Barolo Season Is Here

November is an exciting time of the year for us at Oliver McCrum because, not only is it the start of the holidays, it’s the beginning of Barolo season. For as much as we love Barolo, and as important as Nebbiolo is for our portfolio year-round, it’s a wine that simply shines when the weather is cold and damp, and the food is warm and heavy. 

Hence, when our team met up this past week to taste through our entire inventory of Barolo wines, you could feel the giddiness in the room. The Fall air was crisp, the room was full of cheer, and our teeth were stained purple from all the tannins. 

Much of our current inventory is based on 2018 and 2020 - top-notch vintages with cooler growing seasons. They resulted in wines that are classic stylistically, but without the immediate opulent ripeness that leads to high scores from the press. As a result, we often need to be our own cheerleaders.

As our own Michele Boscia said during the tasting, “2018 and 2020 are the vintages that I’ve enjoyed the most in recent years, and it’s unfortunate that more people don’t see the beauty in them. They’re elegant, and not so aggressively tannic that you can’t drink them young.”

When it comes to the “best” vintages of Barolo, often times they’re also the most structured, meaning consumers will need to wait ten years or more before enjoying their bottles. In the current market, we’re finding most wine drinkers aren’t quite that patient and would prefer something drinkable in the short term. We think the 2018 and 2020 vintages are just that.

There are numerous critics out there who agree with us as well, particularly Antonio Galloni from Vinous. Let’s take Cavallotto as an example. The 2018 Cavolotto Barolo is one of the best vintages we’ve tasted in years. Our entire staff was smitten with its soft, supple red fruit flavors and gentle tannins compared to some of the beefier vintages in years past. Galloni agreed, writing that the 2018 “is an especially serious edition of the Barolo” with its “blast of sweet dark cherry, menthol, licorice, gravel and incense.”

Everyone loved the Castello di Verduno wines that were loaded with berries, mineral notes, tangy acidity, and rose petals—all the classic Nebbiolo flavor with a silky texture. Galloni was also complimentary of these vintages, writing: “Castello di Verduno is one of many Piedmont estates that remain under the radar. Readers who enjoy classically built Barbarescos and Barolos will definitely want to check out these new releases.”

The single cru Barolos from Brezza had our team buzzing as well. We all really gravitated to the Castellero in particular, with its cherry-heavy flavors and immediate appeal. We’re very excited about bringing these to the public. Galloni also shared our enthusiasm, adding: “Enzo Brezza's 2018s are quite good. There is a renewed sense of energy in the cellar that is palpable. The Castellero is another impressive wine in this range.”

Oddero’s single crus also showed quite well. Adam Davidow from our LA team said the wines really surprised him, especially the Valero. “It jumps out of the glass with a balance of sweetness and tanginess that is approachable.” Michele loved the Brunate with its cedar and fennel notes. Galloni agreed, writing: “What a delight it is to taste Oddero's 2018 Barolo Brunate. A glorious wine, the Oddero Brunate is one of the very few wines in this vintage that possesses real mid-palate depth and notable textural intensity.”

The Germano wines were haunting and thought-provoking, showing complexity and depth, as well as more structure than the others. That said, the 2018s are not big and brash compared to other vintages from Germano. As Galloni observed: “In 2018 the Barolo is not a powerhouse, but that is perfectly fine. All the elements are so well balanced.”

We’ve got plenty of Barolo to share with you this November. For those of you on the hunt for wines that can be opened and decanted today, rather than a decade from now, these recent vintages are exactly what you want around your table this holiday season.