2020 G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi
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Tasting notes
Jeweled ruby in color, the 2020 Barolo Cannubi is very attractive on the nose, revealing aromas of raspberry liqueur, pink peppercorn, fresh roses, and toasted anise. Medium-bodied, it’s approachable and fresh, with a rounded midpalate and a weightless feel while having good concentration. Plush tannins float through the finish, as does its long-lasting fruit perfume. This is one of my favorite wines from Cannubi in this vintage and tasted over several days it continued to over-deliver. Drink 2024-2040. 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 saw its first harvest last year. Their 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. There was no Aclivi produced in 2020. 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 2024, as well as with the Consorzio the same month. 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.
Critic scores
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Barolo Cannubi is very fine and delicate with light rose, peony and floral aromas that dovetail into tart fruit, small currants and underripe cherry. This lean-bodied Barolo is all about grace, detail and pinpoint aromas that cede to smooth ripeness and fine texture. The Cannubi offers an almost weightless style with integrated oak, cedar, camphor ash and crushed stone. Some 4,000 bottles of this quintessentially pretty wine were made.
The 2020 Barolo Cannubi is the most expressive of the Burlotto Barolos today. Relative to the Monvigliero especially, it benefits from having spent ten more months in bottle. The 2020 shows the lighter style of the year, but has gorgeous textural depth to fill out its layers. Plush tannins wrap around a core of black cherry, plum, cloves, new leather and licorice. The Cannubi is a standout.
Barolo. Just mid ruby. Less lifted than the Monvigliero and a little curled up, and with brooding wild strawberry, raspberry and savoury-spice notes with a hint of cardamom. Quite subdued on the palate, too, and with a core of raspberry fruit that will need time to open up. Concentrated and elegant at the same time. Long, superfine tannins adding chew and nervy acidity. Long, aromatic, succulent finish, but not fully open yet. (WS)