2019 Barolo

The Paolo Scavino 2019 Barolo (with Enrico Scavino's signature on the front label) was a little slow to open and showed some reductive qualities when I tasted it. Give it more time to develop. Reading between the lines, you get bright cherry and raspberry with mild spice, licorice and tar. It ends with mineral sensations and easy Nebbiolo tannins (that are still young but aligned). Some 45,000 bottles were made.

Pouring a jeweled ruby hue, the 2019 Barolo is lovely and detailed, with floral perfume and notes of candied roses, raspberry preserves, and sweet baking spices. This medium-bodied red is mouthwatering from the start and is balanced with ripe red berries, orange peel, and cinnamon. Fine yet present tannins are propelled forward by fresh acidity and a mineral-tinged finish. I continue to be impressed with the direction this estate has been heading in, and this wine is certainly no exception, lending great insight into the work they have put in. Drink 2024-2034. Helmed by fourth generation winemaker Elisa Scavino, the estate owns and manages 30 hectares spanning eight of the 11 communes of the Barolo region and is based in Castiglione Falletto. Since 2007, they have implemented the use of a netted, submerged cap cylindrical system developed by Elisa’s father Enrico that achieves a delicate extraction during fermentation. They have moved to slower, longer fermentation periods and, as of 2018, are solely utilizing large casks. In the vineyard, they pay great attention to the compression of the soils, creating a healthy ecosystem rich in oxygen and microorganisms and a sustainable approach. Their most recent acquisitions include those of Prapo and Ravera in 2015. Having lost their contract for Cannubi, they are no longer producing what was known as the Barolo Carobric, of which the Cannubi fruit was a major component. I continue to be impressed with the direction these wines have been taking toward a more expressive and pure sense of place, with wonderful diversity across the portfolio.

The 2019 Barolo Riserva Rocche is a wine of pure and total sensuality, as the best vintages are here. Ripe, silky tannins frame a core of red-toned Rocche fruit. Floral and citrus inflections emerge later to round things out. The Riserva is one of the most elegant, sublime and beautiful wines in this year's range. I loved it.