I recently had the chance to taste through Vietti’s lineup with winemaker Eugenio Palumbo in an informal setting—just great wines and a chance to explore the nuances of their Cru Barolos and other offerings.
All the wines were from the 2020 and 2021 vintages, which gave me the rare opportunity to taste Vietti’s top Barolos from their estate vineyard sites side by side across the two years. Pinpointing the minute differences between vineyard sites was tough, but the contrast between the vintages was unmistakable.
As we saw during our fall Barolo promotion, 2020 was and remains a very approachable vintage. The wines are pretty, youthful, and elegant, but they don’t quite have the raw power of Barolo’s top vintages. 2021, on the other hand, is a return to that power and structure these wines are known for.
From Lazzarito to Cerequio to Ravera, I was genuinely impressed by the entire lineup. I even caught myself thinking, these are some of the best wines I’ve tasted. They’re far from diamonds in the rough—if I understand the 2021 Barolo vintage, these are already set to be great—but they don’t even know their own strength yet. These are serious wines, built for the long haul, and absolutely worth both the wait and the price.
That said, my favorite wines of the day might not have been any of the Crus. The Perbacco Nebbiolo and La Crena Barbera d’Asti are in a dogfight for the top spot. This isn’t your easygoing, everyday Nebbiolo. It’s taut, a little stubborn, and well worth its $30 retail price. Meanwhile, the Barbera is rich and opulent, pushing the boundaries of what I thought was possible for the grape. I’ll keep you posted once I make a decision. But for now, scroll down to check out some of my raw notes from the tasting—no edits, just as they came to me.
Vietti Barolo Lazzarito 2021: From vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba with southwestern exposure this Barolo is quite closed and restrained and waiting to emerge from it’s shell. Still you pick up notes of blood orange, gravel, incense, and charcoal. Probably the most tannic of their lineup today.
Vietti Barolo Cerequio 2021: From clay, limestone, and Sant’Agata marl (the most common soil in the lower Langhe) it has pretty floral aromas and is more lifted than other Vietti expressions. Fermentation in stainless steel has left the wine approachable in its incredible youth and its nuances will continue to release with bottle age and air.
Vietti Barolo Ravera 2021: My favorite wine of the top Barolo’s. Unique fruit character of red citrus like blood oranges, ruby red grapefruits, complemented by bright acids and softer cherries. Chalky tannin with a mint/eucalyptus quality and a touch peppery as well. The minerality on this wine from the hillside vineyards of Novello really stands the test of great terroirs' impact on great wine.
Vietti “Perbacco” Nebbiolo Langhe 2021: Not the most forgiving Nebbiolo I’ve had which is what makes it so intriguing to me. Red fruited with orange zest/peel and peppery goodness. This wine walks a fine line of being too taught and that tension is what makes it so fun. Probably best with food right now but I can totally geek out on this and see how it develops over a day rather than a few hours open.
Vietti La Crena Barbera d’Asti 2021: Bright, juicy, almost refreshing after all the Barolo. It has sweet florals like candied rose petals with this chalky tannin that I’m seeing in all the wines from Vietti. It has great freshness and a clean finish. Definitely hard to keep my hands off this bottle and pouring a full glass for myself.