MCF Rare Wine

Luigi Baudana - Barolo Purity
 
The 2019 Barolo releases are in full swing, so get ready for a relative deluge of offers for them.

To get things started, though, we're talking about the beautifully pure expressions of Barolo from the Luigi Baudana estate.

This is one of the most historic, and tiniest, producers in the region.

Their holdings are tiny - a mere 2.6ha.

Their winery is tiny - seriously, like NYC apartment size...well, maybe better than that, but still...

Their name, however, goes back hundreds of years.  In fact, the tiny hamlet where the winery is located is also called Baudana.

For 30 years, Luigi and Fiorina Baudana kept the family name and spirit alive but, in 2009, upon their retirement, they approached the Vaira family about taking over the operations.

Rather than absorb it directly into the Vajra estate, the Vairas instead insisted on not only keeping the Baudana name on the bottles, but also insisted on making the wines the same way and in the very same tiny winery.

Thus the Baudana wines have a style that's quite distinct from those of Vajra, while every bit as compelling and authentic.

2019 is yet another superlative vintage in Piedmont, and everything I've tasted thus far has been fabulous, and the Baudana most certainly fit that description.  While banner vintages like 2010/13/16 blended power and density with classic structure and balance, these 2019s are a bit of a different beast.

At a tasting a few weeks back, Giuseppe Vaira made a point of how much smaller the berries were in '19, thus we have wines with a very firm tannic grip, but also a rather sublime elegance to them.

In a way, for me at least, they're reminiscent of 1996s.  That opinion might land me in hot water with some know-it-alls out there, but...ya know...I'm a know it all and a wise ass, so deal with it. ;)

The Barolo Commune di Serralunga 2019 is bright, linear and shows that classic Baudana purity.  It's broad and friendly on the palate, but on the finish, those tightly wound tannins make themselves known, reminded you that, despite its friendly disposition, this is a serious wine.

Then we have the Barolo Baudana 2019, from the family's eponymous vineyard, which is just flat out lovely.  Its nose is dark and inviting, and on the palate, it's broad, dark and mineral, with lovely, supple rosy/berry fruits.

Thanks to the fact that the vines in the Southern part sit on limestone and those in the Northern part are on blue clay, you get both the broad richness and the chiseled structure that each impart, making for a wonderfully complete expression of Barolo.

Baudana's wines in 2019 are gorgeous.

Don't miss 'em...

LUIGI BAUDANA
Barolo Commune di Serralunga d'Alba 2019
Barolo Baudana 2019

You may order by calling 212.255.8870.

Matt Franco
MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
249 West 13th Street NYC 10011
212.255.8870

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