The 2020 Barolo Monvigliero is a gorgeous, classically austere Barolo that is going to need time to soften. Dried herbs, flowers, mint, dried cherry and white pepper infuse the 2020 with tons of aromatic nuance. Readers will have to be patient, as the aromatics are tempting, but the acids and tannins are those of a very young, cutting Barolo.

Showing fine and delicate perfumes, the Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2020 Barolo Monvigliero (made with whole-cluster fermentation) opens to a hint of something exotic like Moroccan spice with candied orange, Arabian jasmine or tamarind chutney. This vintage is a little more immediate in character, with a long mid-palate that culminates with a chalky tannic finish. The Monvigliero is very elegant, even fragile, with an upward fruit crescendo. Production in this vintage is 9,000 bottles.

A wild beast, the medium ruby 2020 Barolo Monvigliero shows off a wild perfume in this vintage, with a rustic edge and lifted notes of menthol, orange zest, cinnamon, pomegranate, and saddle leather. It drives with vibrant energy on the palate, where all its components come together, with a chalky texture and a long finish. This spicy and slightly rustic wine from Burlotto is going to benefit from another year or two in bottle. Drink 2026-2040. Based in Verduno, Fabio Burlotto leads the estate named after his great-great-grandfather. The holdings currently consist of 17 hectares in total, predominantly in Verduno, and a small portion outside of the commune with parcels in Cannubi (Valletta) in Barolo and most recently in Castelletto in Monforte d’Alba. In 2018, he produced his first vintage from 50-year-old vines at the higher part of their parcel in Castelletto, while the lower section was replanted and saw its first harvest last year. Their vision at the moment is that this fruit will become a part of their Classic Barolo. Aclivi is a selection of the best part of each vineyard site, with the traditional blended style of Barolo in mind, and stands in as a substitute for a Riserva bottling. Usually, the grapes are destemmed for the Aclivi, while the Monvigliero is fermented with whole clusters. There was no Aclivi produced in 2020. Historically, Fabio’s grandfather was fermenting all of his Barolo with whole clusters before 1967. When his father took over after he died in 1968, he began destemming the grapes until the 1982 vintage, when they moved back to utilizing whole clusters for the Monvigliero, which Fabio continues to this day. There is a great commitment and dedication to the other varietals of the region, with only half of the total production being Nebbiolo and the remaining half Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa, Pelaverga, and Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation for the Barolo occurs in 20-year-old open-top French oak containers, with some punching down, but generally a gentle approach. In the cellar, they utilize 30-year-old large French oak casks, and when barrels need to be replaced, only Barbera or Langhe Nebbiolo will go into the new barrels on occasion. The majority of the wines in this report were tasted at the winery with Fabio in March of 2024, as well as with the Consorzio the same month. The style is marked by lift and energy, with the majority offering an outstanding bouquet of aromatics. They tend to lean toward a Burgundian aesthetic in that they are highly expressive and offer fantastic mineral texture in a medium frame. The indigenous grapes are not to be missed and offer some of the best-hidden gems at an insane value when and if you can find them. Though the US is certainly a major market for wines, Fabio is uniquely committed to having a substantial proportion of his wines distributed in Italy, and I personally intend to have the great fortune to enjoy them while abroad.

Verduno. Pale ruby. Simply stunning nose with perfumed fruit that leaps out of the glass. Sweet raspberry with a note of leather and white pepper. Still a little closed on the palate but clearly concentrated while maintaining a medium-bodied palate weight. Fantastic balance on the finish, where everything falls perfectly into place. (WS)