2021 Elio Grasso "Gavarini Chiniera" Barolo

Coming from the highest plot on the hill at 450 meters elevation, with a southeast exposure and sandy limestone soils, the 2021 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera pours a bright ruby red color and is the more lifted and linear of the two Barolo in the range. In the glass, it’s spicy and focused on the nose, with notes of red cherries, floral perfume, minty fresh herbs, and bright spices. Raised for 30 months in Garbelotto barrels, the palate is also focused and medium-bodied, with bright acidity that drives the wine, ripe but coiled tannins, and a stony texture through the finish. It offers fantastic energy throughout, and I would love to have a few of these stashed away in my cellar. Drink 2027-2047. 96+ (AF)

The Elio Grasso 2021 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a beautifully elegant expression marked by chalky tannins, crushed flowers, balsamic herb and profound fruit depth that stretches effortlessly across a very long finish. The wine shows impressive dimensionality and finesse, with tannins that feel refined and perfectly placed, giving the palate a sense of quiet authority. Fermented with an extended 50-day submerged-cap maceration and aged for three years in large Slavonian oak, this wine reflects a late-harvest vintage shaped by cold winter conditions, strong diurnal shifts and calcareous, sandy soils at 360–380 meters, resulting in exceptional length and balance. (ML) 96+