|
|
B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More
"...the wines are rooted in classic Langhe traditions while expressing precision and transparency." - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
You might think the above quote from Monica Larner refers to one of Piedmont's age-old, historic estates, but in fact, she's referring to Margherita Otto, one of the region's newest upstarts, which is gaining serious attention and acclaim from the critical sphere. Founded by American Alan Manley, the winery's first commercial vintage was the excellent 2015 campaign, and now Manley is hitting full stride. Sourcing fruit from three parcels that abut some Barolo's most iconic crus, he makes his wine in the old-school assemblaggio method, blending the fruit prior to long fermentation and maceration in concrete vats. Aging takes place in large botti, endowing the wines with wonderful classical appeal.
The trio on offer here is a textbook introduction to Manley's style, and as you can see, the press is impressed. The WA96 Barolo from the hallowed 2021 vintage is "beautifully etched and focused ... a complete expression of Nebbiolo with remarkable aromatic purity, elegant structure and impressive mid-palate length." Its 2020 predecessor likewise notched 96 points for its approachable charm. "It’s a gorgeous, complex wine," notes Antonio Galloni, "a classy, elegant Barolo through and through." Finally, the 93-point 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo is "a beautiful, fresh wine designed to be enjoyed young, yet it clearly has another gear." As new discoveries go, Piedmont is not the first place you look, but this trio shows that even in a region as old and established as Piedmont, there's something new under the sun. |
|
|
The 2020 Barolo, which I tasted last year as well, is a medium red/orange color, and it’s developed wonderfully with another year in bottle. It offers notes of preserved cranberry, toasted spice, fresh leather, bergamot, and cardamom. The palate is fantastic, with a more linear feel, refined tannins, an elegant and rounded mid-palate, and a more mineral-inflected finish. It’s long on the palate and is starting to show the vintage's potential. Drink 2025-2045.
96 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (May 2025)
The 2020 Barolo from Margherita Otto offers heady aromas recalling ripe forest berry, violet, crushed herb, camphor and baking spice. Polished and delicious, the full-bodied, enveloping palate features raspberry compote, succulent red cherry, cinnamon and mint accompanied by crushed velvet tannins. Showing the generous nature of the vintage, this is already drinking beautifully and will offer years of fine sipping.
95 points, Kerin O'Keefe (Oct 2024)
The oldest of three vintages presented in this mini vertical, the Margherita Otto 2020 Barolo is showing beautifully today, with just a touch of tertiary softness that eases the youthful nervous tension so often associated with Nebbiolo. The wine still has a long evolution ahead of it, but it is especially rewarding at this stage, revealing aromas of wild plum, blackcurrant, dried fig, crushed rose and candied orange peel. The texture is generous and open-knit across the mid-palate, making this an excellent choice for drinking over the near to medium term while still rewarding further cellaring. Some 12,000 bottles were made.
94 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Jul 2026)
Top Quality Store
