As many of you already know, Barolo is my favorite wine. I look forward to my annual visits to the region, where I taste several hundred wines each year. As can be the case with such repetitive visits, I have pretty much settled on my favorite producers, those who can turn out wines each year that are representative of the soil from which they sprang and the seasons of their lives.
I am, of course, biased when it comes to Barolo. I prefer wines with little to no new oak, freshness instead of power and austerity instead of sweetness. In light of this, I am happy to report that 2008 promises to be a very fine Barolo vintage, one that stands in stark contrast to 2007. The difference between the two could not be more vivid.
2007 was a vintage marked by warmth and a shortening of the growing season, not to mention enough hail to make a difference. The resulting wines are occasionally quite good, rarely great, but are mostly marked by excessively high alcohols and lower acids than I prefer. They are easy wines, fruity wines, and what some might call a media-friendly vintage.
In contrast, 2008 is a small-scaled vintage, marked by coolness and freshness. The vintage got off to a rather inauspicious start, suffering from cool, damp conditions that promoted excess vegetation, though it was saved by an Indian summer that allowed producers to pick at their leisure. The resulting wines are more perfumed than powerful, with an elegance that escapes even the finest 2007 bottles. These are wines that combine the austerity and delicacy of some cooler old vintages, such as 1979, with the soaring aromatics of perfect ripe fruit a la 1985.
They are perfect for people just getting into Barolo since they exhibit all the traits of a classic vintage without some of the mouth-numbing tannins that one might expect to encounter. In short, this will be a vintage that creates a new generation of Barolo lovers, not the ripe wines lovers who were seduced by vintages such as 1997 and 2000, but rather people who will grow to have a life long love affair with Nebbiolo.
I’ve listed my top picks for the vintage here, all under $125. Most of the wines have yet to reach our markets, but they are coming. I expect prices to remain soft for many of these wines since the pipeline is now stuffed with great wines.
There has never been a better time to be a Barolo aficionado. Starting with this elegant, refined, perfumed and wonderfully balanced vintage is a great way to become one!
Barolo Bottles image via Shutterstock2008 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo $90
An abundance of liquory red fruit powers the sweet aromatics, which emerge over a base of dusty white earth with hints of dried rose petal, juniper, mint, salami and old barrel. Gorgeous balance and scale in the mouth is supported by super fine tannins and bright acids that lend lovely purity. The red-fruited, lingonberry-rich mid-palate sees a huge follow through to a wonderful rose hip finish. The only rub might be its small scale, but this is so layered and long that it is truly the essence of Barolo. 94pts
2008 Brovia 2008 Ca’Mia $70
Dark plum draped fruit on the nose is accented by notes of ripe stems, suggestions of cocoa and limestone and a huge sweetness of fruit. On entry, this is muscular, dark, dense and vibrantly clear with amazing cut. The flavors tend toward slightly macerated cherry fruit with hints of raspberry and a huge medicinal, savory spice top note. The finish is equally impressive with an intense sour red fruit finish, almost red peppercorn spiciness and super precise tannins. 94pts
2008 Giovanni Canonica Barolo Paiagallo $75
Liquory and very aromatic on the nose with gentle fruit aromas that are very perfumed with floral, musky base notes. In the mouth, this shows some crazy wild cherry fruit with lovely tannins and bright acids. There’s a bit of rusticity here but also a ton of finesse. It gains complexity with air, as well as a fine firmness and hints of grass and bitter cherry on the palate. The purity of this is really impressive. 93pts
2008 Burlotto Monvigliero $55
Very herbal on the nose with tapenade aromas that are more thyme-driven than olive at the moment, all accented by a dusting of cinnamon and really lovely strawberry fruit. This could be called lush if it wasn’t so nervy, with juicy acidity and super fine tannins supporting wonderfully crisp strawberry fruit. Topped with a hint of truffle, some spice notes and a touch of tropical fruit. It’s wonderfully transparent in the mouth, firming up with a bit of air and offering great lift on the back end and the long, pure finish. 93pts
2008 Oddero Rocche di Castiglione $70
This has a great nose full of nettles, spices, rose petal, smoke and limestone, though not much fruit yet. Intense, round, rich and powerful on an entry that shows more flesh than many 2008s. The mid-palate offers lovely depth with rich wild berry fruit, dusty, austere tannins and hints of lingonberry and mint on the long, aromatic mineral-laced finish. This is a classic wine with great cut. This will be very, very good 93pts
2008 Brovia Villero $70
Very pretty on the nose with notes of raspberry fruit, clay soil and mint. Lightly floral top notes and a hint of cinnamon. Firm, lean and pure in the mouth with unfettered cherry fruit, phenomenal depth and a silky finish. This shows more flesh than many 2008s and should prove to be a knockout with some time in the cellar. 93pts
2008 Brovia Garblet Sue $65
The rather perfumed nose exhibits roses, rose hips, orange pith, raspberries and dusty soil tones. In the mouth, one finds a rich, silky wine based on soft yet firm tannins. Superb layering of savory, soil and firm dark raspberry and cherry fruit flavors lead to a long finish that shows compellingly perfumed fruit. Packed with hints of orange rind, a little licorice and mint on the finish. 93pts
2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi Cannubi San Lorenzo $110
The nose here is rather fine with light mint, wild herbs, jammy raspberry and lingonberry notes. On the palate, this comes off as rather cool, crisp and focused with fine balance to the herbal notes that sit atop the core of sour and slightly bitter cherry fruit. There’s a really fine acid/tannin balance here. This shows good power on the back end and onto the long, perfumed finish. Exhibits great cut and precision to the flavors with a wonderfully engaging texture. 93pts
2008 Brezza Bricco Sarmassa $65
This has a big nose with lots of jammy red raspberry fruits, a little citron peel, spicy fruitcake notes and a hint of incense. Rich and almost soft on entry with a mineral edge and finely integrated acids that might be quite powerful if not for the balance here. The tannins are ripe and supple and there is lovely depth of succulent fruit right through the big, fruity boysenberry finish that retains a lovely vein of savoriness. 92pts
2008 Burlotto Cannubi $60
This exhibits a classic nose featuring cherries in alcohol with hints of cocoa, spices, rose petal, balsamic, ash and roasted herb notes. On entry, this is tense, nervy and taut with fine red cherry fruit, plenty of ripe tannins and good supporting acids lending great freshness. This is classic, lean Cannubi with crisp tannins on the finish, low fruit, savory nuances, and lovely chalky/soil-driven length. 92pts
2008 Oddero Villero $60
The nose shows aromas of clay and a low hint of carob over tar. It’s a lovely, strict nose. On the palate, this is wonderfully portioned with ripe tannins and fine acid lift lending this a precise and firm feel. The fruit is a bit liquory if subtle, with wild berry flavors that lean toward boysenberry with a touch of earthy savoriness from the tannins. Red cherry fruit builds on the back end and through the lengthening finish before the tannins close in. Once again, very fine grained tannins. An elegant wine in the making. 92pts
2008 Brovia Barolo Rocche $70
Musky and smoky on the nose, this almost shows some flint along with the wild herbs and a very clear, slightly antiseptic tone all over a base of lingonberry jam. Smooth and broad in the mouth, this is a touch loose up front. Zesty acids kick in along with the liquory red currant fruit, spice notes, wild raspberries and a little mint that lingers on the long, limestone-driven finish. A lot of potential here. 92pts
2008 Massolino Margheria $85
Stewy, wild cherry fruit greets the nose, in a good way, with freshening top notes of herbs and a hint of nutmeg. This is very fresh in the mouth, precise and layered with aromatic wild cherry fruit, earth, herb and that haunting little nutmeg tone. A wine with wonderful balance, elegant and very well done. Fresh tannins with some clay notes on the finish and a finale that shows a hint of espresso foam and strawberry. 92pts
2008 Castello di Verduno Massara $75
A bit of new wood greets the nose. It’s integrated but there, and not detracting from the very clean and rather precise aromas of jammy, small berry red fruit and some spiced plum notes. On entry, this is very cool and lean. Really quite elegant in the mouth with a lovely feel. Bright, fresh and layered and showing wonderful fruit framed by faintly bitter cherry extract and spice notes. The ripe tannins carry though the finely fruited finish. 92pts
2008 Oddero Brunate $85
Cool and composed on the nose and full of white soil tones, dried herb, a little white pepper, salty minerality and a little cocoa, topped with subtle hints of wild mint. This has a bit of a soft entry, with early acid and tannins that arrive late on the palate and seem to be very sweet, accenting a nice lingonberry/wild raspberry tone. There’s a hint of black fruit on the transition to the finish, which is tight and firm and built on tannins.These again show a wonderful ripeness and a lovely, tangy sour raspberry finale. 92pts
2008 E. Pira di Chiara Boschis Cannubi $90
This is showing a fine nose with lovely floral perfumes, a bit of lightly peppery spice, red fruit and a hint of Chinato. There’s a little prune on entry, joined by dry, firm tannins that make this a bit dark and reticent on the palate. It’s made in a firm, masculine style but it’s not a big wine. The beautifully framed fruit has good energy on the finish though late arriving wood tannins add a sapid note. This is firm and seems to be a bit closed, but it has everything in place to be wonderful. 91pts
2008 Burlotto Aclivi $40
This is really soil-driven on the nose and turns quite sweet, with finessed raspberry fruit accented by hints of rose petal, a little quinine, red apple skin and bit of herb. In the mouth, this is round and very lively on the mid-palate. Vertical acids, ripe tannins and a savory core of woodsy herb notes support woodsy red currant fruit. This then turns darker and more licorice-toned on the rich finish. Good power, lovely ripeness to the tannins, almost ready today. 91pts
2008 Oddero Barolo Classico $40
With a more herbal bent, one finds rosemary edges here over fresh tar, roast pork, ash and what smells of a little of sweet wood. Nicely fruity and rich in the mouth, this shows some austere tension with a nice, open feel and fine clarity on the palate. The fruit is redolent of cherry with a little wild berry and an incipient sweetness on the back end. All in all, this is very clean and precise right through the finish, which ends with a nice flourish of herb. 91pts
2008 Schiavenza Barolo Brolio $60
Perfumed on the nose with aromas of wild herbs, earth, a hint of sharp mint and lightly burnished ripe fruits. This is focused and high-toned in the mouth with light, sweet wild raspberry and lingonberry fruit on the palate. This has very pure fruit and real clarity and tension on the palate, gaining a dark wild cherry note, bit of heat, a little spice, mace or nutmeg, and a slight bit of medicinal bitterness on the finish. The tannins are very ripe and well managed here. This is almost ready to drink. 91pts
2008 Barale Bussia $80
Earthy and full of mineral water freshness on the nose with base notes of meat, salty earth, salted plum, camphor and sour cherry fruit. A lovely mouth-feel. This opens to be fresh and clear, rich with bright and precise inner mouth perfumes of wild herbs, sour wild cherry and strawberry. The ripe tannins are soft, making this not rich or powerful but fresh and perfumed. A lovely finish is built on the fine, savory tannins and nice, spicy strawberry fruit. 91pts
2008 Cordero di Montezemolo Bricco Gattera $75
This is quite aromatic with notes of menthol, blackberry jam, ash and chalk on the nose. Light-bodied on entry with a bit of woody bitterness early on, then turning fresh and juicy with black cherry fruit on the palate. A fruity style that lacks the weight of previous vintages, but the fruit is quite fragrant, clear and long with a lovely interplay of black raspberry and herb on the finish. Not my style but very successful in this paradigm. 91pts
2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate le Coste $110
A bit tight and a touch dirty on the nose, as is sometimes the case here. Experience has shown that this will clean up nicely. On entry, this is wonderfully textured, elegant, round and plush with great depth of fruit. There’s a nice spice tone here, fine minerality and delicate cherry fruit on the palate. The cherry fruit returns on the finish along with fine herb hints and some strawberry seeds for a particularly long finale. This needs the nose to clean up a bit, but shows promise already. 91pts
2008 Massolino Parussi $80
The nose here is a touch jammy with black cherry fruit topped by light spice notes and a high-toned hint of watermelon seeds. Cool and a touch compressed on entry, this shows lovely balance with very ripe tannins and integrated acids supporting licorice and earth tones, all over the burnished red fruit with a little pomegranate seed exoticism in the mouth. There is fine balance and power on the back end, though this seems a touch extracted. Finishes quite strongly with mint, a bit of warmth and fennel notes. 91pts
2008 Brezza Sarmassa $60
Furry on the nose with notes of mineral, iron, a little sweet wood, astringent lingonberry fruit, juniper, incense and Slovenian oak. A bit soft on the palate though nicely rich and broad in the mouth, this has nice acid with flavors that are tending towards a woodsy, almost autumnal spice quality. The ripe tannins are supportive and there is a nice follow through on the tight finish with red lingonberry fruit and a hint of menthol. 90pts
2008 Brovia Barolo Classico $50
Liquory red cherries in alcohol and sandalwood aromas along with a nice shading of wild sage and fine raspberry notes lend this a very classic bouquet. Downright opulent and soft on entry before the very fine, ripe tannins kick in to lend a little spice to the very transparent palate. That savory spice edge adds some complexity to the red fruit here and the bright acids keep this nervous in the mouth. Fine length on the finish shows this to be another wine with super ripe tannins. 90pts
2008 Brezza Barolo Classico $40
Wild raspberry wafts from the glass along with aromas of licorice, tar, hints of woodsmoke and tree bark. Moderately rich in the mouth, this is bright and taut with soft but abundant tannins and lovely red fruit on the mid-palate. Nice follow though and a very classic profile. This remains very fresh with a lovely, gentle quality to the tannins. Fruity but taut and succulent. 90pts
2008 Vajra Baudana $75
A bit candied on the nose with curious if attractive notes of bacon and medicinal herbs, like an infusion of herbs with some sweet tarry notes. This is very fresh in the mouth with lovely fruit that is bright up front, but then turns a bit brooding and matte in the mouth. Delivers wonderfully ripe strawberry and dark cherry fruit. A hint of plum skin, really fine orange rind and black tea complexity appear on the back end and right through the moderately long finish. 90pts
2008 Brezza Cannubi $60
Red currant, red cherry and burnished leather in alcohol come together on the nose along with licorice and something vaguely medicinal and vaguely beefy. There’s a softness here and a gentleness to this wine, which exhibits lovely ripe tannins, nice acid and pretty fruit. Really clear and well-defined style that relies more on bright acids than tannins. This is airy and just lacks a hint of firmness. 90pts
2008 Burlotto Barolo Classico $45
Lovely herbal and balsamic top notes over wild raspberry fruit with hints of dusty earth and rose stem on this perfumed nose. This is wonderfully bright and tense on entry with juicy fruit that shows lovely purity and finesse. Transparent up front with a nice load of vivid raspberry fruit. Amarena cherry on the back end is accented by a hint of white earth ash and nice savory tannins, which underpin it all. A great introduction to Barolo. 90pts
2008 Schiavenza Barolo Prapo $60
Prune and plum dominate the nose with soft spice notes that show light mint and a little cinnamon extract on the nose, along with hints of camphor and fruitcake. Very soft and expansive on entry with a rich, medium-bodied feel. This is perhaps a touch monotone with soft tannins, though it is snappy and spicy on the finish with a cinnamon pepperiness. This shows some early complexity with a little oxidative orange note on the back end of the mid-palate and tannins that seem a touch dry on the finish, but it all comes together quite nicely. 90pts
2008 Pecchenino le Coste $70
Pretty fruity and spicy on the nose with a hint of juniper, Chinato spice notes and holiday spice cake aromas. Nicely balanced and intense on entry with fine tannins and lovely balance. This is on the elegant side of things with nice height in the mouth, fine balsamic fruit, a little camphor and a lifted finish. Aromatic finish shows lovely complexity and inner mouth perfumes. 90pts
2008 Silvano Bolmida Vigne dei Fantini $50
Lovely nose is bright, fresh and lightly herbal with floral top notes and a fine core of wild herbs, leather and wild berry fruit. In the mouth, this starts out softly but with fine intensity and precision to the herb-inflected fruit flavors. Almost grassy in the mouth with slow to emerge violet pastille and licorice-tinged blackberry fruit. This gains tension and turns taut with some nervous acidity on the back end. The finish is a touch short today but aromatic, fresh and bright. 90pts
2008 Mario Marengo Brunate $70
Pretty perfumed nose is built on a base of spicy oak, small red fruits, wild raspberry and lingonberry with some espresso foam. This is light and fresh in the mouth with a lovely, fresh raspberry inner mouth perfume accented by strawberry seeds and very well integrated wood spice. The moderately long finish shows more of a strawberry aspect but remains light fresh and fruity. Very easy to drink. On the fruity soft side but people are going to love this. 90pts
2008 Barale Fratelli Castellero $50
Seared stones, lingonberry jam, sandy soil, prosciutto skin. Very soft tannins and good acidity with nice intensity of flavors on the leathery end of the spectrum. Nice and broad in the mouth with really good depth of flavor. Intense cherry and almost plum fruit here with a deep bed of savory elements and mint on the finale. The wine finishes with a suggestion of warmth and spice. 90pts
2008 Francesco Rinaldi Cannubbio $60
This is very clean and fresh on the nose with strong notes of raspberries framed by light herbal accents and a touch of white pepper. Nice fruit on entry with real cut to the palate, which delivers a clean and pure expression of red berry, raspberry fruit with fine tannins, bright acids and a nice soft finish. This is juicy and bright with really wonderful tannins and a finish of liquory cherry fruit. 90pts
2008 Ascheri Sorano $50
Tight and polleny nose with a bit of black olive and black tea, with small wild cherry fruit lurking underneath. This is light and fresh on the palate with an emerging herbal tone over the fresh strawberry and plum fruit, cut by mineral and licorice notes with some dried orange pith. The finish is clean and fresh, continuing to add nice cut and freshness. A bit earthy and savory. 90pts
2008 Josetta Saffirio $60
Big jammy fruit on the nose is full of blackberry and mulberry with a bit of orange peel and a touch of complexity. This is smooth and rich in the mouth. Quite a powerful wine with very ripe tannins and an impressive dry extract that lends this a deep old vine feel, with an almost chocolate earth edge to the fruit. The finish is dry, dark and a bit angry, leaving one with an impression that this is not fruit-driven, yet it remains intense and fresh. I would love to see what happens to this in the cellar. 90pts
Comments
I don't mean this to seem "nit-picky" but I'm wondering why your website is set up such that it takes two clicks to get from the e-mail to the article rather than one. As the saying goes, "just askin"
Sep 27, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Dal Piaz
Not at all. Where does the first click take you? It took me directly to this page.
Sep 27, 2012 at 2:01 PM
2008 sounds like a vintage that we'll enjoy following for quite some time. I'm happy to finally see your notes. Did you taste Vietti Roche? Any thougts?
Sep 27, 2012 at 2:10 PM
What's the drinking window and aging potential for the 2008 vintage in general? It sounds like 2008, like 2007, can be enjoyed earlier?
vinodoc: it depends on where you click in the email. If you click the general header/footer, it'll bring you to the home page or specfic section. If you click on the link "THE BEST OF 2008 BAROLO" or "Explore 2008 Barolo" it should bring you directly to this article.
Sep 27, 2012 at 3:34 PM
I have found a reasonably good deal on 2008 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne. Is this one of the oaked Barolo's that you do not prefer?
Sep 27, 2012 at 3:56 PM
Hi, I'm a relative barolo neophyte. I found them a 8 or 9 years with the help of 2 great friends/wine mentor. I work for a living so i can't drink them every day. And it also means i don't get to buy them by the case usually. Nevertheless, i do fit the legal definition of a addict. Here's my problem: Unless you buy a case and experiment with 2 or 3 bottles, how can you know the decant time? Even when i have a wonderful barolo experience, in the back of my mind i'm wondering if i drank it too soon. And i'll never know how many Barolos i scored low because i didn't wait long enough. I've had the maddening experience more times that i can count of having a so-so opinion of a barolo until the last glass and your jaw drops open and you're in heaven but you've just drank 80% of the bottle too soon. and sometimes the buy-a-case-and-experiment method fails because things change over time if you're not drinking it all in a relatively short period of time. It doesn't help that i live at 6500 feet when it takes longer with less air. So, any suggestions about how to figure out the optimal decant time for these wonderful but maddening wines??? If anyone has suggestions on this please reply here or email me at jefertig@comcast.net. I would be forever in your debt.
Sep 27, 2012 at 4:04 PM
I found them 8 or 9 years ago, meant say....apologize for the poor typing...
Sep 27, 2012 at 4:05 PM
GDP: I'm probably telling you something you already know. I've had experience with the wines of Bartolo (and now Maria Teresa) Mascarello since the release of the 1978 vintage (tasting almost all on release and following their evolution). The "small-scaleness" is not uncommon (the great 1982's started this way); over 8-10 years in the cellar, the wines fill out a bit, but they always remain the essence of true elegance and all class.
Sep 29, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Wine-
Cellar
"Buon Padre" Barolo DOCG, Viberti Giovanni.
Maturing for 36-40 months in wooden casks and vertical vats “tini” 40-50 hl in capacity. The Buon Padre is a balanced blend made with grapes growth in 5 different vineyards located in the Barolo village The bottling in late spring time, is made without filtration. The wine reaches maturity after a further 6 months in the bottle before being put on sale.
Colour: light ruby red
Bouquet: spices, undergrowth, game, dried fruit, leither & wild flowers
Sep 30, 2012 at 1:06 PM
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