The 2019 Barolos have been rolling in, and they've been consistently exciting wines to taste! With harvests taking place in the cool of October, producers welcomed the classically wonderful vintage, as it allowed them to make wonderfully deep and expressive wines with an immediately charming balance. Even in the famously intensely structured wines from the ridges around the town of Serralunga d'Alba, the beauty of the vintage is clear: the firm, fine-grained layer of crisp tannins and vibrant acidity form an energetic stage on which a complex mélange of earthy-mineral, leather and dark spice accents join the core of floral- and balsam-tinged berry aromas. This is where the small family winery, Luigi Pira, makes their classic Barolos, and their delicious 2019s offer some of the best values out there today!
Luigi Pira has a classic Barolo story: based on his family's history of farming here that goes back to the 1800s, Luigi formed the winery in the 1950s, but has only been bottling under the name since the 1990s. As Luigi's sons, Giampaolo and Romolo, have taken the lead in the winery and vineyards, their fresh perspective has led to a marked rise in quality and expressivity of their home. They farm organically, and use no insecticides.
The Marenca vineyard sits next to Margheria, but this is Barolo, and the wine is quite different! There's a consistently earlier harvest here and the wine has a texturally richer core, with aromas leaning into the darker-toned fruits, balms and earthy dark spices. The richness and polish are enhanced by a light use of smaller French oak barrels for aging. This is one that benefits from extra time in the decanter (or a couple years in bottle) to loosen its classic touch of austerity. You'll also want food pairings on the richer, more intensely-flavored spectrum such as red wine braises of lamb, wild boar and short ribs, truffle, and cheeses like Gorgonzola dolce, Castelmagno!
VINOUS 96 POINTS - "The 2019 Barolo Marenca is superb. Rich, ample and explosive, with tremendous depth, the 2019 has so much to offer. A rush of dark red-toned fruit, lavender, spice, iron and dried flowers saturates the palate. Bright acids and firm Serralunga tannins wrap it all together. The 2019 is exceptional." - Antonio Galloni
Luigi Pira has a classic Barolo story: based on his family's history of farming here that goes back to the 1800s, Luigi formed the winery in the 1950s, but has only been bottling under the name since the 1990s. As Luigi's sons, Giampaolo and Romolo, have taken the lead in the winery and vineyards, their fresh perspective has led to a marked rise in quality and expressivity of their home. They farm organically, and use no insecticides.
The Marenca vineyard sits next to Margheria, but this is Barolo, and the wine is quite different! There's a consistently earlier harvest here and the wine has a texturally richer core, with aromas leaning into the darker-toned fruits, balms and earthy dark spices. The richness and polish are enhanced by a light use of smaller French oak barrels for aging. This is one that benefits from extra time in the decanter (or a couple years in bottle) to loosen its classic touch of austerity. You'll also want food pairings on the richer, more intensely-flavored spectrum such as red wine braises of lamb, wild boar and short ribs, truffle, and cheeses like Gorgonzola dolce, Castelmagno!
VINOUS 96 POINTS - "The 2019 Barolo Marenca is superb. Rich, ample and explosive, with tremendous depth, the 2019 has so much to offer. A rush of dark red-toned fruit, lavender, spice, iron and dried flowers saturates the palate. Bright acids and firm Serralunga tannins wrap it all together. The 2019 is exceptional." - Antonio Galloni
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