Volcanic Wine Awards | The Jancis Robinson Story | Mission Blind Tasting

Barbaresco 2020 – the tasting notes

• 6 min read
Luca Pasquero-Elia

Following Walter's overview of the challenging 2020 vintage, here he reviews a mixed bag of 93 wines, with some exceptional ones that are worth seeking out. Walter's photo shows Paitin's Luca Pasquero-Elia.

The wines are grouped by commune and within the communes by MGA (menzione geografica aggiuntiva, ie named vineyard), ordered alphabetically.

Intercommunal blends

50% Roncaglie (Barbaresco), 35% Starderi (Neive), 15% Ronchi...

Aged for 12 months in French tonneaux and barriques, 10% new oak...

Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Seductive oak and perfumed...

Just mid ruby. Sour cherry with stalky top notes. Soft, mellow...

Pale ruby with orange tinges. Dark spice notes on a rather shy...

Mid-to-deep ruby with orange tinges. Discreet, peppery red-fruit...

Alba

Alba. Just mid ruby. Minerally, saline nose that is still a...

Rizzi

Alba. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. A round, soft red-fruit...

Alba. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Brooding red-fruit...

Alba. Just mid ruby. Minerally nose with hints of iron and a...

Rocche Massalupo

Alba. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Serious, deep and sweet...

Barbaresco

Barbaresco. Youthful mid ruby. A proper, concentrated fruit nose...

Barbaresco. Maturing mid ruby with orange tinges. Subtly oaked...

Asili

Barbaresco. Mid-to-deep ruby with orange tinges. Subtle...

Barbaresco. Maturing mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Pretty...

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic nose that...

Faset

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Oak and spicy notes but...

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby. Firm, perfumed, sweet red-fruit nose...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Firm, spicy nose but...

Martinenga

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Fine and...

Montaribaldi

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby. Very closed on the nose with only a...

Montestefano

Barbaresco. Deep ruby. Lots of ripe strawberry fruit on the nose...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic cherry nose...

Muncagöta

Barbaresco. Impressively dark ruby. Concentrated dark fruit with...

Ovello

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby. Balsamic nose with a hint of Band-Aid...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Ethereal marasca...

Barbaresco. Morassino is a historic lieu-dit in the Ovello MGA.
...

Pora

Barbaresco. Mid ruby. A pretty strawberry nose with a little...

Rabajà

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby with orange tinges. Subdued fruit...

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby. Quite subdued on the nose and...

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. A deep spice nose...

Barbaresco. Concentrated mid ruby. Balsamic cherry and...

Rabajà-Bas

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. A shy, leafy...

Rio Sordo

Barbaresco. Lustrous ruby with orange tinges. Lift and...

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby. Ripe, rich morello cherry nose...

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby. A pretty, ripe raspberry nose...

Roncaglie

Barbaresco. Youthful, mid ruby. At first, a little compact and...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. A fine cherry- and...

Barbaresco. Youthful mid ruby. Deep marasca cherry-fruit nose...

Roncagliette

Barbaresco. Roncagliette. Bottled at the beginning of 2023 and...

Barbaresco. A shade deeper than the Costa Russi. Deep, youthful...

Ronchi

Barbaresco. Concentrated mid ruby. Brooding cherry nose with a...

Secondine

Barbaresco. Youthful, shiny mid ruby. Lifted, fresh and focused...

Barbaresco. Pale ruby with orange tinges. Leafy and light nose...

Tre

...
Become a member or log in to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 294,698 wine reviews & 16,077 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors
  • Access 294,698 wine reviews & 16,077 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 294,698 wine reviews & 16,077 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
  • Access 294,698 wine reviews & 16,077 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Tasting articles

Fernando Mora MW and Mario López of Bodegas Frontonio
Tasting articles A close look at three of Zaragoza’s most important projects. Above, Fernando Mora MW (left) and Mario López of Bodegas...
Acered vineyard
Tasting articles To celebrate Aragón’s new map in the upcoming World Atlas of Wine , Ferran explores the wines of Zaragoza. Above...
Alexandre Delétraz's (Cave des Amandiers) vineyards in Valais @ Leif Carlsson
Tasting articles Red, white, young, old – there’s no shortage of diversity or deliciousness available in Swiss wines. You just need to...
Mt Ararat overlooking vineyards
Tasting articles Reasons to drink more Riesling; best buys; and far-flung finds – highlights from a month of tastings. Above, Mount Ararat...

More from JancisRobinson.com

Ungrafted monastrell vines in Jumilla
Free for all 4 June 2026 In advance of the 2026 Old Vine Conference on June 8, we’re republishing this overview of our...
Dar Sinclair, Tangier
Don't quote me Foreign parts feature heavily this month, including the villa above overlooking Tangier. But that’s far from all. I hope you...
Sally Abé of Teal
Nick on restaurants An exciting new addition to the East London restaurant scene. Above, Sally Abé. Everything is on the small side at...
Institute of Masters of Wine logo
Free for all Alors que notre Sam Cole-Johnson et 216 autres candidats s'apprêtent à passer les examens MW la semaine prochaine, nous revenons...
The Bull interior
Free for all Great wine and pie in the Shires. Charlbury is pretty much the first stony outcrop of the Cotswolds that you...
Capsules-congés
Free for all Un regard sur l'amour anglo-français à travers le prisme du vin. Plus un guide des négociants en vins fins du...
Niepoort rabbit illustration
Wines of the week A traditional, versatile and inexpensive white port that is both dry and sweet – and doesn’t take itself too seriously...
WWC26 announcement graphic
Free for all 28 May 2026 Breaking news – Alecia Moore, aka P!NK, will be our guest judge for this year’s WWC. Moore...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.