BAROLO 2016 & BARBARESCO 2017

Standards are high in these latest-release Piedmont vintages, if you know where to look. Take the guidance of our expert Stephen Brook, who tasted many of the wines soon after release, in Italy and London, along with riservas from Barolo 2014 and Barbaresco 2015

- Stephen Brook

Barolo 2016

It was obvious a year ago, when the 2016 Barbarescos came on the market, that this was an exceptional vintage for Nebbiolo. Even though the 2015 vintage had been met with acclaim, it seemed to many that the 2016s were even better – an impression confirmed after tasting the 2016 Barolos earlier this year.

Dozens of excellent wines have had to be omitted from the recommendations that follow, simply because there is not space to cover them all (see more on Decanter.com/Premium). Moreover, one finds the same diversity of styles as in a less homogenous vintage. House styles and vineyard typicity have not been eradicated by the high ripeness levels.

After a mild, dry winter, a rainy spring helped to restore the water table. Relatively cool temperatures slowed the ripening season, and this continued through the summer and well into September. There was some rainfall, and constant breezes kept disease at bay. The only fly in the ointment was limited hail damage in some Barolo vineyards such as Cerequio and La Morra. Fine weather through the autumn brought the grapes to high but not excessive ripeness levels, and the harvest continued at a relaxed pace until mid-October.

However, the weather was slightly cooler than in 2015 and this made a significant difference, as acidity levels in the Nebbiolo were higher than in the preceding vintage.

Alcohol levels were slightly lower than in 2015. There were a handful of flabby, overripe wines, but they were very much the exceptions. Most 2016s have a classic Barolo profile from a great year, and they are both structured and balanced. Vietti observed that even the seed tannins were ripe in 2016, so there was little risk of extracting harshness during the fermentation. In this respect they are comparable to the 2010s, but that vintage had its own specificity. Others compare it to 2013, but overall 2016 is the superior vintage.