How Will Modern Piedmont Age - 2020 | 2015 | 2010 Survey

Tasting to test the idea that modern Piedmont will age differently then the wines of the 70s, 80s and 90s that I happen to love now at age 30-50+. What can we learn from a look at 2020 at age ~5, 2015 at age ~10 and 2010 at age ~15? The line-up included (a) favorite "classic" producers with most represented in all three of 2020, 2015 and 2010, and (b) some "new school" producers gaining attention in 2020.

• 2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  For me, no Champagne more consistently delivers. 2005 vintage in a great, great spot right now. Still on the youthful side with more primary fruit and toast with a palate that is totally seamless.

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• 2020 Cantina D'Arcy Barolo Preda 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  A wildly delicious wine and drinking deliciously already, which may just be the point / the idea with these wines. Intense and enthralling nose of red cherry with so much sweet spice, a kiss of whole cluster, some anise and florals. Palate is more finessed than you'd expect for a young Barolo, which is again probably the idea with this wine. Burgundian in all the ways you might expect given the play-on-words name of the domaine (though I found more Bizot than the Domaine). I'm not sure how much better this gets, but I'm here for Tom's wines to learn and find out.

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• 2020 LaLù Barolo Le Coste di Monforte 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Of the neo classic producers, I found this to be perhaps the most traditional in the sense that the wine was super powerful and more brooding than finessed at this stage. Perhaps, thats the Monforte terroir coming through. Reasonably classic young Barolo with what I'd expect to be a traditional 30+ year curve towards peak drinking. Upside from here in 2050+.

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• 2020 Azienda Agricola Philine Isabelle Barolo Preda 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  On night one this was a bit muted on the nose and quite classic on the palate with structure that was present but not overly firm, which squares with how young classic Nebbiolo can drink. Followed over two more nights and this improved each day, drinking seamlessly with depth and nuance on night three. In the mold of my favorite more storied producers. Upside from here.

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• 2020 Trediberri Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata 88 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose of ripe macerated fruit with fresh cut florals. The palate here is bigger with a roasted profile in the fruit, and some heat. Overall, less balance and finesse than the other neoclassic and classic producers. Missed high expectations.

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• 2020 Piero Busso Barbaresco Gallina 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Another I got to follow over three nights. This was quite good on night one and improved each day. Loaded with bright red cherry with plentiful fresh cut florals and anise. Finessed with pure fruit and then present, but fine structure. Super long. A lot like peak era Giacosa. Upside from here.

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• 2020 Crissante Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Once again, I found this to be a super classic young Barolo. Nose is flashy with red cherry that is laced with smoke, orange peel and what seems like some whole cluster spice. Palate is sappy and fleshy and effusive with roses. Lots going on here. Tighter with grip in the finish. Upside from here.

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• 2020 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Oh my. The nose beams with bright, pure red fruit that is loaded with layers of florals, spice and red licorice. Fruit on the palate is round, rich with plenty of concentration and stuffing. As good as the opening flight was, this is a step up. Enjoyable for the moment, though I suspect this will shut down (a bit?) and then have a long, classic 30-50+ year aging curve. Upside from here.

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• 2020 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Lovely, big, intense nose of red cherry interlaced with florals, smoke and musk. Whoa, the palate is so concentrated, bright and pure with polish, finesse and precision and then crazy powerful length. Such textural complexity and intensity. Another I expect to shut down slightly before enjoying a long, long trajectory of 30-50+ years.

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• 2020 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Florals and red licorice complement sweet red fruit that is pure but bigger and matched with more strict, tannic structure. More brooding than both the Rinaldi and Bartolo (which left me a little surprised TBH). Seems this will follow a very traditional 20-40+ year aging trajectory. Upside from here.

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• 2020 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Full nose of crushed red cherry and fresh cut florals. Palate is powerful with a reasonable amount of drinkability right now but short of being ready given the foreboding structure. Should follow a classic aging trajectory of 20-40+ years.

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• 2020 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Clear cut cork taint.

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• 2015 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Super pretty nose with bright, sweet red cherry and florals. Fruit on the palate is showing and approachable, but as you'd expect still tight with chewy tannin, especially on the finish. Not rigid, but not ready either. Should start drinking at age 20+ and then follow a classic curve. Upside from here.

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• 2015 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Roasted and stewy. I'm perplexed about this -- source is a reputable direct importer so hard to imagine this was damaged in transit. Have had this in the past (out of mag) and no roasted / stewy issues, so shouldn't be a function of picking late. Perhaps / hopefully just in a weird spot.

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• 2015 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Super classic nose or red cherry, fresh cut florals and licorice. Lovely palate that is red fruited with some chewy tannin. Served blind to the group, and all guessing this was another producer's 15 Barolo. Impressive showing, and needs 3-5 years to hit an peak window.

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• 2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Lot of resemblance to the 2020 in the prior flight. Perhaps a bit more richly fruited but also a bit more brooding and stern. A 50+ year wine. Not shut down by any means, so fun and enjoyable enough now but what lies ahead should be truly special. Upside from here.

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• 2015 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Wow, love the effusive nose here, which is a lot like the 2020. Palate is approachable and expressive with refined structure that is seamlessly intertwined with the fruit. Incredible balance. A generational wine that is showing reasonably well but nowhere near peak drinking. Upside from here.

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• 2015 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  What a sexy nose of musky black cherry that is layered with toasted herbs and some emerging tar notes. Yum, so delicious with pure, round and enveloping fruit with funk and spice nuances. Tannin is gritty but not overly so. Not in it's prime window, but not shut down either. Should hit a peak in 5-10 years which is a tad earlier than some of the other classic producers.

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• 2015 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  A healthy dose of VA/sharpie on the nose that mars some lovely red cherry beneath. Palate is less effected by the VA, but it's still there. Too bad as the underlying fruit is super pure and silky. Alas, marked by too much VA to enjoy.

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• 2010 Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Full, attractive nose of red cherry, orange peel, florals and spice. Lovely, pure, enveloping fruit that is so damn sexy and seamless already. Impressed at how well this is drinking and would seem to be about 5 years ahead of schedule. Regardless really good now with some upside.

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• 2010 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Compared to the Cavallotto, more dark and brooding nose. Similarly, palate is bigger, with more structure, less approachability and not much in the way of evolution. Still 5-10+ years away from it's drinking window. Upside from here.

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• 2010 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Oh my, the nose is so open and layered with red cherry made interesting by musk, spice and toasted herbs. Yum, round and welcoming fruit that is smooth and well integrated with the structure. Early peak drinking, which seems to be a pattern with Cappellano Rupestris showing well earlier than some of the other classic producers.

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• 2010 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Nose is big and mostly brooding but with some swirling you get some attractive cherry and spice. Round, rich, pure fruit shows some signs of silkiness but also gritty particularly in the finish. Close but not quite ready - give it 3-5 years and then should age for decades. Upside from here.

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• 2010 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Marked by roasted fruit - heat damaged?

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Some conclusions:

No doubt that climate, advancements in the vineyard and cellar, and more sophisticated vignerons are changing what's in the bottle.

While modern Barolo appears to be more approachable in years 5-15 than the wines of the past, I don't think most are at their peak and I'd still peg peak windows in the 20-50+ year window. So, you get a drinkable wine in the early years vs. a mouthful of tannin. But the best still takes a couple of decades.

However, there certain winemakers + terroir + winemaking that will allow for early drinking Barolo and Barbaresco - so if that's your aim, it can be done and done well.