-grained tannins and a mineral, slightly brittle finish that underscores its long-term potential. 93-94

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All wines were fantastic this weekend!