2021 Seghesio Barolo DOCG, Monforte d’Alba Piedmont

The 2021 Barolo Castelletto is a total delight. Aromatic, light on its feet and super-expressive, the 2021 picks off where the 2020 left off. Orange peel, crushed rose petal sweet dried cherry fruit and mint all grace the palate. This understated, classy Barolo is all finesse and understatement. Give the tannins a year or two to start softening.

 92 points Antonio Galloni

In the hills around Monforte d’Alba the Nebbiolo vines dig deep into calcareous marl and sandstone soils, a terroir that gives Barolo its famous structure and perfume. Seghesio is one of the historic names of Piedmont, a family winery founded in 1888 when Giovanni Seghesio settled in the Langhe and began cultivating Nebbiolo and Barbera across some of the region’s finest slopes. Today the estate is guided by the fourth generation of the family with winemaker Paolo Seghesio continuing the traditional Langhe philosophy of patience, gentle extraction and long ageing in large oak casks to allow Nebbiolo’s character to unfold slowly. Monforte d’Alba is known for producing some of the most powerful and age worthy Barolo in the region, wines that combine deep structure with remarkable aromatic complexity.

A bright garnet colour introduces a classic Nebbiolo bouquet filled with rose petal, dried cherry, wild strawberry and hints of tar, truffle and sweet spice. With air the wine reveals layers of liquorice, forest floor and savoury herbs that speak clearly of the Langhe hillsides. The palate is structured and beautifully balanced with firm yet refined tannins, vibrant acidity and flavours of red cherry, cranberry, orange peel and earthy spice that linger for a long elegant finish.

This is a serious Barolo that rewards patience in the cellar. It will continue to evolve gracefully for fifteen to twenty years or more. At the table it shines with slow braised beef, truffle risotto, wild mushroom ragù or aged Parmigiano Reggiano, dishes that mirror the wine’s savoury depth and noble structure.