The Wine Advocate doles out top scores for Marengo, Scavino and Brovia Barolo 2021s

The Wine Advocate has recently published a follow-up article to conclude its coverage of 2021 Piedmont – “the truly excellent vintage on the market now” – and has rated a number of Justerini & Brooks producers particularly well. We are delighted to share a few highlights, where we have stocks remaining. Note that all wines are priced below their 2019 and 2020 counterparts, making these 2021s even more compelling options. As a long term vintage, we recommend laying down the 2021s, with the 2019s, and broaching the 2020s as they will have a long and wide drinking window.

A stunning beauty, the M. Marengo 2021 Barolo Brunate sticks to a classic Nebbiolo playlist. It delivers high tones of dried mint and blue flower, with that menthol-like note being a distinctive element of this site. There is a stony, taut character as well, and the wine feels vibrant and alive in terms of mouthfeel. The tannins are polished and firm. I recommend putting the Brunate aside for another 10 years. – 97+pts, Monica Larner.

The Brovia 2021 Barolo Villero has that powdery or chalky element that I love so much from this site. It's like crushed chalkboard, and it frames other more fragrant aromas of sambuca, aniseed, blueberry and lilac. This wine is beautifully complex, and it keeps going in the glass, unveiling new layers all the time. The same thing can be said of the long mouthfeel. Villero is 1.2 hectares at 230 to 350 meters above sea level with marl soils (a mix of silt and clay). The wine matures in 40-hectoliter French and Slavonian oak casks, and 5,000 bottles were created. – 97pts, Monica Larner.

The Paolo Scavino 2021 Barolo Bric dël Fiasc, from a 2.5-hectare site in Castiglione Falletto on a southwest-facing slope, shows an especially rich and textured side with aromas of dark fruit that are accented by clove, cinnamon, spice and even a hint of bitter chocolate. This is a bold expression of Nebbiolo with elegantly managed tannins that are quite firm and need ample time to resolve. Production is 12,100 bottles. – 96pts, Monica Larner.