Brunello di Montalcino 2020
After a blockbuster 2019 vintage, Montalcino’s 2020 offering is another to appreciate. Despite lower yields, producers are generally very pleased with quality.
The winter was mild, with a rainy end to 2019 and a dry start to 2020. Budbreak varied from producer to producer, with timings ranging from earlier to later than usual, depending on the microclimate and area. However, a cold snap in early April lasting 4-5 days posed a significant threat across the region. While growers largely avoided major damage from frost, the drop in temperatures slowed the development of some buds which ultimately reduced yields.
By mid-April, temperatures had risen sharply, allowing vegetative growth to recover. May brought ideal weather, and hot temperatures extended into summer without extreme spikes during critical growing stages. A few heavy rain events at the end of August, following a very hot July and early August, were welcomed by producers. This rain supported the vines through vital ripening stages and provided balance to wines by preventing the development of over-ripe flavours. Producers also highlighted the optimal diurnal range at the end of summer.
Harvest brought great satisfaction to growers, with quality fruit picked across the board. Producers have emphasised the concentration and ripeness of their wines, praising simultaneously the phenolic structure and clean, fruity perfumes. Some have likened the complexity in this vintage to 2019, with a bit more readiness.
With the release of the outstanding 2019 Riservas, 2025 will be a noteworthy year for Brunello lovers!
Barolo 2021
The Barolo 2021 vintage on paper ticks all boxes. It unfolded with a growing season that required much less vineyard management than producers have been used to in recent years. Generally speaking, growers are very happy with both the quality and the quantity that 2021 provided.
Winter was mild and precipitation, mainly as rain but also snow, was high. This crucially built-up water reserves for a very dry growing season that lay ahead. Initial vegetative growth was more aligned to traditional timeframes, contrary to being too precocious, helping greatly when a significant drop in temperatures occurred in early spring: a very risky scenario for the early-budding Nebbiolo. Producers were fearful of frost, but thankfully the Langhe came out unscathed.
This would prove to be the only major scare for producers in 2021. The rest of spring and summer rolled around with warm temperatures, never really in excess. Little to no rain meant that fungal diseases were largely non-existent. In this sense, the growing season was relatively “simple” from a technical point of view. There were some summer storms, but again, posing little danger. Producers also note that, aside from optimal ripening conditions, the diurnal range at the latter end of the growing season was highly favourable, leading most producers to have a timely harvest in October.
The resulting 2021 Barolos have an excellent phenolic profile, great structure with ripe tannins and excellent acidity levels. Producers emphasise the noteworthy aromatic profile, freshness of fruit, great tension and ageing potential of their wines.
On the whole, Barolo 2021 has the potential to be an outstanding vintage.
Barbaresco 2022
The 2022 Barbaresco vintage is remembered as a precocious year.
The early winter period was marked by a lack of precipitation and mild weather, which persisted into spring with clear skies and no significant rainfall. April and May experienced average seasonal temperatures but remained very dry. By late May, high temperatures and minimal rain accelerated the growth cycle, resulting in flowering about ten days earlier than usual, before mid-June. July continued to be warm and dry, causing the vines to adapt to the limited water availability, leading to modest vegetative growth and the formation of small, compact clusters. Fortunately, the dry conditions prevented fungal issues, making vineyard management relatively easy.
All the above has led to more fruit-leaning Barbarescos, demonstrating also how the versatile Nebbiolo is able to adapt to varying climatic conditions between different vintages. Berry sizes were smaller than usual increasing skin to pulp ratio, boding well for tannin extraction and the development of principal Nebbiolo aromas. Quality producers will have focused on the preservation of acid levels to increase ageing potential.
Jack Bielak, 2025