Buy Now: Barolo 2015

The village of La Morra, Italy, is believed to have produced the first nebbiolo grape, from which Barolo is produced. (Photo by JamesSuckling.com)

Enigmatic, structured and powerful, Barolo wines have long won praise from the JamesSuckling.com tasting team. The thin-skinned grape they come from, nebbiolo, is fickle and picky, and although the wines’ pale garnet hue leaves something to be desired in the color department, these wines are tannic, high in acidity, complex and some of the most age-worthy on the planet.

One of the great modern vintages for Barolo was 2015. While the summer that year was hot and dry, water reserves from winter snow and spring rain reduced hydric stress, and light rain in October refreshed the vines before harvest. This resulted in vibrant, exuberantly fragrant Barolos with red fruit flavors accompanied by powerful yet fine tannins, with great balance and focus. We described 2015 in a special report as the vintage that “delivered wines that fully encapsulate all that is great about nebbiolo.”

The highly regarded cru Cannubi delivered many exceptional wines in 2015, such as those from E Pira Chiara Boschis, Marchesi di Barolo, Damilano and Giacomo Fenocchio. These are much sought-after bottles with prices to match, but check out the Luigi Einaudi Barolo Cannubi 2015, an approachable wine with a juicy core of fresh red berries, accompanied by firm and sturdy tannins, or the Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo Cannubi 2015 for a more savory, meaty yet classically refined expression.

Vineyards in the commune of Castiglione Falletto such as Villero, Rocche di Castiglione and Serra also shone, making complex and beautifully structured wines like the Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Villero 2015, a linear, tight and highly structured offering that will reward patience.

This is truly a great vintage for Barolo, and there is a high average standard of quality among 2015s across the board. Of course, prices reflect the exclusivity of the appellation. The nine Barolo 2015s listed below are under $100. Like all serious nebbiolos, these will develop further complexity and mellow in the years to come. But some are entering their (very wide) drinking window now, such as the Schiavenza Barolo Cerretta 2015, Giovanni Manzone Barolo Bricat 2015, Luigi Einaudi Barolo Cannubi 2015 and Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo Cannubi 2015. Enjoy.

– Claire Nesbitt, Associate Editor

James and Senior Editor Nick Stock in vineyards near La Morra, Italy, in January 2019.

Tasting Notes

Domenico Clerico Barolo Aeroplanservaj 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Ca'Viola Barolo Sottocastello di Novello 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Cogno Barolo Ravera 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Villero 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Giovanni Manzone Barolo Bricat 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo Brunate 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo Cannubi 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Luigi Einaudi Barolo Cannubi 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN


Schiavenza Barolo Cerretta 2015

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Vintage 2015
YOU NEED TO BE A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO VIEW THIS CONTENT.

Access more than 150,000 tasting notes

Hundreds of new wine ratings published each week of wines just released or about to be released into the market

Get advanced alerts every time a new tasting report is published

Wineries and wine-selling organizations are required to take out a Business Subscription ($399/year) or a Corporate Subscription ($999/year) as these provide a copyright and trademark license to use JamesSuckling.com content and scores for marketing and sales, as well as ready-to-use POS materials for all wines.

SUBSCRIBE OR LOG IN