Having spent a week tasting the new vintage of Barolo (over 300 of them!) I found it hard not to fall instantly in love with the wines – which is not what I was expecting when I boarded the flight to Turin, having read only one major critic’s report of the vintage. But I suppose the clue is in the name – “critic.” 2018 is not a blockbuster vintage for Barolo, but then neither were 2012 or 2009 and yet if you bought the right producers, then both of those vintages are drinking beautifully today.

We had the privilege of tasting many 2016s during our trip, which I am increasingly convinced is one of the truly legendary vintages for Barolo, akin to ’64 or ’71, and while these wines will be magnificent one day, there is something undeniably charming about the 2018s right now that makes me want them equally as much in my cellar. The best 2018s are aromatically soaring, bursting full of sweet red fruit, fresh as a daisy, and with moreish velvety tannins. These might not be Barolo to put away for the grandchildren, but if, like me, you plan on drinking some wine within the next twenty years, then 2018 is a gorgeous vintage to buy. Some of these wines will even drink well immediately upon arrival.

Because of the challenges of 2018 in Barolo, many producers have made a fraction of what they would in a normal year, and as such, quantities are strictly limited. At some properties, like traditionalists Giacomo Ascheri, they have produced just a straight Barolo, with no single Cru. At others, like Castello di Verduno, they made a complete range but worked even harder to preserve freshness and aromatics. It is in vintages like 2018 that the true skill of the winemaker comes through, and in the selection we will be showing at our Piemonte tasting (see below), you have a lot of very talented winemaking.

Barbaresco 2019 is a different story entirely. A foreshadowing of the greatness we will no doubt see in Barolo in a year’s time, 2019 is clearly an outstanding vintage for Piemonte. A regular growing season with two heat spikes at the end of June and early July has added depth and richness, while the cooler nights towards the end of the growing season has maintained freshness and poise, the balance producing some incredible wines. We tasted very selectively, but everything left a lasting impression, especially the hauntingly beautiful Sorí Paitin. With 2020 and 2021 looking equally promising, we could be in for a trilogy of great vintages, in which case my advice is to tuck 2019s safely away in the knowledge that you are buying an excellent vintage, with two more on the horizon which you will receive preferential access to. These wines will require time in the cellar and patience, but will be glorious.