2016 is an exceptional vintage in the Langhe. The Barolo wines combine power with elegance and finesse in a way that - apart from a few top producers who regularly manage this balancing act - we only experience so clearly in exceptional years. The best wines also have freshness, life and a suppleness that make them beguiling and deceptively accessible even in their youth. Yet they offer enough depth, structure and complexity to develop positively over years, often decades.
However, simpler wines can also be found in 2016. They have developed faster than others, are less substantial and complex, a little brittle or without the depth for higher consecrations. But we encountered almost no really weak Barolos. On the other hand, we were able to discover many excellent examples from houses that we had either never heard of before or had not considered in terms of top quality. It has hardly ever been more worthwhile to search for gems off the beaten track!
We have tasted around 250 Barolos for this BEST OF, of which, for reasons of space, we can present here and as PDF we can only present the best. This is followed by another 59 Barolo alone with 90 points (which at wein.plus, which we do not participate in the general points inflation, still represent a very high score), which once again illustrates how good the vintage turned out, even across the board. You can find all the wines tasted with all the detailed ratings and producer information by clicking on the respective link under the best lists.
- 97WP Brunate, Giuseppe Rinaldi
- 96WP "Tre Tine", Giuseppe Rinaldi
- 96WP "Sperss", Gaja
- 94WP "Dagromis", Gaja
- 94WP Vignarionda, Luigi Pira
- 93WP Cannubi, Luigi Einaudi
- 93WP Brunate, Batasiolo
- 93WP Briccolina, Batasiolo
- 93WP Cerequio, Batasiolo
- 93WP La Serra, Gianni Voerzio
- 93WP Villero, Achille Boroli
- 93WP Cerequio, Achille Boroli
- 93WP Margheria, Luigi Pira
- 92WP San Giovanni, Gianfranco Alessandria
- 92WP Bussia, Luigi Einaudi
- 92WP Bricco San Pietro Vigna d'la Roul, Rocche dei Manzoni
- 92WP "Aeroplanservaj", Domenico Clerico
- 92WP Brunella, Achille Boroli
- 92WP Bussia, Armando Parusso
- 92WP Arborina, Mauro Veglio
- 92WP Marenca, Luigi Pira
- 92WP Parussi, Gianfranco Bovio
- 92WP Arborina, Gianfranco Bovio
- 92WP Cannubi, Francesco Rinaldi
- 92WP Ginestra, Aldo Clerico
- 92WP Bricco Boschis, Cavallotto
- 91WP Terlo Vigna Costa Grimaldi, Luigi Einaudi
- 91WP "R.G.", Carlo Revello
- 91WP Cannubi, Réva Monforte
- 91WP "Pajana", Domenico Clerico
- 91WP Mariondino, Armando Parusso
- 91WP La Serra, Marcarini
- 91WP Paiagallo, Mauro Veglio
- 91WP Castelletto, Mauro Veglio
- 91WP Prapò, Luigi Vico
- 91WP Comune di Castiglione Falletto, Anna Maria Abbona
- 91WP Conca, Mauro Molino
- 91WP "Gallinotto", Mauro Molino
- 91WP La Serra, Michele Reverdito
- 91WP Margheria, Massolino
- 91WP Parussi, Massolino
- 91WP Rocche dell'Annunziata, Rocche Costamagna
- 91WP Brunate, Mario Marengo
- 91WP Bricco San Pietro, Cascina Sòt
- 91WP Villero, Giacomo Fenocchio
- 91WP Brunate, Francesco Rinaldi
- 91WP Comune di Serralunga d'Alba, Aldo Clerico
- 91WP Riva Rocca, Claudio Alario
- 91WP Pio Cesare
- 91WP La Serra, Alberto Voerzio
- 91WP Rocchettevino, Gianfranco Brovio
- 91WP Gattera, Gianfranco Bovio
- 91WP Coste di Rose, Bric Cenciurio
- 91WP Perno, Gianmatteo Raineri
- 91WP Bussia, Poderi Fogliati
- 91WP Mosconi, Piero Benevelli
- 91WP Parafada, Palladino
- 91WP "La Villa", Fratelli Seghesio
- 91WP Bussia Vigna Pianpolvere, Famiglia Anselma
- 91WP Lazzarito, Famiglia Anselma
- 91WP "Biologico", Terre del Barolo
- 95WP Bricco Boschis Riserva Vigna San Giuseppe, Cavallotto
- 92WP Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva "Bricco Francesco", Rocche Costamagna
- 92WP Scarrone Vigna Mandorlo Riserva, F.lli Giacosa
- 91WP Riserva "Vinum Vita Est", Terre del Barolo
- 91WP Riserva "Marasco", Franco M. Martinetti
