NV Barolo Monvigliero Vertical (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 – ex Rino Fontana)

2010 Barolo Monvigliero The 2010 Barolo Monvigliero is as reticent as it is beautiful. With time in the glass, some of the aromas and flavors start to release, but the 2010 is mostly a wine of texture at this stage. Whereas the 2009 was open and resonant, the 2010 is a wine that demands the taster's full attention. Bright red berries, mint, spices and crushed rocks are some of the many notes that flow through to the chiseled finish. Hints of iron, savory herbs, tar and game add to this super- distinctive Baralo. 94+Pts Antonio Galloni 2011 Barolo Monvigliero In keeping with the style of the year, the 2011 Barolo Monvigliero is a bit fleshier and more overt than it usually is. The aromatic signatures are very much present though, accentuated by the inclusion of 100% whole clusters. At the same time, the 2011 offers gorgeous depth and resonance, not to mention superb overall balance. Savory herbs, olives and herbs inform the pungent finish. Burlotto's Monvigliero remains one of the most distinctive and compelling wines being made in Barolo today. This is impressive juice. 94Pts Antonio Galloni 2012 Barolo Monvigliero The 2012 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of extraordinary finesse. Sculpted, precise and beautifully delineated throughout. the Monvigliero possesses striking precision from the very first taste. Vinification with whole clusters gives the Monvigliero its characteristic aromatic lift, but it is the overall finesse of the tannins and the wine's overall balance that stand out most. All the elements are perfectly balanced in a sublime Barolo endowed with tons of personality. The 2012 is pure pleasure to drink today, but it should develop beautifully for the next several decades. Next to some of the other recent versions, the 2012 is gracious and light on its feet 95+Pts Antonio Galloni 2013 Barolo Monvigliero Burlotto's 2013 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine I like to serve at dinners like this one, as I know most people may never taste it, which is a shame. Of course, the 2013 is young, but its profound greatness is evident in the early going. The interplay of aromatics, fruit and structure really brings out the stunning beauty of the Monvigliero cru. The 2013 is simply a phenomenal wine and a towering achievement from Fabio Alessandria. 100Pts Antonio Galloni 2014 Barolo Monvigliero The 2014 Barolo Monvigliero is quite refined and gracious, although it is also surprisingly dark, dense and concentrated by this wine's standards. A shy, reticent wine, the 2014 is going to need time in bottle to flesh out, especially in the midpalate. I have seen this with other vintages, and expect that it will be the case here as well. The precision, clarity and silkiness that are so typical of Monvigliero start to emerge as the wine opens up in the glass. Readers should plan on being patient. If that is not possible, try to taste the 2014 as soon as possible, because these wines have a tendency to shut down hard post-bottling. As always, Monvigliero is fermented with 100% whole clusters. 95Pts Antonio Galloni 2015 Barolo Monvigliero The 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of pure and total seduction. The warm vintage has filled out the wine's frame beautifully. The interplay of ripe, succulent 2015 fruit and aromatic intensity from the whole clusters yields a positively stunning, breathtaking wine of the very highest level. Once again, Burlotto's Barolo Monvigliero takes a place among the most compelling wines of the vintage. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. 98Pts Antonio Galloni 2016 Barolo Monvigliero The 2016 Barolo Monvigliero is utterly spellbinding in its profoundness. In this vintage, the Monvigliero moves into shades of more blue-toned fruit. Whole clusters, always 100%, are remarkably integrated. Rose petal, lavender, mint, crushed flowers, wild red berries, blueberry, blood orange and mint are some of the many notes that grace this exceptional, silky Barolo. The 2016 was fermented with low temperatures and spent two months on the skins. With its laser-like focus and incredible cut, tension and nuance, the Monvigliero will be slow to reveal itself, but wow what a wine. 100Pts Antonio Galloni 2017 Barolo Monvigliero The 2017 Barola Monvigliero is such a classy wine. Light on its feet and beautifully perfumed, the Monvigliero is superb. The whole clusters are very nicely integrated. Rose petal, mint, sage and bright red berry fruit all run through this supremely gracious, deceptively mid-weight wine. It will almost certainly gain in volume over the coming year. As always, Monvigliero is done with 100% stems. 96Pts Antonio Galloni 2018 Barolo Monvigliero I was surprised to see how much Burlotto's 2018 Barolo Monvigliero has shut down. That won't be an issue in time, when the 2018 is actually ready to drink, if anything the wine's reticence suggests it is going to have a very bright future. It is impressive, but not as inviting as I had hoped. 96Pts Antonio Galloni 2019 Barolo Monvigliero The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is a knock-out. What a wine. Rich and layered in the glass, with striking textural intensity, the 2019 unfurls beautifully with a bit of coaxing. All the elements are so well put together for a young wine. Crushed rose petal, mint, sage, rose petal and sweet pipe tobacco lend striking nuance to this dynamic, vibrant Barolo. The 2019 is quite simply magnificent. Its splendor only grows over time. 99Pts Antonio Galloni