The family-run Elio Grasso estate of Piedmont, Italy is back with more outstanding Barolos that marry a traditional bracing structure with a modern clarity of flavors and textures, all made possible by generations of winemaking experience. Since 1978 they've been bottling their two vineyards separately; while they have their distinct characters, both are on limestone-based soils in the Monforte d'Alba area, contributing to finely-etched, mineral mouthfeels.
Elio Grasso's single vineyard wines are special even in a category that's as special as Barolo: they are wines to muse over, and to be enjoyed with equally special meals. They are built to unwind over the coming years and will easily stand the test of a couple decades, evolving into something new. As for all Barolos of this class, the younger you open them, the more hours in a decanter you'll want to give them to open up. Get these while they're here, as collectors will make them vanish quickly!
From higher up on the the Gavarini slope, with south and southeastern aspects, shaded from the afternoon sun by the high sandy ridge above it. It has slightly more calcareous sand in the area's clay-heavy soils, and this bottling shows off the rounded, high-toned, elegant side to Monforte d'Alba's powerful, firm-structured Barolos.
VINOUS 97 POINTS - "The 2021 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a deep, powerful wine. In most vintages, the Gavarini Chiniera is a bit more linear, but the 2021 has an extra kick of textural depth that is such a hallmark of the year. Iron, chalk, dried flowers, mint and red cherry fruit build with a bit of coaxing. Readers will find a potent, explosive Barolo that hits all the right notes. [-01/25]
...superb. Bright, vertical and explosive, the 2021 exudes tension and all the saline, mineral-infused energy that are such signatures here. Lively acids drive through a core of red berry fruit, blood orange, chalk, mint and white pepper. This translucent, elegant Barolo has it all. The linear, vibrant style is so appealing. [-01/26]" - Antonio Galloni
WINE ADVOCATE 96+ POINTS - "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."
Elio Grasso's single vineyard wines are special even in a category that's as special as Barolo: they are wines to muse over, and to be enjoyed with equally special meals. They are built to unwind over the coming years and will easily stand the test of a couple decades, evolving into something new. As for all Barolos of this class, the younger you open them, the more hours in a decanter you'll want to give them to open up. Get these while they're here, as collectors will make them vanish quickly!
From higher up on the the Gavarini slope, with south and southeastern aspects, shaded from the afternoon sun by the high sandy ridge above it. It has slightly more calcareous sand in the area's clay-heavy soils, and this bottling shows off the rounded, high-toned, elegant side to Monforte d'Alba's powerful, firm-structured Barolos.
VINOUS 97 POINTS - "The 2021 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a deep, powerful wine. In most vintages, the Gavarini Chiniera is a bit more linear, but the 2021 has an extra kick of textural depth that is such a hallmark of the year. Iron, chalk, dried flowers, mint and red cherry fruit build with a bit of coaxing. Readers will find a potent, explosive Barolo that hits all the right notes. [-01/25]
...superb. Bright, vertical and explosive, the 2021 exudes tension and all the saline, mineral-infused energy that are such signatures here. Lively acids drive through a core of red berry fruit, blood orange, chalk, mint and white pepper. This translucent, elegant Barolo has it all. The linear, vibrant style is so appealing. [-01/26]" - Antonio Galloni
WINE ADVOCATE 96+ POINTS - "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."
