Barolo is one of the world’s great wines. In this video, I’ll discuss the background details of what makes this red wine so special, along with what to look for when shopping for it. Also included will be a wine tasting of two classic examples, a just recently released Barolo and another bottle that is nearly 30 years old. Barolo is an appellation in the Piedmont region of NW Italy.
All Barolo is red, made entirely from Nebbiolo. While Nebbiolo is the most renowned grape variety, it accounts for less than 10% of the total vineyard plantings of the region being reserved for the best-suited, top vineyard sites. It’s a difficult variety to grow well. Beyond Piedmont and some nearby neighboring regions, Nebbiolo has limited reach around the world, with nothing that approaches the distinctive character of Piedmont.
Recent Vintages: 2018, 2019 and 2020
2018 – mostly softer wines compared to the 2015, 2016 and 2017. The wines have very good aging potential, it will start showing their potential after about a decade, with the best having twenty-plus years of aging potential.
2019 – a vintage that shows a good balance between classic and contemporary Barolo. The growing season was a bit cooler the many recent vintages. The tannins are evident, wines built for the long haul. The longest-lived potential of the trio, decades is well within reach.
2020 – the full on Covid vintage, some producers struggled to find labor, but overall a very successful vintage. Wines with precision on the palate, ripe, full, tannins that are a bit less hard, yet with plenty of structure to age ten years plus.
Wines to search out with approximate price (USD).
Bruno Giacosa Barolo – any vintage, prices starting at around $160
2018 Carlo Revello & Figli Barolo DOCG $50 (Total Wine)
2018 Elio Altare Barolo $90 2018
Elvio Cogno Ravera Barolo DOCG $115
2018 Giacomo Conterno Barolo $200
2019 La Sacrestia Barolo $40 (Total Wine)
2019 Massolino Barolo Serralunga d’Alba $53 (Total Wine)
2020 Mauro Veglio Barolo $45 (Total Wine)
2019 Paolo Scavino Barolo $45 2019 Prunotto Barolo $50
2019 Vite Colte Essenze Barolo $35 – from one of the top co-ops of the region, good value
Vietti Barolo, the entire range is consistently strong
Chapter Markers:
00:00 – 00:19 Introduction
00:20 – 00:51 Barolo Basics
00:52 – 1:14 Bob Intro
1:15 – 1:32 Nebbiolo Basics
1:33 – 2:01 Barolo compared to Barbarseco
2:02 – 2:37 Recent Vintages
2:38 – 3:12 Cru Barolo
3:13 – 4:47 Barolo Wars
4:48 – 8:04 Tasting 2020 Mauro Veglio Barolo
8:05 – 11:15 Tasting 1997 Luigi Einaudi Barolo
11:16 -13:22 Retaste of the 2020
13:23 – 16:43 Retaste of the 1997
#barolo #italianwine #winetasting #winelife #winelovers #redwine #nebbiolo #mwlife #wineculture #wineeducation #winetime #piedmont #wine #wset #wsetdiploma #masterofwine #bobpaulinski
18 Comments
Thank you for another great educational video, Bob! I love Barolo, especially its unique ruby red color. Cheers!
Barolos just need its time. Like good Bordeaux..
I like Barolos better than Bourgogne. As a young man i diten rate Barolo at all. How times changes.
Hey Bob. Perfect timing I had a Total wine coupon and bought a 2019 La Sacrestia Barolo. Any tips on when I should enjoy this?
Great video and great comparison of young and old vintages from wonderful years. It is interesting how wines develop when opened: the youngster improved while (by the sounds of it) the old man faded away slightly. I have experienced the same with some wonderful old wines from around the world – upon first opening, they smell and taste sublime but over the course of the evening they fade into harsh acids and tannins 😢
Funnily enough I will be drinking the remains of a 2018 Barbaresco we had with guests last night. I have a bottle or two of Einaudi from various vintages – the first to be opened, either 2011 or 2012. Terrific video again Bob. I hadn't realised how much time each one takes until I saw your short earlier. Keep up the good work.
I just opened and drank a bottle of 2010 Einaudi Cannubi a few days ago. The underlying tannins still showing its power after 14 years. Pure, complex & balanced leaning toward sweet side – at peak now. I rated 4.4/5.0. I can imagine the wine would be tough to swallow at very early age, but loved it now.
Love the king of wines…. And great color on both. Great info too. I may be the minority, but I love the producers who blend multiple sites especially for younger vintages! Thank you!
Another great video. It was interesting to see the aeration affected the bottles differently.
So…if I want to enjoy a Barolo, get ready to wait 20+ years after purchase, or pay huge $$ for an elderly Barolo from the store that I can’t afford?
Speaking of wine of kings, Luigi Einaudi was the first president of Italy 1948-1955 and yes he was from the Piedmont. He grew up with those Piedmontese smells of earth, truffles, wafting mists and of course freshly made wine. There is a beautiful novel set during the darkest days of WW ll in this area "The moon and the bonfires," a hauntingly beautiful story available in English. Have a nice Thanksgiving.
Bob, great show always! Love your channel, and thank you for all your hard work. I will be in Napa in a few weeks, do you have any favorites winery experiences there to visit?
Had a Mauro Veglio Barolo Gattera 2016 last year in a restaurant and it was amazing. We picked it in the beginning of the meal and had it in a decanter until the main dish. I’ve commented before to this channel that the 2016 Barolos and Barbarescos from good producers on 2016 really are the best vintage in the last 10 years
After 9 hours you also got a tousled hair evolution….some kind of a oenological Jekyll & Hyde thing……must be some of the Barolo's attributes..
What did you do with the younger wine? What do you do with a wine you opened that is still too young to drink? Drink it anyway?
Another great, informative, very enjoyable, thought provoking video from you Bob – thank you !
It reconfirms the rule perhaps – decant young Barolo (if you don't have more mature ones around to drink instead) but open, drink straight away and thoroughly enjoy mature Barolo's ?
Whoops, you forgot us, you know those who don’t pay $$60-$1000 for a bottle of wine. I consider myself the 2$C guy. But thank you for introducing us to Borolo wine. The part you missed: Rosad Delamo Bolo Barolo, normale wine, not reserva. $15 Trader Joe’s. Thanks too. for BYOB Somm. With that wine, the Normie’s can buy a case keep it for five years and have a mature Borolo.
I think we as a wine drinking community need to admit that aging wines for 40 years so they become smooth was a mistake and get back to drinking wines that are alive and does not smell like olives and soy sauce😅
Great video! The color of the 97 is really cool! Super interesting the change in the two wines over time, interesting to learn how an older wine would decline after a few hours. Appreciate that learning. Always great information and take something away from your videos, thank you for sharing!