Barolo 2016 – the path to stylistic change

Alberto Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo in November 2019

The 2016 vintage is game-changing. You'll want to buy some, and you can hardly go wrong.

When I reread my tasting notes on the 2016 Barolo vintage I sat back in surprise. Generally considered a rather stingy scorer, I didn’t recognise myself. Hardly any wine I came across during a full week of visits and tastings in the Langhe last month merited a score lower than 17.5, I felt, and I was also generous with my 18-point scores, something very rare for me. 

Disclaimer: I am wary of scores, because with the current inflation I would love to turn my...