One of Our Great Barolo Deals Ever - A Secret, Important Barolo Cru from the Classic 2015 Vintage - Under $40, Read the Last Line of the E-Mail

The 2015 Vintage
 - Terrific Fruit
 - Best Vintage Since 2010 - - -Maybe Better?

2015 Palazzo Schiavino Barolo
 - Gorgeous Aromatics: Dark Cherries, Tar, Burnt Orange Rind, Sour Cherries, Leather, Spices Galore, Oolong Tea
 - Palate: Amazing Density of Fruit, Light on Its Feet and Very Fresh
 - Classic Balance and Insanely Terrific Length
 - Will Age 20-25 Years

2015 Palazzo Schiavini Barolo Massara
 - At $39.99 This is an Insane Value 
 - The Best "Cru" Value We've Ever Sold
 - Nose: Spices, Dark, Dark Cherries, End of Season Cherries, Cherry Flower, Roses, Tar, Leather
 - Superbly Complex and so Profound
 - Huge, Huge Reckoning Level Spice
 - Dense and Super Chewy
 - Beautiful Balance, Texture and Mouthfeel
 - 20-25 Year Wine That Will Become Insanely Refined As It Develops
 - Barolo Royalty, Terrrific Vintage, Great Vineyard Under $40

A Crazy Secret in the Last Paragraph...
 - Even Better Deals than It Appears

Verduno's Rising Star: the Paradox of Elegant Accessibility
Everyone now loves Verduno because that's where the 100 point Burlotto wine comes from. I'm all for anything that puts a micro region on the map as if one winery gets into the stratosphere, that means the others below get attention but usually, initially do not get the price boost.

It's really important to know that in Verduno the Baroli are very elegant and accessible. That's the trademark.  Elegant and accessible can sometimes be simple and not that interesting but then you get Burlotto leading the charge or De Montille or Bertheau in Volnay and Chambolle and one can see that elegant and accessible can be a very very good thing. And today's wines are elegant, refined, accessible have the perfect energetic and dynamic fruit expression of 2015.

The 2015 Vintage
2015 is one of the most well fruited young vintages of Langhe wines I've ever tasted. The fruit is pure, opulent, not too much as in vulgar, and so sappy and juicy.  Not quite the explosiveness of the legendary 2010s but  a bit more restrained and dare I say, Fassy.  It's got clarity and definition. I adore 2015. The finesse in these wines is off the charts and, other than the powerful 2010 vintage, arguably the best vintage in Piedmont over the past 20 years.

The Wines
Up first is the 2015 Palazzo Schiavino Barolo for $32.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. Please, I am

begging you, do not judge this wine by the price. That would be a massive mistake. Via 3 tiers this is easily $50+ Barolo and the quality really shows. As soon as I opened it I was entranced by the aromas. They were gorgeous. Dark cherries, tar, burnt orange rind, sour cherries, leather, spices galore, oolong tea and maybe black tea. So complete and classic. After extensive air there is even bigger cherry and it comes across as much deeper. Spice and minerals almost overflow out of the glass. It was so aromatic and really wide open.

Palate has amazing density of fruit yet remains light on its feet and very fresh. Juicy and ridiculously sweet and just saturates the palate. Velvety tannins. So much energy and clarity and the fruit is just sick.  Lovely acidity in this really percolates the fruit on the finish. Gorgeous sweet tannins makes this a substantial wine but very drinkable. This is utterly delicious and very well made with classic balance and insanely terrific length. Terrific energy and so fresh and lean yet with thrilling 2013. This is great now but will have no issue aging 20 years. This is a remarkable value. The Langhe is like Burgundy in the 70s and 80s. New producers every day popping up that offer amazing value. But not for long.

Up next we have the 2015 Palazzo Schiavini Barolo Massara for $39.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. This is even a better deal as Massara is a heralded Cru that the two most famous producers, Burlotto and Castello di Verduno make world famous examples.
 - The 2015 Massara from Castello di Verduno is $55-$70. I've had that wine. This is equal or better.
 - The 2015 from GianCarlo Burlotto is $80 a bottle.

At $39.99 this is an insane value and best "Cru" value we've ever sold. The Cru is high up at 700 meters and the wine is aged classically in casks after a long 45 day maceration.

Deep deep nose of spices, dark dark cherries, end of season cherries, cherry flower roses, tar, leather and just so many provocative aromas. Tobacco and blackberry along even some Puer-eh tea. Superbly complex and so profound. Beautiful designer leather. Huge, huge reckoning level spice.

Deep, juicy and very drinkable despite being superbly complex. Having said that it could use maybe a 2-3 year period to work off a bit of the tannins.  Dense and super chewy with fiercely juicy fruit and velvety tannins. Wow. It's just so, so intense. Darker and richer then the normal Barolo. Balance of this wine is beautiful despite all the material. After around 12 hours the palate is rich and ripe and super velvety with lovely structure and fresh fruit. Beautiful balance, texture and mouthfeel. Super complete. Amazing acidity and freshness. What length. Minutes. This is amazing. This will be a 20-25 year wine and at its best in 2-3 years.   As this ages and the aromatics come to the fore, this will be a classic, classic, textbook Barolo.  At this price, this is a 4 pack purchase for sure and more if you can store it.


Now, here's the secret of these wine. This is the same label as Cascina Massara from Gian Carlo Burlotto. The Massara is the same wine as the Massara from Burlotto that I referenced as being $70.   Barolo royalty, from a terrific vintage and a great vineyard for under $40.  Happy Tuesday.

2015 Palazzo Schiavino Barolo - $34.99 ($131.96 4-pack) 

2015 Palazzo Schiavino Barolo "Massara" - $41.99 ($159.96 4-pack)