2019 Paolo Scavino Barolo Monvigliero

Continuing on a tour of the major villages of Barolo, this wine takes us to the hilltops of Verduno. The Paolo Scavino 2019 Barolo Monvigliero shows lifted aromas of wild cherry and lavender that emerge from a broader background of dark primary fruit. The wine offers medium concentration and silky tannins. But again, I find the bouquet to be a bit closed at this very young stage. There is more energy in the palate thanks to the natural freshness of Nebbiolo. This wine did show nicely when I came back to the bottle 48 hours later. Production is 4,600 bottles.

Verduno. Lustrous ruby. Deep raspberry and morello-cherry nose and almost a little ethereal, in spite of its obvious concentration. Just a touch of savoury oak. Succulent fruit of impressive concentration. Has lots of everything, yet it’s fantastically balanced. Very long and compelling and can already be approached. (WS)

Coming from Verduno, the 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is nuanced with spices and floral elegance and is pure and ripe with raspberry liqueur, rose petal, peppercorn, and cedar. This medium-bodied red is svelte and refined while having good concentration and drive, with notes of pomegranate, orange zest, and dusty earth. Zesty and lifted, this will take another couple of years to open and mature into the graceful wine it is destined to become. Drink 2025-2040. 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.