Patriarch Mario Vietti, starting from 1919 made the first Vietti wines, selling most of the production in Italy. His most significant achievement was to transform the family farm, engaged in many fields, into a grape-growing and wine-producing business. Then, in 1952, Alfredo Currado (Luciana Vietti’s husband) continued to produce high quality wines from their own vineyards and purchased grapes. The Vietti winery grew to be one of the top-level producers in Piemonte and was one of the first wineries to export its products to the USA market. And today the vineyards and wine-making are under the hands of Alfredo and Luciana’s son- Luca Currado.
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2009 Barolo Castiglione delivers a radiant but subdued quality with polished notes of dry mineral, black fruit, tar, licorice, leather and many more levels of complexity. This entry-level Barolo demonstrates that great results are achieved in 2009.”
Antonio Galloni “Vietti’s entry-level Barolo, the 2009 Barolo Castiglione is quite pretty and open in this vintage. Sweet floral notes meld into expressive dark red fruit, anise, cinnamon and rose petals. This is an especially open, racy Barolo that should offer plenty of early appeal. While the sheer excitement of the best years may be slightly missing, in exchange, readers will find a delicious Barolo that will require minimum, if any, cellaring. I especially like the way the wine continues to flesh out in the glass.”
Vietti Barolo Brunate 2009 ($149.95) $119 special 10 bottles here
Wine Advocate 95 points “From one of the region’s most celebrated vineyards, the 2009 Barolo Brunate lavishes on smoky, granite and mineral notes that make this wine absolutely irresistible. Even the drawing of a snail on the label seems to hammer home one obvious point: This wine is built for longer cellar aging. Its rich texture, velvety feel and firm structure are guarantees that it will become increasingly elegant and finessed with time.”
Vietti Barolo Lazzarito 2009 ($149.95) $119 special 12 bottles here
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Luca recently purchased more land in the Lazzarito cru. The 2009 Barolo Lazzarito delivers subdued notes of red rose and violet that build in intensity as the wine takes on more air in the glass. Black fruit, plum, cassis, leather, tar and licorice soon follow suit. This wine is an absolute, drop-dead stunner. Its tannic crispness makes it feel lively and buoyant in the mouth. The wine shows heft and importance that become firmly etched in the mouth. Each time I went back to the glass, the wine told a new story.”
Vietti Barolo Rocche 2009 ($149.95) $119 special 12 bottles remaining
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2009 Barolo Rocche is a solid, unwavering expression that brings the intensity meter even higher. Sweet red fruit, licorice, leather and moist pipe tobacco are some of the many layers that peel back from the bouquet. The balance, structure and persistence of the wine are all superb.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The estate’s 2005 Barolo Brunate is a brooding, mysterious wine that possesses a level of sheer concentration and richness that is exceedingly rare in this vintage. It is also an incredibly primary, full-bodied Barolo that will require significant patience, but all of the signature Brunate notes are in the glass, and this Barolo should develop into a splendid wine over the coming years. This is another awesome effort from Vietti. I may be underestimating this wine, as it is ridiculously great even at this early stage. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2035.”
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2007 Barolo Lazzarito is a superb, plush wine loaded with dark fruit, flowers of all sorts, sweet menthol and minerals, all of which flow through to the long, powerful finish. The wine’s inner perfume emerges over time, adding even more nuance and subtlety to this big Barolo. The 2007 Lazzarito is far from an open, easygoing wine, in fact it needs time, and lots of it.”
Vietti Barolo Rocche 2008 ($139.95) $99 special 24 bottles remaining
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2008 Barolo Rocche shows the best balance of fruit and structure among the 2008 Baroli. Sweet, silky tannins frame expressive dark red fruit in the 2008 Rocche. This is an especially structured, powerful style for the Rocche, and a true testament to the level of conviction at Vietti. The Rocche turns sweeter and more sensual with time in the glass. The tannins possess remarkable finesse. Vietti’s Rocche could be used to teach a class on the greatness of the Rocche vineyard. It is dazzling from start to finish.”
Vietti Barbaresco Masseria 2006 3.0L ($499.95) $399 special 1 double-magnum here
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2006 Barbaresco Masseria is focused and energetic in its ripe red fruits, menthol, spices and minerals. There is lovely depth in the glass, not to mention tons of balance. This is a beautiful, poised Barbaresco from Vietti. The Masseria will require considerable patience but its balance is impeccable. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.”
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Good deep red. Medicinal cherry and violet on the nose.Sweet and fresh, with excellent inner-mouth energy and floral lift. But this also boasts an opulent texture, with the sweet tannins arriving late. I find this softer than the 2005 version, but again these tannins reminded me of a Barolo.”
Vietti Barbaresco Masseria 2007 1.5L ($299.95) $199 special 35 magnums remaining
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2007 Barbaresco Masseria flows gracefully from the glass with fabulous aromas of crushed flowers, berries, spices and minerals. It is a wonderfully perfumed, elegant Barbaresco of the highest level. Supple and open today, it promises to drink well to age twenty, if not significantly longer. Hints of the profound 1989 Barolo Rocche – one of the all time greats here – lingers on the finish.”
Vietti Barbera d’Asti La Crena 2007 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special 2 magnums remaining
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Vietti’s 2007 Barbera d’Asti La Crena is a thrilling glass of wine. Jammy dark fruit, minerals, spices and French oak come together beautifully in this opulent, gorgeous La Crena. Today the wine is naturally quite primary, but with another few years in the bottle, it should develop plenty of tertiary nuances. I generally have my best experiences with La Crena around age ten, and have found it to be a wine that can stand side by side with just about anything. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.”
Vietti Barolo Brunate 2006 1.5L ($399.95) $319 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Good medium red. Perfumed aromas of camphor, brown spices and menthol. Silky-sweet and aromatic in the mouth, with lovely class and a light touch for a wine with such a plush texture-no doubt due to a mineral element that reminded me of Musigny. Very intensely flavored, suave Brunate with an impressive rising finish. A superb showing: this has the structure for a slow evolution in bottle but the complexity to give it considerable early appeal.”
Vietti Barolo Brunate 2007 1.5L ($479.95) $379 special
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2007 Barolo Brunate is a stunner. Layers of dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, menthol, pine and spices emerge reluctantly from an inward, mysterious Barolo that captures the essence of one of Piedmont’s greatest sites. Structurally, it remains a powerhouse, with massive tannins, great body and fabulous length. The Brunate is one of the most improved wines at Vietti over the last few years, and is a huge success in this vintage
Vietti Barolo Lazzarito 2006 1.5L ($399.95) $349 special only 1 magnum available
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2006 Barolo Lazzarito has begun to show the pedigree of this great Serralunga site now that Vietti has backed off the French oak, and the 2006 is nothing short of superb. A melange of dark, mineral-infused fruit flows from the glass as the large-scaled Lazzarito gradually shows off its class. Licorice, tar, smoke and earthiness add layers of complexity and nuance. The Lazzarito is still the Barolo that spends the longest number of months in French oak following the malolactic fermentation, but that period is down to several months from a full year the wine spent in small barrels up until 2001 or so. One day the Lazzarito may challenge the Rocche as Vietti’s signature Barolo, and that day may be closer than most people realize. This huge, imposing Barolo will require patience, but it is nothing short of superb.”
Antonio Galloni 89 points “The 2010 Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne shows the energy and drive typical of Asti. Dark cherries, plums, smoke, licorice and spices are all layered into this pretty, nuanced Barbera. The expression of fruit is pure 2010, while a hint of white pepper and flowers lingers on the finish. This is a very serious wine for the money.”
Vietti Nebbiolo d’Alba Perbacco 2010 ($27.95) $20.90 special 5+ cases available
Antonio Galloni 88-89 points “The 2010 Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco wafts from the glass with freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries and spices. Weightless and elegant, it is a gorgeous example of the year. Sweet floral notes underpinned by veins of salinity add lift and brightness on the finish. There is a weightlessness to the 2010 that is hugely appealing.”