Brunate is also one of my favorite wines from Vietti (and, boy, is it hard to choose favorites) thanks to that playful hint of fresh mint that I usually find, especially in the best vintages. You certainly get it in the 2021 Barolo Brunate, and although I'm not sure how long it will last as the wine evolves, my experience suggests it only gets stronger and more beautiful in time. Indeed, this vintage (with 23 days of skin maceration) shows exceptional depth and precision with aromas that go beyond the mint, spanning instead to grilled rosemary and Darjeeling tea. The wine shows excellent textural support and broad shoulders, followed by tannins that are both sweet and chalky. It shows profound generosity and depth. Brunate always has an intense, dark soul. A total of 4,835 bottles were made.
97+ points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Jan 2025)
The 2021 Barolo Brunate is especially fine this year. Rich, deep and quite potent, the Brunate is so expressive. It exudes textural density to match its decidedly virile personality. Strong spice and balsamic notes weave throughout a core of somber, dark-fleshed fruit.
96 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2025)
Dense blackberries and blueberries emerge shrouded in fresh coffee notes, cardamom, star anise, and Ceylon cinnamon. Like a panther stalking through moonlight, the wine combines raw power with sublime grace. The palate weaves cassis and black plum with formidable tannins, creating a study in elegance that promises decades of evolution. Drink from 2027
96 points, Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast (Nov 2025)
Complex aromas of cinnamon, spices, earth and strawberries with a leesy character. The attack is supple, with firm, ripe, velvety tannins. It’s slightly austere and dusty on the mid-palate. Full-bodied and powerful but refreshing, with a long, minty aftertaste. Best after two to three years.
96 points, Aldo Fiordelli, James Suckling (Jan 2025)
From an amphitheater with more warm air during the summer that lends more richness to the wine, the 2021 Barolo Brunate is a slightly deeper red color and reveals more depth in its aromatics and slightly darker profile, offering notes of black raspberries, tea leaf, fresh toasted herbs, and dark earth. Medium-bodied, it has more breadth on the palate, with ripe tannins and dark mineral notes on the finish. Give it another year and drink 2026-2046.
95 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (May 2025)
This rich, supple red displays plenty of lively cherry and raspberry fruit alongside eucalyptus, juniper and iron notes. Backed by dense tannins, yet the aftertaste is persistent and reveals the ultimate potential. The purity of the fruit should become more evident with time. Best from 2028 through 2048. 400 cases made, 85 cases imported.
95 points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (Dec 2025)
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