Winemaker Notes
The 2020 Barolo Coste di Rose is elegant and finessed, with serious structure beneath. Hibiscus, red berries, black cherries, mint, white pepper and all sweet spices all emerge from the glass. The palate presents chiseled tannins with delicate floral tones. In the signature of the vineyard, it is forward and approachable, yet with an amazing perspective ahead.
Blend: 100% Nebbiolo
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Aged for 28 months in cask, the bright ruby 2020 Barolo Coste Di Rose was a little more reserved at this tasting. It reveals a hint of blood orange citrus along with its notes of cola, ripe strawberries, and raspberries. Medium-bodied, it has finely tensioned tannins and a clean, mouthwatering finish. It’s a very pretty wine. Drink 2026-2046.
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Wine Spectator
A beam of fresh cherry and strawberry permeates this graceful red, driven by a vibrant structure. Flashes of sun-kissed hay, iron and mint add depth as this cruises to a lingering conclusion. Very harmonious, with a chalky sensation on the long, complex aftertaste.
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James Suckling
White pepper, dried roses, berries and mineral on the nose. Really elegant and chalky on the palate with medium to full body and a linear finish. Pure and driven. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
Barolo of remarkable elegance and complexity. Lifted aromas of mixed wild berries, candied rose petals, cinnamon and whole clove are accompanied by warm, earthy notes. Tart cherries and cranberries dominate the palate, with woodsy undertones and chewy tannins that provide heft without overpowering. Savory and medicinal herbs linger on the finish, making this a captivating expression of this renowned cru.
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Vinous
The 2020 Barolo Coste di Rose is an attractive, mid-weight wine. Black cherry, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice are nicely woven together. The Coste di Rose is not the most complex Barolo in the range but offers tons of sheer appeal, in a sensual, open-knit style that can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
The center of the production of the world’s most exclusive and age-worthy red wines made from Nebbiolo, the Barolo wine region includes five core townships: La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and the Barolo village itself, as well as a few outlying villages. The landscape of Barolo, characterized by prominent and castle-topped hills, is full of history and romance centered on the Nebbiolo grape. Its wines, with the signature “tar and roses” aromas, have a deceptively light garnet color but full presence on the palate and plenty of tannins and acidity. In a well-made Barolo wine, one can expect to find complexity and good evolution with notes of, for example, strawberry, cherry, plum, leather, truffle, anise, fresh and dried herbs, tobacco and violets.
There are two predominant soil types here, which distinguish Barolo from the lesser surrounding areas. Compact and fertile Tortonian sandy marls define the vineyards farthest west and at higher elevations. Typically the Barolo wines coming from this side, from La Morra and Barolo, can be approachable relatively early on in their evolution and represent the “feminine” side of Barolo, often closer in style to Barbaresco with elegant perfume and fresh fruit.
On the eastern side of the Barolo wine region, Helvetian soils of compressed sandstone and chalks are less fertile, producing wines with intense body, power and structured tannins. This more “masculine” style comes from Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba. The township of Castiglione Falletto covers a spine with both soil types.
The best Barolo wines need 10-15 years before they are ready to drink, and can further age for several decades.