Barolo, 2019
Grippy, juicy and firm blue fruits come dancing in to view with rock salt, cranberries and black raspberries supporting. A wine with real crunch and snap. The Barolo Classico is aged in huge old oak casks, so it needs more time in wood than the others. Most of this comes from the younger vines (25 years old!) of the very fine Brea vineyard as well as the leftover wine from the estate's top crus that won't fit into their own separate barrels.
critic reviews
The 2019 Barolo is a terrific entry-level offering. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, menthol, licorice and spice open in the bouquet. The 2019 is quite expressive aromatically, which makes it tempting to drink, although it is quite potent on the palate. The 2019 is a fine choice for consuming over the next decade or so, but I would give it a healthy decant first.
On a shortlist of "annata" wines to buy from Piedmont this year is the Brovia 2019 Barolo. Made from a blend of fruit from Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba, this wine delivers a very sharp and chiseled performance that puts a priority on directness, freshness and length. This pretty wine has a pronounced fruity side and a mineral side, and these two parts converge beautifully. There are hints of dried mint and licorice on the close of this must-have wine. 25,000 bottles were produced.