Tasting notes

From the outstanding 2020 growing season comes a wine of delicacy and power - the 2020 Le Vigne Barolo has a lifted nose of black fruits, roses and violets, with accents of cola nut and graphite.

On the palate, the flavors of black and red fruits predominate, with lovely ripe tannins and a generous, high-toned finish. Tasting this wine begs the question: is it already “ready?” The balance and drinkability of the wine are surprising for this bottling at such an early point in its development, but careful tasting reveals the profound depth of the tannins and structure.

The tannin is so ripe and smooth that it seems to disappear into the wine. But it is there and should support the wine through a few decades of cellaring.

Ratings for the vintage 2020
Kerin O'Keefe 96 points 
Vinous 94 points 

Download wine description

Evolution of the vintage 2020

2020 will be remembered as a year of long, alternating periods of heat and cool, giving rise to a wine that is characterized by both. The year began with a mild, dry winter with few truly cold days. While January was mostly sunny some snow and rain finally arrived in mid-February.

The end of February saw a rise in temperatures indicative of a precocious spring. Early March brought continued good weather, unseasonably warm and dry, and we rushed to finish the winter work. By mid-March, the weather had cooled considerably, and the rate of vegetative growth slowed significantly.

In April, weather patterns were established that continued nearly the whole growing season: 4-5 days of brilliantly sunny days, followed by 1-2 days of rain. This gave plenty of water to the plants but complicated the treatments schedule. The extra humidity brought on serious infections of Peronospora in the region. Luca’s long experience allowed us to keep ahead of the disease and we saw no significant damage in 2020.

Flowering in late May was under favourable conditions and brought a good crop set. Some real heat arrived at the end of July but was mitigated by the continuing sun-rain pattern and the deep groundwater reserves that had built up. Warm weather continued until mid-September, when a series of thunderstorms cooled off the region. The next few weeks were exemplary, with bright, sunny days and crisp, cool nights.

The fruit ripened evenly and constantly, and the harvest (8 – 13 October) took place in ideal conditions.