2011 Barolo Brunate Riserva
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Tasting notes
The 2011 Barolo Riserva Brunate is released after seeing two extra years in the bottle (as opposed to barrel). Fruit is selected from the oldest vines planted within Marengo's one-hectare plot of Brunate. The 2013 annata Barolo shows more sweetness and bright fruit. This riserva expression, on the other hand, offers an even more rigid quality of tannic firmness with less of a fresh-fruit margin. This wine will be produced in 2012, 2013 and likely in 2015 and 2016. The 2014 vintage will definitely be skipped. This is a layered and rich expression that still needs time to peel back and develop in slow motion.
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Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The 2011 Barolo Riserva Brunate is even oakier than the straight Brunate. Dark cherry, plum, spice, leather, menthol and licorice struggle to emerge from under a sheen of new oak. Massively oaky and sweet, the 2013 Riserva offers little in the way of complexity or nuance, something that is made all the more tragic considering the quality and potential of Marengo's holdings. Sadly, the fruit will fade before the oak ever has a chance to integrate.
The 2011 Barolo Riserva Brunate, from Marengo's oldest vines, is deeper, richer and more structured than the straight Brunate bottling, but not meaningfully different at this stage. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see how the two Brunate Barolos respond to bottling. Marengo has decided to release his old-vine Barolo Brunate as Barolo Riserva now that the Vecchie Vigne designation he used previously is no longer allowed by regulations.