2019 Barolo Ravera

With fruit from the village of Novello, this wine is more articulate and shows clearer aromas compared to some of the other Barolos in this set of new releases. The Paolo Scavino 2019 Barolo Ravera takes a little extra time to come into focus. There is dark fruit, dried cherry, spice and some light tarry smoke. With time, the wine begins to show more complexity and nuance. Some 8,200 bottles were made.

Aromatically more expressive and ripe with red flowers and fruits, the 2019 Barolo Ravera is more exuberant and open at this stage, with candied cherry, menthol, and sweet balsamic herbs. The palate takes a more savory and coiled stance at this youthful stage, with iron-rich earth, grenadine, and salted orange. Building tannins are in concert with a persistent spine of acidity that will need time to loosen its grip, but this is a fantastic wine to hold and drink 2026-2046. 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.