- 98 points -

The 2016 Barolo Brunate is a powerful, vertical wine endowed with tremendous explosive energy and intensity. Crushed flowers, mint, spice and dried flowers open up in the glass, but it is the wine's energy that really elevates it into the stratosphere. In the glass, the 2016 is dark, somber and full of the sepia-toned nuances that are such signatures of this great Barolo vineyard. This is the first vintage that includes Vietti's newest parcel in Brunate. Perhaps more importantly, though, the 2016 is the first vintage in which French oak is minimal. This is a stunning vintage for the Brunate.

- 97 points -

Luca Currado farms in the Brunate cru on the La Morra side of the vineyard (as opposed to the Barolo side), and this wine includes fruit from new parcels. The differences are subtle to be sure, but I always associate La Morra with an extreme silkiness and softness. I find those qualities apply to this wine. The Vietti 2016 Barolo Brunate shows blue flowers, forest fruit, wild cherry and truffle-infused earth. It reveals a lean but open-knit quality that you sense in the mouth. That softness, or textural silkiness, continues for many long minutes with hints of mint, licorice and camphor ash doled out carefully along the way. The tannins are polished and long. This is an extremely elegant Brunate.

- 97 points -

Vietti's Brunate plots sit on the La Morra side of this cru. Fermented in stainless steel then transferred directly to large oak casks for ageing, it offers engaging and penetrating aromas of cedar, red cherry, blood orange, sage blossom and rose. The palate demonstrates the austere personality of Brunate and will require a few years in bottle to unfurl. Dense and layered with profound depth, chewy tannins and persistent red berries, this is a fantastically complete wine.

- 97 points -

Very layered and tannic with dried-strawberry, cedar and chocolate aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied, yet so balanced and pretty. Tight, yet creamy texture, making it so approachable. Better than the 2015. Better after 2023.

- 96 points -

Graceful and focused, displaying rose, strawberry, cherry and eucalyptus flavors, this red also reveals a solid spine of tannins on the finish. This is balanced, yet needs a few years to find its stride. Shows terrific energy and freshness. Best from 2023 through 2043. 304 cases made, 73 cases imported.

- 96 points -

• The 2017 Barolo Brunate is a powerful, brooding wine. Huge dark fruit, leather, spice, menthol and dried herbs all build in a potent Barolo that is enshrouded by tannins. The 2017 is going to need quite a bit of time in the cellar. Today, it is very much a brooding powerhouse. Dark wild cherry, licorice, tar, menthol and spice take shape in the glass, but the 2017 is clearly an infant, and an unruly one at that.

- 95 points -

The Barolo Brunate was not made in 2014 because of hail damage. Instead, all the fruit was diverted to the Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco instead. This newest release, the 2015 Barolo Brunate, definitely makes up for the lost ground. This is an explosive and absolutely exuberant expression of Nebbiolo from a vineyard site in La Morra near M. Marengo’s property. Vietti farms two parcels here, a higher side of the vineyard and a lower one (near Damilano and Ceretto). These lower parts of Brunate perform very nicely in the cooler vintages. Instead, this warm vintage expression puts a lot of its fruit depth and personality upfront in a confident and no-fuss manner. You absolutely know what you are getting here, even at the first sniff of the bouquet. The wine proceeds to open and blossom before your nose, offering dark fruit, rose, spice and a very linear mineral tone at the back. That linear flinty note is just terrific. Some 3,600 were produced.

- 95 points -

A refined, silky red marked by a mix of rose, strawberry, cherry, eucalyptus and white pepper aromas and flavors. Shows ample structure and fine intensity as this builds to a long, dusty, mineral-tinged finish. Harmonious, firm and fresh. Best from 2026 through 2042. 304 cases made, 73 cases imported.

- 95 points -

With fruit from La Morra, the mid-weight 2018 Barolo Brunate shows a pretty softness and a delicate side with dried rose, lilac and blue flower. The wine completes malolactic fermentation in barrique and is later moved into large oak casks for aging. This dual oak treatment is part of Vietti's secret recipe for producing the silky tannins and fine texture you taste here. A production of 4,493 bottles, the wine is recognized by that distinctive aromatic finale of licorice and balsam herb.

- 95 points -

A ripe, fleshy style, offering plum, cherry, leather, menthol and iron aromas and flavors. Hints of rose and strawberry peek through as this builds to the long finish. There are formidable tannins too, yet they remain civilized and should allow this to develop nicely over time. Best from 2025 through 2050. 304 cases made, 73 cases imported. 

- 94 points -

Sweet raspberries and strawberries on the nose, as well as some chalky minerals. Full-bodied with a tight bead of fruit and mineral flavors that have a hand on the firm tannins and produce good focus and drive at the end. Needs time to integrate. Try from 2025.

- 94 points -

Beautiful, sweet fruit and perfumes on the nose with fresh flowers, such as roses. Full-bodied with fine, dusty tannins and a long, persistent finish. Very caressing. Builds on the palate at the end. Drink after 2024.

- 15 points -

15.5

Barolo. Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby with orange tinges. A little brooding with sweet top notes from oak. Supple cherry fruit that just manages to follow through on the finish. Sweet-sour cherry finish with grainy tannins