Vietti - Barolo Lazzarito 2020 (1.5L)
Wine Advocate: 96+ Points
Lazzarito stands out as one of the strongest wines in this portfolio of new releases from Vietti. With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba the 2020 Barolo Lazzarito comes in at a very high threshold in terms of complexity offering dark cherry crème de cassis violet macaron dried herb and lavender. The wine's perfumes remind me of the south of France in summer. It shows elegant tannins streamlined intensity and good acidity. Production is 10626 bottles. Vietti has access to Nebbiolo from 10 MGA sites to make the various wines in its ample portfolio. We also have a new wine to celebrate?the 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà?that knocks it out of the ballpark with its inaugural release. Published: Apr 04 2024
Wine Spectator: 94 Points
Starts with an open feel displaying cherry peach iron tar and tobacco flavors before firming up. This lively red builds to the long aftertaste of red licorice tobacco and earth. Best from 2027 through 2045. ?B.S.
Vinous: 93 Points
The 2020 Barolo Lazzarito is a blend of fruit picked before and after the early October rains. It marries power and finesse to a notable degree. Dark red fruit menthol licorice crushed rocks and dried herbs open nicely in the glass. This is a bit light for a Serralunga Barolo although the tannic structure is there. This is missing a bit of personality. - By Antonio Galloni on November 2023 I tasted a wide range of wines on my most recent visit to Vietti. Starting with the 2020 Barolos I tasted every wine from a just-opened bottle and a bottle that had been double-decanted two hours prior to my arrival. Aeration can be a tricky thing with young just-bottled wines. Sometimes air can help young wines open but also shut them down hard. In 2020 the double-decanted bottles showed better. Overall there is a bit more variation from wine to wine than I am used to seeing while some of the Barolos are on the lighter side. In 2020 virtually all the fruit for the single-vineyard Barolos was picked in late September before the early October rains. Harvest resumed on October 5 with the second portion of Lazzarito and various parcels used in the Barolo Castiglione. The 2020s spent about 24 days on the skins with submerged cap maceration for most lots. Time in cask was 24-26 months. Readers will note several new wines in the range. Vietti?s 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is stellar. The same is true incidentally of the 2020 Barbaresco Roncaglie. I have long admired the Barbarescos here. That is once again the case this year. The 2016 Barolo Riserva is the next incarnation of the 2015 Barolo Riserva that was released last year but it was made from different vineyards and vinified with a high percentage of whole clusters. I would be remiss if I did not spend some time on the entry-level offerings. The 2021 Barberas are fabulous. These are wines I bought often as a young consumer and continue to enjoy as often as possible. Ripeness and oak impact have been dialed back which really allows the purity of the fruit to come through.
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