Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Gianfranco Alessandria – Barolo 2020
Piedmont – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Made from 100% Nebbiolo, this Barolo captures the essence of Piedmont’s most noble grape. The 2020 vintage is still youthful, showing its classic austerity and perfume while beginning the long climb toward its prime. (Educational note: Nebbiolo is famous for combining delicate floral aromatics with firm tannins and vibrant acidity, giving Barolo its legendary aging potential.)

Aromas & Flavors
Roses and violets open gracefully, followed by tart red cherry, cranberry, and dried strawberry. Nuances of anise, tar, and subtle spice emerge with air, promising further complexity as the wine matures.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied but firmly structured, with gripping tannins and racing acidity. The tart fruit and floral notes ride on a backbone of minerality, finishing long and tightly wound — signaling a wine built for age.

Food Pairings
Perfect with rich northern Italian cuisine: truffle risotto, braised beef (Brasato al Barolo), or wild mushroom tagliatelle. Also shines with aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

Verdict
A beautiful, youthful Barolo — tart, floral, and nervy, with cherry fruit and soaring acidity. Still climbing toward its peak, but already showing elegance and grace. A wine for patient cellaring, yet utterly captivating today. 🍷

Did You Know?
Barolo is often called “the king of wines and the wine of kings.” Its Nebbiolo grape name comes from nebbia (fog), referencing the autumn mists that blanket Piedmont’s vineyards during harvest.

Hidden Gem 💎
Gianfranco Alessandria is a boutique Barolo producer, crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines that fly under the radar compared to larger names — a true gem for collectors and explorers. — 2 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Delicious and complex. Not yet fully mature. Striking, youthful color. Nose has tons of gravel, iodine, chokecherry liqueur. Concentrated and medium-bodied in the mouth. Great acids. Youthfully assertive but reasonably soft tannins. Flavors on the savory side and linger. Can’t wait until the Brasato is done to pair this. — 5 years ago

Andrea Bruzzi

9.1

Great taste!
Special with strong flawor dishes... like pepperoni, boar or brasato!
Gran gusto!
Speciale con piatti dai sapori forti come primi ai peperoni o brasato o cinghiale! — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.8

Tenuta Cucco – Barolo Riserva “Cerrati Vigna Cucco” 2016. Piedmont – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Made from 100% Nebbiolo, this single-vineyard Riserva from Tenuta Cucco expresses the Cerrati cru with elegance and perfume. Aged for extended time as a Riserva, the 2016 is approaching a decade and shows why great Barolo balances power with haunting aromatics. (Educational note: Barolo “Riserva” requires a minimum of 62 months of aging, of which at least 18 are in wood, giving additional depth and complexity.)

Aromas & Flavors
An extraordinary bouquet — roses, violets, and dried lavender pour from the glass like perfume. Dark cherry, red currant, and wild strawberry interlace with anise, tar, and earthy spice. Hints of leather and truffle complete the symphony.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with finely etched tannins, still firm but beautifully integrated. Acidity remains vibrant, lifting the fruit and florals into a long, graceful finish. Nearly ten years old, it sits perfectly in its early maturity window.

Food Pairings
Ideal with Piedmont classics: tajarin pasta with truffles, braised beef (Brasato al Barolo), or game meats. Also superb with aged Parmigiano Reggiano or Taleggio.

Verdict
One of the most aromatic and enticing Barolos tasted in recent memory — so perfumed it feels wearable. Nearly a decade old, this 2016 Riserva is in a glorious drinking window, marrying fragrance, finesse, and structure. 🍷

Did You Know?
“Cerrati” is a celebrated cru in Serralunga d’Alba, known for producing Barolos of aromatic lift and longevity — the source of Tenuta Cucco’s flagship wines.

Hidden Gem 💎
Though not as widely known internationally as the largest Barolo houses, Tenuta Cucco crafts terroir-driven wines of exceptional finesse — treasures for those who seek depth beyond the mainstream names. — 2 months ago

Clare Centanni

9.4

Pairing fabulously with brasato al Barolo!!! — 5 years ago

with Michael

Awe Some

9.0

Cherry stem, unsweetened cocoa, and woodsy bark on the nose. And a lot of heat. Oh, and heat on the palate. These later vintages are pushing 15% and they don't hide it. This tastes like a big Syrah that's done a lot of cardio: less flabby, sloppy jam; less skin and bark; less hyper sweet, high sugar, high ABV notes on the nose and palate. But keeps the structure, jab and hook. Less "let's have a pizza with this in my sunny Tuscan garden", and more "brasato in the Italian Alps in early fall". — 7 years ago

Yi-Fen Li

9.3

Beautiful #barolo paired with Belotti Piedmontese brasato and 🥟🥟 in Piedmont, CA. #perfectpairing for Mei🦁 #nebbiolo — 2 years ago

with Lip-Bu

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Having this with a nice Brasato di Manzo. Lots of aged complexity. Nose has aged book library and mahogany scents, old leather, and deep cherry liqueur fruit underneath. Fruit is more prominent in the mouth, particularly with food. Very little tannin remains, and there is nice but gentle acidity. — 4 years ago

Chris MacLean

9.1

Not usually a fan of Ripasso but this is balanced and mostly dry. Worked well with brasato. — 5 years ago

with Sarah

Tom Casagrande

9.2

A Ripasso that has acquired more Amarone character than most. Nose has spiced fruitcake and some spirity port-like rich fruit. Instantly mouthfilling, but with lots of structural scaffolding. Only quibble is a bit of heat shows through at the end, but with something like a rich brasato that shouldn't be noticeable and may even be a plus. — 9 years ago

with Angelo