Barolo Acclivi 2017

The wine in this vintage

Spring frosts, a hot and very dry summer and an early harvest shaped 2017 in the Langhe, with low yields and wines more structured and tannic than average. Verduno, with its cooler exposure and sandy soils, managed to temper the season's extremes. Acclivi 2017 shows ripe red fruit, brandied cherry, dried rose and spice, supported by firm but well-polished tannins, with a long, spicy finish. Wine Enthusiast rated it 97 points. This Barolo is already enjoyable with the right food, though it will gain harmony with a few more years in bottle.

The producer · Comm. G.B. Burlotto

Founded in Verduno in the second half of the nineteenth century by Giovan Battista Burlotto, this is one of the oldest wineries in the Langhe. The founder was among the first to bottle and sell Barolo under his own name, supplied the Royal House of Savoy and earned the title of Commendatore that still appears on the label. Today, after Marina Burlotto and her husband Giuseppe Alessandria, it is run by their son Fabio, who since the 2000s has brought it international acclaim without betraying its artisanal spirit. The vineyards lie mainly in Verduno, the northernmost commune of the appellation, along with a prized parcel in Cannubi, in Barolo itself. The estate's emblem is Monvigliero, partly fermented with whole clusters and crushed by foot, now a reference point for Nebbiolo lovers. The Burlotto style favours perfume, transparency and finesse: long macerations, large oak casks and minimal intervention. The result is ethereal, profound Barolo that ranks among the most sought-after and collected in the Langhe.

Critics' scores

• 97 Wine Enthusiast
• 96 Decanter
• 95 Robert Parker
• 93 Wine Spectator
• 93 Antonio Galloni
• 17/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Comm. G.B. Burlotto

Region

Piemonte

Country

Italia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2017

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

94.8/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0550317