- Barolo DOCG
- 100%Nebbiolo
- Spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts
- Maceration and fermentation in open steel tanks
- Malolactioc fermentation and ageing in French oak barrels of 500 liters
- Aged in bottle for 18 months before release
- First vintage: 1990
- Vineyards in the villages of: Serralunga d'Alba: Baudana Castiglione Falletto: Villero
Barolo: Vignane
Novello: Merli - Alcohol: 14%
- Recommended drinking time: 2025 - 2040
LE VIGNE Barolo 2018
Tasting notes
The warm-but-not hot vintage of 2018 gave us a Le Vigne Barolo of great delicacy and excellent structure. The nose is forceful but not explosive – it is balanced and open, expanding upwards in the glass with spicy notes framing black and red fruits.
On the palate, the wine is open and engaging, recalling vintages of similar climatic character such as 2012 and 2015.
The tannins are ripe, open and silky, the mouthfeel is filling without being heavy, the acidity is fresh and the finish is long with a distinct mineral note.
Ratings for the vintage 2018
Gambero Rosso 2 bicchieri neri
Gardini Notes 96 points
Kerin O'Keefe 94 points
James Suckling 95 points
Vinous 93 points
VITAE 4 viti/92 punti
Weinwisser 18+/20 Punkte
The Wine Advocate 96+ points
Wine Enthusiast 94 points
Wine&Spirits 93 points
Wines Critic 96 points
Evolution of the vintage 2018
After the sweltering 2017 season, 2018 began with good winter snow and spring rains that helped replenish the dry ground. The wet weather continued into April, complicating the final vineyard work somewhat and resulting in a slightly later bud break.
Flowering was under normal conditions. In our growing area, the beginning of the summer was characterized by occasional downpours that led to high humidity conditions. Much care had to be taken to achieve a healthy vineyard as Peronospora ran rampant when left unchecked by regular and judicious applications of the correct treatments.
Green harvesting became necessary for nearly all varietals in order to bring fruit production to the highest possible potential quality. Judicious vineyard work was required for maximum balance and equilibrium at harvest. Development of the fruit was gradual during the summer, with temperatures rising considerably from mid-July on, and a long period of constant fine weather helped the grapes to ripen without and early harvest.
The harvest period was normal in relation to the previous, precocious vintage and quantities in general were slightly higher than had been the norm for the previous vintages.
In conclusion, we can say that it was a medium-bodied vintage in the traditional mold, which demanded the utmost attention of growers in vineyard management; significantly more hand-work in the vines was required for maximum results. In the end, the outcome was better than had been expected at the beginning of the campaign.
Harvest took place from October 2nd until 22nd.