Barolo vintages – Quality by vintage
Barolo 2022
8.5 - medium-term cellaring
An extremely dry year that produced lighter, early-approachable Barolos.
The 2022 Barolos show a very different character from the powerful, structured 2021s. Due to the persistent drought and high temperatures during the growing season, the wines are generally a little slimmer in style, with less concentration and structure than we traditionally expect from Barolo. On the other hand, many wines are already remarkably open and approachable.
The 2022 Nebbiolo growing season was marked by exceptional drought and long periods of heat. Especially in the summer months the vines were under considerable stress. Thanks to some rain towards the end of summer the grapes were able to partly recover, but yields remained limited in many cases. The harvest also started earlier than usual.
In the glass this results in Barolos with a slightly lighter colour, riper fruit and softer tannins. Acidity is generally a little milder. The better producers still managed to retain enough freshness and balance.
In short, a warm and atypical vintage that charms above all with its approachability. Less built for long cellaring than the classic top years, but attractive for those who like to drink their Barolo younger and suppler.
Barolo 2021
9.5 - keep
A very good year with great ageing potential.
The 2021 Barolos are of exceptional quality, comparable to 2019, but with 2021 we will need a little more patience before they reach their full potential. Those who are willing to wait will be richly rewarded.
The 2021 Nebbiolo growing season was downright dry, somewhat comparable to 2017. Yet, probably thanks to the heavy snowfall of the previous winter and the relatively cool summer months, this did not cause much stress in the vines. Regular rainfall in July and September also contributed to a very promising, fairly late harvest.
In short, a beautiful vintage with great potential for the near future: complexity, fairly firm but pleasant tannins, sufficient acidity and a lovely colour.
Barolo 2020
8.5 - keep or drink
Many winemakers consider 2020 an approachable year of average to high quality.
Thanks to warm temperatures in January and February the growing season got off to a quick start, with early budbreak. In April there was some frost damage, with losses of 10 to 15% in places. Flowering started without major problems, but colder temperatures and rain in June prolonged it. Hail in mid-June damaged vineyards in La Morra and Verduno. The rest of the summer was largely calm, although above-average rainfall caused humidity problems here and there.
Harvest dates were more spread out, and some wineries chose to pick several selections over the course of the harvest. Specific vineyards, such as Vignarionda and Brunate, showed unusually early ripening. Grape size varied due to mildew attacks, but high levels of acidity, pH, malic acid and colour were retained.
In conclusion, the 2020 harvest is considered very good, more "ready to drink" and more elegant than 2019, but with less ageing capacity.
Barolo 2019
9.5 - keep
An unusually warm, dry winter was followed by a warm March, causing the vines to bud 14 days earlier than "normal". A cold, rainy April and May delayed growth and flowering again by two weeks, which also led to 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 fine year, comparable to 2016 but ready to drink sooner.
Barolo 2018
7.5 - drink or keep (drinking beautifully!)
A sigh of relief after a "fairly gloomy" 2017, with high volumes of good quality across all the major varieties. The year started cool but ended warm, and the weather stayed fine throughout the harvest.
Feb 2024: 2018 is drinking very nicely right now. Supple, balanced wines with round tannins.
Barolo 2017
7 - drink or keep (drinking beautifully!)
An exceptionally warm March led to early budding, 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 ripening period than normal. Normally this inhibits aromatic development, but cool nights preserved the wine's characteristic high acidity.
Feb 2024: the 2017s are drinking beautifully, in many cases more complex and structured than the 2018s. Especially among the Barolos from Serralunga soils there are some superb bottles.
Barolo 2016
9.5 - drink or keep
All of Piedmont produced wine of excellent quality in 2016, with a ripeness matching the already very good 2015 but with firmer tannins and higher acidity. Ideal harvest conditions allowed the Nebbiolo to ripen fully, and yields were also above average.
Feb 2024: a great year. The wines were a little dormant last year but are drinking well again now.
Barolo 2015
8.5 - drink or keep (drinking beautifully!)
An exceptional harvest thanks to healthy grapes and remarkably even bunches. A very cold winter with lots of snow and a long, cool and rainy spring replenished the water reserves, which proved very necessary during one of the hottest Julys ever! A very fine vintage, even though some grapes had relatively low acidity.
Feb 2024: a very fine, drinkable year that has developed beautifully into a harmonious whole.
Barolo 2014
7.5 - drink or keep (drinking beautifully!)
The second year in a row in which a wet, cool spring followed a very wet winter. In mid-May temperatures rose, resulting in even and rapid fruit set that seemed to promise an early harvest and generous yields. From early July, however, the weather turned cool and very wet, with some heavy hailstorms, especially in the Barolo zone, that dashed all hopes of a great vintage. Quality was variable; those who dared to delay the harvest were still rewarded with a healthy, if small, crop.
Feb 2024: often unfairly criticised. Especially from the better producers, 2014 has yielded very fine wines. Worth the risk.
Barolo 2013
9 - drink or keep (drinking beautifully!)
Incessant rain in winter and spring delayed budbreak and opened the door to fungal diseases, while many vineyards were too waterlogged for tractors to treat them. From mid-July temperatures shot up and stayed high into August, albeit with cooler nights. September was very sunny and dry, which after a late harvest ultimately resulted in a very fine year.
Feb 2024: we have enjoyed many beautiful bottles over the years.
Barolo 2012
7.5 - drink or keep
An unusually hot summer unexpectedly produced Nebbiolos with low alcohol and high acidity. A very cold February with abundant snow helped replenish water reserves. Prolonged cool weather well into April delayed budbreak by two weeks. After that the weather became more regular, with a warm July, though several local hailstorms destroyed the crop in various vineyards in Novello. August was exceptionally hot, with temperatures well above 40 ºC, causing the vines to stop growing. At the end of August rain brought relief and the (slow) ripening resumed. A dry autumn led to a late harvest. The best wines show lovely acidity, balance and freshness. All in all a light vintage, but with several excellent wines at the highest level.
Barolo 2011
7.5 - drink or keep
A very hot year that nevertheless produced a number of very good, supple, ripe but not cooked wines, even though the high alcohol (15% and more) makes some wines unbalanced. A very warm April raised expectations of a harvest four weeks earlier than normal. A distinctly cooler June and July slowed the growth cycle considerably, but August was so hot again that the Dolcetto was almost cooking. Rain in early September accelerated ripening again. Cool nights saved the Nebbiolo from overripeness, but the harvest was still two weeks earlier than usual.
Barolo 2010
9.5 - drink or keep (drinking beautifully!)
A wet spring caused irregular fruit set and was followed by an early summer with plenty of rain. Thanks to its small berries and thick skins, Nebbiolo proved resilient. August turned hot, but cool nights helped preserve acidity. Cooling rain in early September ensured a slow but steady development of the fruit. Irregular fruit set forced some producers to select strictly at harvest, but the end result is considered excellent: a classic vintage with plenty of acidity, firm but ripe tannins and near-perfect balance in many wines.
Feb 2024: beautiful now.
Barolo 2009
7.5 - drink
A cold winter with lots of rain and snow delayed the start of the growth cycle. An unusually warm spring, however, encouraged rapid budding and even fruit set. June was still warm, but a wet July increased the risk of mould in the vineyards and reduced yields in some cases. August was extremely hot and dry and stayed that way until mid-September. The lack of rain caused water stress, leading to irregular growth patterns across the region. Malic acid was generally below average, while the tannins did not always ripen fully. Quality is uneven, with excellence alongside mediocrity. On the other hand, none of the wines show the stewed and dried fruit flavours of the equally scorching 2003 harvest.
Barolo 2008
8.5 - drink or keep
The austerity of 2008 was not immediately recognised as the basic ingredient of a wine from which great vintages are made. Although not without challenges for the growers, a long, cool growing cycle produced healthy Nebbiolo grapes with thick skins full of extract and high sugar levels, balanced by high acidity. It has grown into a magnificent year.
Feb 2024: spot on for years!
Barolo 2007
8 - drink or keep
Hail and dry conditions resulted in a low-yielding year, but with fruit of good quality.
Barolo 2006
8.5 - drink or keep
A cool summer was followed by a warm late summer interrupted by two rainy spells, but the Nebbiolo grapes were strong enough to withstand them.
Barolo 2005
7 - drink or keep
A reduced harvest of decent but not very special wines for drinking in the medium term.
Barolo 2004
9 - drink or keep
Very promising, with few negative weather influences and well-balanced wines.
Barolo 2003
6.5 - drink or keep
A heatwave shrivelled the grapes, resulting in unbalanced fruit, although the oldest vines in Barolo withstood the extreme weather and produced some exceptional wines.
Barolo 2002
3 - throw away
Piedmont's long run of good to fantastic vintages was finally interrupted by a year with disastrous hailstorms in large parts of Barolo; rotten and unripe fruit led to an extremely small, poor-quality harvest. A year to forget quickly.
Barolo 2001
9 - drink
Excellent quality (and quantity), an early harvest, comparable to the exuberant 1999 and 1997 vintages. Good ripeness and structure, but occasionally acidity that is too low.
Barolo 2000
9.5 - drink or keep
Very good, partly thanks to a long heatwave from mid-August to mid-September. The Nebbiolo grapes were exceptionally good, with excellent acidity and ripeness and great flavour definition. A wine for cellaring.
Barolo 1999
8.5 - drink
Very good quality. Exuberant Barolo, as in 1997.
Barolo 1998
8 - drink
From the right producer, some very fine, elegant wines.
Barolo 1997
8.5 - drink
A hot growing season led to record ripeness. Beautifully expressive, full wines alternated with quite a few wines with low acidity.
Barolo 1996
9.5 - drink or keep
A brilliant year for Barolo. Great ageing potential.
Barolo 1995
8.5 - drink
A rich harvest of grapes that benefited from a sunny autumn. Slightly lower in quality than the comparable years 1989 and 1990.
Barolo 1994
7 - drink
Reasonable sugar and acid levels despite prolonged rain in September.
Barolo 1993
7.5 - drink
The Nebbiolo did not fully ripen because of autumn rains.
Barolo 1992
6.5 - drink
A large harvest, but little concentrated fruit.
Barolo 1991
7.5 - drink
A small harvest of light to medium-bodied, early-drinking wines.
Barolo 1990
9.5 - drink
Powerful wines with exuberant aromas. Very exciting wines that will reward long bottle ageing.
Barolo 1989
10 - drink
A fantastic year with healthy fruit. Top Barolos.
Barolo 1988
8.5 - drink
Initially overrated, but nevertheless fine, interesting, balanced wines.
Barolo 1985
9 - drink
Risky... with a few exceptions, many wines have "faded" too early.
Barolo 1982
9.5 - drink or keep (drinking beautifully!)
A very Bordeaux-like vintage. Great ageing potential.
Barolo 1978
10 - drink!
Formidable, almost aggressive wines that have developed at a snail's pace.
Barolo 1974
9 - drink
Somewhat in the shadow of '71, but definitely worth it.
Barolo 1971
10 - drink!
Classic Barolo: rare, but well worth seeking out the famous Barolo producers of that era.
