Wines

95 Points! The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2020 Barolo Bussia is a fine and silky wine with the elegant power that is characteristics of this special cru. The wine shows bright fruit flavors with cherry and blackcurrant followed by earthy iris root and licorice. There is a hint of perfume or church incense. That pretty intensity follows through to the palate with balanced freshness and lasting medium-plus richness. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! The nose is attractive, with watermelon, leafy lightness, fresh violets and strawberry fruit. The palate is savory and graceful, with a full body, velvety tannins soaked in peach fruit, juicy acidity and a polished aftertaste. A bracing Barolo with at least 10 years of cellaring potential, yet enjoyable now. - JamesSuckling.com

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92 Points! His 2021 Barolo sees fruit from vineyards in La Morra, Verduno and Serralunga d'Alba. There is a pretty chalky quality to the wine that you perceive across the senses, especially the bouquet. To that, I would add cocktail cherry and cassis. I am reminded of the Jolly Rancher candies we had as kids. The wine is informal, bright and accessible. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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94 Points! The 2019 Barolo Castellero is a deep, beguiling wine. Deeply pitched spice, menthol, licorice and dried herbs meld into a core of dark-toned fruit. Virile and imposing, with notable inner sweetness, the Castellero is stunning. There's a bit of new oak influence, but it is not dominant. This is another superb Barolo from Brezza. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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The 2016 Barolo Rupestris is unbelievably delicate. A Barolo of haunting beauty, the Rupestris is endowed with sneaky concentration that reveals itself only with time in the glass. Potent tannins and bright acids give the Rupestris fabulous energy. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2016 for a number of years. It is one of the most reticent young vintages I have ever tasted here. Dried cherry, mint, cedar, dried flowers and sweet pipe tobacco linger on the sinewy finish. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media Learn More

The 2019 Barolo Rupestris is elegant, gracious and wonderfully lifted. All the elements are so wonderfully in balance. Crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, blood orange and spice soar out of the glass. Deep and pliant, the Rupestris has an extra level of refinement in 2019 that places it among the most successful wines of the vintage. It's an absolutely joyous wine from Augusto Cappellano that is also quite open today. I suspect that won't be the case for long, as the 2019 will likely shut down in bottle soon. Many years ago Baldo Cappellano asked me not to score his wines, so all Cappellano wines show up on our database as NR.- Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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The 2020 Barolo Rupestris is an elegant, sculpted wine. It shows the mid-weight structure of the year nicely. Sweet red cherry fruit, mint, chalk, white pepper, orange peel and dried flowers open with some coaxing. I would leave this alone in the cellar for a few years, as time in bottle is essential here. I won't be surprised if this fills out a bit over the coming years, as is often the case here. Many years ago Baldo Cappellano asked me not to score his wines, so all Cappellano wines show up on our database as NR. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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The 2021 Barolo Rupestris is a total knockout. Dark, ample and beautifully layered, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish, showing excellent depth and tons of persistence. The 2021 is one of my favorite recent vintages because of its superb balance. Although obviously a young Barolo, opening this with minimal cellaring won't be an issue. It's a pretty big wine from Cappellano. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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97 Points! The organic Cavallotto 2019 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe shows thick texture and density with dark fruits, plum and blackberry layered with extra depth. This wine makes a big impact on the palate and wraps lavishly over the senses. This is one of the most opulent and full-bodied editions I have yet tasted. The fruit is sourced from a 2.38-hectare site with 60-year-old vines with southwest exposures at 310 and 340 meters in elevation. The wine sees 60 months of careful maturation in 20-hectoliter and 100-hectoliter Slavonian botti. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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97 Points! Showing firm structure and a bold fruit profile, the Ceretto 2021 Barolo Prapò reveals a dark core with crushed stone, iron oxide and candied cherry. Prapò never holds back in terms of intensity. This site has a unique ripening cycle that means harvest comes 10 days later, giving the fruit more time to develop complexity. This wine is just terrific. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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95 Points! A fine-tuned, elegant Barolo with aromas of dried cherries, dried roses, licorice and mint. Full-bodied, it shows smoothness, density, weight and soft tannins despite the structure, with refreshing acidity and a long, vibrant finish full of savory flavors. Drinkable now, but best from 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Laced with cherry, strawberry, rose, mineral and white pepper flavors, this red is expressive despite being linear and taut. Firms up on the finish, where lively acidity drives the fruit and savory elements. Shows excellent harmony and potential. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! A blend of fruit from five MGA sites (Brunate, Liste, Cerequio, Cannubi and Raviole)...The Damilano 2021 Barolo Lecinquevigne offers nice intensity and standard Nebbiolo complexity with dark fruit, cassis, spice and toasted tobacco leaf. You do not taste the personality of any one site, but that's not the point. Aged in large botte, the wine is open-knit in texture and immediate. You can wait longer or pull the cork now. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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97 Points! With its colorful fantasy label, the Domenico Clerico 2019 Barolo Aeroplan Servaj shows dark fruit and a velvety texture with rusty nail and pencil shaving. This vintage carries more overall concentration and structure, and the results are both rich and extremely beautiful. Fruit comes from vines planted in 1994. The wine ages in large oak casks mostly, with about 10% in barrique. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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97+ Points! Between the Pajana and the Ciabot Mentin, I have a preference for the latter. The Domenico Clerico 2021 Barolo Ginestra Ciabot Mentin comes from the higher part of the slope (with vines planted in 1978) and offers an extremely precise and finely stitched bouquet that incorporates elements of cassis, wild berry, herb, blue flower and crushed stone. The mineral signature is a little more pronounced in this wine, and it leans into iron ore and rusty nail. Like the Pajana, the tannins are quite firm, and the wine will need more time in bottle to integrate. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! Aromas of sweet violets, potpourri, dried cherries, pomegranates and hints of chocolate, licorice and blood oranges. Full-bodied on the palate, it shows delicate, ripe and velvety tannins that are tightly knit with acidity, pushing the finish in a sophisticated way. - JamesSuckling.com

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96 Points! The Domenico Clerico 2019 Barolo Ginestra Ciabot Mentin (with 5,500 bottles made with fruit from vines planted in 1978) is a bit closed initially. This is a trait I found across a vintage that gives us good reason to bet on long bottle-aging potential. There is dark fruit and spice with licorice and grilled herb. Rusty mineral nuances also emerge slowly from the bouquet. This wine needs a double decant if consumed on the young side, but you're better off waiting. I came back to my open sample 24 hours later, and the wine was singing beautifully. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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96 Points! Aromas of raspberries, cherries and orange peel follow through to a medium to full body, with firm and very fine tannins that are chewy but fine grained. Bright acidity, too. Try after 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The front of this bottle now lists its MGA provenance, Ginestra. The Domenico Clerico 2019 Barolo Ginestra Pajana shows a more open initial impression (next to the Ciabot Mentin) with soft black fruit. The wine makes a bigger impact in terms of texture with firm structure and silky tannins. It is just a little more open-knit and accessible. Some 5,000 bottles were released, and for the first time, Pajana is aged only in large oak casks (measuring 5,000 liters). - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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97 Points! The Domenico Clerico 2021 Barolo Ginestra Pajana is polished and beautifully defined with red fruit, crushed stone and blue flower. All of these wines from 2021 offer extraordinary depth and perfumed complexity. However, the tannic fabric of this wine is firmer and denser. You'll want to give this bottle more time to let those tannins resolve. They are beautifully chalky as it stands now but will grow silkier as they integrate. This is an important, proud Barolo from an epic vintage. The vineyards date back to 1971, with a second planting in 1991. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! A complex and vibrant wine with an enticing nose of Parma violets, dried cherries, strawberries, licorice and a hint of cinnamon. Full-bodied, it shows extracted and velvety tannins despite its youth, with fruit concentration, chewy acidity and an energetic, bracing finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

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97 Points! Nervy and complex nose with excellent depth. Oranges, nutmeg, steel, mineral and a touch of white pepper and oyster shell. Broad and expansive on the palate with very structured, chalky tannins that extend to a lengthy, mineral finish. Long and youthful. From organically grown grapes. Can drink now, but better from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The E. Pira e Figli - Chiara Boschis 2020 Barolo Cannubi is a fine and delicate wine, although there is a little more grit and richness in this warm vintage. The quality of the fruit is exceptional, especially its crisp ripeness. Dark cherry, blackcurrant, rose blossom, pink pepper and white limestone add considerable high-toned notes. The freshness is great and the fruit stays juicy, fueling a long, elegant finish. Only 4,000 bottles were made. - Monica Larner, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

 

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