Nebbiolo Previews 2024: Barolo 2020 DOCG, Barolo Riserva 2018 DOCG and Retrospectives

by Michael Godel

In Piemonte the association of location and climate creates an effect on vines to make them Italy’s most indeterminate and so the nebbiolo of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero are the beneficiaries of these ever oscillating variabilities. Of course there are 12 months, 52 weeks, and 365 days on the annual calendar but the question always begs. What really makes a vintage? Climate, locus, viticultural adaptation, hard work and luck. As for the messaging of 2020 Barolo, its combination of symptoms has recently been recognized, hard nosed and flexible like 2016, though the wines have got a third problem never seen before. They exhibit dexterity, in other words a fluidity of movement. No, that’s not really a problem at all and within the boundaries of a vintage it means the 2020s are arguably the most forward of the current era. Ah, that’s the crux and aye, also the rub. Nebbiolo described as scorrevole, wines of “flow,” characterized by elegance and grace. Not all mind you, but to describe a vintage there needs to be some communicated level of generalization. In summary, 2020 is a very progressive vintage.

Yes, this is something new for nebbiolo as Barolo and so, perhaps, a new epoch is upon us. Time to move on from the ancient ways, to shed the Homeric, Classical Roman and Old English, get past the Early Tudor, Elizabethan, Caroline, Restoration and Augustan. Eschew the literary, abstain from the Modern, Post-Modern and Meta-Modern, ditch the cynicism, irony and climate change fears. Embrace the present, see the beauty and hope for the future. So what do we call this new era for Barolo? Well, for one thing the 2020 Barolo will follow the classic script. Act one today, act two one hour later, act three 10 years forward. So the wines have that kind of structure going for them – which is nice. But what are they called?

Blind tasting adds a whole other dimension, but wines do not lie. Don’t we just feel it – when greatness is in the glass? Taste one, or several hundred examples over the course of just a few days – the learning curve is the same. There is certainty in knowing what it is to be a well-structured nebbiolo. The eponymous Barolo village lends its name though there are eleven (and their environs) that can make nebbiolo carrying the name: The others are La Morra, Monforte, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto, Novello, Grinzane Cavour, Verduno, Diano d’Alba, Cherasco and Roddi. These villages and their surrounding kingdoms play collective host to the profoundness of a grape married to place – forever bound, unfettered, undeterred and unbreakable. Nebbiolo and in turn Barolo are encapsulated by the soils, hills, winds and genius loci of the Langhe. Barolo owns the title of “Grand Italian Wine” and for good reason. How about a quick synopsis from village to village?

La Morra … Welcome to an open for aromatic business vintage where the Barolo of La Morra are want to be linked across a common thread of pitch and style, high in acid with a hundred different pixels of charm and grace. The red citrus vintage, especially of blood orange, fruit first and with just enough structure to see the wines go for eight to 12 years, or so.

Novello … Modern enough yet still plenty of tradition in pocket for real wines experienced in real time. At their best they are substantial, exemplary and moving. Like 2016, for many a perfect vintage, classic, without challenges, equilibrio.

Serralunga d’Alba … Substance and stature. Tighter, with dry tannins impressively woven into the tactile fabric of the wines. More of a red citrus currant to pomegranate with balsamico savoury-gariga mix than most. Subtle imagination of mineral lined within, musky skin-scented and rich without excess.

Verduno … The most reductive and closed of the 2020s with rich aromatic liqueur. High tonality specific to the village with really fine examples of ability and style.

Barolo … First maturing, most experienced, least phenolic, sound, calm and collected. Aromatically refined, optimum acidity, high austerity of tannin, taut and grippy. Commune of imagination and also fantasy, to come away at the finish firmly entrenched in true blue Barolo cru realities. Quiet yet composed, rich and powerfully restrained.

Castiglione Falletto … Peppery, spicy, seasoned, salt-licked and crispy. Predicated on acidity that can’t be immediately ignored, zesty, bursts of sunshine and savour with the feeling that ripeness is equal between fruit and acidity.

Monforte d’Alba … Split into two. Taut and stoic with aromas waiting patiently in the wings or deep and delicious red fruit aromatic profiles. Ripeness of acidity and tannins, sweetness of parts that pique interest. Bright and engaging, ripeness achieved and concentration quite ample. Major potential lays ahead.

The MGAs continue on their path towards omnipotence and in 2020 the percentage of cru-designated samples was higher than ever, with less Più comuni examples than ever before. In La Morra the MGAs include Arborina, Boiolo, Bricco Luciani, Brunate, Capalot, Casa Nere, Castagni, Cerequio, Gattera, Gianchi, La Serra, Marcenasco, Rocche dell’Annunziata, San Giacomo, Serradenari, Silio and Torriglione. Barolo’s are Albarella, Boschetti, Bricco delle Viole, Buon Padre, Cannubi, Castellero, Coste Di Vergne, Fossati, Monrobiolo Di Bussia and Sarmassa. In Castiglione Falletto there are Altenasso, Bricco Boschis, Brunella, Monprivato, Parussi, Pira, Rocche Di Castiglione, Scarrone and Villero. In Serralunga d’Alba the cru include Boscareto, Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia, Briccolina, Broglio, Cerretta, Gabutti, Gianetto, Lazzarito, Marenca, Margheria, Meriame, Ornato, Parafada, Prapò, Sorano and Vignarionda. Monforte d’Alba holds the vineyards of Bricco San Pietro, Bussia, Bussia Dardi Le Rose, Bussia Vigna Fantini, Castelletto, Castelletto Persiera, Castelletto Vigna Pressenda, Ginestra, Vigna Sorì Ginestra, Gramolere, Le Coste Di Monforte, Mosconi, Perno, Pressenda, Rocche Di Castelletto and Treturne. From Novello there are Panerole, Ravera and Sottocastello Di Novello. Verduno holds Monvigliero and San Lorenzo, Roddi is home to Bricco Ambrogio and Raviole is within Grinzane Cavour.

Year after year the opportunity to taste so many Barolo and pay visits with producers is made possible by the organization of the Consorzio Albeisa and the leadership of President Marina Marcarino. Langhe Vini are supported and valorized by the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani and these tastings support the mission. Much of the Anteprima’s success is facilitated by A-B Comunicazione team of Anna Barbon, Linda Foltran and Cinzia Luxardo. This twenty eighth year of Nebbiolo Prima once again acted as the official international preview for the nebbiolo of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero. For the first time the tastings were held at the new offices and tasting rooms of the freshly minted event space in Alba. It was simply brilliant, comfortable, perfectly orchestrated and with the finest professional work executed by the AIS Piemonte sommeliers. There is no such thing as a successful anteprima without the sommeliers. They are professionalism and humanity incarnate, their ability to anticipate, react and service a wide range of tasters’ needs is uncanny. This group is tops, a power trio that combines knowledge, agility, and speed. I consider them as great friends and always filled with joy when I see them again.

Keep in mind that not all producers participate in Nebbiolo Prima, for a myriad of reasons, including wines not yet ready to show. There are many cask samples involved and a strong argument can be made to eliminate campione for this tasting, as you will note in more than a dozen reviews below. This relevance of this report lies in the idea that it is but a snapshot, albeit of two hundred-plus wines strong provided by producers who submitted their wines. It also includes some wines tasted on site at winery visits, in particular at Bruna Grimaldi and Elvio Cogno. Then there are a couple of dozen important estates that did not participate in Nebbiolo Prima, including Elio Altare, Azelia, Ceretto, Domenico Clerico, Aldo Conterno, Giacomo Conterno, Corino, Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Elio Grasso, Mascarello, Giuseppe Mascarello, Massolino, Alfredo Prunotto, Rivetto, Luciano Sandrone, Paolo Scavino, Mauro Veglio and Roberto Voerzio. The following are Godello’s Barolo notes from Nebbiolo Prima. There are 225 reviews in total; 190 Barolo DOCG 2020, 13 Barolo Riserva DOCG 2018, 18 Barolo DOCG 2010 and four Barolo Riserva DOCG 2008.