2008 Barolo Garblèt Sue'

This is a stellar set of wines from Elena Brovia and Alex Sánchez. Readers will find plenty to admire in these elegant, translucent Barolos. This year, I find the Barolo Rocche di Castiglione especially seductive. More importantly, the Rocche is such an archetype, the sort of wine that readers who want to understand the essence of site should explore. The vintage was not without its challenges, however. Severe frost wiped out half the crop in Garblèt Sue'. “Aside from frost in Garblèt Sue', the vintage was pretty uneventful,” Sánchez explained. “We did start to see some heat stress at the end of the year, but water reserves from the winter were a help. A little stress for vineyards is a positive. Stress, but not torture.” The 2021 were vinified in cement. Time on skins was 3-4 weeks, without submerged cap maceration. Malolactic fermentation was done in stainless steel. The Barolos spent one year in Slavonian oak casks, followed by a second year in French oak casks.

It's great to see Brovia bounce back from the 2018s with a strong set of 2019s. These are among the most austere, unyielding 2019s I tasted. The 2019s needed many hours of aeration, something readers who choose to taste these wines young should definitely keep in mind. Unfortunately, hail in early September damaged the crop for Garblèt Sue’, which was not bottled. The Brovia Barolos are fermented in cement, with about three weeks on the skins, and spend two and half years in 30-40hL cask before being prepared for bottling.

The Brovia 2018 Barolos show just how challenging the vintage was for some growers. Twenty-one days of interrupted rain in May was one of many obstacles the estate had to deal with. There is no getting around the reality that 2018s are ethereal, lacking in depth and show little in the way of site character. The Brovias opted to bottle their 2018s about six weeks earlier than normal. Even so, the wines all come across as fragile. I tasted the 2018 Barolos in November 2021 in Piedmont and then January 2022 in New York and found them consistently disappointing on both occasions.

Brovia's 2016s are all finesse. That's not much of a surprise given how strong these wines have been in recent years. The 2016s were fermented in cement and saw 18-20 days on the skins. Malolactic fermentation took place in steel. Aging in oak varies a bit depending on practical considerations, but more or less, the 2016 spent a year in Slavonian oak casks followed by a second year in French oak casks.

This is a stellar set of 2015s from Elena Brovia and Alex Sanchez. These are some of the bigger, richer 2015s readers will come across, and yet the wines show impeccable balance. Fermentation took place over three weeks in cement, while the malolactic fermentations were done in steel. The 2015s spent a total of two years in cask (as opposed to the more typical two and half years) followed by eight months in steel.

This is a stellar set of wines from Brovia. The wines have shut down considerably since bottling. Whereas so many 2013s have moved towards a direction of finesse, Brovia's 2013s are among the biggest wines of the vintage today. Naturally, at this level, wines are like a great book with many chapters. These will be thrilling wines to follow for several decades. The 2013 Barolos were vinified in cement and spent approximately a year and a half in Slavonian oak casks followed by another year and a half in French oak casks. The straight Barolo is aged entirely in Slavonian oak. Beginning in 2010 all of the vineyards have been farmed with a greater attention to sustainability. Stylistically, the 2013s recall both the 2004s and 2008s, with a similar sweetness in the tannin and expressive aromatics, but more mid-palate depth and stuffing. If that sounds appealing, well, it is. Readers should do everything possible to add some of these wines to their cellars.

This is a gorgeous set of wines from Brovia. With the exception of the Ca' Mia, which is a bit more finessed and less powerful than usual, the wines all show plenty of site specific signatures. The 2012s were fermented in cement, with frequent pumpovers at the beginning and fewer towards the end of maceration, with a total of about 20 days on the skins. The Barolos are then moved in cask, where they spend the first year and half or so in Slavonian oak casks followed by a year in French oak casks.

Brovia remains one of the most impressive estates in Piedmont. Even after a string of impressive recent vintages, the wines remain less well known than quality would suggest. The 2011s will give Brovia fans plenty to enjoy while the epic 2010s rest in the cellar. The Brovia Barolos remain quite classic in style. Malos are done right after the alcoholic fermentations, often in steel. The wines spend a year in Slavonian oak followed by two years in a combination of French and Slavonian oak casks. Readers might also enjoy this recent vertical of the flagship Barolo Rocche di Castiglione as well as videos on the Rocche di Castiglione and Brea vineyards.

These 2011 Barolos from Brovia are full of potential. The wines spent three years in wood, two in Slavonian oak botti and one in French oak casks. Alex Sánchez adds that while 2011 was a warm year, there were no spikes and the vines did not experience hydric stress, as they did in 2003, 2000 and 1997. I tasted the 2011s from tank just prior to bottling.

This is another fabulous set of wines from the Brovia sisters, Cristina and Elena, and Elena's husband, Alex Sanchez. What else is new? Over the last few years Brovia has carved out a place among Piedmont's elite. The 2010 Barolos live up to all of the promise they showed as young wines in barrel. Simply put, these are among the wines of the vintage. Over the last few years, the estate has moved towards less intervention in the vineyards. Leaf thinning, once common, is a thing of the past. In a small departure from previous practices, today the Brovia Barolos are aged in a combination of both Slavonian and French oak casks, while up until vintage 2008 the single-vineyard Barolos were aged exclusively in French oak casks.

The first visit on my September tour of the best Barolo and Barbaresco addresses gave me my first taste of the potential greatness of the 2010 vintage for Piedmont nebbiolo."For us it's an epic, historical vintage," said Cristina Brovia."But the wines are hard now and will need time to find their balance.""It has the potential to be a 30-year vintage," added her sister Elena.I tasted these wines from tank, where they were awaiting bottling, and they indeed have the potential to be one of the best set of Barolos ever produced at this address.In comparison, added Alex Sanchez, Elena's husband and general manager, "the 2011s are more typical wines than the hot-year 2007s, but also have a lot of fruit."Alcohol levels for the estate's 2009 Barolos were actually lower than those of the 2008s, and the '09s maintained good freshness, he added, noting that some Barolos at other addresses show more evidence of the warmer year.

The first visit on my September tour of the best Barolo and Barbaresco addresses gave me my first taste of the potential greatness of the 2010 vintage for Piedmont nebbiolo."For us it's an epic, historical vintage," said Cristina Brovia."But the wines are hard now and will need time to find their balance.""It has the potential to be a 30-year vintage," added her sister Elena.I tasted these wines from tank, where they were awaiting bottling, and they indeed have the potential to be one of the best set of Barolos ever produced at this address.In comparison, added Alex Sanchez, Elena's husband and general manager, "the 2011s are more typical wines than the hot-year 2007s, but also have a lot of fruit."Alcohol levels for the estate's 2009 Barolos were actually lower than those of the 2008s, and the '09s maintained good freshness, he added, noting that some Barolos at other addresses show more evidence of the warmer year.

Brovia's 2009 Barolos are quite pretty, but like so many wines in this vintage, they are a bit on the light side, both in terms of color and structure. As such, I would prefer to drink the wines on the early side. The estate continues to move towards more natural farming practices, and beginning with the 2010 vintage, the vineyards are 100% biologically farmed.

I can't say enough good things about the Brovia family and what they have accomplished over the years, but especially over the last decade or so, which has seen them jump into the upper echelon of Barolo producers. The 2008s had just been bottled when I tasted them in November 2011. Now that the wines have been in bottle a little longer, it is clear they are fulfilling all of their early promise.

What I love most about the 2008s from Brovia – aside from their high overall quality – is the way they succeed in transmitting the unique personalities of their respective sites. This is a textbook vintage for Brovia. Readers who enjoy traditionally made Baroli will not want to miss these fabulous wines. Brovia bottled the 2008s earlier than normal, so it is quite possible the wines will merit even higher scores once they have settled down. I also tasted all of the 2009s and 2010s from barrel. The 2009s are promising, but the 2010s are shaping up to be epic.

Cristina and Elena Brovia, and Elena's husband Alex Sanchez, were reluctant to present their 2008 Barolos, as the wines had been bottled just a couple weeks before my visit. They need not have worried, though, as the wines showed extremely well, offering obvious structure for a long life in bottle but also outstanding sweetness of fruit. This vintage was bottled earlier than usual (the '07s were bottled in January and February of 2011), as, according to Elena, "there was a lot of positive evolution in the months before the bottling; the wines achieved complexity early." Sanchez described the vintage as "elegant and classic." In comparison, he went on, "2007 is a controversial vintage: some find it very atypical, not classic. If you like the 2007s, that doesn't necessarily mean you're a Barolo lover." Paterfamilias Giacinto Brovia, who has worked 58 harvests, told me that he couldn't compare 2007 to any past vintage.

Brovia's 2007 Baroli are just as impressive from bottle as they were when I tasted them from barrel late last year. The straight Barolo is always the last to be bottled. I will report on that wine as soon as I have a chance to taste it.

Brovia's 2007 Baroli look to be worthy follow-ups to the stunning 2006s. They have been gorgeous on the multiple times I have tasted them from barrel. All of the Baroli were in cask when I last sampled them in November 2010. In keeping with the personality of the vintage, the 2007s possess a fleshiness that makes them virtually impossible to resist even at this early stage. At the same time, the intensity of color, tannins and overall freshness makes me think the wines will age gracefully. The 2007s show an intense, almost extreme expression of the estate's single vineyards, and the differences between the wines aren't quite as marked as they are in more classic vintages such as 2006.

This is an exceptional set of new releases from Brovia.

Just when I thought I was getting a fix on the relative merits and different styles of the past few vintages, the Brovias ventured the opinion that their 2006 Barolos are characterized by finesse and elegance and are rounder than their '05s. In other words, the 2005s are the powerful wines here, with some of them showing slightly rustic herbal and peppery nuances. Elena Brovia compared the family's 2005s to past vintages like '01, '99 and even '96, although she was quick to point out that the '96s are less sweet and have harder tannins. On the other hand, Elena's husband Alex Sanchez noted, "the 2006s weren't especially strong or powerful at the beginning but they have changed a lot." Still, the '05s are slightly higher in acidity than the '06s, which in turn are higher than the '04s. My notes in this issue include a couple of 2004s that had not been bottled as of my last visit in September of 2007.

Brovia was one of the highlights in my tastings of the 2005 Barolos. With the exception of the Ca' Mia, which remains a bit of a mystery, the wines are simply fabulous, both on their own and within the context of the vintage.

Just when I thought I was getting a fix on the relative merits and different styles of the past few vintages, the Brovias ventured the opinion that their 2006 Barolos are characterized by finesse and elegance and are rounder than their '05s. In other words, the 2005s are the powerful wines here, with some of them showing slightly rustic herbal and peppery nuances. Elena Brovia compared the family's 2005s to past vintages like '01, '99 and even '96, although she was quick to point out that the '96s are less sweet and have harder tannins. On the other hand, Elena's husband Alex Sanchez noted, "the 2006s weren't especially strong or powerful at the beginning but they have changed a lot." Still, the '05s are slightly higher in acidity than the '06s, which in turn are higher than the '04s. My notes in this issue include a couple of 2004s that had not been bottled as of my last visit in September of 2007.

The Barolos are vinified in a traditional manner, using natural yeasts and with a preference towards cement for the single-vineyard wines, which are subsequently aged in French oak. The entry-level Barolo is made from the estate's youngest vines and aged in large Slavonian oak.

Brovia's 2004 Barolos are super-impressive. The wines showed as well or, in some cases, even better than they did as young wines. I would be remiss in not mentioning the straight Barolo, which has really blossomed in bottle. Simply put, 2004 is a great vintage for Brovia, one of Piedmont's historic, old-school estates making wine that is deeply steeped in tradition but also very much alive in the present. For more historical perspective, readers might enjoy this extensive vertical of the flagship Barolo Rocche.

This is a terrific set of wines from Brovia. For reasons I can't quite understand Brovia remains incredibly overlooked considering the quality of the juice they put in the bottle. In recent years Brovia has been making superb wines in an enlightened traditional style that is immensely appealing. The estate favors long fermentations. The single-vineyard Barolos are aged in French oak casks, while the Barolo (made from young vines) is aged in Slavonian oak. The resulting wines offer notable complexity and tons of site-specific detail, which makes them great choices for learning about some of Piedmont's top terroirs. Even better, prices have remained exceedingly fair in relative terms, although US importer Neal Rosenthal declined to provide pricing on the 2004 Barolos. Readers should be aware that Brovia has decided to hold back the release of the 2004 Barolo Villero as they believe the wine needs more time. These are some of my notes from a barrel sample of that wine I tasted in April 2007: 'stunning....sublime....elegant.' Simply put, Brovia is on fire. Readers won't want to miss out on these exceptional wines.

On my latest visit to this estate, Giacinto Brovia was barely able to contain his enthusiasm for the (not-yet-picked) 2007 nebbiolo crop, which he believed offered the potential to be one of the greatest Barolo vintages of his lifetime. But 2004 is no slouch here. According to daughter Cristina Brovia, it's a "traditional, outstanding vintage-rich and classic. " The Brovias did a lot of green harvesting to bring down the crop load to about 45 hectoliters per hectare. In fact, added Elena Brovia, Cristina's sister, there was actually more fruit in 2001 due to some rain at the end of the growing season. In contrast, noted Alex Sanchez, Elena's husband, "we couldn't cut off any leaves in 2003 because the grapes needed the shade. " Nor was this extreme growing season a year for serious green pruning, he added, as the crop was already too concentrated. "We like the 2003s," Alex summarized, "but they're obviously not going to be long-aging wines. "

Brovia's 2003s are among the surprises of the vintage. I could not help notice that the 2003s, from a very challenging harvest, show better than the 2000s did at the same stage of their lives. According to Alex Sanchez, one of the keys to the year was leaving more leaf cover than was the custom in the past.

On my latest visit to this estate, Giacinto Brovia was barely able to contain his enthusiasm for the (not-yet-picked) 2007 nebbiolo crop, which he believed offered the potential to be one of the greatest Barolo vintages of his lifetime. But 2004 is no slouch here. According to daughter Cristina Brovia, it's a "traditional, outstanding vintage-rich and classic. " The Brovias did a lot of green harvesting to bring down the crop load to about 45 hectoliters per hectare. In fact, added Elena Brovia, Cristina's sister, there was actually more fruit in 2001 due to some rain at the end of the growing season. In contrast, noted Alex Sanchez, Elena's husband, "we couldn't cut off any leaves in 2003 because the grapes needed the shade. " Nor was this extreme growing season a year for serious green pruning, he added, as the crop was already too concentrated. "We like the 2003s," Alex summarized, "but they're obviously not going to be long-aging wines. "

Brovia remains one of the region's most overlooked wineries. Readers who enjoy traditionally made Barolos should make a point of checking out th is estate, whose wines remain very well-priced considering the quality. During my most recent v isit I had the opportunity to taste a broad selection of Barolos from vintages 1996 through 2000 and the wines were simply gorgeous. These 2003s are also successful, although they will require patience and/or significant aeration.

Brovia's 2001 Baroli are stunning. Such beauty. Such grace. It's all there in these splendid, handcrafted wines. Vinification and aging are very much done along traditional lines, although Brovia prefers French rather than Slovenian oak for their casks. Readers who own these wines are going to be very, very happy.

Over the last few years this estate has turned out a number of terrific wines that exemplify the new traditionalism of Barolo, faithfully expressing the distinct qualities of varietal, vintage and terroir in a style that is classic yet accessible at the same time. The estate works with old vines in some of the most prestigious sites in Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga. The average age of the plants is 30 years for Garblèt Sué (also known as Bricco Fiasco), 40 for Villero and Rocche, and 50 for Ca' Mia (also known as Voghera/Brea). Readers seeking fine, traditionally-made Barolos would do well to check out these wines, which also happen to be among the most compelling values in the region. “For our Barolos we do roughly 20 days of fermentation and maceration in cement tanks with a temperature between 28-30˚C (82-86˚F),” says Alex Sanchez, who left the corporate life at a major consulting firm when he married Elena Brovia. “The wines are then racked into 30-hectoliter French oak casks. We let the malos occur naturally and they are usually finished by the following spring. The wines age a total of two and half years in oak prior to being bottled. All our single-vineyard Barolos are vinified and aged the same way in order to highlight the differences of the terroirs we work with. The only real exception is our Barolo normale, which is aged in a 100-hectoliter Slavonian oak cask.” This producer's normale is one of the best-kept secrets in the region. It is made from the wine that is leftover after the casks used for the single-vineyard Barolos have been filled up, along with fruit from vines between 15-25 years in all four of the estate's vineyards.

Over the last few years this estate has turned out a number of terrific wines that exemplify the new traditionalism of Barolo, faithfully expressing the distinct qualities of varietal, vintage and terroir in a style that is classic yet accessible at the same time. The estate works with old vines in some of the most prestigious sites in Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga. The average age of the plants is 30 years for Garblèt Sué (also known as Bricco Fiasco), 40 for Villero and Rocche, and 50 for Ca' Mia (also known as V oghera/Brea). Readers seeking fine, traditionally made Barolos would do well to check out these wines, which also happen to be among the most compelling values in the region. “For our Barolos we do roughly 20 days of fermentation and maceration in cement tanks with a temperature Piedmont Report Issue 7 between 28-30 ̊C (82-86 ̊F),” says Alex Sanchez, who left the corporate life at a major consulting firm when he married Elena Brovia. “The wines are then racked into 30 hectoliter French oak casks. We let the malos occur naturally and they are usually finished by the following spring. The wines age a total of two and half years in oak prior to being bottled. All our single-vineyard Barolos are vinified and aged the same way in order to highlight the differences of the terroirs we work with. The only real exception is our Barolo normale, which is aged in a 100 hectoliter Slavonian oak cask.” This producer's normale is one of the best-kept secrets in the region. It is made from the wine that is leftover after the casks used for the single-vineyard Barolos have been filled up, along with fruit from vines between 15-25 years in all four of the estate's vineyards. On my most recent visit I was also ableto taste two of the estate's 2001 Barolos that had not been bottled at the time of my last visit along with two 1998 Barolos. The estate has decided not to bottle its 2002 Barolos.

The Brovias have hit a home run in 2001, with a set of Barolos that offer deep color, superb depth of flavor and powerful structure for aging. Cristina Brovia describes 2001 as "similar to 1996 but with sweeter tannins," which sounds to me like a Platonic ideal for Barolo. (Giacinto Brovia is now helped by daughters Cristina and Elena, both of whom have enology degrees, and Elena's husband Alex Sanchez. )These are classically made Barolos that normally receive a three-week maceration in cement tanks, which Elena says are ideal for keeping the temperature of fermentation down. Typically about ten days of post-fermentation maceration are done before the wines go into 30-hectoliter barrels made of French oak. Prior to '95, the family used considerably larger barrels, but Cristina noted that the 30-hectoliter size produces wines with better balance and does a better job of retaining terroir character. "The larger barrels made tougher wines," she admitted. "Now our wines can actually be tasted after two or three years in bottle. "

Brovia's 2000s are pretty much in line with what I tasted at most properties. Aromatically the wines are fairly far along in their maturation although there is enough density of fruit and tannic structure to make me think the wines may remain at this stage for some time. The Brovias think the 2000s will remain at their current plateau for a number of years. They may ultimately be right, but it's not a bet I would be willing to take, as the risks are decidedly skewed towards the downside. I don't see much upside potential in the 2000s, nor any compelling reason to hang on to the bottles for too much longer.

The Brovias have hit a home run in 2001, with a set of Barolos that offer deep color, superb depth of flavor and powerful structure for aging. Cristina Brovia describes 2001 as "similar to 1996 but with sweeter tannins," which sounds to me like a Platonic ideal for Barolo. (Giacinto Brovia is now helped by daughters Cristina and Elena, both of whom have enology degrees, and Elena's husband Alex Sanchez. )These are classically made Barolos that normally receive a three-week maceration in cement tanks, which Elena says are ideal for keeping the temperature of fermentation down. Typically about ten days of post-fermentation maceration are done before the wines go into 30-hectoliter barrels made of French oak. Prior to '95, the family used considerably larger barrels, but Cristina noted that the 30-hectoliter size produces wines with better balance and does a better job of retaining terroir character. "The larger barrels made tougher wines," she admitted. "Now our wines can actually be tasted after two or three years in bottle. "

Over the last few years this estate has turned out a number of terrific wines that exemplify the new traditionalism of Barolo, faithfully expressing the distinct qualities of varietal, vintage and terroir in a style that is classic yet accessible at the same time. The estate works with old vines in some of the most prestigious sites in Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga. The average age of the plants is 30 years for Garblèt Sué (also known as Bricco Fiasco), 40 for Villero and Rocche, and 50 for Ca' Mia (also known as V oghera/Brea). Readers seeking fine, traditionally made Barolos would do well to check out these wines, which also happen to be among the most compelling values in the region. “For our Barolos we do roughly 20 days of fermentation and maceration in cement tanks with a temperature Piedmont Report Issue 7 between 28-30 ̊C (82-86 ̊F),” says Alex Sanchez, who left the corporate life at a major consulting firm when he married Elena Brovia. “The wines are then racked into 30 hectoliter French oak casks. We let the malos occur naturally and they are usually finished by the following spring. The wines age a total of two and half years in oak prior to being bottled. All our single-vineyard Barolos are vinified and aged the same way in order to highlight the differences of the terroirs we work with. The only real exception is our Barolo normale, which is aged in a 100 hectoliter Slavonian oak cask.” This producer's normale is one of the best-kept secrets in the region. It is made from the wine that is leftover after the casks used for the single-vineyard Barolos have been filled up, along with fruit from vines between 15-25 years in all four of the estate's vineyards. On my most recent visit I was also ableto taste two of the estate's 2001 Barolos that had not been bottled at the time of my last visit along with two 1998 Barolos. The estate has decided not to bottle its 2002 Barolos.

Like a number of Barolo traditionalists, the Brovias prize the '99 vintage for its character and structure. The family's Barolos spend 20 to 25 days on their skins in cement tanks, with daily pumpovers used to control temperature. They are then aged in a variety of French and Slavonian casks holding around 30 hectoliters. No press wine is used in the final blends. These Barolos have fared well in my comparative tastings in recent years, and on my recent visit to the property I came away with the feeling that they're better today than ever before. Giacinto Brovia is benefitting from the increasing involvement of daughters Elena and Cristina.

Like a number of Barolo traditionalists, the Brovias prize the '99 vintage for its character and structure. The family's Barolos spend 20 to 25 days on their skins in cement tanks, with daily pumpovers used to control temperature. They are then aged in a variety of French and Slavonian casks holding around 30 hectoliters. No press wine is used in the final blends. These Barolos have fared well in my comparative tastings in recent years, and on my recent visit to the property I came away with the feeling that they're better today than ever before. Giacinto Brovia is benefitting from the increasing involvement of daughters Elena and Cristina.

Like a number of Barolo traditionalists, the Brovias prize the '99 vintage for its character and structure. The family's Barolos spend 20 to 25 days on their skins in cement tanks, with daily pumpovers used to control temperature. They are then aged in a variety of French and Slavonian casks holding around 30 hectoliters. No press wine is used in the final blends. These Barolos have fared well in my comparative tastings in recent years, and on my recent visit to the property I came away with the feeling that they're better today than ever before. Giacinto Brovia is benefitting from the increasing involvement of daughters Elena and Cristina.