2011 Barolo, Part 2 (Late Releases)

The 2011 Barolos continue to impress for their radiance and
sheer appeal. After the epic, cellar worthy 2010s, the 2011s will give readers
plenty of choices for delicious near and medium-term drinking. This article focuses
on late released 2011s.

Barolo is typically bottled during the summer months of the
third year after the vintage, which means most 2011s were bottled during the
summer of 2014. Some producers prefer to give their wines more time in barrel.
Since Barolo is almost always bottled in the summer, when the weather is warm,
this pretty much means an additional year in cask. I found a number of the
late-bottled 2011s to be lacking in freshness. Readers will remember that 2011
was a vintage with an early start to the growing season, a coolish summer and a
final blast of heat in the weeks leading up to harvest. If there was ever a
vintage to bottle on the early side, 2011 is it. For more, readers might enjoy
revisiting my article <a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/2011-barolo-the-here-and-now-mar-2015">2011 Barolo: The Here and Now</a>.

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1449779293899-aBarDSC05166+-+Copy.JPG"> 

Alessandro and Gian Natale Fantino's cellar is carved out of rock, Monforte d'AlbaThe 2011 Growing Season

The growing season got off to a very early start with a warm
spring that had flowers and plants in bloom a full month ahead of schedule. It
was also a very dry year with virtually no precipitation. The summer turned
cooler, but dry conditions persisted. The most critical time of the year came
after August 15, when temperatures soared, causing dehydration on the vine and
a rapid accumulation of sugars. Still, even with all the heat, there were no
spikes to speak of, just consistently higher than normal temperatures for
extended periods of time. At the end of the day, though, the growing season as
measured by the number of days from bloom to harvest was within the normal time
frame in most places. Overall, the style of the vintage can be described as a
synthesis of 2007 and 2009. As one might reasonably expect, quality is not as
consistent as it is in the very best vintages. Readers will find a little bit
of everything in the 2011s. Some wines are alcoholic and heavy, while others
are much more refined. Producers who bottled on the late side were rarely
rewarded. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1449779317496-IMG_6653+-+Copy.jpg">&nbsp;

Nebbiolo at Cascina Arione, Serralunga d'Alba2011 Barolo At a
Glance 

- A warm, early-ripening season resulted in open, radiant
Barolos that will drink well with minimal cellaring

- Quality is higher than average, but without the peaks and
viscerally thrilling highs of the very best vintages

- As is often the case with warmer vintages, site-specific
differences are not as marked as they are in cooler years. This is especially
true of second and third-tier vineyards

- Relative to other ripe years, the 2011s are racy, but not
as opulent as the 2007s and more consistent than the 2009s

You Might Also Enjoy

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/2012-2013-barbaresco-a-study-in-contrasts-dec-2015">2012 &amp; 2013 Barbaresco – A Study in
Contrasts</a>, Antonio Galloni, December 2015

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/historic-piedmont-a-trip-back-in-time-nov-2015">Historic Piedmont: A Trip Back In Time</a>, Antonio Galloni, November 2015

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/elio-altare-portraits-in-nebbiolo-1984-2004-jun-2015">Elio Altare – Portraits in Nebbiolo:
1984-2004</a>, Antonio Galloni, June 2015

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/2004-barolo-the-cream-rises-to-the-top-may-2015">2004 Barolo: The Cream Rises to The Top</a>, Antonio Galloni, May 2015

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/2011-barolo-the-here-and-now-mar-2015">2011 Barolo: The Here and Now</a>, Antonio Galloni, March 2015

-- Antonio Galloni

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