Vietti: Anatomy of Barolo

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Langhe
Nebbiolo Perbacco &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 90+

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Bricco Fiasco (Lot 30) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (92-95)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Ciabot Berton (Lot 15) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (90-92)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Ravera (Lot 22)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (90-93)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
La Brunata (Lot 27) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (91-94)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Bussia (Lot 14)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (89-91)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Bricco Ravera di Monforte (Lot 17)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (89-91)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Scarrone (Lot 18)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (90-93)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Fossati (Lot 29)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (89-91)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Rocche &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (95-98)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Lazzarito &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (94-97)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Brunate &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (93-96)

Vietti &nbsp; 2007 Barolo
Villero (probably Riserva)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (94-97)

My
annual tasting at Vietti typically encompasses 20+ Barolos from all of the
vintages that are in barrel plus one or two in bottle. Year in year out, this
is one of the most fascinating and educational tastings I do, as the wines are
always incredibly representative of their respective vintages and terrains. The
focus of this article was originally intended to be a close look at the
individual component wines in the 2007 Barolo Castiglione, but all of Vietti’s
2007s are so extraordinary it seemed a shame to leave them out.

I
can’t think of too many estates in Piedmont that have raised the bar higher
than Vietti has over the last decade or so. Virtually every wine that emerges
from these cellars is outstanding, and many are profound. Winemaker Luca
Currado, his brother-in-law Mario Cordero and their staff have taken the early
groundbreaking work of Alfredo and Lucia Currado and built upon those
successes, reaching an unprecedented level of consistency and quality across
their entire range.

Vietti
is the only estate in Piedmont to own vineyards in all eleven of the Barolo-producing
villages. Many of the parcels are located in the region’s most historic and
pedigreed sites. Currado crops his vineyards to low yields and is typically one
of the earliest producers to harvest. All of the Nebbiolo vineyards are farmed,
vinified and aged with the intent of making Barolo. Fermentation takes place in
stainless steel. The wines are then racked into French oak barrels for the
malolactic fermentations and finally moved into casks for aging, all of which
vary from vineyard to vineyard. For example, of the single-vineyard Barolos the
Brunate sees the shortest period of contact on the skins, the Rocche the
longest. Similarly, the Lazzarito generally spends 3-4 months longer in French
oak than the other Barolos. Prior to bottling, all of the individual lots are
tasted and divided into three distinct selections according to quality. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372391584238-Castiglionevietti+vinous.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://"> 

2007 Langhe Nebbiolo
Perbacco

The
third and most basic selection goes into the Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco, a wine
that Luca Currado created with the intention of offering an affordable,
entry-level Nebbiolo. Perbacco is a Barolo in everything but name….and price
tag. All of the fruit from these Barolo-designated vineyards is vinified and
aged in the same fashion as the more important parcels in the estate’s
collection. With just one more month in bottle prior to being released,
Perbacco could be entitled to carry the Barolo DOCG. At roughly $25 retail, it
is one of the finest values readers will come across from any region.

The
just-bottled 2007 Langhe Nebbiolo
Perbacco offers up generous fruit along with menthol, spices and hard
candy, showing notable intensity while retaining an essentially mid-weight
style. Round, suave tannins add to the long and refined finish. This is a
wonderful vintage for Perbacco. In 2007 Perbacco is made from parcels in Bricco
Boschis, Ginestra and Mosconi (aged together), Liste, Brunella, Crocetta,
Pernanno and the youngest vines in Fossati, Ravera (planted in 2000) and
Scarrone (planted in 2003). I tasted the 2007 Perbacco from tank in its final
blend just prior to bottling and then a few days after it was bottled. Both
times it was outstanding. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372391640122-cellar+-+vietti+vinous.jpg"> 

2007 Barolo Castiglione

The
estate’s second selection goes into the Barolo Castiglione, a wine that has
shot up in quality in dramatic fashion over the last few years. Up until the
1960s Barolos were typically made from fruit sourced from multiple villages,
with the goal of combining the strengths of several sites, an approach that is
seldom used today. Vietti’s Barolo Castiglione is one of the few remaining
Barolos still made from a variety of vineyards across a number of communes. In
a typical vintage the Castiglione includes fruit from Bricco Fiasco, Bricco
Boschis, Ravera and Ginestra, all important vineyards in Barolo. Over the last
few years, Currado has become even more selective, choosing only the best of
his ‘second-tier’ vineyards for the Castiglione. The results are striking.
Readers will note that many of the vineyards used for the Barolo Castiglione
are well-known; in fact they are often bottled as single-vineyard selections by
other growers. Tasting through the wines it is clear at least some of these
parcels could easily stand on their own. Currado contends that while that may
be true in some years, generally the vineyards selected for Perbacco and the
Barolo Castiglione aren’t exceptional in every vintage, whereas his grand crus
Rocche, Brunate and Lazzarito almost always are. The Barolo Riserva Villero is
a bit of a separate discussion, as it is only bottled when Currado feels the
wine is truly special, something that has happened just seven times between
1982 and 2004. In every other vintage the Villero has gone into the Barolo
Castiglione.

The
2007 Barolo Bricco Fiasco (Lot 30),
from one of Castiglione Falletto’s most famous vineyards, is off the charts.
The wine possesses dazzling richness and power in its dark fruit, smoke, menthol,
tar and licorice. Quite simply, this is amazing juice! The 2007 Barolo Ciabot Berton Rochettevino (Lot 15), from the Santa
Maria district in La Morra, is the prototypical Nebbiolo suited for blending.
The aromatics are expressive and the silky tannins convey the essence of La
Morra, yet this particular wine can’t stand on its own.

The
2007 Barolo Ravera (Lot 22), from
vines planted in 1968, contributes dark fruit and plenty of structure, but it
too is among the wines that clearly is best suited to a blend. It is hardly
surprising that after several attempts at a single-vineyard bottling, Vietti
decided to go back to using the fruit from this vineyard for their Barolo
Castiglione. The 2007 Barolo La Brunata
(Lot 27), from the famed Brunate vineyard that straddles Barolo and La
Morra, is a wine that in this vintage could unquestionably be bottled
separately. The aromatics are incredibly expressive, and there is plenty of the
dark, brooding fruit that defines this historic site. This is a gorgeous wine!

The
2007 Barolo Bussia (Lot 14) is a bit
simple, with pretty fruit and spiced, mentholated notes that add complexity.
Taken by itself, though, this is a surprisingly simple Barolo. The 2007 Barolo Bricco Ravera di Monforte (Lot
17) seems to be mostly about structure and acidity, two qualities that the
wines of Monforte are well known for. Here, too, the wine is clearly best as a
component in a blend rather than on its own.

I
loved the 2007 Barolo Scarrone (Lot 18),
from a vineyard just below the winery. These vines were re-planted in 1998 with
new Michet clones sourced from the University of Torino. The Scarrone is a massive,
powerful wine bursting with structure, richness and density. Vietti will be
faced with an interesting decision when these vines are older, as the wine is
so intriguing (at least in this vintage) that it would be fascinating to see
what might happen with a single-vineyard bottling. The 2007 Barolo Fossati (Lot 29) shows good depth and richness in its
dark red fruit. This is another wine that is excellent – but not outstanding – on
its own. 

<a target="_blank"></a><img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372391686137-TastingRoom+vietti.jpg"> 



The 2007
Single-Vineyard Barolos

The
top selections Rocche, Brunate and Lazzarito are bottled virtually every year
with the exception of harvests that are disastrously poor such as 2002, when
Vietti did not produce a single bottle of Barolo. Year in year out, these are
some of the greatest single-vineyard Barolos for their transparency to site and
ability to improve in bottle for many years.

Vietti’s
2007 Barolo Rocche possesses
dazzling perfume, tons of fruit, plenty of supporting structure and exceptional
overall balance. Not surprisingly, it is shaping up as one of the vintage’s
most promising Barolos. The estate’s 2007
Barolo Lazzarito reveals its dark, brooding personality in an intense
expression of black fruit, smoke and tar. Still quite primary, the Lazzarito
shows great potential and is without question the most improved Barolo at
Vietti.

The
2007 Barolo Brunate shows slight signs
of reduction that are consistent with a wine at this stage of its evolution.
The sheer depth of fruit is thrilling, though, and the wine’s sensual
personality is captivating. As of today, it is likely Vietti will bottle their 2007 Barolo Villero as a Riserva, which
is hardly surprising given the quality of what is in the glass. This is perhaps
Vietti’s most layered and intensely mineral-driven Barolo in 2007, with an
expansive texture that blossoms on the palate with tons of aromatic complexity
and virtually endless fruit. It, too, is shaping up to be a beauty. 

--&nbsp; Antonio
Galloni

Content

Engage

Vinous

Social