Vietti Lazzarito Barolo 2021

When tannins are perfectly ripe in vintages like 2021, macerations don’t need to be pushed too far, says winemaker Eugenio Palumbo, here given around 27 days of ‘cappello sommerso’, submerged cap, a gentle form of extraction without any pumping. Tannins were already more polymerized than the mean straight out of the vineyard when harvest came at the end of September until the first week of October (except Ravera, always a later site). Lazzarrito is a little more firm than the 2021 Brunate tasted alongside, also more balsamic and spicy, a more tightly wound wine aged exclusively in large old cask for 30 months. Tannins are firm, still edgy, several years away from melting into the ensemble, but there’s a wild and savoury side here that I find hugely appealing. Abundant, not aggressive. Superb length. Outstanding wine. Best from 2029. Tasted June 2025. (John Szabo, MS,winealign.com,Jan. 30, 2025)