A few people mentioned in the 2018 Barolo thread that the conventional wisdom at this point seems to be that 2019 and 2021 will be exceptional Barolo vintages (with 2019 on par with 2016, 2010 etc) and that 2020 will be better than 2018, which is the worst of the four (though probably still better than 2017). While I had heard great things about 2021, I had heard that 2020 was better than 2019, but had no hard info, so I went digging.
Thanks to a link by John Morris in that thread, TIL that the Barolo, Barbaresco, et al Consorzio is now publishing the technical data of the harvest through readings in several vineyards. Digging some more, I found that, while the 2021 harvest report (comparing the technical data with 2020 [<āExcel file]) was the first time they did it in the English language version of the site, they had actually started doing it in the Italian version starting with the 2019 vintage report (comparing the technical data with 2018ās). So, I joined both for Barolo, added some color features that I could be totally wrong about, and youāll find it below in its full glory.
Before we get to that, some notes.
- Iām keeping the picture below to Barolo. But the reports also include Barbaresco, Nebbiolo dāAlba and Nebbiolo dāRoero, along with Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Arneis, Favorita, Sauvignon, Nascetta, Dolcetto, Pelaverga, Freisa and Barbera.
- The data for each vintage is apparently taken at the start of the harvest for a grape in a particular area. When dates are outliers I marked them in red. Harvest apparently takes 3 weeks for Nebbiolo in Barolo, so this isnāt the final chemistry, which Iām sure (at least as to everything but tartaric acid) can change a lot in 3 weeks. Iāve added an extra average at the bottom that ignores the values not taken in the common date for the harvest.
- The tables they publish use BABO instead of Brix. I found this website that converts between the two, but I have no idea of its quality. BABO is also known as KMW (Klosterneuburger Mostwaage) and is what the Austrians also use. According to that conversion website, the lowest BABO on the table, 20.2 (Serralunga La Rosa 2021) is equivalent to 23.81 Brix and 13.58% potential ABV. The highest BABO on the table, 23.5 (Castiglione Falletto Bricco Boschis 2020) is equivalent to 27.76 Brix and 16.22% potential ABV.
- The Consorzio had highlighted just one technical fact when reporting on the 2016 vintage:
Full ripening was achieved in all cases with no technological or phenological problems. This was shown by the low quantity of malic acid, which is an important ripening indicator (ā¦ less than 1 g/L for the Nebbiolo grapes).
Iām presuming that refers to the average at the start of the harvest as well. If thatās the case, Iāll note that, on average, Barolo musts showed more malic acid (less ripeness) in both 2018 (1.1 g/L) and 2019 (1.3) and achieved the 2016 levels (slightly less than 1.0) in 2020 and 2021. In fact, 2019 jumps out for its comparatively high malic acid levels at the start of the harvest.
- The 2020 and 2021 vintages jump out for their apparently very high tartaric acid levels. This seems probably good, especially to balance the very high alcohols that are probably coming our way in 2020. But itās the high tartaric acid levels and the relatively low alcohol of the 2021 vintage that seems most exciting to me. In fact it somewhat reminds me of the 2021 German vintage with tartaric acid also through the roof. (Am I right about all that?)
Here are their vintage notes edited to Nebbiolo only.
2018
Summary
The 2018 vintage opened with a long winter with plenty of rainfall, restoring the soilās water supply which had diminished due to the weather conditions in the previous year.
The winter season extended until the beginning of March, with temperatures which were lower than in recent years.
This led to a gradual, slow resumption of the vineās vegetative phase, which was completed by the end of the same month. Bud break was regular, with none of the problems caused by late frosts. Spring continued in keeping with what had been seen at the end of the winter, with frequent rainfall and temperatures which were not high, suggesting that the vintage would develop along āclassicā lines, and in any case not earlier than usual as had happened the previous year; this expectation would then be confirmed by the course of the season. Between the end of May and the beginning of June there was a period in our vinegrowing area marked by numerous storms, bringing copious rains that created some difficulties for vinegrowers from a vineyard management point of view.Indeed, problems were recorded associated with fungal diseases wherever it was not possible to intervene in time. Flowering and subsequent berry set took place regularly and in optimal climatic conditions, immediately suggesting that it would be a plentiful vintage, as proved to be the case following the closing up of the clusters of grapes. Green harvesting became necessary for nearly all varietals in order to curb production to within the limits provided for under the various production regulations. Development was gradual during the summer, with temperatures rising considerably from mid-July on, and a long period of constant fine weather helped the grapes to ripen without the harvest needing to be brought forward. Harvesting operations began in September with the sparkling wine grapes, and continued with the other white wine grapes until around September 20th.
The data at our disposal suggest not too high an alcohol content, which ā together with a sufficiently high level of acidity ā guarantees good support to the aromatic properties of the grapes. Dolcetto was the first red varietal to be picked, and it is showing an average sugar content, while the acidity is lower than in recent vintages, even though the levels of pH in the musts are as usual. This is due mainly to the ratio between the two main acid components: indeed, the malic acid degraded thanks to high daytime temperatures in late August-early September, while a good concentration was preserved in the grapes of the tartaric acid which formed early in the season when lower temperatures helped its synthesis. This phenomenon was also seen in the later-ripening red wine varietals.
ā¦ As has been the case here for several years now, the weather in September was good for the vines, contributing to the quality of the wines produced using medium-long vegetative cycle varietals, which were able to benefit to the full. As a matter of fact, the Nebbiolo grapes were ripe for harvesting as per tradition in early October, with picking operations taking around three weeks in all. Unlike the other varieties, Nebbiolo yields were limited, with certain situations in which there were few clusters in parts of vineyards.
This phenomenon can be attributed to the weather during the previous year, in particular the abnormal heat recorded during the period when fruit bud differentiation takes place. In both the Barolo and Barbaresco growing areas the sugar contents increased over the last part of the season, and an acceleration was also seen in the phenolic ripening, which made it possible to arrive at the harvest with excellent parameters. Combined with a perfect level of acidity, all of this will allow for well-balanced wines with excellent ageing potential. In conclusion, we can say that its has been a vintage in the traditional mould which demanded the attention of vinegrowers in their management of the vineyard in order to achieve results which were better than had been expected at the beginning of the campaign.
Summary
Unlike last year, which was particularly precocious, the 2019 vintage will be remembered for its decidedly more conventional course.
The year in the vineyard began slowly due to the winter season lasting until February. This resulted in a delay in the arrival of spring, which brought about a period of rain and low temperatures until the middle of March. Nevertheless, plant growth resumed as per normal, and though it was slowed down initially by abundant rain in April, this also allowed a considerable amount of water to accumulate in the soil, compensating for the minimal rainfall during the winter. The changeable weather with mild average temperatures continued throughout May, confirming a delay of around two weeks compared to the growth patterns that had been seen over the previous few years, but in line with more traditional development.
The high temperatures during June combined with the availability of water in the soil to create the conditions for rapid plant growth, which required vinegrowers to take great care over containing any plant protection issues. The hottest period in the season was recorded between the last week in June and the first in July, followed by days on which milder temperatures alternated with rain. The second heatwave of the summer was recorded at the end of July, ending in storms which did not damage the vines even though they were intense at times; the remainder of the summer season was marked by a mild climate, with regular, sporadic rainfall that proved challenging for vignerons in terms of plant health. September began with the only hail recorded in the Langa, when considerable damage was caused in limited areas hit during the most violent storm of the season on the 5th of the month. We can say that the damage was substantial, but fortunately ā¦ missing most of the Barolo, Barbaresco and Dogliani growing areas.
The harvest began around mid-September with the white wine grape varieties, then continued without interruption with the Dolcetto, Barbera and finally Nebbiolo. We have seen a slight drop in production for all varietals, and as a result for all appellations, benefitting quality and balance. ā¦ Along with nebbiolo, barbera is maybe the varietal that most reveals the difference vineyard aspect can make, so the peaks of heat during the summer that accompanied temperatures otherwise within the norm for our growing area allowed the barbera to reach excellent phenolic levels at harvest-time, with slightly less alcoholic potential than last year and substantial acidity. The nebbiolo grapes were picked in the second half of October, and analysis parameters show them to be āclassicā: in other words, with good sugar levels and an excellent polyphenol profile, which should ensure wines with good structure and excellent ageing potential.
Worthy of note in particular is the high accumulation of anthocyanins, so the wines can be expected to have excellent color, especially considering the varietalās genetic properties. In conclusion, in the winery the vintage can be said to be traditional, with a quality production despite a slight drop in quantity compared to last year.
Summary
The 2020 vintage began with no particular issues in winter, when temperatures were mild and precipitations and snowfalls few and far between.
The first part of spring was relatively dry and sunny, ensuring a homogeneous resumption of plant growth, which began at the end of February and ended ā for the later-ripening varieties ā towards late March. The months of March and April were marked by fine weather and mild temperatures, with little rainfall, predicting in the first instance an early harvest. This forecast was proved wrong in May however, when a considerable number of rainy days was recorded in an unstable climate that continued until late June. On the one hand, the advantage built up at the beginning of spring was worn out by the slowing down in plant growth, while on the other hand, the accumulation of water in the soil, combined with not overly high temperatures during the summer, prevented water stress issues. ā¦ In general, climate conditions were ideal, with some soil management difficulties happening towards the end of spring, due to early fungal attacks, as a result of May and Juneās rainfall. Fortunately, these were not accompanied by hailstorms or any other significant weather events.
ā¦ As far as the varieties with a longer ripening cycle, such as Barbera and Nebbiolo, are concerned, the harvest looked like being an early one as soon as veraison took place between the beginning and the middle of August. The subsequent drop in temperatures led to a temporary slowing down in ripening, which restarted exponentially in the second half of September. ā¦
Nebbiolo proved to be in excellent condition when it was ready for picking: moderate overnight temperatures led to a rapid accumulation of polyphenols, which were already at excellent levels by the middle of September. Growth was constant, rather than exponential, so the grapes reached technological maturation ā in other words optimal sugar levels ā between the end of September and early October. In terms of acidity too, neither the Nebbiolo nor the Barbera suffered the losses typical of short-cycle and hotter vintages. This may be due to early growth resulting from the substantial supply of water at the beginning of the summer, which allowed the vines to physiologically develop in the best possible way.
In conclusion, also considering grape ripening control data, the 2020 vintage can be said to be extremely good with points of excellence, especially for the medium-long ageing wines, which are showing characteristics that are perfect for achieving winemaking distinction.
Summary
The two thousand and twenty-one vintage began with a mild winter, though plenty of rain and some snow ensured an excellent supply of water, which proved to be essential over the course of the rest of a vintage where rainfall was at its lowest level in recent years.
Plant growth resumed as per normal and in keeping with traditional timing, rather than early as happened last year, coping well as a result with the last cold snap at the beginning of spring and limiting frost damage to the newly-developed buds. Even the Nebbiolo variety, which is an early developer and therefore potentially more at risk, was not significantly affected by the drop in temperatures, with just slight damage limited to lower altitude vineyards. During the subsequent phenological phases it could be seen that the crop load was not too high ā an estimated 10% lower than in 2020 -, reducing the need for green harvesting while allowing the yields provided for under production regulations to be reached.
A long period of fine weather began with spring and lasted throughout the summer, with recorded temperatures in line with averages for the time of year and without excesses, especially at night. Heavy storms in the first part of July reached their climax on the 13thā¦ No damage was recorded to vineyards in the Barolo and Barbaresco growing areas though, and summer continued with little rainfall, contributing to what proved to be an excellent plant health and quality profile at harvest time.
ā¦
The harvesting of Nebbiolo began during the last days in September, peaking in the second week of October. The grapes were healthy, with optimal phenological maturity facilitated by the lower temperatures and the day-night variations observed from the second half of September on. In terms of quantity, crop loads were optimal and well-balanced, with visibly smaller berries than last year. These factors resulted in a strong polyphenol content, which is essential in order to produce wines of structure and balance intended for lengthy ageing.
In conclusion, we can say that despite the vintage being distinguished by a succession of significant climatic events, with late frosts, storms and hail in summer, as well as drought, remarkable results have been achieved in terms of the quality of the grapes, maybe partly due to the fact that the yields were not too high.
Technical information for individual Nebbiolo wines seems very hard to find. I have no idea if my impressions are right, close or in another universe. I welcome everyoneās opinion and insight.
Edits:
Sept15: Restore 2020 info to its own heading as it seems to have lost the original format somehow (maybe in the move).