2012 Barolo Baudana

The 2012 Barolo Baudana seems to have absorbed much of the vintage heat. The bouquet is immediate and dense, with sweet and jammy aromas of blackberry and raspberry. Those ripe fruit tones take away from the overall definition and complexity of the variety. With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the results show extra richness and textural fortitude. Barolo Baudana is best for near and medium-term drinking.

Serralunga d’Alba. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Not much nose at this stage, but plenty of ripe fruit on the palate matched with a perfect dose of finely grained tannins. Well balanced and well built. (WS)

Sweet red cherry, iron, smoke, tobacco and white pepper are some of the signatures in the 2012 Barolo Baudana. This is another intense, searing Barolo that is going to need time. Today, the tannins are pretty much overpowering, but there is good depth of fruit lurking beneath. The Baudana is the more delicate of the two single-vineyard Barolos, in relative terms, given that both are very clearly Serralunga wines. If opened young, the 2012 needs quite a bit of air.