Recently, Kerin OKeefe, editor of the Italian wine review in Wine Enthusiast, the world's leading wine press, gave full marks to two Italian wines, both from the Barolo DOCG Guaranteed Appellation.
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1. Giovanni Rosso Winery Ester Canale Rosso Poderi dellAntica Vignarionda Single Vineyard Barolo 2016
2. Brovia Winery Brea Vigna Ca" Mia Single Vineyard Barolo 2016.
Thus, this year the WE Magazine team has awarded four Italian wines with perfect scores. The other two full scores are from the Brunello di Monalcino DOCG Guaranteed Appellation.
1. Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012
2. Il Marronreto Madonna delle Grazie Brunello di Montalcino 2015
The two 2016 vintages of dry Barolo that received full marks from WE, both from the appellation town of Serralunga, are both single-vineyard Barolos. It is rare in the history of WE Magazine to give full marks to two wines of the same vintage from the same wine region at the same time. This reaffirms that the 2016 vintage is one of the most outstanding vintages in the history of the Barolo appellation.
The 2016 Barolo vintage was already experienced at the Grandi Langhe event held in January this year, and the ideal weather conditions in September 2016, especially in the second half of the month, determined the Barolo vintage to stand out from the rest. (For more information on the 2016 vintage, please read previous issues of Italian Wine: A great vintage to collect... and read about the terroir and quality of the 2016 Barolo)
The official assessment of the 2016 vintage by the Barolo Appellation Association is that the 2016 vintage is a high quality vintage in the Barolo appellation, a year of outstanding persistence and potential for long-term ageing. 2016 Barolo is generally excellently balanced, combining richness and complexity, grand structure and elegance, with the potential for long-term ageing evolution. At the same time, the Barolo in some areas of the appellation is slightly lower in alcohol than the historical average.
The two wines that received full marks from WE Magazine are both single vineyard (MGA) Barolos from the appellation town of Serralunga dAlba, from the single vineyards of Vignariolda and Brea respectively.
Among the Barolo DOCG appellations, the town of Serralunga d'Alba has the oldest Lequio formation (formed between 23 and 5.33 million years ago), which is composed mainly of sand, sandstone marl and sandy marl, with a pale yellow appearance and bluish-gray marl inclusions. As a result, the town of Serralunga d'Alba produces the most structured Barolo wines, with the greatest potential for ageing, and has received high praise from many wine critics.
