Gianni hosted us in his dining room
With Gianni
A fruit driven nose with cherries and rose. It’s a little candied with good spice. Ripe and candied on the palate but good good tension. It’s a touch grapey, but with good minerality, acidity, depth, and reasonable focus. Some red licorice and cherry fruit on the back end. Decent length. Very good but just a touch off center. (88 points)
- 2021 Giovanni Canonica Barolo Grinzane Cavour - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (5/9/2025)
With Gianni
A terrific nose. Forward and quite perfumed with roses- tons of them. Happily, no VA. Red Cherry fruit and hard candy. It’s broad and sapid on the palate. Rich, yet with excellent focus tension and clarity. Intensity with a soft touch and sense of elegance. lovely inner mouth perfume with a touch of medicine cabinet. Firm fine tannins and good length. Quite harmonious. Best vintage I’ve tried in many years if ever. Little more cohesive if less deep than the Paiagallo. (95 points) - 2021 Giovanni Canonica Barolo Paiagallo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (5/8/2025)
With Gianni
A deeper nose than the Grinzane bottling with dark cherry spice. No VA (yay). Cooler with more depth, tar. Sapid and broad yet not fat.The acid pokes out a touch, but for the most part, there’s power and grace. Much more together than the last several vintages I have tasted. Little clamped on back end at first but softens. Nice balance palate presence. Long with balsam, tar, and florals on back end. (94 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
I was really happy to see the quality this year. I feel like in the last few vintages, VA and headiness have been creeping up. The '21s showed beautifully and are my favorite vintage of his since '13.
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