VINTAGE REPORT: PIEDMONT 2021

2021 is an extremely high-quality vintage that ranks amongst the finest of the past twenty years.

In the context of the past few years, the 2021s present more vibrant, succulent fruit and greater aromatic splendour than the more fearless, sinewed 2019s, which continue to impress for their depth and focus. Both are firmly terroir-driven vintages but there is in general a little more mid-palate to the 2021s, in full ruby-toned, but insistently Alpine fashion. Acidities are high but come across as ripe and saline, as in 2019. 2021’s inherent freshness though is met with a little extra pliancy and sweetness, which has delivered wines of great harmony and pedigree. Most growers agree at this point that 2021 wears the crown in the trilogy of 2019, 2020 and 2021. But that’s not to diminish the fact that each of these three vintages has produced a bevy of quality wines to choose from – and each has its own merits.

In the village of Verduno, we discussed how the acclaimed Monvigliero vineyard – a steep south facing amphitheatre that watches over the whole Barolo zone – seems to somehow draw, and hold, all the light of the day ("la luce"), only to reflect and radiate it back, without heat, through spine-tingling wines that are sumptuous, powerful, yet also highly elegant: all freshly cut flowers, citrus and spice. It is an idea that I think at least in part is applicable to the 2021 vintage more broadly – in the way that for all its long-term potential, everything is in place and intelligible, less tucked up than the 2019s were, but with more dart and verticality than the 2020s. Whilst they have power, there is a radiance, a prism of light within them. One producer told us: "They were born great. It was clear right from the beginning."

Purists can enjoy drinking the wines young, on their vitality, especially at Classico and Comune level, but at the top end, 2018 and 2020 will deliver enjoyment ahead of 2019 and 2021. That is not to say, as perceived wisdom would have it, that 2021 will need decades before it’s drinkable. Far from it. Greater attention to detail both in the vineyards with regards to ripeness, tannin management and yield, and in the cellar when it comes to extractions, choice of vessels and duration of ageing, means that the days of undrinkably dense and tannic Barolos are behind us. Check in on the wines every few years and you will love following their development. I personally drink Piedmont on its nerve and perfume, others love the complex fruit and truffley notes that Barolo and Barbaresco wines develop over the long term.

From a climatic standpoint, 2021 will go down as a "classic" year – which ultimately just means a long, not extreme growing season. Save for two days of frost in April that hit some vineyards in the lower parts of La Morra, Castiglione Falletto and Barolo, and a good summer that peaked in August (giving rise to the term "modern classic"), the year was largely cooperative.  

A key factor in the success of the vintage was the blanket of winter snow that covered the Langhe, providing a slow feed of nourishment to the soils. Snow works more effectively to sustain the vines gradually through the warmer months, from deep underground, compared to the more dramatic but shorter-lasting, shallower impact of rain. After the frost in April, May proved dry and stable, June, July (normal) and August were hot. September brought with it rain and cooler temperatures to reinvigorate the vines and bring everything back to life. In Piedmont, autumn is said to make the vintage. October proved stupendous, arriving with sunny, warm days and cold nights, perfect for the late ripening Nebbiolo grapes to develop complexity, fully ripen the tannins and maintain high levels of fine, juicy tartaric acidity. Producers typically picked from the end of the first week through to mid-late October depending on their location. The vintage overall is considered to have a "fresh" profile.

It is true that we tasted at the best estates in Piedmont, so we leave with a positive view on the vintage. Then again, even at the top addresses, for the most part the wines remain accessible and fairly priced for the incredible quality they offer, particularly taken in a global fine wine context. The very top wines are of course priced accordingly, but we know first-hand that the same care and focus is given to wines up and down the scale amongst the producers we work with, so there is genuine quality to be found at every level.  

It may be that we don’t see a trio as consistent as 2019, 2020 and 2021 for a little while, so let’s enjoy them, and await Riservas with excitement too. The place, the people and the wines are brilliant.  

I hope this is reflected to some small degree in our offer today. 

Mark Dearing - Italy Buyer

"A year that is elegant and pure. It offers power with finesse."

Marco Marengo

"A vintage of colour and freshness with volume too. A highly aromatic vintage with depth."

Roberto Voerzio

"2021 is an exceptional year. It is often very difficult to combine power with elegance, but this is a vintage that offers everything. The wines were born great. It has been clear right from the beginning."

Elisa Scavino, Paolo Scavino

"The frost meant for us a 10% reduction that worked effectively as an early green harvest. The results are exceptional."

Maria Teresa Mascarello, Bartolo Mascarello

"2021 had a fresh, classic climate producing complete quite austere wines full of aroma and character. Harvest for Barolo started around 6th October. The grapes were perfect and we find the 2021s to be a little more discreet than our 2019s."

Marta Rinaldi, Giuseppe Rinaldi

"Out of 2019, 2016 and 2021 we think 2021 is the most complete and the richest. It is a new classic: generous but aromatic in the way that you don’t expect in an austere year. I think the 2019s have a different structure, more predominant tannin. The 2021s have a lot of tannins but they are integrated and super-sweet, combined with perfume. We see some similarities in style with 2013."

Lorenzo Scavino, Azelia

"2021 is exceptional and shows that a little suffering for the vine is good, though torture is not (referring to the drought in 2022). I love 2018, for example, but it is not at the level of 2019, 2020 or 2021. We have in a row three very good vintages."

Alex Sanchez, Brovia