Jay Kline

9.3

Mention “Monvigliero” around any Barolo nut and there is a better than good chance you might witness the following behavior: waxing poetic in hushed tones, sighing, swooning…possibly fainting. Monvigliero truly is the zeitgeist. For over 40 years, Comm. G.B. Burlotto (and Fratelli Alessandria before them), have quietly been making great single-vineyard Monvigliero and it was only in the last 10-15 years that the world started to catch on to the magic that was happening in Verduno. In the last handful of years alone, there have been a flurry of producers with holdings in Monvigliero that have released their own single-vineyard expression. However, what many may not realize is that Enrico Scavino and his daughters have been producing a “Monvigliero” since 2007, making them one of the first half dozen to do so. I’m only suggesting that the Scavino’s knew there was something special there well before the hype train came to the station.

Popped and poured; enjoyed with dinner and over the course of a couple hours. The 2020 “Monvigliero” pours a deep garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. The nose is gorgeous; seemingly darker fruited with blackberry, pomegranate, black cherry lozenges, roses and spice box. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin (though friendly) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and lithe. An elegant wine and downright delicious. I think Paolo Scavino did a fabulous job of capturing the synergy of what Mother Nature gave in the 2020 vintage and the source of their fruit in the heart of the Monvigliero MGA. These are very early days for this wine but it’s already a joy to drink now but I expect this will continue a lovely evolution through 2038, easy. — 2 days ago

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9.4

From barrel I thought the 2019 Barolo Gramolere was quite elegant, but now it’s anything but. At this stage, it is a searingly tannic and forbidding Barolo, with notes of black cherry, plum, leather, licorice and mocha. The 2019 has shut down massively post-bottling. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2024)
— 8 months ago

Daniel Bloom

9.0

N: Decanted 3 hrs. Reddish brown.
Big cherry liqueur nose, chocolate, leather. the woods, autumnal spice.
I detect French barrique.
P: Classic young Barolo, lots of mouth filling , Dark cherries, cocoa, herbs, cheek gripping tannins.
You can sense the barrique but it’s not overdone. W Bolognese, it’s really nice.
My thought is that many of the ‘16’s were designed for earlier drinking, esp. w the use of barrique.
I reduced my score a couple pts. after extended time out.The fruit didn’t cover the wood. A trifle disappointed. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Served to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine appears a deep garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with ripe bramble fruits: a mix of blackberries and raspberries with Morello cherry, roses, tar, talcum powder, dried herbs, and gravelly soil. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and delicious. Alcohol is medium+. Initial conclusions: this could be Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir or Grenache from Italy or France. Because of the high tannin and talcum powder/tar/roses combo (and the utter lack of staining), my final conclusion is: Nebbiolo; from Italy; from Piemonte; Barolo…from Monforte d’Alba. I chose 2016 because it shows good great balance of structure and fruit. Ooooof…that was too close.

“La Villa” is Fratelli Seghesio’s most precious wine and until now, I can only ever recall drinking their Barolo “classico” and Barbera d’Alba and only on a few occasions. Believe it or not, “La Villa” is the oldest, single MGA bottling from any producer in Castelletto. The name “La Villa” is an old name for an area within Castelletto when it was once a commune all to itself. The distinguishing feature of “La Villa” is the eponymous ridge that runs perpendicular with Collaretto and Vigna Rionda to the east, across the stream of Talloria di Castiglione. The vines facing south are dedicated to their Nebbiolo while the vines facing north are predominately Barbera and Dolcetto. A very tasty Barolo. Drink now through 2035. — 21 days ago

Matthew Doty

9.1

2021 vintage. Excellent. Right in the zone I like for Barbera or Nebbiolo — 7 months ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.1

Get take out because you’re working retail during the holidays, but do it right with Belotti & Barolo. Fragrant with rose petals, red & black currant, cloves and new leather. Dense with polished tannins that hit every nook & cranny of your mouth. From a producer I don’t know much about. Overall, this was darker Barolo overall than I expected both in terms of fruit profile and color. Is this a Cannubi thing? A barrique thing? — 2 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.2

Served blind. I never would have guessed!
Amazingly pure bramble black cherry essence - still youthful after 21y, enticing, juicy, with a whiff of wood polish and a pinch of black pepper.
Smooth on the palate, seamless, so juicy. Polished super fine tannins, zippy cherry acidity and a savoury core of black cherry and herbs. Uplifting fresh finish, even if falling a bit short in length.
A delicious wine! — 3 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

I wish Barbarescos would come with a back label telling you how tannic the wine is, kind of like Alsace now does the sweetness bar. Many of the less expensive ‘19s are drinking well now, but this one is quite tannic. The nose has nice cherry fruit and a leathery note. It’s got nice flavor intensity and ripeness on the palate, but then the mouth-puckering tannins hit. Needs a few more years. — 5 months ago

Emily

10

This drink reminds me of an amaro. Sweet and pungent. I had it with coke and it mixed well with some ice. — a year ago

Sally Neal

9.1

In a word, delicious. Fruit forward. Fresh. Pairs well with basically anything and your friends that want a “white wine” will be blown away by the drink ability smoothness and freshness of this great wine. Enjoyed with parm cheese wedges, prosciutto,and some fruits as an appetizer prior to enjoying with bay sea scallops and linguini. I’m very happy I bought 3 bottles. Thank you Astor wines for suggesting it! — 3 years ago