Vinous (94)

The 2018 Barolo Via Nuova is marked by palpable brightness and tension that lend energy. Like all of these wines, the 2018 is restrained in feel, but all the elements are so well balanced. Freshly cut flowers, mint, crushed rocks, chalk and white pepper give the Via Nuova notable energy. Intense veins of supporting tannin and minerality provide the backbone.

Vinous (96)

The 2019 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Sorì Ginestra is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted from Conterno-Fantino and the Ginestra cru. Ample and broad, with huge intensity, the Sorì Ginestra is stunning. All the Ginestra signatures come through in the glass. The 2019 is deep and vibrant, yet also wonderfully fresh. There is a creaminess in the 2019 that is impossible to miss. This is so impressive.

With a sumptuous texture, the Conterno Fantino Barolo Vigna Del Gris 2018 is an embodiment of master craftsmanship from the esteemed hilly terrains of Piedmont, Italy. This exemplary Barolo, steadfastly embodying its heritage, is crafted by the renowned Conterno Fantino winery, admired for their commitment to time-honoured winemaking practices.

The meticulous wine connoisseurs of Conterno Fantino have persistently sourced Nebbiolo grapes from the esteemed Monforte d'Alba vineyard, Vigna del Gris, which is renowned for its calcareous marl soils, bestowing upon the wine its notable intensity. The wine's maturation in French oak barrels for 24 months infuses it with a harmonious balance and sublime finesse.

On the palate, this 2018 vintage unfurls layers of ripe fruit, leather and spice. Its nose delights with floral overtures, truffle and forest floor, rendering an intoxicating complexity. The Conterno Fantino Barolo Vigna Del Gris 2018, true to Barolo grandeur, is an exhilarating symphony of flavours, surely to be appreciated by fine wine connoisseurs.

Vinous (90+)

Medium red. Subdued aromas of red cherry liqueur and caramel oak. Richer and broader than the Monfalletto, but comes across as less sweet today and more backward. Slowly mounting finish shows substantial, slightly drying tannins. Very much in the style of a hot year.

Vinous (95)

The 2019 Barolo Enrico VI is a super-classic wine from this site. Spice, menthol and a whole range of balsamic inflections open first, before the firm Villero tannins kick in. I imagine the 2019 is going to need a number of years to be at its best, but it is another stellar wine in this lineup up from Cordero di Montezemolo.

Wine Advocate (93)

The Barbera grape can often act like Nebbiolo showing its best results in the later vintages that end on a cool note. Those conditions are what define the beautiful 2016 Barbera d'Alba Vigna Martina. The wine sees 20 days of maceration with submerged cap, and the bouquet is flowing, polished and impactful as a result. Blackberry, summer cherry and plum rise from the glass. Some 18 months of oak aging adds delicate touches of spice, leather and cedar.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2010 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is an amazing wine born 430 meters above sea level from white limestone and sandy soils. The elegance expressed by the wine is unforgettable. It opens to a pretty garnet color with ethereal tones of licorice and balsam herb with sharp, delineated contours. This vineyard is usually harvested later than the others, so the growing cycle is extra long and steady. The wine is silky, finessed and profound. Drink: 2018-2040.

James Suckling (98)

Extremely perfumed, showing lots of rose, lavender and dark-berry character. Full body with intense density and chewiness that gives the wine great structure. Lots of flavor and focus at the finish. Needs five to six years to finish. Drink in 2024.

Vinous (96.5)

The 2016 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a vibrant, massively tannic, austere wine, the likes of which I have never tasted here before. Vertical and explosive in the glass with tons of pure power, the 2016 Gavarini Chiniera is a gorgeous Barolo that is going to need a number of years to be at its best. Swaths of tannin wrap around a core of sweet red cherry fruit. White pepper, mint, orange peel and floral notes develop a bit later, but the 2016 remains reticent and inward, with brilliant acids and tannins that dominate today. The 2016 is a striking wine, but it is going to require considerable patience.

Vinous (96)

Grasso's 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is fabulous. In fact, the Gavarini is easily one of the wines of the vintage because it retains all of its classic signatures, which is also the sign of a first-class vineyard. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the Gavarini pulses with energy. Crushed red flowers, mint, chalk, white pepper, cinnamon and orange peel give the 2017 a super-classic Nebbiolo profile, as expressed in a relatively high-altitude site. The precision and finesse of the tannins - so hard to find in 2017- elevates the Gavarini into the realm of the sublime.

Vinous (91)

The 2018 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a gorgeous, elegant wine that offers fine depth for the year. Silky and pliant, with terrific resonance, the 2018 has a lot to offer. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice, blood orange and rose petal all build effortlessly in the glass. All the Gavarini signatures are present, but naturally in miniature in this vintage.

Vinous (96)

The 2019 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is classically austere and just gorgeous right out of the gate. Soaring aromatics and fine, sculpted fruit race out of the glass. Crushed rose petal, cinnamon, orange peel and mint are all beautifully delineated. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2019 is going to need years to be at its best, yet it has that embryonic inner sweetness that characterizes the very finest wines here. Superb.

Vinous (96)

The 2012 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè soars out of the glass with remarkable precision, tension and energy. A brilliant wine, the 2012 is translucent, powerful and super-expressive. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, mint and pine give the 2012 its sensual, inviting personality. Today, it is the wine's pure nuance that truly stands out. This is a superb showing from the 2012. In this tasting, the Ginestra is much more expressive than the Gavarini. This is an especially precise style for the year.

Wine Advocate (97)

There is slightly more structure to the 2015 Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté than to the Gavarini Chiniera of the same vintage, and the only differences here are the soils and that this fruit is harvested about ten days later. It's a pretty fascinating demonstration of the power of the single vineyard. The Gavarini Chiniera parcel offers slightly sandier soils, whereas this site is composed of more clay. In rainy years, the Gavarini Chiniera vineyard drains more effectively, whereas the Ginestra's soil retains more moisture in the hot and dry vintages. As a result, in vintages such as this one, Ginestra shows a more compact nature and, in general, provides more impact and more structure. This is a very robust expression, extremely linear and tight. The Ginestra Casa Maté narrowly wins this round. It's another beautiful Barolo.

Vinous (97)

Ample and creamy on the palate, with tremendous depth, the 2016 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is super impressive, even in the early going. Next to the Gavarini Chiniera, the Ginestra Casa Matè is a Barolo of textural resonance and volume. Black cherry, plum and a range of balsamic notes infuse the 2016 with tons of character. The is one of the real standouts of the year.

Vinous (96)

The 2017 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is a dark, mysterious wine. Black cherry, menthol, tobacco, licorice, spice, new leather and pine meld together in a super-classic expression of Ginestra. Deep, rich and enveloping, the 2017 is so impressive in the early going. Here, too, the finesse of the tannins is remarkable.

Vinous (88)

The 2018 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè shows just how challenging this vintage is for sites that are moisture retentive. Large-scaled tannins and awkward contours are impossible to escape. Game, iron, licorice, smoke, tobacco and dried herbs add to a distinctly wild, feral feel.

Vinous (95)

The 2019 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is rich, dark and explosive. Dark-fleshed fruit, cloves menthol, licorice, scorched earth, leather and dried flowers are some of the notes that infuse the 2019 with character. Deep and resonant, with tremendous depth, the Ginestra is a wine of unbridled intensity. Swaths of tannin wrap around the huge, substantial finish. This virile, strapping Barolo is quite simply classic Ginestra.

Wine Advocate (100)

If any Italian wine from this decade can undeniably be called a reserve, it is the 2013 Barolo Riserva Rüncot. This wine was not made in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 nor 2018. (The 2013 vintage will be released commercially in February of 2020, and this is the wine's first official review.) Gianluca Grasso holds the precious bottle I tasted from as if it were a newborn child. This vintage saw a relatively long growing season, and it offers greater fruit density, structure and acidity than the last edition that was made, the 2010. There is more vibrancy here and a true sense of energy brimming right there under the surface. The wine goes through 45 days of extended maceration post-fermentation and then a solid seven years of aging between oak and bottle. The resulting Riserva Rüncot has a stunning bouquet that is all violets and prunes, followed by a classic palate of minerals, herbs, cinnamon and delicate wafts of white truffle. This wine tells a story from nose to finish, like a flashing film reel. Fewer than 5,000 bottles were made. This is a crowning achievement for the hard-working and passionate Grasso family, led by father Elio and son Gianluca. Congratulations.

Wine Advocate (97)

The last time we saw this iconic wine was in 2013 (a vintage that earned a perfect score). Following up on that success, the Elio Grasso 2015 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is a generous, open-knit Nebbiolo that has much of the warmth and sunshine locked deep within its core. The bouquet reveals broad brush aromas of black fruit, blackberry preserves, smoky tar and baked plum. With 7,000 bottles made, this Riserva is smooth and velvety in texture. There's no reason why it can't hold until the mid-century mark.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2016 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is quite possibly the single greatest wine I have tasted in more than twenty years I have been coming here, with the possible exception of the 1989s and 1990s. Deep and powerful, but not at all heavy, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. Dark cherry/plum fruit, menthol, lavender, licorice and mocha saturate the palate in a Barolo of extraordinary richness and intensity. The 2016 spent four years in 100% new oak, and yet there is no trace at all of wood. Magnificent!

Wine Enthusiast (97)

Enticing scents of rose, iris, perfumed berry and an earthy whiff of truffle shape the fragrant nose on this dazzling wine. The delicious, full-bodied palate boasts structure and a weightless elegance, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, cherry compote, cinnamon and star anise. Taut polished tannins and fresh acidity provide balance and an elegant structure. It's already irresistible but will also age well for years. Drink 2022–2035.

Vinous (97)

The 2016 Barolo Riserva Ravera Vigna Elena is such a complete wine. Elegant, deep and powerful, like only great Barolo can be, the Vigna Elena possesses tons of nuance and dimension from the very first taste. Exotic spice and orange zest notes open first. Ripe raspberry, mocha and autumn leaves develop later. The Vigna Elena is an absolute delight.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

Truffle, camphor violet and ripe berry aromas come together on this fragrant red. Full-bodied and full of flavor, the delicious palate doles out juicy Morello cherry, raspberry compote, baking spice and star anise while firm, refined tannins provide support. Bright acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2027–2039.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Barolo Cannubi is bright and effusive, as wines from this site tend do be. Crushed flowers, spice, new leather and macerated cherry are some of the notes that soar from the glass. The Cannubi offers fine depth and tons of site character, both of which were hard to achieve in 2018.

Experience the enveloping purr of the Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi 2019, a sophisticated emanation from the renowned vineyards of Cannubi. This vintage gem, painstakingly produced in the heart of Italy's esteemed Piedmont region, is a testament to Francesco Rinaldi's unparalleled dedication to depth and distinction. Born under the watchful care of winemaker Luciano Rinaldi, each bottle is curated from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, culminating in a sublime fusion of black cherry, rose petal, and crushed mint.

Matured for three years in large Slavonian oak barrels, this wine showcases a superior harmony of power and purity, enhancing the palate with an engagingly robust character and impeccably balanced tannins. Its enchanting nuances and elegant finish evolves admirably with age, providing an exquisite encounter with every pour. A sip of the Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Cannubi 2019 lingers as a splendid echo of the timeless excellence that defines the Rinaldi legacy.

Wine Advocate (93)

I just love the 2013 Barolo by Fratelli Alessandria. The wine is tame and subtle yet powerful at the same time. It starts off with classic aromas of wild berry, smoke, tar and licorice. Those tones build in momentum to show more intensity and volume as the minutes pass. This Barolo wraps thickly over the palate, imparting structure, firmness and density.

Wine Advocate (94)

From one of the stars of Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria, the 2015 Barolo is a beautifully elegant and compact wine at first. Give it a few moments in the glass, and the wine opens beautifully to reveal polished and detailed tones of wild berry, cassis, licorice and tar. All of this is followed by a delicate floral signature of violets and roses that accompany the wine from start to finish. This vintage is elegant yet voluptuous at the same time.

Kerin O'Keefe (95)

Fragrant and refined, Fratelli Alessandria’s 2019 Barolo del Comune di Verduno opens with enticing scents recalling dog rose, perfumed forest berry, cedar and eucalyptus. Lithe and elegantly structured, the savory palate reveals juicy red cherry, spiced cranberry and star anise accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins. It’s well balanced, with fresh acidity.