2013 Barolo: Sublime Finesse & Elegance 

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | FEBRUARY 10, 2017

In 2013, a cool growing season and late harvest produced gorgeous Barolos with striking aromatics, silky tannins, sculpted, vibrant fruit and mid-weight structures. Readers will find a number of thrilling, utterly captivating wines that speak to the pedigree and class that are the signatures of the best Barolo vintages.

The 2013 Growing Season

The 2013 growing season will be remembered for many things, including a very wet spring that required swift intervention in the vineyards to stave off peronospera, a disease that is not usually so devastating at this time of the year. Producers who treated their vineyards saved their crop, those who could not or did not, suffered severe losses. Because the ground was wet, spraying had to be done manually, rather than by tractor, a painstaking job that not all producers were able or willing to undertake. To be fair, peronospera is very rarely so severe at this time of the year, but producers who did not treat were hit hard. Many growers told me the number of treatments was double that of a normal year and clearly some producers were less willing to intervene than others for philosophical reasons. 

Fortunately conditions improved into the summer, with warm, but not excessively hot, temperatures that allowed the crop to ripen gradually. Perhaps most importantly, the last phase of ripening saw healthy diurnal shifts between daytime highs and evening lows, one of the most critical components for the development of aromatics and color in Nebbiolo. The late harvest also allowed the tannins to ripen fully, always a challenge with Nebbiolo. There was some rain during harvest, which is most likely the reason some growers spoke of grapes with thin skins that required delicate extractions. On the other hand, some growers opted to give their 2013s more time in barrel because of the wines’ imposing tannins.

A view of Castiglione Falletto from Rocche di Castiglione

The 2013 Barolos in the Glass…

The 2013 Barolos generally possess striking aromatics, silky tannins that are the result of a long growing season, sculpted, vibrant fruit and mid-weight structures. When the 2013s were younger, I thought they would turn out along the lines of the 2010s, but over the last year in particular, many 2013s have acquired a level of textural finesse and grace that is truly remarkable. In many cases, the 2013s remind me of the 2008s, but with more depth, better balance and more consistency. If that sounds appealing, well, it is. Overall, the 2013s are Barolos that speak to finesse above all else. These are wines that will hold considerable appeal to readers who enjoy classically built wines. The 2013s have a good bit of supporting structure, but not the explosiveness or austerity found in vintages such as 2006 or 2010. I don’t think the 2013 quite reaches the sheer thrill factor of 2010, but it comes very close.