2010 Barolo Vigna Rionda
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2010 Barolo Vigna Rionda opens with exquisite perfume. Rich and ample on the palate, the 2010 possesses notable volume and richness, while persistent underlying veins of acidity and minerality provide support. This is one of the more powerful Vigna Riondas readers will come across. Pira planted his parcel beginning only in 1997, so there is every reason to think his wines from this site will be even better as the vines age. If the tannins soften, the 2010 could turn out to be even better than this note suggests. The 2010 spent a year in French oak barriques followed by a second year in cask.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Darkly saturated and rich in color, the 2010 Barolo Vignarionda is a muscular, brawny wine that leaves a lasting impression on all the senses. Compared to the 2009 vintage that was less balanced, this wine aspires to an exceptional level of harmony and intensity. It’s a big wine, no doubt, but it moves with grace nonetheless. The mouthfeel shows the youth of the wine and the need for more time to soften with cellar aging. Drink: 2016-2028. Importer: De Grazia Import, www.marcdegrazia.com
Rose petals, mint and dark red flowers emerge from the 2010 Barolo Vigna Rionda. The textural finesse of this great site is evident in the wine's balance and finessed personality. Today, the Rionda remains heavily marked by French oak, but to be fair, the wine is still in barrel, and it is early days, so we will see how things turn out down the road. Vigna Rionda is in my view one of the greatest sites in Barolo for many reasons, one of them being its extreme finesse. If there is any site in Barolo that requires extreme care when using French oak, Rionda is it.
(spent its first year in 50% new barriques, then its second in larger barrels): Deep red with ruby highlights. Distinctly dark and primary on the nose, with black fruit, violet and licorice aromas complicated by dark chocolate and leather. Pure and sharply delineated but at the same time creamy for 2010, with a mineral pungency and terrific cut to the black cherry, cassis and violet flavors. Really captures the energy and class of this vintage. Finishes with big, ripe tannins and wonderful detail. From a lower-altitude vineyard facing southwest. Holds out splendid potential.