It appears time to open this thread as I received an email this morning announcing the release of the 2019 Barolo classico from Massolino. Massolino describes 2019 as follows: “The vintage was marked by two different stages: first, a dry and warm spring, then an unusually rainy and relatively cool summer. While a powerful early September hailstorm heavily affected some Langhe areas, our winery was unaffected thanks to our long-time use of protective hail nets, which again proved effective as we had minimal damage. We saw a rapid decrease in soil temperatures-the result of the shift from a warm spring to fresh summertime rain causing thermal shock and a big humidity increase. This phenomenon slows the growth of the vines and, in this case, produced some of the most notable characteristics of the 2019 vintage due to this late Nebbiolo harvest.” Massolino is only releasing its Barolo classico now and will release its cru Barolo in the fall. The Massolino classico is one of my favorite Barolo classico, aged in large botti (Slavonian). The email does not indicate the source of the fruit for their 2019 classico, but in the past, the fruit has come from their parcels in Briccolina, Le Turne, Collaretto, Broglio and Damiano in Serralunga, and Parussi in Castiglione Falletto
The wine critics appear to have arrived at the same conclusion: Galloni describes the vintage as follows: “[t]he 2019s are potent, tightly wound wines that will thrill readers who appreciate the nuance, subtlety and structure of Nebbiolo” and notes its “youthful austerity” that recalls the 2016, 2005 and 1999 vintages. Hmm, I never thought of classic Barolo as being particularly nuanced or subtle. Walter Speller, likewise, describes the 2019 vintage as “a classic vintage, showing signs of good structure, ideal balance, and excellent aging ability.”
Based on my trip to Piedmonte last year, where I tasted only a couple, I plan on buying 2019. I prefer it to 2018, 2017, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2009. I think I will prefer it to 2015. 2019 is also birth year for my youngest, so will have to go find magnums and double magnums!
It’s interesting, I can’t think of any other region that has as many fair-weather buyers as Piedmont. The wines go really fast in the top years, but unless it’s one of those years, the wines - save for a very small handful of unicorns - just sit on the shelves. Not at all like Burgundy, Germany, etc.
I buy several producers in every vintage, but I also almost exclusively collect wines from Piedmont. The issue is that while there’s often vast differences in quality of the wines, the pricing has not been changing much, and if anything is just a straight line upwards. To buy 2018s of many producers today I’d be paying more than I did for the 2016, and certainly much more than I did for 2013s, and the 2018s are the weakest vintage I’ve personally tasted on release. I don’t know that that is unique to Piedmont, but given most wines from Piedmont remain available on the open market in all vintages, you mostly get to pick and choose in a way that I imagine is harder when dealing with trying to maintain scarce allocations of Burgundy.
I’ve found few 2018s that I think are worth buying and cellaring, but every other recent vintage has a high # of wines worth buying in my opinion. So I agree I think cherry picking just the 2016s and 2019s is a mistake. There’s many excellent 2014s (some better than the 2013 or 2016 equivalent, and even where they aren’t, they have a sense of freshness that I think is appealing) and some spectacular wines in 2015 and 2017.
I am becoming a big fan of the wines from Nervi, but don’t have a lot of experience elsewhere outside of Barolo/Barbaresco. But I definitely think the 2018s from Nervi would be at the top of the leaderboard if compared directly to the 2018s from Barolo, and they are also cheaper.
I’ve drank a fair amount of Langhe Nebbiolo from 2019, and some Alto Piedmonte as well. Compared to other recent vintages these have generally showed excellent structure and what I consider classic Nebbiolo profiles. I’m no expert in how these experiences will translate to the Barolo and Barbaresco from the same producers, but based on these early snapshots I plan to buy heavily in '19.
I know there was some discussion already on the board about 2019 vs 2020 vs 2021, as all are expected to be at least very good vintages. With the caveat that it’s hard to generalize from such young wines, it seems to me that 2019 has classic structure and is most similar to 2016 of recent vintages; 2020 is much more about ripe fruit, and 2021 will perhaps be a combination of the two. I’ve enjoyed the 2019s the most of the three, and some of the 2020s have felt awfully soft; softer than 2015s, but again, these are very young wines. 2021 being younger still, I’ve only tasted a few, but they seem less immediately fruity and ripe than 2020 and with more noticeable structure, yet less than the 2019s at the same stage. I know it’s kind of silly to drink to drink these so young, but I’m trying to assess and allocate funds with the tools at hand.
Michael, certainly not silly to drink the wines young if you have regular access and so can build your own personal point of view on how the pre-release wines transform into released wines. Living in San Francisco I cannot possibly maintain that kind of regular access, so I have to rely on the professionals and few folks on these boards whose opinions I trust. And the very rare tasting opportunities, of course.
I certainly have thought of it that way. Perhaps less so in modern times, with richer and headier wines emerging, and also rarely in youth, but when fully mature, both of those terms can be absolutely spot on. Indeed nuance, subtlety, complexity and delicacy are very much what I’m looking for, but it does require patience and some blind faith!
‘On release’ often isn’t the worst time to drink them. True you’ll miss out on the haunting delicacy of true maturity, but on release the fruit often has the ability to stand up to the tannins… and indeed more so in the modern era where tannins are often softer.
There is usually a greater risk of drinking them a few years after release, where the fruit loses its initial vibrancy and the tannins come to the fore. Again it’s less of a risk than before, but a risk that still exists, which can result in some unyielding and astringently tannic wines.
100% agree. Mature Barolo and Barbaresco are among the most nuanced and subtle of wines. Some more than others, of course, but overall that is the exact result I’m going for in aging my Nebbiolo.
I wouldn’t say I have regular access. It’s more like I’m buying a few bottles when I seem them available from trusted producers or those recommended by this board. The intro level wines are released first so I’m buying when I can with the goals of comparing to my past experiences where I have any and gauging both vintage effects and producer style where I do not. Those I know help me understand the vintage. Some others I’m going on reputation but it seems to be working out okay. Some misses (Bruno Rocca, for instance, has many positive reviews on CT and this board but I’m finding the new wood egregious) but many more successes so far.
Thanks for clarification - your early views are based on the Langhe Nebbiolos (yes I went back and re-read your comment. Reading! How useful!). I erroneously thought you had been barrel tasting.
Like you I’ve been trying to buy LNs to get early visibility into vintages, but haven’t been especially consistent. For 2019 I’ve had Burlotto and Fiorenzo Nada, and both were very good for their level. I’d be hard pressed to make any vintage generalization based on them however. I will say that on the strength of the Fratelli Alessandria and Burlotto 2017 LNs I had the confidence to buy their Barolos in that vintage.
Interesting observations about Barolo as being nuanced and subtle. I will confess that I did not arrive to Barolo until 2014 with the 2010 vintage and every Barolo I have drunk has been from vintages in the 21st century. The oldest being two 2001s last year, a 2001 Marcarini Brunate and a 2001 Azelia Voghera Brea Riserva. The Marcarini was much more in the subtle/nuance category, but I ascribed that more to the terroir of La Morra and the winemaking of Marcarini. The Azelia Riserva, one of the finest wines I have ever drunk, was much more powerful although the tannins had begun to resolve themselves. Perhaps I should start a new OP on this topic, but at what age, typically, would you consider Barolo to be mature, exhibiting these qualities of subtlety and nuance?
I don’t know why the 2019 Barbarescos wouldn’t be every bit as good as the Barolos. I am increasing leaning in that direction as Barbaresco can give you that “subtlety and nuance” sooner and I’m not looking for wines to drink in my 80s.
As my dear old Dad used to say, “How long is a snake?” It depends on so many factors. But typically it starts around 20 years. The 2001 Marcarini sounds about right.
I’m very excited to stock up on 2019’s for my mid fifties. After a deep 2015 and 2016 I relaxed buying in 2017 and 2018 due to space considerations more than anything. 2019-2021 should be more normalized purchases for me. I think mid level Barolo is the best dollar for dollar value right now in the wine world. Vietti, Vajra, F. Alessandria, Burlotto, and Cavallotto, are just ridiculous values (to me). Comparatively to Burgundy they would be 2-5x current pricing.
