Winemaker Notes
Light ruby red and faint garnet notes. Extremely fruity and delicately harmonious. Hints of strawberry and raspberry. Absolutely fine and elegant. It has good persistence, but with a finale characterized by remarkably soft tannins. It is particularly enjoyable to savor its initial freshness and then appreciate the evolution of its aromas as the wine slowly warms in the glass.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of spiced cherries, small berries, dried flowers and mild spices. Medium body. Fine tannins. Juicy core of succulent red fruit at the center and a delicious, well-rounded finish. Try after 2026.
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Vinous
The 2020 Barolo Paiagallo is a silky, sensual Barolo that will drink well right out of the gate. Succulent red cherry, plum, rose petal, mint and sweet spice are pushed forward. This pliant, racy Barolo has a ton to offer. Best of all, it should drink well with minimal cellaring. White pepper, cedar and crushed flowers linger on the vibrant finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This Barolo is a standout, showcasing the winemaker’s skill and dedication. Vibrant dark fruits take center stage, with a lively cheeriness that ranges from macerated to compote and jam-like flavors, all while maintaining a sense of freshness.
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.