Extraordinary 2019 Barolos from Cordero di Montezemolo!
Cordero di Montezemolo’s enlightened winemaking style continues to turn out impressive results of the highest quality for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 vintage, making it a triad of excellent successes. Even the 2022 vintage – with respect to their early drinking wines – is proving a success, evidenced by my tasting notes.
Over the past 5-8 years the winery has engaged in an aggressive land acquisition program by both purchasing and leasing a variety of vineyards to support their production and assortment of their “young, early drinking wines”, like Arneis, Langhe Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera d’Alba.
In the last year they have also purchased 3 hectares at a higher elevation in the hills of the Langhe, where the goal is to plant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for the production of their Metodo Classico sparkling wine called Viaventi, which is currently their only bottling not produced from estate grown fruit. They may also use some of the fruit grown on this new property for Elioro Chardonnay (a wine I did not review for this article). Time will tell if there is a reward for this risk. They also upgraded some vinification vessels adding cement vats for aging and storage of wines that are not aged in oak, such as their Dolcetto and Langhe Nebbiolo.
Regarding the 2019 Baroli tasted for this article, it is an impressive vintage based on all the samples I’ve spent time with, and the winemakers and vignerons are equally impressed. It will serve as the base launch into a triad of excellent vintages in succession: 2019, 2020 & 2021. Alberto Cordero, who along with Enrico Olivieri have been the vignerons for the Cordero winery for over 20 years, said “Concerning the 2019 Barolo what I can say? It’s a top vintage making part the fabulous trio 2019-20-21. The most concentrated and rich of the three will be the 2019s. 2020 will show more on the finesse while 2021 the perfect mix of the elegance and concentration of the previous two.”
Alberto goes on talking about the recent 2022 vintage “It was the driest year in history, and very hot too! We had to take important and strategic decisions during farming and finally we are very happy, although there is probably a lot of diversity in terms of quality and tasting profile from producer to producer in this vintage. Concerning the Barolos, for 2022, because of very limited production, we will skip the single vineyard bottlings and focus on one unique wine: Monfalletto.” So, there will be no Gattera, Enrico VI or Gorette in 2022.
Looking back at the 2019 vintage, with respect to Nebbiolo for their Baroli, after a dry, and somewhat windy winter, budding began in mid-March. April and May were fortunately rainy and thus avoided early drought conditions. A dry June followed by a sweltering July with abundant rain reinvigorated the development of the vines as the ensuing hot summer was refreshed by occasional rains. On September 5th the tail of a major hailstorm essentially decimating their easternmost slopes with damage focused on the hill tops. “We had the most evident damage in our vineyards of Madonna di Como (Alba) where the leaf wall was completely destroyed and each bunch was “drilled” by hailstones. The entirety of that area – mostly Dolcetto and Arneis – was harvested in the following days to avoid further damage from rot.” The Roero area was unimpacted as was Cordero’s vineyards in the Villero Cru. “We had the greatest damage to Nebbiolo in the Bricco Manescotto vineyard, which is part of Monfalletto blend. Not serious damage, but substantially affecting all varieties and every area of the Monfalletto area. We had recently harvested the Chardonnay and started on September 4th harvesting the Dolcetto. After the hailstorm we made all the Dolcetto in 2 days to avoid drops in quality and/or rot/botrytis and then in the following days we concentrated on meticulously cleaning the Nebbiolo bunches: one by one, berry by berry. An enormous job of cleaning and selection accompanied, fortunately, under perfect weather.” Post hailstorm the rain came to a halt, followed by sunny days with cool nights. This was the finest outcome they could have wished for, and it allowed enough time for some vine healing and a period perfect for ripening. Harvest arrived in the first two weeks of October as it developed into a close out for the vintage with ideal harvest perfect conditions.
The harvest dates for the various Barolo bottlings, again, specifically for the 2019 vintage, were:
- Monfalletto – October 9th -14th
- Villero (Enrico VI) – October 10th
- Gorette (fruit for their Barolo Riserva) – October 10th
- Gattera. October 11th
The grapes arrived in the cellar in impeccable condition and of perfect ripeness, acidity, and sugar, which is evident in my Tasting Notes that follow. Classic fermentations lasted roughly 15 days while net yields were a bit lower than expected. All in, it was an excellent vintage for Cordero di Montezemolo and more broadly, Barolo at large. Alberto Cordero and his partner in the vineyards – Emanuele Grasso, who has worked in the vineyards since 2017 – are credited with creating a complete success when poor vineyard management would have otherwise led to far less successful results. Vinification proceeded as normal and now that the bottles have been released and are beginning to move into the market, the fruits of their labors can be enjoyed by all.
2022 Cordero di Montezemolo, Arneis Langhe (RT90) This vintage’s Arneis is a bit riper than previous vintages, and as a result, a bit more approachable. Showing an attractive platinum hue, the bouquet is dominated by lemon zest, honey dew melon, white flowers, and crushed gravel. The palate is medium in weight, with a soft, seductive, and delicious core of fruit. A lovely vintage for this tasty wine, perfect for those coming spring nights! Drink now-2025+ Tasted November 2023
2022 Cordero di Montezemolo, Dolcetto d’Alba (RT90) A freshly styled, early drinking Dolcetto, that’s aged in stainless steel to preserve its freshness. Deep ruby with an overall purple cast, here serious fruit reveals itself with notes of blackberry, mentholated damson plum, purple flowers and hints of dolomite limestone dust. The palate delivers fat, mouth-filling fruit, mouthwatering acidity which buttresses the fruit beautifully creating a perfect pairing for fatty foods like cheese pizza. The tannins are soft and ripe and barely detectable. This is a delicious, affordable food wine! Drink now-2027 Tasted November 2023
2022 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barbera d’Alba (RT91) A vivid, red currant hued wine that shows notes of marasca cherry, dusty saddle leather, and hints of green tobacco. The palate is sumptuous and delivers lovely fresh fruit, invigorating acidity, and soft, pliable tannins. It is well balanced and packed with tasty red fruit as the acidity keeps drawing you back for another sip. Fine Barbera that should be enjoyed for its youthful exuberance! Drink now-2028 Tasted November 2023
2020 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Funtani (RT93) Here old Barbera takes center stage, as the 50 year old vines deliver a mesmerizing wine that is a thing of beauty. Aged in a combination of new and neutral barriques for one year followed by a year in bottle with total production hovering around 10,000 bottles. Showing a deep ruby hue, the bouquet pulls one in for a focused aromatic display layered with notes of Evans cherry, red plum, French oak and sandy clay minerality. The palate echoes notes of the bouquet creating a harmonious resonance. Perfectly dosed fruit and acidity meld together to create a luxurious mouthfeel. This is an artfully crafted Barbera that displays the value of old vine fruit and should excel with mid-term cellaring. Drink 2025-2035 Tasted November 2023
2022 Cordero di Montezemolo, Langhe Nebbiolo (RT91+) A magnificent showing for this classic Nebbiolo, crafted from young fruit grown in vineyards in Alba, Cherasco and vines under 7-8 years of age within their Barolo vineyards in La Morra. This wine is aged in stainless which adds to its freshness. Medium ruby garnet, the soaring, sweet aromatics reveal succulent sweet strawberry, red raspberry, cherry, hints of spice cake and a smattering of balsam. The palate is where this wine really shines as the fruit coats the mouth, delicious and voluminous for a simple Langhe. The acidity is fresh and bright and keeps one returning to your stem for another sip. A terrific Langhe Nebbiolo that’s not to be missed in the affordable Nebbiolo category. Drink now-2027 while it’s showing its magnificent freshness! Tasted November 2023
2019 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Monfalletto (RT94+) The efforts at Cordero di Montezemolo continue to impress, especially considering the scale of this wine’s production hovering at nearly 40,000 bottles. Crafted from estate fruit from the Monfalletto Cru of La Morra and aged 20 months in a combination of Slavonian botti and French barrique with about 20% new barrique, a very modest amount in the overall picture. Deep fresh ruby, the aromatics center on a foundation of black cherry, plum and menthol, accented by hints of sappy cedar, lavender and Alba truffle. While it initially shows a whiff of modern polish, that quickly dissipates in the glass. The palate is broad shouldered and focused, the fruit delicious yet power packed, the acidity broad and caressing. The tannins bring a magnificent closure to this grand wine with suave, ripe sweetness. This is a superb vintage for Monfalletto, one that I strongly suggest laying down in the cellar to behold the magic of long-term storage. You will be handsomely rewarded. Drink 2029-2044+ Tasted November 2023
2019 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Gattera (RT95+) This tiny production bottling with just over 5,000 bottles produced annually, is crafted from fruit grown on the slopes below the pinnacle of the Gattera Cru in La Morra, in the shadows of the legendary lone Lebanon Cedar that grows at the very peak. Here once again the enlightened wine crafting style of this house shows its full potential. Aged for 19-21 months in a combination of botti and barrique, of which approximately 20% is new barrique, the balance 2nd and 3rd passage. Its deep ruby hue leads to a bouquet that conveys a brooding persona as notes of ripe spiced plum, dried black cherry, pomegranate liqueur, violets, umami, and faint whiffs of rose petal soar. The palate is deeply rooted in its power curve showing masculinity considering its La Morra grown fruit. The acidity soft yet fresh, the tannins ripe and succulent. The palate conveys a sense of weightlessness, even at this youthful age. This is a powerful Barolo that needs oxygen to open up in its current youthful state, so I suggest decanting it (something I rarely do) if you’re opening it in the near term or in a restaurant through about the end of this decade. Drink 2030-2049+ Tasted November 2023
2019 Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo, Enrico VI (RT96+) Enrico VI comes from a plot in the Villero Cru located in the Municipality of Castiglione Falletto, where the vines are more than 50 years old. This plot has been owned by the Cordero family since it acquired it in 1965 and has been a premier performer since they first launched their inaugural vintage from it. I consider it their flagship Barolo, although there may be some contention that Barolo Riserva Gorette, sold only at the winery, takes that honor. Dark ruby and showing a power-packed potpourri of red cherry liqueur, red currant, anise, mentholated minerality, and balsam. As it opens in the glass its complexity grows, its depth multiples. The power of this wine commands the utmost respect. The palate is beautifully balanced, an exercise in precise vineyard management and winemaking, showing linear, power-focused fruit, perfect acidity and austere, ripe tannins that lead to a mind-blowing finish. This is a study in all things to go into great winemaking, period! Lay this one down in your cellar and you shall be rewarded for many decades to come. Drink 2032-2052+ Tasted November 2023
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