2021 Luigi Baudana Baudana Barolo, Piedmont

Serralunga d’Alba is one of the great wine communes of the Barolo appellation. The Baudana vineyard is among the most highly regarded in Serralunga. With a combination of clay and sand soils and a perfect southwest facing aspect, Baudana grapes offer elegance and finesse to any Barolo bottling. The Luigi Baudana estate was purchased by the Vajra family in 2008 but is run as a separate entity. The 2021 Baudana Barolo is exceptional, even for this lauded site. It shows the ripeness of the harvest, the sleek and subtle spiciness of oak and the unique style of the Nebbiolo grape. Floral elements burst forth at the nose, underscored by layers of juicy pure raspberry, red plum and cherry fruits. These elegant aromas are enhanced by elements of leather, sandalwood, tea and spice. The flavors are elegant and complex, with fruits interwoven with the classic, leafy, forest floor character of fine Barolo. The beautiful, long finish reveals the impressive breadth and complexity of the wine. Delicious now, it can cellar well for another two decades.

96 points Wayne Belding winereviewonline.com

Bright cherry red. It's pretty closed at the moment, the nose shyly revealing black cherry and pomegranate, dried herbs, wood spice and liquorice. It is brooding and concentrated in the mouth, currants and dark berries with a muscular tannin structure, stony and puckering. Austere and tightly wound though of undoubted quality: time will allow the wine to unfurl 31 Jan 2025 Drink 2028–2048

94 points Stephen Blandfor therealreview.com

The Luigi Baudana Baudana Barolo from Serralunga d’Alba is a rare and deeply expressive single-vineyard wine from one of Barolo’s smallest and most historic producers. Luigi Baudana, a legendary figure in Serralunga, entrusted his vineyards to the Vajra family in 2009, ensuring that his name and traditions would endure. Today, Aldo, Milena and their children continue to craft wines under the Baudana label with absolute respect for terroir, producing some of the region’s most profound and age-worthy Barolos.

The Baudana cru sits high in Serralunga d’Alba, a site with poor, iron-rich soils and south-facing exposures that give Nebbiolo tremendous structure, depth and minerality. Farming is meticulous and traditional, with low yields and hand harvesting, while the winemaking is classically inspired: long fermentations in vertical vats, extended maceration, and ageing in large Slavonian oak botti. This patient approach allows the vineyard to fully express its character.

In the glass it shows a deep garnet core with brick-orange highlights. The bouquet is powerful and complex, offering aromas of dark cherry, dried rose, licorice, tar, iron and truffle. On the palate it is full-bodied and firmly structured, with tightly wound tannins and bright acidity carrying flavours of red and black fruits, spice, leather and earthy mineral notes. The finish is long, savoury and precise, speaking clearly of Serralunga’s formidable terroir.

Food pairings lean into its power and depth: braised beef cheeks, osso buco, venison stew, or truffle risotto. Aged cheeses like Castelmagno or Parmigiano Reggiano also provide a superb match. With 20 to 25 years of cellaring potential, the Baudana Barolo will evolve into a wine of extraordinary complexity, developing notes of dried flowers, balsamic herbs, game and tobacco while retaining its structural backbone.