Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2019 Barolo sees fruit from a large vineyard site in the Breri MGA with southern exposures and slightly lower elevations. It borders Monvigliero but only reaches 250 meters in elevation. It also shares the blue marl soils that distinguish this area. The wine offers pretty fruit intensity with ruby fruit, bright cherry and cassis. This vintage takes a little longer to open, and although it doesn't share the complexity of its neighboring cru, this is a fine expression from Verduno.
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
From a parcel bordering Monvigliero, the 2019 Barolo is a pale ruby and reveals a lifted perfume of fresh berries and orange zest. Linear and vibrant, with fresh pomegranate, citrus, and dusty earth, it is racy and fresh, with a savory finish. Drink 2024-2034. Based in Verduno, Fabio Burlotto leads the estate named after his great-great-grandfather. The holdings currently consist of 17 hectares in total, predominantly in Verduno, and a small portion outside of the commune with parcels in Cannubi (Valletta) in Barolo and most recently in Castelletto in Monforte d’Alba. In 2018, he produced his first vintage from 50-year-old vines at the higher part of their parcel in Castelletto, while the lower section was replanted and will see its first harvest this year. Although anything is possible, the vision at the moment is that this fruit will become a part of their Classic Barolo. Aclivi is a selection of the best part of each vineyard site, with the traditional blended style of Barolo in mind, and stands in as a substitute for a Riserva bottling. Usually, the grapes are destemmed for the Aclivi, while the Monvigliero is fermented with whole clusters. Historically, Fabio’s grandfather was fermenting all of his Barolo with whole clusters before 1967. When his father took over after he died in 1968, he began destemming the grapes until the 1982 vintage, when they moved back to utilizing whole clusters for the Monvigliero, which Fabio continues to this day. There is a great commitment and dedication to the other varietals of the region, with only half of the total production being Nebbiolo and the remaining half Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa, Pelaverga, and Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation for the Barolo occurs in 20-year-old open-top French oak containers, with some punching down, but generally a gentle approach. In the cellar, they utilize 30-year-old large French oak casks, and when barrels need to be replaced, only Barbera or Langhe Nebbiolo will go into the new barrels on occasion. The majority of the wines in this report were tasted at the winery with Fabio in March of 2023. The style is marked by lift and energy, with the majority offering an outstanding bouquet of aromatics. They tend to lean toward a Burgundian aesthetic in that they are highly expressive and offer fantastic mineral texture in a medium frame. The indigenous grapes are not to be missed and offer some of the best-hidden gems at an insane value when and if you can find them. Though the US is certainly a major market for wines, Fabio is uniquely committed to having a substantial proportion of his wines distributed in Italy, and I personally intend to have the great fortune to enjoy them while abroad.
The 2019 Barolo is a very pretty, elegant wine. In this vintage, the straight Barolo has (unusually) a touch of whole cluster influence that drives the aromatic profile, adding gorgeous floral and savory intensity this wine does not typically have. Burlotto's Barolo is far from an easygoing wine, it is a Barolo to cellar for a few years and drink for another decade or so beyond. This super-classic Barolo is an absolute gem.
Pale ruby. Sweet raspberry creeping up on a mineral nose. Balsamic and lifted and with a touch of eucalyptus. Fresh, elegant and lively. Super animating and with crunchy, long tannins. Simply gorgeous. You will be thrilled to drink this while you wait for the rest. (WS)