2016 Barolo Brezza
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
I don't think I have ever seen a Barolo in a glass cork, and honestly, I wouldn't have guessed that the appellation authorities allowed such as thing, as winemaking regions such as Barolo tend to be quite conservative. Surprise, surprise, I have this rare specimen from a 17,600-bottle release in front of me now. Made with organically farmed fruit, the Giacomo Brezza e Figli 2016 Barolo is open and ready to go. If you anticipated some reduction, there is none to be found, although I did open my bottle a few hours before tasting (as I did all the samples in this report). There is some youthful tightness here with sour cherry, almond, cola and a ferrous or earthy quality. I would suggest another few years to allow the wine to flesh out further.
Critic scores
Average Score
Alistair Cooper MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Barolo is a soft, open-knit wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Dried cherry, tobacco, cedar, dried flowers and anise, along with mid-weight structure and relatively soft tannins - for a young Barolo - are all suggestive of a wine that is already quite open and ready to drink. The straight Barolo is a blend of San Lorenzo and Fossati, with Ravera from Novello and Bricco San Pietro in Monforte. This is a very pretty wine in its peer group.
Very heady nose, powerful stuff. Full bodied with marked alcohol, mocha and Chinese five-spice. The tannins are silky and well managed, but the alcohol really stands out for me at the moment. (AC)