Overall
2020 was a year like no other. The world was at a standstill; we were all ‘locked down’ and, for most, remained close to home. In Barolo, there was little difference. Winemakers could focus on their vines while the skies cleared and nature took a deep breath. Despite global uncertainty, Mother Nature delivered nothing short of a stellar vintage.
Thanks to an almost perfect growing season, we have found a vintage defined by purity, harmony, and class. The 2020 wines are everything you could want—expressive, seductively perfumed, vibrantly fruity, and with svelte and inviting tannins. There is crystalline-like clarity evident in the 2020 wines, one that suits Nebbiolo and its delicate beauty so well.
Image: Large botti in use in Palladino cellars
The Vintage in Context
Our producers have described 2020 as a “classic” for Barolo, with balance and elegance at the forefront of one’s mind. One must think about what “classic” is today, with clear signs of rising temperatures and sporadic weather. With this in mind, I consider ‘classic’ vintages those with comparatively cooler growing seasons where tannic structure and freshness work hand-in-hand – wines that are pure, delicate and crystalline. 2020 stands out for its regular temperatures and just the right amount of rainfall throughout the growing season. Producers have likened the tannic structure of the 2020 wines to 2016, its freshness to 2018 and its elegance to 2014. The wines encompass the best of all three vintages, offering immense drinkability now and promise for those with the patience to cellar their wines.
The 2020 wines’ ‘openness’ is thanks to the delicate and svelte tannins. Even in the greatest vineyards of Serralunga, we see delicacy and restraint allowing for the wines’ minerality, luminous acidity and vibrant fruit to shine through.
2020 is in the middle of a trio of outstanding vintages in Piedmont. With 2019 showcasing truly classic and austere Barolo with powerful tannins and monolithic structure and 2021 showcasing full-bodied, rich and powerful wines, 2020 goes back to the word of harmony, striking a perfect balance between 2019 and 2021.
Video: Drone footage by Marco Cane (@marcomalicane on Instagram) of the Piedmont region in late October illustrating the fog.
In the Vineyard
2020 began with a relatively warm winter, with little snow and rain. Spring arrived early in Barolo whilst the world grappled with COVID-19. May brought abundant amounts of rain, slowing vine growth and regulating development across the communes. Summer was almost perfect. Regular temperatures seldom exceed 35 degrees, sunny days, and little rain. This allowed vines to reach both phenolic and sugar ripeness slowly and evenly. Late August saw a cool front come down into Piedmont, slowing maturation and allowing for the grapes to ripen to their fullest.
The harvest began in October (this is considered somewhat late for today). Little rain pressure allowed producers to choose the perfect harvest moment. The resulting fruit was all that was described above—ripe, intense, complex, and fresh—the defining characteristics of the 2020 vintage.
Before moving to the standout communes of the 2020 vintage, I wanted to reiterate our growers’ dedication to their vineyards and vines. During my most recent trip to Piedmont in May 2024 – joined by Angus Paul (Angus Paul Wines) and Sam Lambson (Minimalist Wines) – it isn’t possible to overstate the care, insight, knowledge and love our producers possess for their vineyards, unmatched to any other vine-growing region I have visited. The owners, regardless of their fame and status in the wine world, spend back-breaking hours in their vineyards, tucking away every shoot and mowing the steep slopes with their teams.
The Standouts
It isn’t easy to choose which commune stood tall above the rest in a vintage like 2020. However, the wines from the ancient Helvetian soils of Castiglione Falletto, Monforte, and, of course, Serralunga produced some of the most excellent wines the region can offer. Strikingly tense, aromatic and mineral, these wines are unmistakably Baroli. That being said… The wines of La Morra, Novello and Barolo Town itself aren’t playing second fiddle to any other commune.
Image: Cellars of E. Pira Chiara Boschis, where barriques are used.
Closing Remarks
2019 was a vintage that required patience and careful cellaring. 2020 is a vintage that has brought us more approachable, less intimidating wines. They are joyous in character and will appeal to both casual drinkers and collectors. The wines are juicy, balanced, and fresh, with a clear sense of terroir and place. The 2020s will reward those who want to drink the wines young and those who want to put them away for years to come. Balance is the word for this vintage, an absolute pleasure from the first sip to the last.
Please enjoy reading through and learning a bit more about the producers in the RWC portfolio via the links below:
Written and Edited By: Fernando Rueda