The Village of Serralunga d’Alba
Barolo fans are in paradise at the moment. All signs point to the outstanding excellence of the vintage trio of 2019, 2020, and 2021. The wines aren’t just good, they’re absolutely incredible and on par with some of the greatest vintages of the last 50 years. This is one example of how climate change is benefitting certain regions around the globe, and hey, although we’re not long-term fans of global warming, we are fans of world class nebbiolo in our glasses.
The 2019 vintage is beginning to hit store shelves and Vinopolis is here to supply your cellar with these ageworthy selections. Simultaneously, we thought it would be more than prudent to take a moment to celebrate all that is Barolo through a special feature on the major communes that make up the broader appellation. These wines are so nuanced and terroir specific that we hope you’ll come to know and love the varied expressions of the nebbiolo grape as much as we do. We shall begin with the powerful wines of the eastern slopes!
The Eastern Crus of Barolo
The two most principle communes of the eastern side of the Barolo DOCG are Serralunga d’Alba and Monforte d’Alba. The Helvetian soil on this side of the overall appellation is characterized by the following properties
- Chalky beige color (lighter than to the West)
- Looser calcerous marl soil, less fertile
- More reddish weathered sandstone and limestone
- High levels of iron, phosporous
The lower fertility and higher pH soils of this area results in wines that are more deeply colored, have greater intensity of body, tannin and overall structure, and a slower maturity rate. These are the benchmark wines any collector must store in their cellar if they wish to appreciate the delicacy of nebbiolo as it evolves over time. The two sub-appellations have their differences however. Serralunga wines are the firmest in both tannin and overall structure, rewarding the connoisseur that has patience for the wine to soften in time and reveal its complex depth of flavor. This sub-appellation has the greatest concentration of limestone soils which also bring heightened acidity. Monforte d’Alba wines have similar staying power, but they’re particularly striking in their overall concentration of fruit aromas (think cherry) in comparison to the more high-toned wines of Serralunga.
Both sub-appellations are incredibly delicious and it’s not a coincidence that an overwhelming proportion of the most sought after and cultiest Barolos are produced in these two areas. Here at Vinopolis we have a wide selection of wines from both regions for you to enjoy, and we’ll provide some recommendations below.
A few bottles we highly recommend:
Luigi Baudana Cerretta, Barolo 2019 750ml $89 special, 10 bottles available
Vinous 97 points “The 2019 Barolo Cerretta is packed with dark cherry, smoke, gravel, blood orange incense, scorched earth, licorice and mocha. This ample, full-bodied Barolo offers tremendous depth and textural intensity. Powerful and brooding, with tons of muscle and tannin, the Cerretta is incredibly promising. It is the most potent wine in this portfolio, by a pretty substantial range.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The Luigi Baudana 2019 Barolo Cerretta is an open-knit and powerful expression of Nebbiolo from one of the best sites in Serralunga d’Alba. Cerretta is a large MGA vineyard to the north of the village, with Baudana on the hillside to the west and Prapò to the south. This wine offers volume and richness in terms of mouthfeel, with fleeting aromas of wild berry, iris and crushed rose.”
Paolo Scavino Prapo, Barolo 2019 750ml $75 special, 9 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Taking on a deeper profile, the 2019 Barolo Prapo exudes notes of kirsch, black licorice, polished leather, and lavender. Full-bodied and approachable, its refined, ripe tannins do well to accept the ripeness of the fruit that remains pure. It has a silkiness in its texture and fruit profile without losing structure and delivers notes of black tea, truffle, and blackberry as well as a long finish. Drink 2025-2045.”
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo 2019 750ml $239 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 points “With fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the Vietti 2019 Barolo Lazzarito is a historic cornerstone wine of this mighty portfolio. It is also one of the Vietti Barolos that consistently delivers extreme quality and pleasure with each new release. Like the other wines presented here, winemaking is straightforward, with submerged cap fermentations lasting 30 to 35 days (although those times were reduced in 2019 because this vintage was not suited to long maceration times). Serralunga d’Alba always delivers power and richness. There are aromas of dried tobacco leaf, perfumed tea, crushed rose and iron ore. The bouquet is extremely expressive.”
Vinous 97 points “The 2019 Barolo Lazzarito continues a trend seen in recent years in which the focus has been more about finesse than raw power. Intense red fruit, iron, dried herbs, chalk, dried rose petal and white pepper all run through this deep, virile Barolo. The power and intensity of Serralunga really come alive on the heady, explosive finish. Bright saline notes linger on the deep, resonant finish. A Barolo of raw, unbridled power, the Lazzarito demands patience.”
Cappellano Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris, Barolo 2010 $335 special, 8 bottles available
ONE OF THE RAREST & MOST SOUGHT AFTER PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD
Below are all the Serralunga & Monforte wines that we have in stock. Don’t miss your chance to claim some of the best Baroli at some of the best prices you can find.
All Serralunga & Monforte d’Alba Wines Available Now
| BAROLO WINES | Commune | VWS PRICE | AVAILABLE | REVIEWS | LINK |
| BAUDANA BAROLO BAUDANA 2018 | Serralunga | $69.00 | 36+ | 94 WA | Link |
| BAUDANA BAROLO BAUDANA 2019 | Serralunga | $89.00 | 11 | 96 Vinous | Link |
| BAUDANA BAROLO CERRETTA 2017 | Serralunga | $75.00 | 2 | 96 WS | Link |
| BAUDANA BAROLO CERRETTA 2018 | Serralunga | $69.00 | 36+ | 93 Vinous | Link |
| BAUDANA BAROLO CERRETTA 2019 | Serralunga | $89.00 | 10 | 97 Vinous | Link |
| BAUDANA BAROLO SERRALUNGA 2017 | Serralunga | $49.00 | 7 | 93 Vinous | Link |
| BAUDANA BAROLO SERRALUNGA 2018 | Serralunga | $51.50 | 20 | 91 Vinous | Link |
| BAUDANA BAROLO SERRALUNGA 2019 | Serralunga | $59.00 | 11 | 93 WA | Link |
| CAPPELLANO BAROLO PIE RUPE 10 | Serralunga | $335.00 | 8 | Link | |
| CAPPELLANO BAROLO PIE RUPE 13 | Serralunga | $399.00 | 1 | Link | |
| G CONTERNO BAROLO ARIONE 2018 | Serralunga | $235.00 | 8 | 94-96 WA | Link |
| G CONTERNO BAROLO CERRETT 18 MAG | Serralunga | $599.00 | 1 | 95-97 WA | Link |
| G CONTERNO BAROLO CERRETTA 2018 | Serralunga | $249.00 | 7 | 95-97 WA | Link |
| G CONTERNO BAROLO FRANCIA 2018 | Serralunga | $249.00 | 8 | 95+ Vinous | Link |
| GRIMALDI BAROLO BADARINA 2015 | Serralunga | $45.00 | 8 | 93+ WA | Link |
| GRIMALDI BAROLO BADARINA 2018 | Serralunga | $49.00 | 18 | 93 WA | Link |
| GRIMALDI BAROLO BADARINA 2019 | Serralunga | $49.00 | 35 | 94 JS | Link |
| ODDERO BAROLO RIONDA 2007 1.5L | Serralunga | $369.00 | 1 | 96 JS | Link |
| ROSSO CERRETTA BAROLO 16 | Serralunga | $79.00 | 21 | 97 WE | Link |
| ROSSO SERRALUNGA BAROLO 2016 | Serralunga | $49.00 | 30 | 96 WE | Link |
| SCAVINO BAROLO PRAPO 2017 | Serralunga | $59.00 | 26 | 95+ Vinous | Link |
| SCAVINO BAROLO PRAPO 2019 | Serralunga | $75.00 | 9 | 95 JD | Link |
| VIETTI BAROLO LAZZARITO 2017 | Serralunga | $169.00 | 7 | 97 JD | Link |
| VIETTI BAROLO LAZZARITO 2019 | Serralunga | $239.00 | 24 | 98 WA | Link |
| BENEVELLI BAROLO MASCONI 2017 | Monforte | $59.00 | 22 | Link | |
| BENEVELLI LE COSTE MONFORTE 2017 | Monforte | $59.00 | 21 | 94 Vinous | Link |
| BENEVELLI RAVERA MONFORTE 2017 | Monforte | $59.00 | 8 | Link | |
| COLLA BAROLO LE ROSE BUSSIA 2016 | Monforte | $79.00 | 13 | 95 Vinous | Link |
| CONTERNO BAROLO BUSS COLONELO 16 | Monforte | $179.00 | 5 | 96 JS | Link |
| CONTERNO BAROLO BUSSIA 2017 | Monforte | $79.00 | 6 | 92 WA | Link |
| CONTERNO BAROLO CICALA 2017 | Monforte | $149.00 | 6 | 95 WS | Link |
| CONTERNO BAROLO COLONNELLO 2017 | Monforte | $149.00 | 9 | 94+ WA | Link |
| CONTERNO BAROLO GRANBUSSIA 2012 | Monforte | $889.00 | 6 | 95 WS | Link |
| CONTERNO FANTINO MOSCONI 17 | Monforte | $119.00 | 18 | 96 Decanter | Link |
| E. PIRA CHIARA BOSCHI MOSCONI 15 | Monforte | $79.00 | 1 | 97 JS | Link |
| PARUSSO BAROLO BUSSIA 2016 | Monforte | $89.00 | 3 | 96+ Vinous | Link |
| PARUSSO BAROLO MOSCONI 2016 | Monforte | $89.00 | 27 | 97 JS | Link |
| PECCHENINO BAROLO BUSSIA 2015 | Monforte | $59.00 | 18 | 93 Vinous | Link |