Bruna Grimaldi
Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
We love talking about the glory days of Barolo. Not the region, but back when you could find great Barolos for under $50. Now, it’s not uncommon to see Langhe varietal wines to stretch for that goal. Yikes. Fortunately, there is one estate has not allowed inflation to impact their pricing or quality, one we stock up on every year: Bruna Grimaldi.
It’s unlikely to surprise any of our long-time subscribers when we write that the estate crafts classic, well-structured and delicious wines that outperform their modest price tags. The estate dates back to the 1990s, when Bruna (along with her husband, Franco Fiorino) began bottling her own wine. This decision came after decades selling off their exceptional fruit as bulk wine before eventually selling a handful of cases locally. As the word got out and international interest poured in, the wines have only improved.
The three Barolos that we’re featuring today are the Camilla, Bricco Ambroggio and Badarina. The wines tend to be fairly solid, built primarily for the cellar, but with a window during their youth when they’re delicious in the near term. All are distinctive and delicious.
The Camilla is the only one blended from multiple sites, mostly from the ridgelines to the north of La Morra. Limestone found throughout the area lends to softer tannins and a more approachable style; perfect for drinking now.
Bricco Abroggio is an outlier of a vineyard, and the wine is equally special. The site is predominantly clay and marl, so you’d expected a tannic powerhouse, yet it is light on its feet with great freshness and plenty of cellaring potential.
Finally, the Badarina is the flagship and pride of the estate. Bruna’s mother was born there and the family lived in a small brick house on top of the ridge. This is Serralunga: the dominant soil is ancient sandstone, and the wine is built for the long haul. Structured and tight in its youth, it develops extraordinary aromatics with age.
Overall, Bruna Grimaldi’s quality/price ratio is unequaled in Barolo. These wines are beautifully expressive, polished wines that combine the cleanliness and rich, round flavors of a modern producer with a more traditional sensibility when it comes to oak usage. These are incredibly well-made wines and not one of them costs more than $50/750ml, a remarkable feat that’s aided by our strong relationship with their Oregon importer.
So don’t buy just one. Stock up, especially during our three-day sale. You’ll want to see for yourself how well these develop over the next decade and beyond.
It’s unlikely to surprise any of our long-time subscribers when we write that the estate crafts classic, well-structured and delicious wines that outperform their modest price tags. The estate dates back to the 1990s, when Bruna (along with her husband, Franco Fiorino) began bottling her own wine. This decision came after decades selling off their exceptional fruit as bulk wine before eventually selling a handful of cases locally. As the word got out and international interest poured in, the wines have only improved.
The three Barolos that we’re featuring today are the Camilla, Bricco Ambroggio and Badarina. The wines tend to be fairly solid, built primarily for the cellar, but with a window during their youth when they’re delicious in the near term. All are distinctive and delicious.
The Camilla is the only one blended from multiple sites, mostly from the ridgelines to the north of La Morra. Limestone found throughout the area lends to softer tannins and a more approachable style; perfect for drinking now.
Bricco Abroggio is an outlier of a vineyard, and the wine is equally special. The site is predominantly clay and marl, so you’d expected a tannic powerhouse, yet it is light on its feet with great freshness and plenty of cellaring potential.
Finally, the Badarina is the flagship and pride of the estate. Bruna’s mother was born there and the family lived in a small brick house on top of the ridge. This is Serralunga: the dominant soil is ancient sandstone, and the wine is built for the long haul. Structured and tight in its youth, it develops extraordinary aromatics with age.
Overall, Bruna Grimaldi’s quality/price ratio is unequaled in Barolo. These wines are beautifully expressive, polished wines that combine the cleanliness and rich, round flavors of a modern producer with a more traditional sensibility when it comes to oak usage. These are incredibly well-made wines and not one of them costs more than $50/750ml, a remarkable feat that’s aided by our strong relationship with their Oregon importer.
So don’t buy just one. Stock up, especially during our three-day sale. You’ll want to see for yourself how well these develop over the next decade and beyond.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Bruna Grimaldi wine
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Bruna Grimaldi wine
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Friday, September 6th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Bruna Grimaldi wine
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Friday, September 6th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer five options from Bruna Grimaldi on sale now, including:
Bruna Grimaldi “Camilla”, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Notes of spiced cherries, red licorice, nutmeg and hazelnuts. It’s tight and chewy with a full body and velvety texture. It’s steady and lengthy and need a few years to soften. Try after 2026.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 90 points “This wine represents an appellation-wide blend of fruit from Raviole and Borzone (in Grinzane Cavour), Roere di Santa Maria (in La Morra), San Lorenzo di Verduno (in Verduno), Bricco Ambrogio (in Roddi) and Badarina (in Serralunga d’Alba). However, in 2019, a hailstorm destroyed most of the crop from Raviole, so that cru does not feature here. The Bruna Grimaldi 2019 Barolo Camilla opens to medium-dark intensity. The bouquet is a bit closed, even reduced, but you do get black cherry, cassis and red licorice. This concludes with dry tannins. 20,000 bottles were released.”
Bruna Grimaldi Badarina, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “With fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the Bruna Grimaldi 2018 Barolo Badarina opens nicely and completely, relative to its young age, within a few hours of popping the cork. The character of the wine is hearty and firm, although there is also a silkiness or smoothness that is especially associated with this vintage. You get some of those vaguely metallic aromas of rusty nail or iron ore that come with the Serralunga d’Alba territory. There is also plenty of dark fruit, licorice and wild rose. Fruit from the special Vigna Regnola site is blended into this wine in 2018 because no Riserva was produced. This is a release of 6,000 bottles.”
Bruna Grimaldi Badarina, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Note of dark spices, chocolate and bark with red and dark berry character. Full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and firm texture. It’s tight and muscular with juicy and vivid red fruit underneath, before a flavorful finish. Needs some time in the bottle. Try from 2026.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2019 Barolo Badarina sees fruit from Serralunga d’Alba. The wine shows medium-rich concentration with aromas of red berry fruit and dried cherry. At the back are subtle notes of rusty nail, black licorice and crushed rose. Bruna Grimaldi and her family make wine in their winery in Grinzane Cavour but farm various parcels across the appellation. The Badarina often comes across as the boldest and most structured wine in the portfolio. Some 6,500 bottles were released.”
Bruna Grimaldi Bricco Ambrogio, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $41.90, that’s $39.81 at 5% off and $37.71 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 points “From a vineyard site in Roddi with classic Sant’Agata marl soils and fossils, the Bruna Grimaldi 2018 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio shows pretty harmony and balance, with a considerably softer character that finishes with very smooth and silky tannins. The fruit is compact and fresh with wild cherry and cassis. That more tart flavor profile cedes to floral notes and some earthy tones as well in this production of 4,500 bottles.”
Bruna Grimaldi Bricco Ambrogio, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $44, that’s $41.80 at 5% off and $39.60 at 10% off, 32 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The Bruna Grimaldi 2019 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio (with 4,500 bottles made) boasts a very vibrant and lively garnet color that is slightly on the darker side of your standard Nebbiolo. This cru site in Roddi tends to make accessible Barolos, and you could say the same for this edition. The wild card, however, is the excellent 2019 vintage, which gives this wine more abundant fruit density and structure. Generally speaking, you get a bigger bolder wine this year.”
James Suckling 92 points “This shows notes of ripe cherries and cranberries with red flowers, citrus peel and savory herb undertones. It’s firm and structured with a full body and taut tannin structure. Hints of nut shell and nutmeg in the aftertaste. Better from 2026.”
Shop our five Bruna Grimaldi selections on sale now on our webstore!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
2019 Produttori del Barbaresco
5% off any 4-8 in-stock bottles of 2019 Produttori del Barbaresco
10% off any 9 or more in-stock bottles of 2019 Produttori del Barbaresco
Labor Day Sale
5% off any 6-11 in-stock wines listed at $30 or under
10% off any 12 or more in-stock wines listed at $30 or under
That’s over 500 options!!
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
2019 Produttori del Barbaresco sale ends Wednesday, September 4th at 9 am Pacific. Labor Day sale ends Thursday, September 5th at 9 am Pacific.