2021 Barbera d'Alba Vigna Vecchia Scarrone
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The 2021 Barbera D'Alba Vigna Vecchia Scarrone comes from the old vines of the Scarrone vineyard that were planted in 1918 and wrap around to the south-facing hillside. It’s quite an expressive wine, taking on tremendous depth and complexity, although it’s very appealing now as well. A purple/magenta color, it offers aromas of graphite, candied blackberries, lavender, and rosemary. It’s rich and full-bodied but has a weightless feel, with plush, velvety tannins, and it retains fantastic freshness of acidity. Drink 2026-2036. 4500 bottles produced. Vietti was founded by Carlo Vietti in the late 1800s and is based in Castiglione Falletto. After marrying Luciana Vietti in the late 1950s, Alfredo Currado joined the operations of the winery and later was largely regarded as responsible for the resurrection of the Arneis grape. Until last year, the estate had been helmed by fifth-generation winemaker Luca Currado Vietti and his wife Elena, who have been the longtime champions of their family’s winery. In 2016, the estate was purchased by Krause Holdings, which had enabled Luca and Elena to continue their roles while simultaneously supporting significant growth, gaining sought-after site acquisitions for production such as Monvigliero in Barolo. Eugenio Palumbo, who has a long tenure with the winery in all operations, has assumed control as the winemaker of the estate today. Though the winery is in solid control in terms of the winemaking, the recent departure of Luca and Elena is certain to leave a spiritual hole impossible to fill any time soon.
Critic scores
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Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
With organic fruit from a vineyard planted in 1918, the Vietti 2021 Barbera d'Alba Scarrone Vigna Vecchia is super concentrated and dense. There's a lot of fruit weight to take in, yet the wine holds that volume with elegance and careful balance. The bouquet has opulent notes of baked blueberry, chocolate cream frosting, spice and black licorice. The wine's complexity rolls through a series of waves and swells. The tannins cover the entire palate, and the wine wears its 15.5% alcohol very nicely. Only 4,237 bottles were made. Vietti has access to Nebbiolo from 10 MGA sites to make the various wines in its ample portfolio. We also have a new wine to celebrate—the 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà—that knocks it out of the ballpark with its inaugural release.
The 2021 Barbera d'Alba Scarrone Vigna Vecchia is endowed with tremendous depth and resonance. Black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice and chocolate are all dialed up to the maximum. The Vigna Vecchia is the most extracted of the Vietti Barberas. As such, it also retains the clearest link to the wines of the past. It's a fine effort to be sure, but it is not meaningfully better than the straight Scarrone.
Floral aromas with sandalwood to the black berry and black cherry character. Medium-bodied with firm and racy tannins. A succulent and bright finish. 50% of the vineyards were planted in 1918. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink now.