Quality level of harvest years
2020
8.5 - save for a while
decade, the first harvest years after 2020 will make us cheer less loudly.
Thanks to the warm temperatures in January and February, the growing season started quickly. The breakout of the bud was early .
In conclusion, the 2020 harvest is considered very good, more “finished” and elegant than 2019 , with possible differences in storage capacity.
2019
9.5 - save
An unusually warm, dry winter was followed by a warm March that caused the vines to sprout 14 days earlier than "normal." A cold, rainy April and May delayed growth and flowering again by two weeks and also resulted in irregular fruit set and loose bunches. A warm June and a reasonable amount of rain in a very hot July resulted in vigorous growth.
2019 has developed into a very nice year, comparable to 2016 but ready to drink earlier.
2018
7 - drink or store (drink nicely!)
A sigh of relief after a "fairly gloomy" 2017, with high volumes of good quality in all major varieties. The year started cool but ended warm, and the weather remained good throughout the harvest.
Feb 2024: 2018 is very nice right now. Smooth balanced wines with round tannins.
2017
7.5 - drink or store (drink nicely!)
An exceptionally warm month in March resulted in early sprouting of the vines, after which frost in April caused a lot of damage. Drought also affected yields across the region and the summer heatwave resulted in a shorter than normal ripening period. Normally this inhibits aromatic development. Cool nights have preserved the characteristic high acidity of the wine.
Feb 2024: Beautifully drinking the 2017, in many cases more complex and structured than the 2018.
2016
9.5 - drink or store
All of Piedmont produced wine of excellent quality in 2016, with a ripeness that matches the already very good 2015 but with firmer tannins and higher acidity. The ideal harvest conditions allowed the Nebbiolo to fully ripen and the yields were also higher than average.
Feb 2024: Great year. Were a bit dormant last year but can now be drunk again.
2015
8.5 - drink or store (drink nicely!)
An exceptional harvest thanks to healthy grapes and exceptionally regular bunches. A very cold winter with lots of snow and a prolonged cool and rainy spring replenished the water reserves, which later turned out to be very necessary during one of the hottest Julys ever! Very nice vintage, even though some grapes had relatively low acidity.
Feb 2024: Very nice and drinkable year. Has developed beautifully from the start into a harmonious whole.
2014
7.5 - drink or store (drink nicely!)
The second year in a row that a wet and cool spring followed a very wet winter. Temperatures rose in mid-May, resulting in regular and rapid fruit set that seemed to promise an early harvest and a generous yield. However, from the beginning of July the weather changed to cool and very wet with, especially in the Barolo zone, some heavy hail showers that spoiled all hopes for a great harvest year. The result was of varying quality, those who dared to postpone the harvest were still rewarded with a healthy, albeit small harvest.
Feb 2024: often wrongly criticized. 2014 produced very nice wines, especially from the better producers. Worth the risk.
2013
9 - drink or store
Incessant rain in winter and spring delayed bud sprouting and opened the door to fungal diseases while many vineyards were too soggy for tractors to combat them. Temperatures shot up from mid-July and remained high into August, albeit with cooler nights. September was very sunny and dry, which ultimately resulted in a very nice year after a late harvest.
Feb 2024: had the pleasure of drinking many beautiful specimens over the years.
2012
7.5 - drink or store
An unusually hot summer unexpectedly resulted in Nebbiolos with a low alcohol content and high acidity. A very cold February with an abundance of snow helped replenish water reserves. Prolonged cool weather, well into April, delayed bud emergence by two weeks. Then the weather became more regular with a warm July month, although with several local hailstorms which destroyed the harvest in several vineyards in Novello. August was exceptionally hot with temperatures well above 40ºC, causing the vines to stop growing. At the end of August, rain brought cooling and the (slow) ripening restarted. A dry autumn caused a delayed harvest. The best wines show beautiful acidity, balance and freshness. All in all a light vintage but with several excellent wines at the highest level.
2011
7.5 - drink or store
A very hot year that nevertheless resulted in some very good, smooth, ripe but not cooked wines, even if the high alcohol content (15% and more) makes some wines unbalanced. A very warm April created expectations for a harvest four weeks earlier than normal. A noticeably cooler June and July slowed the growth cycle considerably, but August was again so hot that the Dolcetto was almost boiling. The rain in early September accelerated ripening again. Cool nights saved the Nebbiolo from over-ripeness, but the harvest was still two weeks earlier than normal.
2010
9.5 - drink or store (drink nicely!)
A wet spring caused irregular fruit set and was followed by an early summer with lots of rain. Nebbiolo proved resilient thanks to its small berries and thick skin. August turned hot, but cool nights helped maintain acidity. Cooling rain in early September ensured slow but steady development of the fruit. Irregular fruit set forced some producers to apply strict selection during harvest, but the final result is considered excellent: a classic vintage with plenty of acidity, firm but ripe tannins and almost perfect balance in many wines.
Feb 2024: beautiful now.
2009
7.5 - drink
A cold winter with lots of rain and snow delayed the start of the growth cycle. However, an unusually warm spring encouraged rapid sprouting and regular fruit set. It was still warm in June but a wet July increased the risk of mold in the vineyards and in some cases reduced yields. August was extremely hot and dry and remained so until mid-September. The lack of rain created water stress, causing irregular growth patterns across the region. The malic acid content was generally below average, while the tannins did not always fully ripen. The quality is spotty, with excellence juxtaposed with mediocrity. In contrast, none of the wines exhibit the stewed and dried fruit flavors of the equally torrid 2003 harvest.
2008
8.5 - drink or store
The austerity of 2008 was not immediately recognized as a basic ingredient for a wine from which great vintages have been made. Although not without challenges for the vintners, a long and cool growing cycle resulted in healthy Nebbiolo grapes with thick skins full of extract and high sugar levels, balanced by high acidity. Grown into a wonderful year.
Feb 2024: spot on for years!
2007
8 - drink or store
Hail and dry conditions resulted in a year with a low yield, but with good quality fruit.
2006
8.5 - drink or store
A cool summer was followed by a warm late summer interrupted by two rainy periods, but the Nebbiolo grapes were strong enough to withstand them.
2005
7 - drink or store
Reduced harvest of decent but not very special wines for medium-term drinking.
2004
9 - drink or store
Very promising with few negative weather influences and well-balanced wines.
2003
6.5 - drink or store
A heat wave shriveled the grapes and this resulted in unbalanced fruit, although the oldest vines in Barolo managed to withstand the extreme weather and produced some exceptional wines.
2002
3 - throw away
Piedmont's long run of good to fantastic vintages was finally interrupted by a vintage that saw disastrous hailstorms in large parts of Barolo, rotten and unripe fruit resulting in an extremely small and poor quality harvest. A year to quickly forget.
2001
9 - drink
Excellent quality (and quantity), early harvest and comparable to the exuberant vintages of 1999 and 1997. Good ripeness and structure but occasionally too low acidity.
2000
9.5 - drink or store
Very good, partly thanks to a prolonged heat wave from mid-August to mid-September. Nebbiolo grapes were exceptionally good with excellent acidity and ripeness and great flavor definition. Storage wine.
1999
8.5 - drink
Very good quality. Exuberant Barolo like in 1997.
1998
8 - drink
Provided the right producer, some very fine, elegant wines.
1997
8.5 - drink
A hot growing season resulted in record ripeness. Beautifully pronounced and full wines were alternated with a large number of wines with low acidity.
1996
9.5 - drink or store
Brilliant year for Barolo. Lots of storage potential.
1995
8.5 - drink
Rich harvest of grapes that benefited from a sunny autumn. Slightly lower in quality than the comparable years 1989 and 1990.
1994
7 - drink
Reasonable sugar and acid levels despite prolonged rains in September.
1993
7.5 - drink
No full ripening of the Nebbiolo due to autumn rains.
1992
6.5 - drink
Large harvest, but little concentrated fruit.
1991
7.5- drink
Small harvest of light to medium, early drinking wines.
1990
9.5 - drink
Powerful wines and exuberant aromas, Very exciting wines that will reward a long bottle aging.
1989
10 - drink
Fantastic year, healthy fruit. Top Barolos.
1988
8.5 - drink
Initially overrated, but nevertheless fine, interesting, balanced wines.
1985
9 - drink
Risk... with a few exceptions, many wines "decayed" too early.
1982
9.5 - drink or store (drink nicely!)
Very Bordeaux this vintage. Lots of storage potential.
1978
10 - drink!
Formidable, almost aggressive wines that have developed at a snail's pace.
1974
9 - drink
It's a bit in the shadow of '71, but definitely worth it.
1971
10 - drink!
Classic Barolo: rare but well worth seeking out the famous Barolo producers of that time.