2018 Barolo Cannubi

Fabio Alessandria was quite candid in discussing the 2018s. He was not afraid to acidify his wines in order to compensate for the naturally low acids of the musts. The Barolo, Acclivi and the new wine from Castelletto spent 21-22 months in cask, about a year less than normal, a choice that paid off handsomely. Alessandria told me the wines were ready on the early side, so he bottled them. The Monvigliero, on the other hand, spent its typical 32-33 months in cask. At the end of the day, winemaking comes down to a series of decisions in the vineyard and winery, some of them small, some of them not so small. It is the sum of these choices that determines the final result. These days, Fabio Alessandria seems to be making the right calls. His 2018 Barolos are gorgeous and among the highlights in this very tricky vintage.