Susan Hulme MW SH | Andrew JeffordAJ | Michael Palij MW MP
warm spice, cream, and vanilla. Overall, the wine has some inner harmony and manages to avoid the pitfalls of too much green, unripe fruit. It is a little sotto voce, understated, or whispering in its expression, but overall there is quite a pretty harmony to this wine. 2025–35. | 93 AJ | Pale and translucent, though a dark rather than light garnet at the core. Settled, relatively emphatic aromas of pomegranate fruits, with admirable glowing ripeness to them: lots to like here. Something sweeter and more exotic behind, though not vanilla-like: a kind of floral wealth, which amplifies the fruits. A little sweet cherry, too. Excellent work here. Light, fresh, true, graceful, sustained, and charming: a super wine for the vintage. That rustling cascade of fruit running through a thicket of plants and over pristine ancient stones: that’s what Verduno can convey, and finally that is what this wine does convey. It seems hard to find finesse this year— but here you do. Lovely. 2025–37. | 93 MP | Aromatically complex, with a huge spectrum of cherry, currant, plum, strawberry, raspberry, violets, and dried rose. On the palate, there is cranberry, pomegranate, red cherry, Victoria plum, and sandalwood, together with a firm acidity, fine tannins, and a hit of warming alcohol. The finish scoops all of these up and runs with them, showing that 2020 can deliver elegant, structured reds with plenty of aromatic complexity. This is a serious glass of Barolo that deserves its place in the cellar. 2030–40. | 95
Azienda Agricola E Pira e Figli Chiara Boschis Barolo Mosconi Monforte d’Alba 2020 (14.5% ABV)
| 94
SH | Sweet, open nose, blackberry and subtle oak. Lively acidity, bitter red and black fruits, smooth overall, with bright acidity and a lifted finish. 2026–36. | 94 AJ | Translucent, deep-garnet red. Very sound in profile and contour: pure, quiet fruits (cranberry and pomegranate) over a creamy bass line. Unusual wealth and richness here for the vintage. Just a quiet, background, phenol/peat note, which seems to be a vintage characteristic. Fresh, vivid, poised, and ripe; glowing acidity. Excellent concentration here compared to many of its peers in this vintage, and ample soft tannins to bring structural support. There are one or two other wines that have more complexity and refinement, but not many that have quite this level of core ripeness—and vinified with great assurance, too. A splendid effort. 2025–37. | 93
GD Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2020 (14% ABV)
| 93
SH | This wine has a gentle floral nose, with mixed fruits; not very incisive in terms of aroma, but more of a generous, charming wine. On the palate, it is round, smooth, and charming but with a decisive firmness, as there are lots of assertive but chalky, fine-textured tannins. Long, savory, and lingering on the finish. It makes its presence felt. 2026–36. | 96 AJ | Bright, deep red, with some black hues: exuberantly colored, though now translucent. Lots of enticing, boisterous, fresh fruit, with more cherry and plum than for many. Grand
THIS SHOWS 2020 CAN DELIVER ELEGANT, STRUCTURED REDS WITH AROMATIC COMPLEXITY. A SERIOUS GLASS OF BAROLO THAT DESERVES ITS PLACE IN THE CELLAR
aromatic limpidity, and a sweet cast to the fruits. Good concentration and presence: a cascade of likeable, cherry-and-plum-styled Nebbiolo in straightforward guise. Tasty, brisk tannins and juicy acidity makes for a harmonious whole. An excellent buy at the right price in this vintage. 2025–35. | 90 MP | Discreet, competent nose, with notes across a wide array of aromas, including black cherry, plum, damson, currant, licorice, cedar, cinnamon, tar, and wild rose. In the mouth, the high level of both tannins and acidity threaten to occlude the palate, with the structural umbrella shadowing the fruit. The tannins, in particular, make an edgy entrance and dominate much of the palate, although the spicy red and black fruit do manage to get a word in. This is a lovely glass of wine but the balance falls in favor of the tannins. 2028–33. | 93
Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga d’Alba 2020 (14% ABV)
| 93
SH | Juicy acidity, firm tannins, some vibrancy, but the flavors are a little green. There is an immediacy and accessibility about the vintage, but also lots of underripe qualities to some of the fruit and tannins. Overall, this feels a little green and lean on the palate, although there is certainly a lively burst of acidity. 2025–28. | 89 AJ | Slightly darker-hued wine than its sibling, served just prior: deep garnet with scarlet glints. This has the same levels of aromatic complexity as its sibling, though the fruit tone is just a little bit dryer. If anything, though, the fruits here are a little bit more forceful and penetrating. Both are very fine—some of the finest aromatic profiles in the tasting. On the palate, too, the fruit core is very impressive here—svelte and lively yet soft and persuasive. It’s ripe enough to be resonant, yet fresh enough to encourage repeated drinking. There are notes of tar, leaf, mushroom, hazel, and turmeric to lend intrigue. Beautiful wine. 2025–38. | 93 MP | Delicate and perfumed nose, with notes of red cherry, red currant, strawberry, dried rose, hawthorn, pomegranate, and hay. The palate delivers even more, with black cherry, ginger, mushroom, and forest floor. The length is superb, with the fine tannins and bright acidity supporting the fruit perfectly and allowing it to shine. The length is excellent and showcases Nebbiolo’s structural strength as well as its aromatic brilliance. 2027–37. | 97
Gagliasso Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata La Morra 2020 (14.5% ABV)
| 93
SH | The aromas are a little muted at first, like faded rose or dried flowers. A second bottle is brighter, with notes of rose hip and violet, and an attractive squeeze of bright acidity adding some zest and zing. A lingering, savory finish, with a classic touch of sapidita, as Italians might say, adding to the length. A more linear version of La Morra. 2025–38. | 94 AJ | Clear, bright, and translucent garnet- red. Sweet, warm, softly tarry fruits, and the sweetness a function of that fruit rather than new oak. Classic currant and pomegranate: artlessly attractive. Very soft and graceful: beautiful style choices here. A limpid, svelte, and lovely Barolo. Moderate concentration, but the balance is so good and so drinkable that no one will care much; it simply means that it’s not a long-keeper. Refined pomegranate on the aftertaste. Bottle 2: Actually, for me this is a little less attractive than bottle 1, though I am retasting after a significant gap: the aromas seem slightly dryer and less expressive than on the first occasion, while the palate (having tasted better wines) is not as balanced and attractive as I thought it was first time around. So, my score is dipping slightly, though I still believe this to be a good wine for the vintage. 2025–31. | 89 MP | Brooding nose, with much more black fruit to the fore; notes of bramble, mulberry, cooked black plum, and dried blueberry, as well as earthy notes of truffle, forest floor, and game. The alcohol is formidable in this wine and dominates the palate, although this reflects the cooked black-fruit nature of the nose. The tannins and acidity are correspondingly resolved, and those looking for a dramatic, full-throttle Barolo will find plenty to like in this wine, which is already strutting its stuff. 2026–31. | 95
Diego Conterno Barolo del Comune di Monforte d’Alba Monforte d’Alba 2020 (14.5% ABV)
| 93
AJ | Deep, dark garnet, though fully translucent. Bright raspberry and mulberry fruits in energetic style. Warm, vaporous fruit purity—very attractive. Another fine mouthful of Monforte fruit—I haven’t found any lack of ripeness or resonance in those 2020 wines of this commune at which we’ve had a chance to look. This is perhaps a little simpler and more straightforward than the very best wines of the year, but everything that is in here succeeds in bringing pleasure and satisfaction: fruit, acids, tannins. A sound buy. 2025–35. | 91 MP | A rich and powerful nose of black fruit, game, Bovril, tar, and cooked black plum. On the palate, this has decent weight and lots of ripe black fruit, which drives the long finish. The alcohol and acidity are balanced and there is much to like in this ripe wine. 2028–36. | 94
Massolino Barolo Margheria Serralunga d’Alba 2020 (14.5% ABV)
| 93
SH | This wine strikes you with its immediate sweet nose and vibrant floral notes, but also its
THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 87 | 2025 | 199
LAYING DOWN: 2020 BAROLO
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