One of the Great Baroli of The Next Generation of Top Langhe Producers - Between Bussia and Canubi

 Gillardi
 - Fourth Generation Producer
 - Grandfather Started As a Winemaker at Ceretto and Has Worked there for 40 Years
 - He Supervises Winemaking at Gillardi

The 2016 Vintage
 - Like 1982 for Bordeaux
 - Better than Even the Legendary 2013
 - Bonkers Aromas
 - Terrific Fruit Quality 
 - Great Freshness, Density and Finesse
 - Maybe the Best Vintage to Drink Young I've Tasted
 - This Is THE Vintage to Try New Producers

2016 Gillardi Barolo Vignane
 - Spectacular Traditional Barolo
 - Competes with the Big Boys (Mascarello/Brovia/Burlotto) 
 - Most Production Is Dolcetto So they Are Unknown (Underpriced)
 - Classic Barolo Aromatics: Roses, Tar, Cherries
 - Stunning Palate Density: Dense Cherries, Spice
 - Penetrating Internal Aromatics
 - Terrific Structure
 - 2016: One of the Top 2 Vintages of the Past 20 Years
 - Terrific, Small Vineyard Between Bussia and Cannubi
 - On the Level of The Top Crus in the Langhe
 - The Lesser Blended Barolo Is $70 at Retail, This Would Cost $100+ at Traditional Retail
 - Maybe the Best Traditional Bottle of Barolo we Have Ever Sold
 - Expensive for Fass Selections Barolo But So Worth It As This Is So Special

2019 Gillardi Langhe Nebbiolo
- Brilliantly Well Made Introduction to Their Classic Style
- Nose of Deep Spice and Macerated Cherries
- Licorice and Such Deep Penetrating Cherry Aromas
- Awesome Strawberry and Herbs
- Palate: Ripe and Medium Bodied
- Terrific Purity and Energy
- Dynamite Fruit.
- Clear and Very Present

- Top Tier for Langhe Nebbiolo

The New Generation of Barolo Producers

We've been talking for a while about a new generation of producers in the Langhe. The winemakers that we've been selling are what we like to call polished traditional. They age in large barrels and while they use modern technology to ensure quality (e.g. temperature controlled fermentation) the wines are essentially cleaner and more consistent versions of the wine of old. Stylistically, these are similar to modern Burgundy. These are wines of elegance that certainly have fruit but are more about structure, balance and the classic spice, tobacco, tar and roses of Nebbiolo. They are the style of wines that made Barolo famous.  You are just getting a larger number of producers who are more consistent fro year to year.

Elena Gillardi 

I am thrilled to introduce Elena Gillardi of Azienda Agricola Gillardi, a fourth generation winemaker. Her grandfather has worked at Barolo/Barbaresco legend Ceretto for 40 years. He started as a winemaker at Ceretto and is now helping in the cellar at Gillardi.  Elena and her father learned at his side in the cellar and in the vineyards. They are most famous for their brilliant Dolcettos. Especially the unreal Dogliani. The Baroli were a lifetime dream of Elena's father which was realized in the past decade. 

The style is very clearly traditional. And very well made traditional but they have that extra that makes them truly special. To have the Vignane in a blind lineup of both Mascarello, Brovia and Burlotto would turn some heads. These wines are almost a throwback in the sense that the fruit density is much lower than the average post climate change Baroli of today. These are wines with the structure and balance to age for decades. 

These are classic, classic, classically made wines.  They are meant to age but can be drunk young with an ample decant if you want to check in early. These are the most overbooked and under appreciated wines in our Italian portfolio. I adore these wines. They have stunning color, stunning aromas and the clarity and fruit definition is top top notch. They have unreal terroir character and structure to age decades. The 2016 Barolo Vignane along with the 2016 Sara Vezza Barolo Ravera are among my two favorite 16 Barolos I've tried.   

The 2016 Vintage in Barolo

I've been slowly tasting through 2016 Barolo at my apartment and this is the most incredible vintage I've ever tasted. The wines blow the 2013s off the table. This is like an 1982 Bordeaux vintage for Barolo and Barbaresco. But to be even more honest I think 2016 Barolo is even better than 2016 Barbaresco. And 2016 Barbaresco is completely ridiculous. I can't emphasize how good 2016 is. It's historic. If it was a normal time we'd all be talking about it. It's the best current vintage that is releasing wines into the market of any region that we sell and in general.  

The style of this vintage is like a Lamborghini Diablo. Just rows of them. Most wines that I taste are like that. The bonkers aromas, the quality of the fruit and tannin, the freshness, the density, the finesse, the length. It is all there and tuned up to 11. Maybe 10.5. It's regal yet restrained. It's probably most like a super 89. Maybe 78. It's the most amazing vintage I can remember tasting young. 

The first wine is their top Barolo. This is a special a Nebbiolo as we have ever sold. It is utterly
profound. The 2016 Gillardi Barolo Vignane for $83.99 each on a 3-pack. As we know 2016 was a fantastic vintage in Barolo with some of the most glorious, deep, vivid fruit I have ever tasted in young Baroli. Many consider it alongside 2010 as the best vintage of the past 20 years. Many of the 2016s have been brooding and darker fruited. This wine has the density from the year but none of the dark fruit. As I noted it's a classic, classic old school Barolo. A throwback. And a beautiful throwback. Vignane is a terrific, small vineyard between Bussia and Cannubi. That's a nice zip code  This is the only cru of this small vineyard that I am aware of.

I've been so excited to taste this and wow oh wow is this one of the best 16s so far. Insane.

Deep, penetrating, layered nose of dark ripe cherries, unreal dried and fresh roses and so much more. The smells are so profound here. On pop and pour. Raspberry. So so fresh and so much fruit. But so pure and bursting out of the glass. This is so legit. 9.8 nose. This is rare air. Sick. Sick. Sick. This nose is classic old school Barolo. After air it gets more and more complex. Big cherry, spice, roses, tar and tobacco.  Also has super vivid and detailed bright bright red cherries but they also are sappy and voluminous. Gorgeous roses and hit of licorice and even a slight hint and just a hint of anise that is so perfect. Wow. Leather, chestnut, old library books, tweed jacket. Just so much going on. This Barolo is old school original gangsta Barolo, not post global warming Barolo. It has a cooling sense to the fruit. Linear, precise, yet so utterly classic. The nose is exactly what you want and why you buy Barolo. Just really incredible tar and roses. But really just stunningly pretty. Like imagine a bush full of pink roses aromatizing all over you on a spring day.  

What a palate. Wow, what a palate. Just an amalgam of sweet fruit. The most vivid, detailed black cherries one can imagine. Just bursting with intensity and purity. Man is this clean and compact. Sick complexity. Silky, sweet, ripe and intense tannins that are delicate and super suave. This is a baby but has unlimited potential. Supernatural balance and freshness here. Wow. Juicy and complex with a wonderful core of deep, bright and sappy black and red cherry fruit. So gorgeous. Amazing fruit cling on the palate and ample velve but sturdy tannins. Obviously holding a lot back but really a stunning and very complete Barolo. Knockout finish with such a brilliant hit of that bright black cherry fruit. After some air the palate gains density with just superb cherry fruit. Not dense as in fruity but dense as in you can sense the weight on the palate. Terrific spiciness as well. The internal aromatics are off the charts: rose, tobacco. There is some really good fruit on this wine which really grows like a crescendo on the palate.  Medium bodied - think blackberries crossed with medium ripe black cherries. Just great tar and roses internal aromatics with great juiciness.  Tannins are really silky. This wine has incredible structure and will age for decades even though it can be enjoyed today with a decant. The quality is off the charts. Truly one of the best Barolo we have ever sold and a top top 16. Gave this a 9.7 on Delectable. 

Up next is the 2019 Gillardi Langhe Nebbiolo and this is absolutely a monster of a Nebbiolo and is one of the greatest Langhe Nebbiolos I've ever had. 19 is the next 16. Trust me. This is $25.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. 

What a color. Nose of deep spice and macerated cherries. Florals as well. So so aromatic. She's got the touch. Licorice and such deep penetrating cherry aromas.  Some herbals and leather on the nose as it aerates.  Strawberry preserves develop on the nose as well.  After more air the nose is just awesome strawberry, herbs and cherries. 

Palate is ripe and medium bodied with terrific purity and energy. Sappy and stunningly compact. This is a great Langhe Nebbiolo. Dynamite fruit. Clear and very present. Such a pretty wine. Terrific grip and persistence on the palate. Very very good. Palate is so complete and loose but focused. Juicy and long. Textbook Langhe Nebbiolo.

2016 Gillardi Barolo Vignane - $85.99 ($251.97 3-pack)

2019 Gillardi Langhe Nebbiolo - $27.99 ($103.96 4-Pack)