1996 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione

Tastings at Vietti are getting harder to schedule, as the range keeps expanding. That's not a bad thing when the wines are this exceptional. Readers will note the introduction of several new bottlings, all of which merit attention. “It was an unusually compact harvest,” winemaker Eugenio Palumbo remarked. “All the main vineyards were picked between September 30 and October 3, except for Ravera, which came in a week later.”

The Rocche di Castiglione, Ravera and Monvigliero and Rabajà are aged entirely in cask for about 30 months. Submerged cap maceration and malolactic fermentation in cask gives these wines a slightly more classic feel than the Cerequio, Brunate and Lazzarito, which see about four months in French oak barrique for the malos. That said, the oak imprint in these three Barolos has come down quite a bit in recent years, narrowing the differences between the two groups of wines. This is especially evident in the Lazzarito, which for many years was the oakiest of the Vietti Barolos. I would be remiss in not highlighting the Barolo Castiglione, a blend of 20 sites that is especially fine in 2021.

As usual, I tasted the 2021s from two sets of bottles, the first opened about two hours prior to my arrival at the winery, and the second opened in front of me. I tend to prefer just-opened bottles, as air is often a shock to wines that have been in bottle for a short time and can therefore have the unintended consequence of closing young wines down.

For the last two decades or so, the style at Vietti has been one that straddles modern and more traditional styles. The wines were never as opulent as those of the modern school, but also never as ethereal or massively tannic as those of the classic school. One of the reasons for that is the choice to bleed the musts to increase fruit density, something that has long been a signature in the mid-palate richness of these Barolos. Vietti has been through some painful chapters in recent years. The sale of the winery to the Krause family and then Luca and Elena Currado’s exit in early 2023 were both dramatic events. In the end, my impression is that these turning points will end up being beneficial for all parties. The Cordero side of the family has their new ventures. It is obvious the Currados felt the pressure to make wine in a style the market expected. Now, they don’t have that constraint. Similarly, Palumbo has the freedom to take Vietti into a new era where I think the wines are going to be even more refined than those of the past. I have to say, I left this tasting extremely energized.

I tasted a wide range of wines on my most recent visit to Vietti. Starting with the 2020 Barolos, I tasted every wine from a just-opened bottle and a bottle that had been double-decanted two hours prior to my arrival. Aeration can be a tricky thing with young, just-bottled wines. Sometimes, air can help young wines open but also shut them down hard. In 2020, the double-decanted bottles showed better. Overall, there is a bit more variation from wine to wine than I am used to seeing, while some of the Barolos are on the lighter side.

In 2020, virtually all the fruit for the single-vineyard Barolos was picked in late September, before the early October rains. Harvest resumed on October 5 with the second portion of Lazzarito and various parcels used in the Barolo Castiglione. The 2020s spent about 24 days on the skins, with submerged cap maceration for most lots. Time in cask was 24-26 months.

Readers will note several new wines in the range. Vietti’s 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is stellar. The same is true, incidentally, of the 2020 Barbaresco Roncaglie. I have long admired the Barbarescos here. That is once again the case this year. The 2016 Barolo Riserva is the next incarnation of the 2015 Barolo Riserva that was released last year, but it was made from different vineyards and vinified with a high percentage of whole clusters. I would be remiss if I did not spend some time on the entry-level offerings. The 2021 Barberas are fabulous. These are wines I bought often as a young consumer and continue to enjoy as often as possible. Ripeness and oak impact have been dialed back, which really allows the purity of the fruit to come through.

Vietti’s 2019s are off the charts. I can’t say I am totally surprised, as I have been following the wines for several years. At the same time, it is one thing to taste wines from barrel and another entirely to see the finished, bottled wines in front of you. I tasted each wine from two bottles, one opened two hours before my arrival and another opened when I arrived. This year, I preferred the opened bottles for most wines. From the first wine to the last, the 2019s possess tremendous depth and purity, along with the deep inflections of site that are what Barolo is all about. Readers who can find these wines should not hesitate, as they are truly magnificent.

“Harvest ran from October 8 to 16, which is pretty typical for us,” Luca Currado explained at Vietti. “It was a nerve-wracking vintage, the kind of vintage that gives you a lot of grey hairs. We made a lot of decisions on pure instinct. Our longest macerations were on the Brunate (30 days) and Lazzarito (27 days). Still, we shortened macerations by about a week on the Brunate, Rocche and Villero because we did not want to extract any bitterness in the tannins.” All the wines saw submerged cap maceration except the Monvigliero, where one of the two parcels did see submerged cap maceration while the other did not. Malolactic fermentation was done in cask, except for the Rocche, where the logistics of juggling casks of different sizes resulted in some of the wine doing the malolactic in neutral French oak.

I was not at all surprised to see such a tremendous showing from Vietti because I had already tasted the 2018s from cask two years ago, pre-pandemic. The 2018 Barolos are absolutely beautiful. There is not much more to say than that. Over the years, Luca Currado and Elena Penna have dialed in a style that works well for these vineyards. The Vietti Barolos are marked by intense fruit that is partly the result of bleeding the musts. The Barolos are done entirely in cask these days, which is a great complement to all of that intensity. Time on the skins ranged from three weeks or so for the Brunate and Lazzarito to as much as five weeks for the Ravera and Rocche. All of the wines were done with submerged cap maceration. "These were some of our longest macerations of the last three years," Luca Currado explained.

Readers will note the addition of two new wines that have been thrilling since the first day I tasted them. The first is from a choice parcel in Cerequio Vietti acquired from Michele Chiarlo. The new Monvigliero is made in conjunction with Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac and has some whole cluster influence. As much as I hope stems don't become a trend in Piedmont like French oak barrels did in the 1990s, there is little question whole clusters seem to work especially well in Monvigliero. These wines are simply brilliant. There is not much more to say than that.

Vietti's 2016 Barolos are stratospheric. I have been following the wines for several years, first as separate lots, then as young wines in barrel. In all of those tastings, the wines were never anything less than mesmerizingly beautiful and full of potential. Now that they are in bottle, that potential has been realized. These are, quite simply, the most monumental wines I have tasted in twenty years of visiting the estate. Luca Currado told me yields were around 52 hectoliters per hectare, which is to say in line with years like 2013, but lower than 2004 or 2010, for example, both of which were more bountiful.

The 2016s represent another major step towards a style that melds together a level of textural richness that is quite contemporary with winemaking that is heavily traditional, a combination that works brilliantly, as readers can see from these notes. The first step in this direction was the 2010 Barolo Ravera, which was done entirely in cask, with no French oak for the malolactic fermentation, a departure from the days when all the Barolos spent about six months in French oak barrique. These days, the Barolos follow the same process, which is to say they are raised entirely in cask. The Lazzarito is an exception; it tends to have a very fast malo that often takes place alongside the alcoholic fermentation. It then sees about three months in French oak (10% new), done to soften the Serralunga tannins, before finishing the rest of its aging in cask. The 2016s saw 30-40 days on the skins, a few days longer than normal, with submerged cap fermentation. Kudos to Luca and Elena Currado, along with their longtime cellarmaster, Eugenio Palumbo, for a set of truly epic wines that will define their legacy at Vietti.

The first step in this direction was the 2010 Barolo Ravera, which was done entirely in cask, with no French oak for the malolactic fermentation, a departure from the days when all the Barolos spent about six months in French oak barrique. These days, the Barolos follow the same process, which is to say they are raised entirely in cask. The Lazzarito is an exception; it tends to have a very fast malo that often takes place alongside the alcoholic fermentation. It then sees about three months in French oak (10% new), done to soften the Serralunga tannins, before finishing the rest of its aging in cask.

Vietti's 2015 Barolos are good examples of the strengths and weaknesses of the vintage as a whole. All of the wines are fresh and medium in body, with good energy and plenty of drive. At the same time, the differences between the vineyard are not quite as marked as they are in truly outstanding years. Even so, the 2015s here are brilliant. I won't be surprised if they show even better with a few more years in bottle, as they are among the most reticent 2015s I tasted.

This is an absolutely phenomenal set of wines from Vietti. The 2014s are every bit as magnificent as they have always been from barrel. The dual flagships Rocche di Castiglione and Ravera are superb, while the entry-level Barolo Castiglione does a great job of conveying the personality of the year. Sadly, Brunate sustained 60% hail damage. As a result, Luca Currado opted not to bottle his Barolo Brunate. Yields are down about 25% across the board, so readers will want to snap up these Barolos before they disappear.

The sale of the Vietti winery last summer continues to reverberate throughout Piedmont. It is a subject I have already written about extensively. I will limit my comments here to the wines, as the 2013s are spectacular wines that deserve to be appreciated on their own, without any noise from recent events. The 2013s were always superb from barrel. They are every bit as impressive from bottle. Simply put, this is a magical set of new releases from Luca Currado, his wife, Elena Penna, and their talented team. The 2014s and 2015s I tasted from barrel point to two superb vintages in the works at Vietti.

Vietti is one of the handful of estates in Barolo that has managed to successfully thread the needle between traditional and more contemporary leanings. To be sure the wines are much more classic today than they were fifteen years ago. One of the most recent changes has been a move towards doing more of the malolactic fermentations in cask, the approach taken with the Ravera, and, increasingly, with the Castiglione. The Lazzarito, which was once the most modern Barolo in the range, is now giving the better-known single-vineyard Barolos here a real run for their money. Vietti's 2012s are some of the most powerful, rich wines of the vintage. I tasted the 2012s twice, once in the summer as they were being bottled, and a second time in November. The wines were impressive on both occassions. Once again, the Ravera is utterly riveting in its sheer beauty and overall purity. If there is anything missing in the 2012s, it is the level of site specificity that is a signature of truly epic vintages. The 2012s fall a bit short of that level, but not by much. The 2013s and 2014s I tasted from barrel point to two potentially brilliant vintages in the making. Although proprietor Luca Currado would not commit fully, he did say there was a good chance Vietti would release their Villero Riserva in 2012.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

Vietti is one of the pioneering families in Piedmont. When I think of where the contemporary history of Barolo begins, three winemakers come to mind; Beppe Colla at Prunotto, Alfredo and Luciana Vietti and Bruno Giacosa. These are the three producers who first introduced the concept of single-vineyard wines in Piedmont, an interpretation of the land borrowed from France that has no real tradition in Piedmont. Prunotto and Vietti worked with their own vineyards, or sites they controlled, while Giacosa had greater influence because he sourced fruit across many more sites in both Barolo and Barbaresco, and quite honestly, his top wines were often of a higher level. Still, before 1961, single-vineyard Barolo did not exist. The 2011 vintage marks the 50th anniversary of Vietti’s Barolo Rocche and Prunotto’s Barolo Bussia, a watershed moment in Piedmont’s evolution. Vietti’s 2011 Barolos continue a string of recent successes for this reference-point estate. The wines will offer a little more near-term appeal than the 2010s, which is a good thing, as those Barolos are long distance runners. Like a lot of producers, Vietti chose to bottle their 2011s a little bit earlier than normal, which means these wines had been in bottle for longer than they are when I usually taste them. In this tasting, the 2011s came across as a bit closed and less expressive than they have been in the recent past. That is probably a good thing for the future, though, so I am not at all concerned.

Vietti was among the producers I visited who chose to bottle their 2011 Barolos a bit earlier than normal. The late Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in a number of regards. One of them was opening the US market to Barolo in an era where producers rarely traveled and well before Piedmontese wines were popular in any way. That same strong work ethic is very much in place today, proving there are no shortcuts. Success in any field so often comes down to doing what othersimply aren't willing to do. The 2011s look to be another stellar set of wines from one of Piedmont's reference points. The 2011s were bottled just a few days before this tasting, so I have elected to show the ratings in brackets.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

The 2010 Barolos will go down as some of the greatest wines ever made at this historic property. Now that they are in bottle, the 2010s are every bit as incredible as they have always been from barrel. This year, Vietti has brought back the Ravera as a separate bottling. Readers who want to learn more about the Ravera specifically will want to check out this video. The 2010s came in late by today's standards. Yields were down relative to 2009. Winemaker Luca Currado gave the 2010s 25-35 days on the skins. As is the custom here, the malos were done in neutral French oak, with the exception of the Ravera, and several other experimental lots that are now used in the entry-level Barolo Castiglione. Wine lovers will not want to miss Vietti's 2010s...they are stratospheric. For more on Vietti, readers should check out my recent video interview with Currado.

Luca Currado describes 2010 as "a fantastic, elegant vintage for Barolo," while 2009 is "a very good vintage:if you waited too long you got a decadent quality in your wines.The brown spice character of the 2009s can also make the wines seem a bit dry."As a rule, Currado picks on the early side because he wants "a signature of terroir," but he also said if his wines have a signature, "it's acidity and long aging potential."This extraordinary estate has access to 15 of the top 20 crus of Barolos, notes Currado.In addition to the four crus he routinely bottles on their own, he vinifies and raises 11 others separately for three years, then does a series of blind tastings to select the best of them for his Castiglione bottling, which he has trademarked.Most of the rest go into the estate's Nebbiolo Perbacco, which Currado told me is "really our regular Barolo."For budget-minded nebbiolo lovers, this is a bottling to seek out.

Luca Currado describes 2010 as "a fantastic, elegant vintage for Barolo," while 2009 is "a very good vintage:if you waited too long you got a decadent quality in your wines.The brown spice character of the 2009s can also make the wines seem a bit dry."As a rule, Currado picks on the early side because he wants "a signature of terroir," but he also said if his wines have a signature, "it's acidity and long aging potential."This extraordinary estate has access to 15 of the top 20 crus of Barolos, notes Currado.In addition to the four crus he routinely bottles on their own, he vinifies and raises 11 others separately for three years, then does a series of blind tastings to select the best of them for his Castiglione bottling, which he has trademarked.Most of the rest go into the estate's Nebbiolo Perbacco, which Currado told me is "really our regular Barolo."For budget-minded nebbiolo lovers, this is a bottling to seek out.

For the 2010s, Currado opted to give the Barberas longer time in oak, with more emphasis on cask and less on smaller French oak barriques.

This recent private dinner at Scalini Fedeli hosted for a small group of wine lovers provided a fabulous opportunity to delve into the wines of four reference point Barolo estates and enjoy the cuisine of one of New York City’s most highly regarded Italian restaurants.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

The finest 2008 Barolos are utterly magnificent, profound wines that represent a new paradigm for Italy’s most famous and collectible red. Simply put, today’s Barolos no longer require decades of cellaring to deliver the fireworks that make Nebbiolo such a singular grape. The late harvest yielded a set of beautifully perfumed, sensual wines that are all about finesse.

I was thrilled to lead this intimate tasting at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April 2014. For the occasion, I chose eight reference-point Barolos covering all styles - from super-classic to modern. Emily Wines, Shayne Bjornholm and Jay James, a formidable trio of Master Sommeliers, joined me on the panel and were incredibly generous in sharing their views with the audience.

For more information on the wines, readers might enjoy this short video I shot just before the tasting. A comprehensive overview of the vintage is available in 2008 Barolo: The Incredible Lightness of Being. Lastly, our Interactive Barolo Map is the perfect companion through which to explore the vineyards mentioned in the video and the tasting notes that accompany this article.

The biggest news at Vietti is the recent acquisition of new parcels in Brunate and Lazzarito. Finding high quality plots in Piemonte's grand crus and then financing their purchase is a massive endeavor and a huge accomplishment. Luca Currado is quite open in his view that 2008 was a very challenging year in the vineyards, where the constantly changing weather required a nimble, flexible approach. Currado did quite a bit of bleeding to bring his wines into balance. I also tasted all of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Baroli. Of those vintages, the 2010s are shaping up to be heroic wines. Among the new releases I am less enthusiastic about the 2009 Barbere, wines that are good, but not as exceptional as they so often are.

Luca Currado describes his 2008 Barolos as "leaner, delicate wines with long, minerally finishes, close to pinot noir and more like the Barolos of the 1980s." He finds the 2005, 2006s and 2007s to be richer and more opulent. In my tasting here in September, the young 2008s were overshadowed by Currado's magnificent 2007s, which clearly benefited from a harvest on the early side, with healthy levels of natural acidity (in the range of 6 grams per liter). "Some later pickers had falling acidity levels in very warm conditions," noted Currado. "It's a mistake to consider 2007 as a hot vintage: the summer featured much lower degree days than 2006, and there were many cool nights in September."

Luca Currado describes his 2008 Barolos as "leaner, delicate wines with long, minerally finishes, close to pinot noir and more like the Barolos of the 1980s." He finds the 2005, 2006s and 2007s to be richer and more opulent. In my tasting here in September, the young 2008s were overshadowed by Currado's magnificent 2007s, which clearly benefited from a harvest on the early side, with healthy levels of natural acidity (in the range of 6 grams per liter). "Some later pickers had falling acidity levels in very warm conditions," noted Currado. "It's a mistake to consider 2007 as a hot vintage: the summer featured much lower degree days than 2006, and there were many cool nights in September."

Sadly the world lost Alfredo Currado – one of Piedmont's pioneers – last year, but I am sure he would have been thrilled to see how his son's wines have turned out. Luca Currado's 2007 Baroli are every bit as impressive from bottle as they were from cask. Interestingly, Vietti is one of the few producers where the house style and vineyard nuances are just as evident as vintage character. Although the 2007s are gorgeous today, most of the wines shut down quickly in the glass, suggesting they may be headed for a period of stubbornness. All of the wines now see a fairly lengthy period of several weeks of contact on the skins, followed by malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels and aging in large, Slavonian oak casks. Always curious to explore, Currado continues to make small adjustments to vinification, including an experimental 2010 Barolo made with a strictly traditional approach that may end up being bottled only in magnum. I think it is fair to say readers will be stunned by the quality of the wines that are emerging from this family run property in Castiglione Falletto. An upcoming article on this site will take an in-depth look at the estate's Barolo Riserva Villero. T

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. 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 is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

I sampled a mind-boggling array of outstanding – and often profound – wines in my marathon tasting session with proprietor and winemaker Luca Currado. The 2006 Barolos are nothing short of spectacular and the 2007s may be even better! Readers can check out notes on those wines in my recent feature on the estate posted on this site. I should note that Vietti plans to release a 2006 Barolo Riserva Villero, but that wine is years from seeing the light of day. The Barolos are vinified in stainless steel, then racked into French oak for the malolactic fermentation, where the wines remain for a few months. The majority of aging takes place in medium-sized casks. Over the last few years, the use of French oak has become more measured and the Barolos are now among the elite wines of the region in virtually every vintage. In short, there seems to be no end to this estate's ambition. Frankly I wish there were more wineries setting their sights on this level of quality.

As spectacular as Luca Currado's Barolos have been in recent vintages, consumers should not miss his barbera bottlings, especially those from 2007. On my visit this year, Currado pointed out that his family was one of the first to replant barbera in some of the area's top sites. And their approach to growing and vinifying barbera has changed dramatically in recent years. "Previously we extracted too much," Currado admitted. "Now we're looking to make floral, minerally wines. We used to leave less vegetation on the vines, and the sun worked on the skins and resulted in jammy wines. Now we do a better job of protecting the berries." Currado typically lets his wines do their malolactic fermentation in barriques, then ages them in a combination of barriques and larger Slavonian barrels holding 25 to 40 hectoliters. Currado noted that his family owns or rents vines in all nine villages of Barolo, including 15 cru vineyards, but although they have vinified all of these crus separately since 2000, they generally bottle only five or six vineyard-designated wines, which are selections of casks that most clearly showcase those vineyards. Currado told me he likes the 2005 vintage "because it's old-style Barolo: it reminds me of the wines I drank when I was young. They have acidity and tannins and they're a little aggressive. They're like a Ducati: you feel the power and the emotion. They remind me of the wines of Bartolo Mascarello, Rinaldi and my father." Two thousand six, he added, was a slightly warmer season than 2005. "The wines have less acidity than the 2005s; they're like a blend of '04 and '05. Consumers will probably prefer them to the '05s for their roundness and luxuriousness."

Luca Currado describes 2005 as an inconsistent vintage because the October rains divided the early part of the harvest, which was quite good, from the latter part, which was more complicated. I was quite surprised with the Lazzarito, which was especially brilliant in this tasting. The Lazzarito and Rocche are both vibrant and have plenty of life ahead.

This recent private dinner at Scalini Fedeli hosted for a small group of wine lovers provided a fabulous opportunity to delve into the wines of four reference point Barolo estates and enjoy the cuisine of one of New York City’s most highly regarded Italian restaurants.

As spectacular as Luca Currado's Barolos have been in recent vintages, consumers should not miss his barbera bottlings, especially those from 2007. On my visit this year, Currado pointed out that his family was one of the first to replant barbera in some of the area's top sites. And their approach to growing and vinifying barbera has changed dramatically in recent years. "Previously we extracted too much," Currado admitted. "Now we're looking to make floral, minerally wines. We used to leave less vegetation on the vines, and the sun worked on the skins and resulted in jammy wines. Now we do a better job of protecting the berries." Currado typically lets his wines do their malolactic fermentation in barriques, then ages them in a combination of barriques and larger Slavonian barrels holding 25 to 40 hectoliters. Currado noted that his family owns or rents vines in all nine villages of Barolo, including 15 cru vineyards, but although they have vinified all of these crus separately since 2000, they generally bottle only five or six vineyard-designated wines, which are selections of casks that most clearly showcase those vineyards. Currado told me he likes the 2005 vintage "because it's old-style Barolo: it reminds me of the wines I drank when I was young. They have acidity and tannins and they're a little aggressive. They're like a Ducati: you feel the power and the emotion. They remind me of the wines of Bartolo Mascarello, Rinaldi and my father." Two thousand six, he added, was a slightly warmer season than 2005. "The wines have less acidity than the 2005s; they're like a blend of '04 and '05. Consumers will probably prefer them to the '05s for their roundness and luxuriousness."

Vietti has long been an elite, reference-point producer in Piedmont but in recent years brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero have taken major steps to further elevate the quality of their wines across the board. My tasting with Luca Currado encompassed 20-plus Barolos covering vintages 2005 through 2008, including multiple parcels the estate uses for its multi-vineyard Barolo Castiglione. All of the wines were potentially outstanding and some will doubtless turn out to be profound. Vietti fans have much to look forward to in coming years, the biggest decision here will be making choices among a large number of truly special wines. For starters, the 2005s aren't too far behind the spectacular 2004s. Unfortunately there will be no Barolo Riserva Villero as the vineyard was damaged by hail. The Barolos are fermented in stainless steel, then racked into French oak barriques for the malolactic fermentations. The wines are then moved into Slavonian oak casks where they complete their aging. Over the last few years Currado has gradually lengthened maceration times and taken a more moderate approach to French oak, while limiting yields dramatically, all of which has resulted in an extremely consistent set of Barolos that are easily among the region's finest. As an aside, long-time visitors to the property will be happy to learn that a much needed renovation to the tasting room is complete. The new facility is strikingly beautiful.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

Vietti's 2004 Barolos are absolutely stellar. I remember tasting these wines from barrel and then just after bottling. They are every bit as superb today. As is often the case, the Rocche is the flagship. I found the Brunate a bit more delicate than I expected, while the Lazzarito, which was a much more modern, French oak-influenced wine than the other Barolos in the range during this era, was more complex than at the outset. The Villero is superb, but I don't think it is Vietti's best site. If it were, Vietti would probably bottle this wine in every vintage, Riserva or not.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

Like his colleagues, Luca Currado's biggest challenge in 2004 was dealing with abnormally high yields. (Despite doing several aggressive green harvests we still ended up with more fruit than we would ideally like,( says Currado. (We performed a number of saignées to get the wines to a more optimal balance.( The estate's 2004 Barolos have been impressive on every time I have tasted them from barrel and the bottled wines are just as exceptional. These are without question the most complete young Barolos I have tasted at Vietti, yet they are also the most concentrated are likely to require patience.

Following its recent purchases of more barbera in the Asti area, the Currado family now owns 43 hectares of vines. Luca Currado noted that this entitles Vietti to make 650,000 bottles per year, but in fact their actual production is less than 200,000-a testament to careful control of yields and strict selection for their top bottlings. According to Currado, "2004 and 2001 are two of the best vintages of the century," and I assume by that statement he was trying to say something stronger than merely "two of the best vintages of the past seven years"-particularly as I recall him describing 2001 as a "100-point vintage" a year after the harvest. "The dry, warm fohn wind in 2003 made for a lot of amarone-style wines in Piemonte," Currado added. "We were lucky to pick very early that year. " Incidentally, Currado told me that he ages the sheets of bark from which his corks will be made outdoors for two years. "This tightens the grain of the cork and kills the bugs, but it costs us up to 25% in lost volume. "

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

Following its recent purchases of more barbera in the Asti area, the Currado family now owns 43 hectares of vines. Luca Currado noted that this entitles Vietti to make 650,000 bottles per year, but in fact their actual production is less than 200,000-a testament to careful control of yields and strict selection for their top bottlings. According to Currado, "2004 and 2001 are two of the best vintages of the century," and I assume by that statement he was trying to say something stronger than merely "two of the best vintages of the past seven years"-particularly as I recall him describing 2001 as a "100-point vintage" a year after the harvest. "The dry, warm fohn wind in 2003 made for a lot of amarone-style wines in Piemonte," Currado added. "We were lucky to pick very early that year. " Incidentally, Currado told me that he ages the sheets of bark from which his corks will be made outdoors for two years. "This tightens the grain of the cork and kills the bugs, but it costs us up to 25% in lost volume. "

After a period of soul-searching in the 1990s in which the estate's wines lacked a clear sense of direction Vietti has come back with a vengeance. Today the wines show greater cons istency as well as a d istinct house style that is more defined than it has ever been under the direction of brothers-in-law Mario Cordero and Luca Currado. Vietti produced one of the finest 2003 Barbarescos with its Masseria, so it is no surpr ise that the 2003 Barolos are just as outstanding. The 2004 Barolos are the best wines th is h istoric estate has ever made, and the 2005s aren't too far behind. I continue to be impressed with the Barberas, which offer something for every palate and budget. Vietti's success across a large number of wines from diverse terroirs places it solidly within the top tier of Piedmont producers. “I am using less small oak for my Barolos than in the past,” says Luca Currado, who oversees the winemaking. “We producers used to tell ourselves that the new oak would ‘integrate' into the wines with time, but when I taste my wines and those of my colleagues, I realize that those super-oaked Barolos have never become integrated and never will.” As if h is considerable responsibilities at Vietti were not enough, Currado has embarked on a new project that is taking him to Tuscany – Cortona to be exact. The 2007 vintage is the first where he is working as a consultant for D'Alessandro, which has embarked on a project to make a more classic style of Syrah. It will be interesting to see what Currado does in Tuscany, but I know I am not alone in hoping it won't be accompl ished at the expense of h is Piedmont wines.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

These 2001s were made during a transitionary period in Vietti's history. I was quite pleased to see the wines show so well after the more mixed 2000s I tasted last year. As good as these 2001s are, it is also pretty clear Vietti has since moved comfortably into the upper echelon of Barolo producers, something that wasn't the case a decade ago. In a lot of ways, the 2001s are the vintage that marks Vietti's ascension to superstar status. I remember first tasting these wines when they had been bottled, but weren't yet released. They were impressive then and they are just as impressive today. Vietti fans might also be interested in a recent vertical of the flagship Villero Riserva, which includes my thoughts on the 2001.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

Vietti is without a doubt one of the most important estates in the region from a historical perspective. Alfredo Currado was one of the first winemakers to pioneer the bottling of single-vineyard wines, experiment with barriques, and sell wines into the US market. Today the winery is managed by brothers in law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero, both of whom share a passion for all things Barolo. Currado oversees the winemaking while Cordero runs the business side of the operation. The Vietti wines are made in an updated style that is somewhere in between modern and traditional. Yields are kept low, averaging 30-35 hectolitres per hectare for the single-vineyard Barolos. The wines are all fermented in stainless steel do their malolactic fermentations in barrique, after which they complete their aging in a combination of larger casks and barriques. In general the Castiglione, Rocche and Villero are aged predominantly in large barrels, while the Brunate, Ravera, and Lazzarito show more influence of barrique-aging. Currado's philosophy is simple: “We try to allow each vineyard to express its fullest potential.” Cordero is excited about the 2001s, saying “2001 is a superb vintage we producers are very happy with. The wines have excellent depth, acidity, and aging potential, as in 1996.”

Two years ago, even before I had a chance to taste this estate's 2001, Luca Currado told me that 2001 at his family's winery was a 100-point year. I am happy to report that the 2001 Vietti Barolos and Barbarescos are indeed a stunning group of wines, as complete as any I tasted in the Langhe in September. "This vintage offers the essence of Barolo," explains Currado, "a rare combination of power and freshness of fruit. The wines are beautiful now and will be beautiful in 15 to 20 years. " The Currados have redone and expanded their vinification facility and barrel cellars, and now can work virtually entirely by gravity (the barrels can even be brought up to the bottling area via an elevator). Since the 2001 vintage, the Currados are starting their Barolos in barriques and finishing them in botti, which they believe allows for the best possible combination of controlled oxidation and retention of fruit. But the use of barriques remains critical here:that's where the malolactic fermentations take place, and the lees are stirred until the March after the harvest-very unusual for the region. The dying yeasts release stamens, says Luca Currado, which are antioxidants and work in favor of wine longevity. Currado noted that the family carried out four green harvests in 2004, including a pruning just before the harvest to get more natural concentration in the fruit, a technique he described as Burgundian. "We don't use concentrators to get more color and extract," he explained. Vinification takes place almost entirely in vertical steel tanks, where frequent mechanical pumpovers are gentle enough not to break the seeds and stems. The macerations last 10 to 15 days, including a bit of cold maceration in the same steel tanks, with the Villero and Rocche cuvees spending closer to three weeks on their skins. Currado says the estate sold off its rotofermenters, keeping just one for possible use in an emergency. But the rotofermenters, he believes, do too much extraction and yield unbalanced wines.

Long-time readers know the late 1990s and early 2000s were a period of transition at Vietti. It was a time of experimentation with winemaking that led to the growth that now informs the spectacular wines of more recent vintages.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

Two years ago, even before I had a chance to taste this estate's 2001, Luca Currado told me that 2001 at his family's winery was a 100-point year. I am happy to report that the 2001 Vietti Barolos and Barbarescos are indeed a stunning group of wines, as complete as any I tasted in the Langhe in September. "This vintage offers the essence of Barolo," explains Currado, "a rare combination of power and freshness of fruit. The wines are beautiful now and will be beautiful in 15 to 20 years. " The Currados have redone and expanded their vinification facility and barrel cellars, and now can work virtually entirely by gravity (the barrels can even be brought up to the bottling area via an elevator). Since the 2001 vintage, the Currados are starting their Barolos in barriques and finishing them in botti, which they believe allows for the best possible combination of controlled oxidation and retention of fruit. But the use of barriques remains critical here:that's where the malolactic fermentations take place, and the lees are stirred until the March after the harvest-very unusual for the region. The dying yeasts release stamens, says Luca Currado, which are antioxidants and work in favor of wine longevity. Currado noted that the family carried out four green harvests in 2004, including a pruning just before the harvest to get more natural concentration in the fruit, a technique he described as Burgundian. "We don't use concentrators to get more color and extract," he explained. Vinification takes place almost entirely in vertical steel tanks, where frequent mechanical pumpovers are gentle enough not to break the seeds and stems. The macerations last 10 to 15 days, including a bit of cold maceration in the same steel tanks, with the Villero and Rocche cuvees spending closer to three weeks on their skins. Currado says the estate sold off its rotofermenters, keeping just one for possible use in an emergency. But the rotofermenters, he believes, do too much extraction and yield unbalanced wines.

The Currado family now owns 32 hectares of vineyards, following a very expensive purchase of a parcel of Barolo Villero. The family is in the process of expanding its winery, although there are no plans to increase production. Luca Currado is a flexible winemaker with strong ideas about the different needs of his crus. "The Rocche needs a long fermentation and does not take well to aging in barriques" he told me. "Brunate is a more feminine wine; it typically requires more oxygenation during its first year. The Lazzarito is a typically hard terroir of Serralunga. Small barrels are essential: the wine is like a wild horse that you need to ride." Currado is increasingly doing the malolactic fermentations in barriques which he believes adds silkiness and fat to the family's wines without making them overly oaky. But elevage varies depending on the wine. For example, the Barbaresco Masseria is aged entirely in barriques but the Barolo Villero is racked into large Slavonian ovals the spring after the harvest, once the malos have occurred in small barrels. Rocche is the only Barolo that spends no time in barriques.Currado is a champion of the 1999 vintage, which offered excellent material and power "for the Barolistas." He described 1998 as an elegant, crowd-pleasing style of wine, like a more structured version of 1988. ("No, it's more like '89," interjected Alfredo Currado.) Luca added that he thought 2000 favored Barbaresco over Barolo, but that 2001 is stronger for both areas. "For me, 2001 is a 100-point vintage, surely the best since 1996. 1996 would have been as good if we knew then what we know now."

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

I remember first tasting the 1999s in the Vietti tasting room when they were first released. As gorgeous as the wines were then, they are even better today. In addition to these 1999s, Luca and Elena Currado opened a few older Barolos for added perspective. I have included notes on those wines here for readers who have an interest in some of the estate's early Barolos. Since the 1999s were made, Vietti has gone on to even greater heights, but readers who might still be able to source well-stored bottles should not hesitate.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

“I am a big fan of the 1999s and expect them to be long- lived wines,” says Luca Currado. “Today I find that the wines have started to close down in the bottle as they lose their primary fruit and begin acquiring more tertiary aromas and flavors. The only one of my wines I would advise opening now is the Castiglione, the other Barolos should be forgotten about for at least another few years. Based on what I've tasted my impression is that over the long haul 1999 is a vintage which will favor traditionally made wines made with longer maceration times, as I expect to be the case with 2004 as well.” In the past one of my criticisms of this estate has been that the use of barrique tends to obscure too much of the nuances in the wines, especially a shame for a producer working with some of the most prestigious vineyards in the zone. “We have never been huge users of small oak, usually limiting the wines to no more than twelve months of barrique,” responds Currado. “That said, in vintages such as 1998 and 1999 we found perhaps a slight excess of sweet flavors contributed by the barriques which tended to mask some of the vineyard qualities in wines like Lazzarito, Ravera and Brunate. In vintages 2003, 2004, and 2005 we have kept our Barolos in barrique even less time.” Indeed, I have tasted the 2003 and 2004 Barolos on two occasions and the wines offer outstanding potential. They will be fascinating Barolos to follow over the next few years.

The Currado family now owns 32 hectares of vineyards, following a very expensive purchase of a parcel of Barolo Villero. The family is in the process of expanding its winery, although there are no plans to increase production. Luca Currado is a flexible winemaker with strong ideas about the different needs of his crus. "The Rocche needs a long fermentation and does not take well to aging in barriques" he told me. "Brunate is a more feminine wine; it typically requires more oxygenation during its first year. The Lazzarito is a typically hard terroir of Serralunga. Small barrels are essential: the wine is like a wild horse that you need to ride." Currado is increasingly doing the malolactic fermentations in barriques which he believes adds silkiness and fat to the family's wines without making them overly oaky. But elevage varies depending on the wine. For example, the Barbaresco Masseria is aged entirely in barriques but the Barolo Villero is racked into large Slavonian ovals the spring after the harvest, once the malos have occurred in small barrels. Rocche is the only Barolo that spends no time in barriques.Currado is a champion of the 1999 vintage, which offered excellent material and power "for the Barolistas." He described 1998 as an elegant, crowd-pleasing style of wine, like a more structured version of 1988. ("No, it's more like '89," interjected Alfredo Currado.) Luca added that he thought 2000 favored Barbaresco over Barolo, but that 2001 is stronger for both areas. "For me, 2001 is a 100-point vintage, surely the best since 1996. 1996 would have been as good if we knew then what we know now."

1998 has always been an interesting vintage for Barolo. Caught between the more hyped 1996 and 1997 on one end, and 2000 and 2001 on the other, the 1998s have often been overlooked. It also didn't help that the wines were first released during a period global economic malaise. While 1998 is not a truly iconic, legendary vintage, these Barolos are great choices for medium-term drinking as a number of wines are entering their early maturity, making them great choices for readers who are cellaring wines from Piedmont's sturdier vintages such as 1996, 1999 and 2001.

Piedmont experienced mostly warm weather in 1998 with spells of drought, though nowhere near the extremes seen in 1997. The wines have always been perfumed and accessible, with an attractive softness to the fruit. Even better, the vast majority of the wines have never shut down to the extent that wines from cooler vintages often do. The 1998s are extremely consistent across the board, and that level of outstanding quality may very well end up being the vintage's strongest attribute. As is typically the case, the Barolos of La Morra and Barolo are the most forward, while those of Serralunga are the freshest. Most of these wines were from my cellar, purchased and cellared since release, although I tasted a few of the wines a second time with the producers.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

The Currado family now owns 32 hectares of vineyards, following a very expensive purchase of a parcel of Barolo Villero. The family is in the process of expanding its winery, although there are no plans to increase production. Luca Currado is a flexible winemaker with strong ideas about the different needs of his crus. "The Rocche needs a long fermentation and does not take well to aging in barriques" he told me. "Brunate is a more feminine wine; it typically requires more oxygenation during its first year. The Lazzarito is a typically hard terroir of Serralunga. Small barrels are essential: the wine is like a wild horse that you need to ride." Currado is increasingly doing the malolactic fermentations in barriques which he believes adds silkiness and fat to the family's wines without making them overly oaky. But elevage varies depending on the wine. For example, the Barbaresco Masseria is aged entirely in barriques but the Barolo Villero is racked into large Slavonian ovals the spring after the harvest, once the malos have occurred in small barrels. Rocche is the only Barolo that spends no time in barriques.Currado is a champion of the 1999 vintage, which offered excellent material and power "for the Barolistas." He described 1998 as an elegant, crowd-pleasing style of wine, like a more structured version of 1988. ("No, it's more like '89," interjected Alfredo Currado.) Luca added that he thought 2000 favored Barbaresco over Barolo, but that 2001 is stronger for both areas. "For me, 2001 is a 100-point vintage, surely the best since 1996. 1996 would have been as good if we knew then what we know now."

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

Gaja ex-agronomist Federico Curtaz has been consulting here for the past two years, helping the Currado family more closely match clones and vine structure to the specific site, as well as further reduce yields. Even for their dolcetto, the Currados are now doing considerable leaf pulling to get riper fruit earlier. "At today's prices and in today's competitive marketplace, dolcetto can't be a simple, light food wine anymore," notes Luca Currado. Currado told me that in the family's view, '96 in Barolo and '97 in Barbaresco are the top recent vintages. "Nineteen ninety-eight is a very good year for Barbaresco too," he added, "but not up to the level of '97 or '96." Incidentally, the Barolo Brunate was hailed on in '98, so there may not be a Brunate bottling from this vintage.

Alfredo Currado is often described as an enlightened traditionalist, for his willingness to adapt or create new techniques to improve his wines. On my recent visit, he described his philosophy in a nutshell: "Tradition is the sum of 100 years of evolution; it does not mean 'just like my grandfather did it.' It is important to evolve but not to change." Above all, Currado is flexible, varying vinification and levage according to the cru and the vintage. For example, Currado uses a high percentage of barriques for his barberas. As a general rule, Currado does the malolactic fermentation in oak whenever possible, including all of the wines put in new barriques He uses some barriques for his Barolo Lazzarito "to round out such a masculine wine from Serralunga." But no small barrels are used for the more delicate Brunate, which is entirely from the lampia clone of nebbiolo. The '96 Villero, the first Villero since 1990, fermented for 22 days and then received an additional week of submerged cap maceration. This is one of my favorite addresses at which to smell and taste the differences between various top Barolo crus, as the wines offer extraordinary Barolo perfume. x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D Currado describes '97 and '96 as big and round; both vintages, he says, resemble '90. In 1997, it was very difficult to get the acid/alcohol balance right. The '95s, he says, "are elegant and long but not large." (Premiere Wine Merchants, New York, NY; Franklin Selections, Annapolis Junction, MD; M. S. Walker, Boston, MA)

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

Gaja ex-agronomist Federico Curtaz has been consulting here for the past two years, helping the Currado family more closely match clones and vine structure to the specific site, as well as further reduce yields. Even for their dolcetto, the Currados are now doing considerable leaf pulling to get riper fruit earlier. "At today's prices and in today's competitive marketplace, dolcetto can't be a simple, light food wine anymore," notes Luca Currado. Currado told me that in the family's view, '96 in Barolo and '97 in Barbaresco are the top recent vintages. "Nineteen ninety-eight is a very good year for Barbaresco too," he added, "but not up to the level of '97 or '96." Incidentally, the Barolo Brunate was hailed on in '98, so there may not be a Brunate bottling from this vintage.

Alfredo Currado is often described as an enlightened traditionalist, for his willingness to adapt or create new techniques to improve his wines. On my recent visit, he described his philosophy in a nutshell: "Tradition is the sum of 100 years of evolution; it does not mean 'just like my grandfather did it.' It is important to evolve but not to change." Above all, Currado is flexible, varying vinification and levage according to the cru and the vintage. For example, Currado uses a high percentage of barriques for his barberas. As a general rule, Currado does the malolactic fermentation in oak whenever possible, including all of the wines put in new barriques He uses some barriques for his Barolo Lazzarito "to round out such a masculine wine from Serralunga." But no small barrels are used for the more delicate Brunate, which is entirely from the lampia clone of nebbiolo. The '96 Villero, the first Villero since 1990, fermented for 22 days and then received an additional week of submerged cap maceration. This is one of my favorite addresses at which to smell and taste the differences between various top Barolo crus, as the wines offer extraordinary Barolo perfume. x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D Currado describes '97 and '96 as big and round; both vintages, he says, resemble '90. In 1997, it was very difficult to get the acid/alcohol balance right. The '95s, he says, "are elegant and long but not large." (Premiere Wine Merchants, New York, NY; Franklin Selections, Annapolis Junction, MD; M. S. Walker, Boston, MA)

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

A recent gathering of passionate Nebbiolo lovers in Boston provided a great opportunity to open a wide range of wines spanning four decades and the full gamut of styles. The wines were critically evaluated and discussed without food after which they were heartily enjoyed with a variety of delicious homemade dishes, among them our hosts' spectacular braised short ribs, which were so exceptional they nearly stole the show. The wines were decanted for several hours prior to being served and tasted blind. Given the casual nature of the evening notes on these wines should be interpreted as impressions rather than formal tasting notes.

Alfredo Currado is often described as an enlightened traditionalist, for his willingness to adapt or create new techniques to improve his wines. On my recent visit, he described his philosophy in a nutshell: "Tradition is the sum of 100 years of evolution; it does not mean 'just like my grandfather did it.' It is important to evolve but not to change." Above all, Currado is flexible, varying vinification and levage according to the cru and the vintage. For example, Currado uses a high percentage of barriques for his barberas. As a general rule, Currado does the malolactic fermentation in oak whenever possible, including all of the wines put in new barriques He uses some barriques for his Barolo Lazzarito "to round out such a masculine wine from Serralunga." But no small barrels are used for the more delicate Brunate, which is entirely from the lampia clone of nebbiolo. The '96 Villero, the first Villero since 1990, fermented for 22 days and then received an additional week of submerged cap maceration. This is one of my favorite addresses at which to smell and taste the differences between various top Barolo crus, as the wines offer extraordinary Barolo perfume. x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D Currado describes '97 and '96 as big and round; both vintages, he says, resemble '90. In 1997, it was very difficult to get the acid/alcohol balance right. The '95s, he says, "are elegant and long but not large." (Premiere Wine Merchants, New York, NY; Franklin Selections, Annapolis Junction, MD; M. S. Walker, Boston, MA)

This recent private dinner at Scalini Fedeli hosted for a small group of wine lovers provided a fabulous opportunity to delve into the wines of four reference point Barolo estates and enjoy the cuisine of one of New York City’s most highly regarded Italian restaurants.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

These four stunning Barolos find Alfredo Currado at the peak of his powers. The 1982 is my favorite. A deeply expressive Barolo with captivating aromatics and remarkable nuance, the 1982 also the first glass I finish. I find much to admire in the 1985, although it is a slightly overshadowed in this flight. The 1989 and 1990 are a bit subdued relative to other times I have tasted those wines, but overall the flight is Magnificent. With a capital M.

These two Barolos from Vietti were among the very finest I tasted while preparing this article. Proprietor Alfredo Currado was way ahead of the game 20 years ago, as even today his 1989 and 1990 Barolo Rocche possess a level of freshness and purity matched by few wines. At the time, Currado's son Luca, who makes the wines today, had just joined the winery although he subsequently left in 1990 for a spell in California and then France. Alfredo Currado made these wines with the help of his daughter and agronomist Aldo Vacca, who has gone on to enjoy a brilliant career at Produttori del Barbaresco. The wines were made with lengthy fermentations and aged in cask. In 1990 Vietti produced 6,450 bottles of Barolo Rocche, while in 1989 production was 5,250 bottles. Today, from the same site Vietti makes closer to 4,000 bottles a further testament to the estate's continued search for excellence.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

These four stunning Barolos find Alfredo Currado at the peak of his powers. The 1982 is my favorite. A deeply expressive Barolo with captivating aromatics and remarkable nuance, the 1982 also the first glass I finish. I find much to admire in the 1985, although it is a slightly overshadowed in this flight. The 1989 and 1990 are a bit subdued relative to other times I have tasted those wines, but overall the flight is Magnificent. With a capital M.

These two Barolos from Vietti were among the very finest I tasted while preparing this article. Proprietor Alfredo Currado was way ahead of the game 20 years ago, as even today his 1989 and 1990 Barolo Rocche possess a level of freshness and purity matched by few wines. At the time, Currado's son Luca, who makes the wines today, had just joined the winery although he subsequently left in 1990 for a spell in California and then France. Alfredo Currado made these wines with the help of his daughter and agronomist Aldo Vacca, who has gone on to enjoy a brilliant career at Produttori del Barbaresco. The wines were made with lengthy fermentations and aged in cask. In 1990 Vietti produced 6,450 bottles of Barolo Rocche, while in 1989 production was 5,250 bottles. Today, from the same site Vietti makes closer to 4,000 bottles a further testament to the estate's continued search for excellence.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

This recent private dinner at Scalini Fedeli hosted for a small group of wine lovers provided a fabulous opportunity to delve into the wines of four reference point Barolo estates and enjoy the cuisine of one of New York City’s most highly regarded Italian restaurants.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Eleven Madison Park during the Charity Dinner of La Festa Del Barolo 2013.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

A recent gathering of passionate Nebbiolo lovers in Boston provided a great opportunity to open a wide range of wines spanning four decades and the full gamut of styles. The wines were critically evaluated and discussed without food after which they were heartily enjoyed with a variety of delicious homemade dishes, among them our hosts' spectacular braised short ribs, which were so exceptional they nearly stole the show. The wines were decanted for several hours prior to being served and tasted blind. Given the casual nature of the evening notes on these wines should be interpreted as impressions rather than formal tasting notes.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

These four stunning Barolos find Alfredo Currado at the peak of his powers. The 1982 is my favorite. A deeply expressive Barolo with captivating aromatics and remarkable nuance, the 1982 also the first glass I finish. I find much to admire in the 1985, although it is a slightly overshadowed in this flight. The 1989 and 1990 are a bit subdued relative to other times I have tasted those wines, but overall the flight is Magnificent. With a capital M.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

The subject of evaluating and rating vintages is one of the favorite topics of discussion among Piedmont lovers, so the opportunity to taste sixteen of the best 1985 Barolos and Barbarescos with a group of hardcore New York Nebbiolo fans made for a truly special evening. Many insiders describe the 1985 vintage as a turning point for the wines. According to Luciano Sandrone “1985 was in many ways the first ‘modern,' hot vintage. The Barolos were uncharacteristically open from the start and have remained accessible.” Giacosa enologist Dante Scaglione says “1985 was the first vintage in which we had wines with very high alcohol. In fact, we wouldn't see such alcohol levels in our wines again until 2003. I view 1985 as a vintage that is ready to drink and one which will not be especially long-lived going forward.” Roberto Conterno had a slightly different take commenting that “I wouldn't necessarily say our wines were accessible from the beginning, however today the 1985s are very expressive and it is a great vintage to drink today.”
Because of the hot growing season and early appeal of the vintage, some have predicted that the wines would not age well. For the most part, I was amazed at how well these Barolos showed. Many of the wines displayed lively color, with rich, sweet fruit, and enough underlying structure to provide balance. While the wines as a group are mature, any suggestion that they are falling apart is simply not borne out by this tasting. How long will the wines last? That is a hard question to answer, since provenance is such a huge variable, but I think it is safe to say that for many of these wines well-stored bottles have another decade of life ahead, and perhaps more. These 1985s offer great drinking today in a more accessible, softer style than either 1982 or 1989, the other two great vintages from the 1980s. Unfortunately we also had a few bad bottles, which I suppose is to be expected in a tasting like this, although the percentage of corked/cooked bottles was higher than we would have liked (around 25%). When these wines were first released fifteen years ago there simply wasn't the kind of attention to temperature-controlled shipping that we have today and several wines appeared to have been damaged by excess heat at some point in their lives. The biggest lesson here for consumers is that there is no substitute for buying these wines on release and cellaring them. Doing so is the only reliable way to minimize the possibility of some very expensive disappointments at a later date. The wines were double-decanted and served blind in flights of four. The identity of the wines was revealed only after all of the wines had been tasted and discussed. Tasting these wines blind with a group of passionate and knowledgeable Barolo fans was a great learning experience, but also a humbling one. Mature Barolos are wines of extraordinary complexity and can fool even the most seasoned palates, as we would be reminded throughout the evening. After the formal tasting was concluded, we enjoyed a delicious dinner, and finished off what was left of these spectacular wines. We also tasted Prunotto's 1985 Barolo Bussia, which was fresh, youthful, and delicious, although it didn't quite reach the level of the best wines on this evening. A great bottle of Bruno Giacosa's 1986 Barolo Riserva Falletto followed, and it was one of the best wines of the night, prompting some of the tasters to wonder if this producer may have been more successful in 1986 than 1985. The evening closed with the outrageous 1983 Recioto from Giuseppe Quintarelli. While I don't have enough experience with this wine to put it into the proper context, I will say that it was breathtaking for its complexity, balance, and sheer appeal. At age 22 it appeared to be magically youthful, and my sense is that this is a wine whose aging potential is to be measured in decades rather than years.

Vietti is one of Italy’s most historic wineries. Husband and wife Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti (Luca Currado’s parents) were pioneers in so many ways. They were among the first producers to bottle single-vineyard Barolo and to promote Piedmont and its wines abroad, especially in the United States. Alfredo Currado is also widely credited for rescuing Arneis from total obscurity in the 1960s. This wine was tasted as part of a vertical spanning 17 vintages held in May 2016.

These four stunning Barolos find Alfredo Currado at the peak of his powers. The 1982 is my favorite. A deeply expressive Barolo with captivating aromatics and remarkable nuance, the 1982 also the first glass I finish. I find much to admire in the 1985, although it is a slightly overshadowed in this flight. The 1989 and 1990 are a bit subdued relative to other times I have tasted those wines, but overall the flight is Magnificent. With a capital M.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

This wine was tasted during the Festa del Barolo at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City, February 2015.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

For most observers 1978 occupies a hallowed place among the legendary vintages in Piedmont. From a purely historical perspective 1978 is also a fascinating vintage to study because it is the last important vintage in which the wines were largely made with traditional methods, both in the vineyards and in the cellar. These wines pre-date the arrival of the more modern style of winemaking which in the 1980s would begin to change the way many estates vinified and aged their wines. A recent dinner in New York with a group of die-hard Nebbiolo fanatics provided a great opportunity to re-visit many of the vintage's benchmark wines. As often happens, extraordinary vintages are the result of unpredictable and unexpected climactic conditions. “1978 was a very strange year,” says Mauro Mascarello. “The spring was quite damp, which resulted in a delayed and irregular flowering. The plants were carrying only about one-half of their normal amount of fruit. We basically had no summer, as the weather remained cool, rainy and foggy all the way through August. It really looked like it would be a terrible vintage. Then, all of a sudden, on the first of September the weather turned, and we had uninterrupted heat all the way through to October, with our harvest taking place in the second half of October.” The hot weather fully ripened the little fruit that remained and the naturally low yields gave some of the most concentrated, memorable wines ever made These 1978s show the extraordinary longevity that the best Barolos and Barbarescos offer. I was amazed at how youthful the wines were, an opinion shared by most, if not all, of the other tasters. Many wines displayed a lively, healthy color and appeared to be still full of life. Critics of traditionally made wines would say that the 1978s are an example of how these wines are never really ready to drink, and certainly the wines have required a great deal of patience. However, after having tasted more than twenty wines from this vintage over the last few months I can only conclude that the 1978s have proven to be well worth the effort of waiting. Well-stored bottles will provide the emotionally moving drinking experience that only a few of the world's great wines can offer. The wines were decanted several hours prior to serving and were tasted non-blind. While researching this article I had the opportunity to taste several other 1978s and also I include notes on those wines.

A simple, informal dinner at Becco, in New York City's theater district, provided an incredible opportunity to survey a broad range of vintages of Vietti's Barolo Rocche. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today. Their 1961 Barolo Rocche was among the earliest Barolos to be made from a single vineyard rather than from a blend of plots as was the prevailing custom at the time. Vietti was also one of the first estates to export a significant amount of their production to overseas markets, especially to the US. In fact, I remember that when I lived in Italy a few years ago their wines were always easier to find in the US than locally. Today, the estate is run by brothers-in-law Luca Currado and Mario Cordero. While the quality of the Barolos continues to be very high what impresses me most about Vietti is the quality of all their wines, from top to bottom. The Rocche vineyard is located in Castiglione Falletto, not too far from the winery. The hallmarks of this site are perfumed fruit, finessed, silky tannins, and a sweetness to the fruit that makes the wines accessible at a relatively early age for Barolo, all qualities that were on full display in the wines. The atmosphere in the room was electric as we worked our way through this breathtaking array of wines, which we enjoyed alongside Becco's traditional Italian fare. The food was delicious, but on this night our attention was understandably focused on the wines. Special thanks are due to collector Greg Dal Piaz who organized the dinner and contributed all of the wines except for the 2003 and 2004, which were brought by Luca Currado.

I remember first tasting the 1999s in the Vietti tasting room when they were first released. As gorgeous as the wines were then, they are even better today. In addition to these 1999s, Luca and Elena Currado opened a few older Barolos for added perspective. I have included notes on those wines here for readers who have an interest in some of the estate's early Barolos. Since the 1999s were made, Vietti has gone on to even greater heights, but readers who might still be able to source well-stored bottles should not hesitate.