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A tough vintage. A mild start to spring was interrupted by frost, which damaged some fruit. Wet conditions in late spring and early summer led to problems with fungal diseases. Then summer saw heatwave conditions that cut the threat of disease, but instead caused problems with sunburn, and vines began to shut down in the heat. That slowed the season down and meant that grapes were still on the vine in late October, when conditions were much cooler. These are better conditions for Nebbiolo, which likes cool nights and late ripening. At the time of writing (2025) 2023 Barolos and Barbarescos have yet to be released and we will report on then more fully in due course.
Winter was cool and dry. Spring brought a little snow melt from the mountains, but drought was to become a big issue in 2022. Heatwave conditions struck in late spring, and carried on through summer. Producers had to practice very careful canopy management to protect their fruit, some of which was lost to sunburn and shrivelling. There were some opportune showers in August and September, without which the fruit would probably not have been able to complete veraison. Harvest saw relatively low yields of richly concentrated fruit. At the time of writing (2025) 2022 Barolos and Barbarescos have yet to be released, and we will report on then more fully in due course.
A very fine vintage, albeit one of low yields. Wines are structured and have long aging potential. At the start of the season, winter snow put plenty of water into the ground. Spring was difficult, with rain, frost and hail all contributing to overall low yields. Summer was hot and dry, concentrating grapes, and removing any threat of disease. Crucially, in the run-up to harvest, hot days were spliced between much cooler nights. The low yields this year meant concentrated grapes, which in turn has meant very cellarworthy wines.
A joyful and easy-to-taste vintage which enjoyed immediate critical acclaim. While the wines do not have the structure of the very greatest vintages, they have generous aromatics, good structure and firm, glossy tannins. They have excellent cellar potential. After a rainy start to the season which somewhat disrupted fruit set (ultimately lowering yields) summer was consistently warm, leading to good quality fruit at harvest.
A serious cellar vintage widely compared to the great 2013. Galloni described it as ‘stellar’, Decanter scored it five out of five. After the late-season rains of 2018, 2019 started with good water reserves in the ground. The season started early, but cool conditions in April and May slowed it down. Scorching temperatures in summer were repeatedly relieved by opportune rain. There was scattered hailstorms and some problems with sunburn on the grapes. With cool autumn evenings, harvest came late (by modern standards) in mid-October. A late harvest and a long growing season is just what Nebbiolo wants; it means complexity and ageworthiness. Yields were lower than average (mainly due to flowering having been disrupted by rain) with the result that the wines have nice concentration. Tannins are firm and structured, and 2019s are powerful wines which will age very well.
2018 was not without its difficulties, but producers welcomed a much more generous harvest of joyful, pretty wines that were very attractive from arrival. A cold, snowy winter led to a late start to the season, and frosts in spring caused some damage (though much less than the year before). The main challenge to the season was fungal diseases going rife through the vineyards as a result of the combination of heat and rain through summer. The growing season benefitted from the contrast between hot days and cool nights, and good weather persisted through harvest. Yields were good. Most wines were pretty and open, although in this vintage of generous volumes a few wines were as a result light-bodied and on the thin side. A vintage for medium rather than long-term cellaring.
A tricky vintage with very mixed conditions. Winter was mild and dry, and that led on to an early budbreak. But April hailstorms and frost caused very serious damage, devastating some vineyards. Summer was hot and dry, bringing on ripeness, but the fact that temperatures stayed warm at night was less than ideal for good aromatic development. Harvest was early, where Nebbiolo prefers a late, drawn-out harvest. Yields were low. The wines were nevertheless very attractive on release. At the time of writing (2025) there is a marked cleavage between 2017 and 2018 Barolos. While 2018s are still joyfully youthful, 2017s are moving forward to a much more developed, secondary style. 2017 is probably a vintage for early and medium drinking rather than long-term cellaring.
A modern classic in terms of balance, elegance and potential. While the wines are in many cases just coming into their drinking window, they are still youthful and have long cellar potential ahead. The slow start to the season led to a drawn-out ripening period and late harvest which was ideal for Nebbiolo to ripen fully. Spring was cool, which delayed flowering, and ultimately the harvest. Summer was warm and dry, but there was just enough water in the ground for water stress not to be a problem. There was one violent storm in July which cost some producers part of their crop. Otherwise, the season was smooth sailing. Conditions remained good in the run-up to harvest, and the marked diurnal temperature shifts were ideal to ripen fruit while capturing aromatics and retaining freshness. A great vintage.
An excellent vintage. Heavy snow and rain through winter replenished the water table, and was to be a boon in the hot summer ahead. Budbreak and flowering dodged spring rains, and temperatures soared through July and August (July was one of the hottest ever recorded). A little rain in August alleviated the worst of the heat. There was some rain around harvest, but conditions in the vineyard were so dry by then that it was welcome. The grapes were mostly excellent, and made some fabulous, cellarworthy wines. If anything, some may be a little low in acid but most should enjoy a long cellar life.
An awkward vintage with very mixed results, 2014 began like 2013, but soon swerved onto a very different trajectory, producing mixed and sometimes weak wines for earlier drinking. Like 2013, early spring was cool and wet. But in May, temperatures soared, and fruit set went well. But July was cool and very wet, and Barolo saw violent hailstorms. Rot was also a problem. Late summer saw better weather, warm and windy weather helping to improve the conditions of the grapes. By harvest, quality was very irregular. Those producers who delayed harvest got the best results. Some wines can be charming, some are shrill and defined by high acidity. Not a vintage with long cellar potential.
An extremely good vintage, on a par with 2010 and 2016. It began poorly, with excessive winter and spring rains. These delayed budbreak and encouraged fungal diseases to spread, and compounding the problems, many vineyards were too waterlogged for tractor access. Summer eventually brought better conditions in the form of hot, dry days, happily married to cooler nights. September stayed warm and dry, allowing the grapes to fully ripen for a late, leisurely harvest. The wines were fabulous, with big but smooth, ripe, integrated tannins and vibrant acidity. A vintage with the weight and structure for long-term aging. The best are sure to be drinking well, but may benefit from further aging and may have a potentially long cellar life ahead.
An awkward vintage. It began with heavy snow in February, which replenished the water table. The weather remained cool through spring, leading to delayed budburst and flowering. July was hot and saw some destructive hailstorms. August was even hotter, with temperatures frequently exceeding 40 degrees, causing vines to shut down and stop ripening. Some rain at the end of the month brought relief, and enabled the ripening cycle to resume. The wines are more defined by the cool stretches of the season than the hot period when many vines shut down, and generally lean towards the light-bodied, with low alcohol and high acidity. The best have a filigree elegance, with freshness and complexity. These are cellaring well and may be kept longer.
A very hot year, arguably better overall in Barbaresco than Barolo. Ripe grapes led to forceful wines. In some cases, high alcohol levels may have resulted in out-of-balance wines. Winter was very cold and March was very rainy, but the unexpectedly hot April accelerated budburst and flowering. The first half of summer was cool and damp and slowed things down again, but August was torrid. Water stress was at least not a problem as the early season rains had left sufficient water in the ground. Cooler conditions in September were also a relief, and some September rain allowed ripening to accelerate again. Harvest came early. Many great wines were made in a riper style. Acidity levels were surprisingly high as a result of acidities becoming concentrated. While the best wines do have the potential for more ageing, most 2011s are drinking very well now.
Widely regarded as a truly great vintage for Barolo, not quite as good for Barbaresco. The season started slowly with cool weather, and rain disrupted flowering, ultimately lowering yields. Spring frosts also caused damage in some areas, especially Barbaresco. June was cool and wet. Things turned around in July, which was hot and dry; August was blessed with hot days but cool nights, ideal conditions for Nebbiolo. September was mostly clear and bright. Most producers managed to stagger their harvest around October rains. Sorting tables were essential, but the grapes that made it through produced outstanding wines, with vigorous acidity balanced against firm, ripe tannins. Many are drinking beautifully and the best may still have a substantial cellar life ahead.
A hot, unsettled vintage with varied results, in which some producers excelled and others failed; definitely a year to know your producer. Winter rain and snow replenished dry soils and prepared the ground for what was to be a very hot summer ahead. Cool conditions held back the start of the growing season, but from April on, it became suddenly warm, accelerating growth. July was wet and fungal diseases spread in the vineyard; conditions changed altogether in August, when it became hot and dry. It stayed that way through to mid-September. Water stress became a problem and some vines stopped ripening. The most successful wines were ripe and plush with enough balancing acidity. These may be drinking very well now, though are probably not for the longest cellar aging.
In 2008 a cool growing season was followed by warm late summer conditions, leading to wines that sometimes seemed austere, but which have in many cases matured into beautifully expressive wines of terroir. The growing season began in warm conditions. But April was overcast and stormy. Unsettled conditions continued all the way through to July, and rot and mildew became serious problems. Things finally took a turn for the better in warm, dry August. In September the weather swung between warm and cool conditions, slowing ripening. The harvest for Nebbiolo in Barolo and Barbaresco did not take place till mid-October, one of the latest for several years. The wines were austere and acid-driven in youth, but have matured into intense, expressive wines.
An excellent year, with a warm and very dry season leading to low yields of plush, ripe wines. Winter saw very little snow or rain, leaving the ground dry at the start of the season. April was extremely warm and ought to have caused an accelerated start to the season, but the absence of water prevented nascent grape bunches from developing. June rains finally got the season back on track. Summer was generally very good, with hot days balanced by cool nights, but hail damaged some vineyards. Harvest saw an excellent crop of ripe fruit marked, and led to plush wines with good underlying structure. Most should be drinking at or around their peak now, and the best may be cellared further.
Despite a tricky growing season, 2006 turned out to be an excellent vintage, with structured, tannic wines that have rewarded cellar time. Overall, the growing season was cooler than usual, which led to some chewy tannins. But there was a heatwave in early July, followed by cool, damp August conditions when rot and mildew began to rear their head. September saw mostly bright, sunny conditions that brought the harvest home and cool September nights had helped imbue the grapes with acid-driven freshness. A good harvest set the stage for excellent wines. Many will be drinking very well now, and the best may continue to age.
A difficult vintage was beset in particular by harvest rains, and led to wines that were probably best drunk in the early to medium term. Spring began cool and wet, and the growing season started slowly. In summer, things turned around completely, and by August drought was becoming an issue. Towards the end of August, some vineyards were decimated by hailstorms. Then there five solid days of rain, with producers either rushing to harvest before the rain (with the risk that the fruit might be a little underripe) or run the alternative risk of the crop getting spoiled while waiting for the rains to clear. Some producers managed to make lovely wines, but overall quality was irregular. Some wines showed dilute and underripe notes. Drink up.
The much fresher, more balanced 2004 growing season was broadly welcomed after the unprecedented 2003 heatwave. Winter was cold and wet, and cold conditions continued through spring. As a result, the growing season got off to a slow start. But when they came, both budburst and flowering were successful. Summer was warm but never too hot; warm and dry conditions continued through autumn. These were crucially balanced by cool nights. The absence of extreme conditions led to an excellent vintage of balanced grapes. Yields were high across the board and in some instances this may have led to a lack of concentration. At this distance, the best wines are drinking well.
The year of Europe’s great heatwave. The growing season was extremely hot and dry, and saw some grapes shrivel on the vine, and some vines temporarily shut down and fail to ripen. Nebbiolo fared better than many grape varieties elsewhere in Europe due to its longer ripening cycle, and it was able to benefit from the cooler conditions that arrived with the onset of autumn. Quality at harvest was mixed, with some grapes ironically showing green, underripe qualities as a result of vines having shut down or slowed ripening during the heatwave. The best wines were ripe and full. Either way, probably not a vintage for further cellaring.
A terrible year saw rain, hail and rot. The season was partially redeemed by late good weather, but quality was irregular at best. Many wines were underripe and on the dilute side, and were best suited to early drinking. At this distance, all but the best are likely to be past it.
A great vintage, for producers as well as drinkers, with good volumes of great quality grapes. Much of the summer growing season managed the great trick of balancing hot days with cold nights, leading to the divine combination of ripe grapes with good levels of acidity. Harvest conditions were excellent and the wines were ripe and powerful, with high levels of both tannin and acidity. Very cellarworthy. At this age, the wines will all be drinking well and the best will continue to age.
A small but excellent quality vintage, with low yields of rich, concentrated wines with good cellar potential. Warm spring conditions led to early flowering, but the season was dramatically slowed down by the cold, wet July. Then a prolonged August heatwave concentrated the grapes, leading both to low overall volumes of juice and thus, powerful wines. Hailstorms at the end of August badly damaged some vineyards, further reducing yields. However, the quality of the grapes that made it to harvest was excellent. The wines are probably at their mature peak now.
