"Two thousand twenty-one is a superb vintage for Barolo." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
The hype has been going for some time now, but you never know just how good or great a vintage can be until the wines hit the market. Now that the 2021 Barolos are here, it's clear that the early praise and accolades are well warranted.
Apart from a few isolated weather events, the growing season was ideal by modern Barolo standards, with a long cycle and normal harvest time. Normal diurnal temperature shifts and heat patterns also contributed to the incredible overall quality that is becoming evident in the finished wines. As Galloni notes in his comprehensive vintage report, "The 2021 Barolos are finessed, elegant wines that will delight Piedmont fans."
Against this backdrop, we present a staggering array of the vintage's most compelling recent releases, over forty wines spanning entry-level gems and values for near-term enjoyment to cult-caliber cellar performers that will show the 2021 vintage in all its glory decades down the road. Names like Vietti, Vajra, and Gaja dot the landscape, as well as under-the-radar winners like Brezza, Manzone, and Elio Grasso. If this introductory list below tells us one thing, it's that the 2021 Barolo campaign is going to offer immense enjoyment for collectors and Piedmont fans as they stock the cellar with one incredible wine after another.
Enrico VI draws its fruit from Villero in Castiglione Faletto. The soils are rich in iron and active limestone, and the wine therefore transmits a sense of electricity and tension that is always unique to this site. The Cordero di Montezemolo 2021 Barolo Enrico VI delivers crushed stone to frame dark fruit, cherry, redcurrant and violet. This wine is quite angular, and it delivers more dimension than the Gattera or certainly the Monfalletto. You can also count on a longer aging window for the Enrico VI. This is a release of 7,200 bottles.
97 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Jun 2025)
This shows tar, licorice, dark fruit and dried flowers. The palate is juicy, with firm tannins and good freshness. It’s very harmonious and solid overall. The finish is chewy and flavorful. Better from 2028.
96 points, Jacobo García Andrade, James Suckling (Jan 2025)
The 2021 Barolo Enrico VI is especially fine this year. Rich and ample, the 2021 is endowed with notable presence and structure. Black cherry, plum, licorice, leather, incense and melted road tar all build in a deep, statuesque Barolo with tons of Villero personality. Sage, lavender and a whole range of deeply-pitched balsamic notes wrap around the huge, resonant finish. This is impressive.
95 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2025)
Generous aromas of cherry preserves and baked rhubarb weave through exotic incense, freshly turned earth, and garden herbs in an enchanting display. The palate shows remarkable balance, with fine-grained yet assertive tannins supporting dark fruit character, while Nebbiolo's signature acidity provides lift and energy. This represents Enrico VI at its peak of quality, demonstrating the family's commitment. Drink from 2027
95 points, Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast (Nov 2025)
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