Vinous (92)

The 2015 Barolo Ciabot Mentin shows a bit more body and richness than the Pajana, but it, too, looks like an early maturing wine. Black cherry, plum, licorice, spice and menthol all flesh out in this attractive, mid-weight Barolo. Bright Ginestra floral and mineral notes develop with time in the glass, adding freshness and vivacity.

Vinous (86)

The 2018 Barolo Ciabot Mentin is washed out, lacking in depth and flavor. Ginestra is a site with tremendous personality. Sadly, there is little, if any, of that here. There is just no substance.

Vinous (93)

This strong series continues with the 2001 Barolo Pajana. It too is a deeply-colored effort, with notes of violets, minerals and tar that appear out of the glass. The lower altititude of the vineyard gives a wine that is perhaps a touch less complex aromatically but that is quite rich, round and soft on the palate with generous amounts of very ripe black fruit,chocolate and toasted oak flavors supported by notable structure and finishing with excellent length.

Wine Spectator (95)

Delivers ripe fruit, with lots of raisin and red licorice character on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, offering chewy yet polished tannins and a vanilla, blackberry and cherry aftertaste, with coffee and toasty oak. A blockbuster wine. Best after 2014. 1,000 cases made. -JS

Wine Advocate (95)

Pajana represents the lower end of the same site that produces fruit for the Barolo Ciabot Mentin. The soils are a bit looser here and the temperatures are just a few fractions higher at this site. Winemaking for the 2013 Barolo Pajana sees 20 days of skin maceration, and malolactic fermentation in this vintage was done in oak (otherwise that second fermentation occurs in stainless steel). The idea, of course, is to work without oxygen, but if the malolactic fermentations are slow, the wine goes into wood, as is the case here. The wine later ages in barrique for 16 months with another 16 months in botte grande. The bouquet offers delicate layers of mineral and flint with dark fruit and spice neatly folded into its thick texture. Both the Barolo Pajana and the Barolo Ciabot Mentin are released one year after their peers.

Wine Advocate (94)

The Pajana vineyard is known for its loose, sandy soils and red-colored earth, and the 2014 growing season brought cool and wet conditions. This cru is a nice, loyal expression of those Nebbiolo grapes. The 2014 Barolo Pajana is dark and thickly structured, and probably more accessible overall. This wine can be enjoyed in the medium-term, after five years (more or less) of cellar time. It saw 16 months in barrique, another 16 months in botte grande and a couple of years in the bottle.

Wine Advocate (94)

The Pajana vineyard is known for its loose, sandy soils and red-colored earth, and the 2014 growing season brought cool and wet conditions. This cru is a nice, loyal expression of those Nebbiolo grapes. The 2014 Barolo Pajana is dark and thickly structured, and probably more accessible overall. This wine can be enjoyed in the medium-term, after five years (more or less) of cellar time. It saw 16 months in barrique, another 16 months in botte grande and a couple of years in the bottle.

Vinous (90.5)

The 2016 Barolo Pajana is ample, powerful and resonant, with terrific body and a real sense of expansiveness that builds with time in the glass. Sweet spice, citrus and floral overtones add brightness to this attractive, mid-weight Barolo. The 2016 is deep and yet also tannic. I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

Riper and sunnier, the 2017 Barolo Ginestra Pajana offers baked aromas of red plum, balsamic, and leather. Full on the palate and broad with ripe tannins, it feels much more expansive in its fruit and style. It is still fresh but displays the warmth of the vintage. Drink 2023-2040.

Jeb Dunnuck (94+)

The 2018 Barolo Ginestra Pajana is supple with red fruit and floral musky cologne of red plum, spicy minty herbs, and cedar. It is fine, elegant, and approachable in its tannin structure and offers clean notes of oak spice, vanilla bean, and dusty earth. It is fresh and charming but also has the complexity to be long-lasting. Drink 2023-2040.

Jeb Dunnuck (94+)

The 2018 Barolo Ginestra Pajana is supple with red fruit and floral musky cologne of red plum, spicy minty herbs, and cedar. It is fine, elegant, and approachable in its tannin structure and offers clean notes of oak spice, vanilla bean, and dusty earth. It is fresh and charming but also has the complexity to be long-lasting. Drink 2023-2040.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

Tasted side by side with Ciabot Mentin, the 2019 Barolo Ginestra Pajana is pure and ripe, with a bit of a darker tone comparatively, offering notes of cherry liqueur spiced with rosemary and rounded, floral tones. Medium to full-bodied, it is persistent, balanced, and concentrated, with ripe tannins, an even spine of acidity, and a long finish. With its notes of ripe raspberry, sweet herbs, and fresh soil, this is an impressive Barolo to drink 2024-2044.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

The 2014 Barolo Percristina is spicy and surprisingly dark-fruited for this rainy and cool year, with smoky incense, olive, leather, and red cherry. It is powerful in its concentration but remains elegant, with cedar, rosemary, and truffle. Potent and long, it grasps all the senses. This will not be released until next year, and it is proving to be a fantastic wine from a vintage written off by many.

Connoisseurs will rejoice at the splendour of the E. Molino Barolo Riserva del Fico 2013. This resplendent red wine originates from the prestigious terroirs of Piedmont, Italy, a region renowned for its superior viticulture.

This fine vintage is crafted by E. Molino, a winery with an illustrious heritage dating back to 1851. Their meticulous sustainable winemaking practices ensure the integrity of the indigenous Nebbiolo grapes, which paint the palate with a symphony of flavours.

The E. Molino Barolo Riserva del Fico 2013 undergoes extended maceration and maturation in oak barrels, lending it an exquisite tannic structure and nuanced complexities. The wine is a celebration of brooding cherry and plum notes playing alongside whispers of white truffle and rose. The finale is a triumphant crescendo of ethereal spices and silky tannins.

An embodiment of elegance and about the intensity, the E. Molino Barolo Riserva del Fico 2013 stands as a poignant testament to lauded Italian winemaking.

Renowned for its excellence, the Edoardo Sobrino, Barolo, Monvigliero 2017 is an epitome of craftsmanship from the Piedmont region of Italy. This sublime Barolo is crafted from Nebbiolo grapes meticulously selected from the Monvigliero vineyard. Perfected under the assiduous guidance of oenologist Edoardo Sobrino, this vintage whispers tales of remarkable terroir influenced by the Langhe's unique microclimate. The wine spends 38 months ageing in traditional Slavonian oak barrels, culminating in a spirit marked by an intoxicating complexity.

Expect a captivating bouquet of ripe cherries and soft spices, underpinned by subtle hints of leather and truffle. On the palate, the Edoardo Sobrino, Barolo, Monvigliero 2017 unveils layered flavours of red fruits impeccably balanced with well-integrated tannins and refreshing acidity, culminating in a notably lingering finish. This wine encapsulates the unique charm of its terroir.

Undeniably, the Edoardo Sobrino, Barolo, Monvigliero 2017 is a wine for the discerning palate, promising an unparalleled gastronomic experience.