Regular

"The 2019 Barolo Cerviano-Merli is a dark, layered wine. Black cherry, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice, cloves and gravel are some of the many notes that take shape in this dynamic, layered Barolo. Give this a few years to soften."

A classic vintage for Barolo, 2019 is a Barolo with a very strong and austere structure, wines with great aging potential that will give us some of the best bottles of this denomination in the future. Pressenda, one of the most suitable vineyards in Monforte d’Alba, is characterized by the elegance and intensity of its aromas. Ruby red color with garnet reflections in the glass, intense aromas of balsamic herbs, undergrowth and berries on the nose, on the palate firm tannin but enveloping and very ripe, very vertical and elegant texture.

"The 2019 Barolo Pressenda unfolds in the glass with dark red cherry, menthol, licorice, rose petal, mint, sweet spice and orange peel. Firm tannins are pretty forbidding at this stage, but that should be less of an issue with bottle age. This opens nicely with time in the glass."

Barbaresco Gallina is typically elegant with its refined bouquet and palate, and assertive tannins. It is the expression of a marl soil rich in fine sand. Red in colour with pale garnet tinges. Particular finesse in the bouquet, with balance and complexity, scents of ripe red fruit, spices and violets (typical of Nebbiolo). Mouth-filling tannins, excellent persistence on the palate.

"The 2022 Barbaresco Gallina is a classy, understated offering. Crushed flowers, orange peel, cinnamon and red-toned fruit all grace this elegant, understated Barbaresco. The 2022 is on the lighter side structurally, but all the elements are impeccably balanced."

The 2020 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sant'Urbano seduces with a savory and darkly alluring blend of dried black cherries, mentholated herbs, clove and shavings of citrus-laced dark chocolate. It sweeps across the palate with textures of pure silk, showcasing stunning minerality as crisp red berry fruits cascade across a core of stimulating acidity. It finishes incredibly long, leaving a salty flourish and a bitter cocoa twang as grippy tannins frame the experience beautifully. The 2020 possesses an incredibly classic feel.

The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is remarkably pretty, wafting up with nuances of rose and violet that complement wild strawberries and crushed cherries. It is lifted and pure, offering a lovely mix of fresh red berry fruits and saline mineral tones under an air of inner florals. The finish is of medium length with subtle lavender tones, just lightly tannic. The 2021 will gain further body and depth through maturity.  

Brilliant garnet-red color, with warmer tinges developing over time. Unmistakeable bouquet, very pleasant, intense yet ethereal, very persistent, at times spiced, with aromas of truffles, liquorice and dried flowers. Dry taste, with important, full tannins.

The 2021 Barolo is fabulous. Aromatic, pliant and wonderfully inviting. Oddero's Barolo shows just how appealing this vintage is. Crushed flowers, red/blue-toned fruit, spice and perfumed notes build nicely in the glass. Polished, silky tannins wrap it all together in style. Vineyard sources are Bricco Chiesa, Capalot, Bricco Fiasco and a bit of Galina. Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: January 2025   92 pts © 2025 Vinous Media

The 2021 Barbera d'Alba Gallina is pretty impressive in this vintage. Dark and potent, with terrific persistence, the Gallina has plenty of texture that has always been a signature but without the heaviness and strong oak imprint that was at times penalizing. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, licorice, mocha and rose petals scream out of the glass. Pretty floral top notes brighten the finish.

The 2021 Barbera d'Asti Superiore Bionzo is redolent of blackberry, gravel, incense, licorice, graphite and dark spice. As always, the Bionzo is a brooding Barbera from Asti although these days the wines aren't as huge as they were just a few years ago.

The 2021 Dolce & Gabbana Trancredi is youthfully coiled, holding its power in reserve. It opens with a hauntingly dark bouquet of mentholated herbs, cocoa, gravel dust and dried black cherries. Elegant in style, it offers silken textures and depths of ripe red and black fruits, which gain tension as saline mineral tones and a bitter dark chocolate saturation amass toward the close. Tannic and staining, the 2021 finishes long and classically dry, leaving a resonance of blackberry and a hint of sage to linger. Currently wrapped up tight and in need of cellaring.