There are diverse takes on the exact characteristics of 2019 Barolo, ranging from ‘structured and tannic’, according to Roberto Conterno of Giacomo Conterno, to ‘classic’ and ‘silky’ as per Giorgio Lavagna, chief winemaker at Fontanafredda. And so far, the vintage has generated a huge amount of enthusiasm. I say ‘so far’ because it’s generally being called a ‘hold and wait’ vintage, and having tasted about 100 wines, I largely concur. However, there are caveats.
Taking the longer view, these wines are hardly the taciturn beasts that wines their age would have been a decade ago, which may go some way towards explaining the contrasting views. Gaia Gaja (of iconic Barbaresco producer Gaja, which makes Barolo from La Morra and Serralunga d’Alba) noted that the 2019s provide the framework they are used to for ageing – elevated acidity and tannic structure with savoury flavours – reminding her of 1999s. However, a warmer climate, more precise viticulture and carefully calibrated winemaking today have rendered the wines almost incomparably smoother and more enjoyable early on.
Meteorologically, the year was distinguished by its comparative regularity – Lavagna called it a classic year, which seems to be a common view – but it can only truly be viewed as such in the context of the past ten years. Although its total heat summation was comparatively moderate, 2019 wasn’t devoid of heat spikes, the scourge of recent vintages. Fortunately, spikes during an unusually hot June and July were offset by rainfall, mitigating vine stress. If anything, heat surges helped slow maturation so that phenolics ripened during a late-season run of warm days and cool nights, producing beautifully thick skins, fine tannins, brilliant acidity and moderate alcohol.

Water was, in fact, quite abundant. Although winter and early spring were dry, 2018’s soggy conditions had left groundwater replenished. An occasionally wet summer and autumn kept vines in balance. Rainy periods were also cooler, lowering disease pressure. Scarpa’s Silvio Trinchero said that although May and June were quite demanding in the vineyards, reducing quantity (in fact, yields were down as much as a third in some places), quality was unaffected. Scattered hail also affected yields, but without the traumatic events of 2017 and 2018. Harvest occurred in mid-October in most areas, quite late by modern standards.
Read more: The Barolo and Barbaresco Report 2023
In my tastings and discussions through the region, two recurring themes for this vintage have emerged: ‘aromatic freshness’ (according to Ettore Germano’s Sergio Germano) and ‘structure and ageing potential’ (Scarpa’s Trinchero; Giuseppe Mascarello’s Elena Mascarello). I found both qualities, though the former predominated – except in bottlings from the Serralunga commune, which were more firm and even reticent (plus the rare Monforte MGAs on Lequio formation soils, like Sordo’s Perno). Tasting Gaja’s Conteisa (La Morra) and Sperss (Serralunga) side by side was instructive: the former loose and airy, the latter darker and rigid, both blazing with acidity.
To which recent vintage is the 2019 most comparable? Trinchero suggests the 2013, which had similar structure and ageing potential; as such, he estimates the 2019s will come into balance in a decade. Quality-wise, Sergio Germano puts 2019 in a league with 2013, 2016 and 2021. By contrast, Gaja described 2020 as ‘a really juicy vintage like 2000 or 2004’, remarking on its light tannins, intense fragrance and fruit expression.
Having tasted only a handful of 2020 Baroli (Vajra presented each of its crus from 2019 and 2020 side by side), I found more succulence and less commanding acidity. However, it feels too soon to make a fair assessment. In the meantime, the 2019s will go down remarkably easily – they are wines of structure and seriousness, yes, but they are also filled with the sensuous pleasures of youth, not to be missed.
25 top wines from the Barolo 2019 vintage
Producer | Name | Vintage | Region | Subregion | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Burlotto, Barolo Monvigliero 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Burlotto | Barolo Monvigliero | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Fontanafredda, Barolo Vigna La Villa Paiagallo 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Fontanafredda | Barolo Vigna La Villa Paiagallo | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Gaja, Barolo Conteisa 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Gaja | Barolo Conteisa | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Paolo Scavino, Barolo Bric del Fiasc 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Paolo Scavino | Barolo Bric del Fiasc | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Borgogno, Barolo 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Borgogno | Barolo | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Ceretto, Barolo Prapò 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Ceretto | Barolo Prapò | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Cogno, Barolo Ravera 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Cogno | Barolo Ravera | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
GD Vajra, Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
GD Vajra | Barolo Bricco delle Viole | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Scarpa, Barolo Tettimora 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Scarpa | Barolo Tettimora | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Cavallotto, Barolo Bricco Boschis 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Cavallotto | Barolo Bricco Boschis | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Azelia, Barolo Margheria 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Azelia | Barolo Margheria | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Damilano, Barolo Cerequio 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Damilano | Barolo Cerequio | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Ca' Viola, Barolo Sottocastello di Novello 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Ca' Viola | Barolo Sottocastello di Novello | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Gianni Gagliardo, Barolo Monvigliero 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Gianni Gagliardo | Barolo Monvigliero | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Brezza, Barolo Cannubi 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Brezza | Barolo Cannubi | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Cavalier Bartolomeo, Barolo San Lorenzo 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Cavalier Bartolomeo | Barolo San Lorenzo | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Chionetti Quinto, Barolo Parussi 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Chionetti Quinto | Barolo Parussi | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Ettore Germano, Barolo Cerretta 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Ettore Germano | Barolo Cerretta | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Fratelli Serio & Battista Borgogno, Barolo Cannubi 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Fratelli Serio & Battista Borgogno | Barolo Cannubi | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Giacomo Fenocchio, Barolo Castellero 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Giacomo Fenocchio | Barolo Castellero | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Palladino, Barolo Parafada 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Palladino | Barolo Parafada | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Sordo, Barolo Perno 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Sordo | Barolo Perno | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Parusso, Barolo Bussia 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Parusso | Barolo Bussia | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Angelo Negro, Barolo del Commune di Serralunga 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Angelo Negro | Barolo del Commune di Serralunga | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG | |
Lodali, Barolo Lorens Bricco Ambrogio 2019
Piedmont
, Barolo DOCG
|
Lodali | Barolo Lorens Bricco Ambrogio | 2019 | Piedmont | Barolo DOCG |