2018 Cordero di Montezemolo, Langhe, Arneis (RT90) Cordero crafts a beautiful Arneis year after year, making it one of my favorite Arneis of the Barolo municipalities. With a pale straw hue, it delivers a soft, round aromatic profile with notes of lemon zest, honeydew, white peach, white grapefruit and a smattering of light tropical fruit notes. The palate is ripe and delicious, with ample acidity and a pleasing mouthfeel. This is a fine food wine that overdelivers for the price point and should be able to be had for around $20. Drink now-2023
2017 Cordero di Montezemolo, Langhe, Nebbiolo (RT89) Showing a highly translucent ruby garnet hue, this is a light, ethereal wine with notes of fresh strawberry, red raspberry and white floral notes. A slightly sappy character emerges with time in the glass. Bright acidity and medium tannins emerge on the finish. Available in the mid-to-upper $20s. Drink 2020-2025+
2016 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Funtani (RT92) Crafted from 50-year-old vines and aged in various age barriques for a year followed by a year in bottle, the total production is close to 10,000 bottles. The 2016 Funtani shows ripe notes of plum, red cherry, dried herbs and hints of new saddle leather. The palate is delicious with an attractive richness, ripe fruit, refreshing but not dominant acidity and soft tannin. Hints of minerality come through as it opens in the glass. This will benefit from a couple more years of bottle age and will drink well for another 8-10 years. Funtani is a premium Barbera that traded in the mid-to-upper $40s. Drink 2020-2030+
2014 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Monfalletto (RT91) From estate grown grapes grown in the Monfalletto Cru of La Morra, this is aged for approximately 20 months in a combination of Slavonian botti and French barrique with about 20% new. This is a large production wine – 40,000 plus bottles – of excellent provenance and the quality is high. Showing a dark ruby hue, the bouquet expresses morello cherry, plum and hints of mineral driven anise. It enters the mouth with soft, luxurious texture showing the approachability of the vintage. This is a vintage for early drinking, one that is perfect for restaurants. An enchanting expression of the vintage. Trades in the upper $30s-upper $40s. Drink 2019-2034+
2015 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Monfalletto (RT93) Showing a deep ruby russet hue, the bouquet emerges with thunderous ripe cherry, anise, red licorice and notes of black tea and fresh plum. The balance is excellent showing a richness and ripeness I often associate with lower elevation Barolo vineyards. Decidedly dense and full in the mouth, the ripeness of the fruit teeters against its excellent acidity and ripe tannin making this an excellent early drinking Barolo, but one that will also develop in a positive direction. Very well done, Monfalletto presents an exceptional Barolo value and trades in the upper $30s-upper $40s. Drink 2022-2045+
2015 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Gattera (RT94) This Cru bottling is crafted from fruit from the Gattera vineyard in La Morra and shows grand class and loads of finesse. Small production with just over 5,000 bottles produced annually, Gattera is aged for 19-21 months in a combination of botti and barrique, about 20% new. With a full ruby hue, it presents a captivating bouquet built on a frame of red cherry, plum, licorice, menthol and balsam. The mouthfeel is full, mouthcoating and the acids and tannins balanced extremely well. Based on my drinking window, I suggest giving this some cellar time to come together and express its finest. 2015 is another beautiful vintage of Gattera, it can be found in the low $70-upper$80s. Drink 2025-2045+
2013 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Enrico VI (RT95) The second of Cordero’s Cru bottlings – Enrico VI – comes from a long-owned, 2.2 hectare plot in Castiglione del Falletto’s Villero Cru, where many superb bottlings are sourced. This is sacred ground and a world class source for mind blowing wines. Aged 20 months in a combination of botti and barrique, 20% is new. The 2013 Enrico VI shows a full ruby hue as the aromatics takes a step up from the Gattera bottling with notes of red cherry, cedar, dust and background details of dried herbs and salumi. With time in the glass its minerality comes out of the shadows, reinforcing its serious structure. The mouthfeel takes on an exceptional character, showing richness, firm acidity and sublime, ripe tannins, yet all the while showing the austerity of great Barolo. This wine centers around its structure and will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring for it to fully come together. It will drink well for decades, a wine for cellaring, but with ample O2 can be enjoyed at a younger age. Available in the $90-100 price range. Drink 2024-2044+
2015 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Enrico VI (RT95+) The 2015 shows a full, dark ruby hue with soaring notes of mentholated red cherry, violet, sappy balsam and hints of spice. Its serious structure emerges as it opens in the glass. The mouthfeel expresses a seriously structured expression of Nebbiolo with a structured, firm ripeness, strong acidity and ripe, sweet tannins, all the while revealing its classic Barolo sternness. This is a wine for long term cellaring, one that will take some time to come together and show its true inner beauty. Give it another 5-7 years of cellaring and follow it for decades. Available in the $90-100 price range. Drink 2025-2050+