Hard work pays off, certainly for Gianluca Grasso. His estate, based in Monforte d’Alba is most definitely riding high of late. We last offered his impressive 2020 Casa Matè and Chiniera along with the 2016 Riserva Runcot, which received the perfect score from Antonio Galloni. There is no new release of Runcot this year - we’ll have to wait for the release of the 2020 and 2019 Runcot Riserva, both of which also receive serious plaudits, each scoring 98+ with Galloni this month. Runcot looks set to become a justifiable Barolo icon.

Let’s cut to the chase - the subject of this email, the 2021 releases…..As I type this, I have just left Gianluca’s winery on Monday 27th January 2025, and well, what can I say? Wow. Are these the finest examples of Ginestra Casa Matè and Gavarini Chiniera that I can recall? Do they surpass the outstanding 2016s, 2019s and 2020s? (2020 was a great vintage for Grasso, even though not every grower excelled in that vintage.) It is a close-run thing, and I don’t say that lightly as I am a huge fan of those three vintages. Time will tell what the eventual pecking order will be, but I think we’ll just be splitting hairs in the end. The critical question is, will these wines impress and be a joy to drink? And the answer is they certainly will.

Since taking over from his father, Elio, Gianluca Grasso has worked tirelessly to bring about added refinement and consistency in the wines of Elio Grasso. Gianluca has also adapted to the different nature of modern Barolo vintages, and I consider his wines to excel in the warmer conditions we encounter in Piemonte today. Stylistically, that added generosity and ripeness that comes from such conditions seems to bring out added nuance and complexity in the single vineyard Barolo that Grasso produce from Monforte d’Alba. Anyone who tasted Gianluca’s 2015s, from a less lauded Barolo vintage, will be under no doubt as to how well this estate has adapted.

Much of this comes down to crucial decisions taken in the vineyard that have a massive impact on fruit quality. Simply put, Gianluca is consistently making the right calls. Equally, he is now a very experienced winemaker and, as mentioned already, has quickly adapted to conditions in modern day Barolo. Anyone who has ever had even a brief conversation with Gianluca will have picked up on his dedication to his vineyards and near maniacal attention to detail. If you visit him close to or just after harvest, you see a tired, fraught man who has been focused on making the right decisions, repeatedly mulling over optimum harvest dates versus the risk of inclement weather in his mind right up until the fruit is safely in. All this said, not every vintage is a glorious home run; mother nature can trip up even the most focused and attentive of winegrowers, but Gianluca is shaping his own luck more and more, as invariably he is minded to be patient to get fully mature fruit and tannins. In short, he will take a risk to deliver something memorable and that must be applauded. It is certainly paying off!

About the 2021 vintage.

Vine growth kicked off early in 2021 before the weather cooled towards May. Some vineyards were affected by frost in April, which is often a risk when growth commences in warm early Spring conditions. 2021 was a warm vintage, in fact, if you looked at heat summation data, it was warmer than the average of the last 20 years, which probably comes as no surprise, but it wasn’t among the hottest vintages we have encountered in the last decade. While the summer was hot, our growers reported that there weren’t any dramatic heat spikes. Winter rain had gone some way to restoring soil water levels, which proved to be much needed as rainfall through the growing season in 2021 was lower than expected. The vines didn’t experience any dramatic stress or drought conditions. Harvest was uncomplicated, with many growers reporting uniform ripeness – some concluded their harvest by early October, others waited until later in the month. Grasso, normally, one to wait, picked right at the end of October. Many growers commented on the significance of diurnal temperature variation in 2021, warm days through harvest being matched by cool nights, which are ideal for Nebbiolo – ripening tannins slowly, retaining aromatics and freshness. Gianluca says that in 2021 the span of temperatures wasn’t as important or vast as the duration and that is the key to the vintage. The best Barolo vintages share this pattern along with a fairly extended harvest date, well into October, so 2021 is, on paper, a very fine vintage.

In terms of tasting the wines, I really like the aromatic freshness, the flavours are clearly delineated from vineyard to vineyard and, though the wines possess ample tannin, they do not come across as foreboding. There is something of the balance and appeal of 2020 in the 2021s, though they are, in general, perhaps finer nuanced, less overtly ripe, more measured. They follow more classical lines in style, though they possess a certain suppleness and a touch of early drinking appeal. By no means is it the hard work it once was to taste young Barolo from bottle or barrel. I have tasted a good number of 2021s on several different visits to Piemonte and at several different stages of evolution; they have always showed more of their character than you might expect at such a young stage. Climate change has brought about a change in Barolo; we see far fewer vintages that deliver anything other than ripe fruit, and warmer vintages have led to a slight softening of the Barolo tannins. Winemaking has also evolved in time with climate change and the styles of Barolo that we see today will undoubtedly permit a broader window of drinking in comparison to some by-gone years that needed to be tucked away in a cool cellar for a lengthy snooze before being approachable. I think 2021 will prove to be a very successful vintage. Critics can argue the toss as to where it sits in the hierarchy of vintages, but whatever they decide is relatively academic, as I feel certain that 2021 will give an awful lot of pleasure to fans of Barolo, and may well assist in attracting new consumers to one of the world’s most fascinating of regions.

I have been visiting the Grassos since the 2001 vintage and have known their wines from bottle since the 1996 vintage. In the last decade they have lifted the bar hugely, with remarkably fine Barolo made in 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020 and now 2021. As with a number of other estates, they have benefited from an unprecedented run of high-quality vintages, dictated first and foremost by the weather during the growing season, but Gianluca’s attention to the vineyards and his deft hand in winemaking should not be underestimated; his decisions have brought about greater purity and nuance in the estate’s wines. Gianluca, and his father Elio, have always stressed that wine is made in the vineyard and Gianluca often talks about the run up to harvest and the fraught few days he endures while waiting for the fruit to achieve optimum ripeness.

Once again with these releases, Gianluca can take heart for enduring the pain of discipline rather than the pain of regret. These 2021 Barolo from Grasso are exceptional.


2021 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè, Elio Grasso
£330 per 6 bottle case in bond

Simon Larkin’s note from yesterday:
Deeper than Chiniera in the glass, as is so often the case, the nose is classic Casa Matè – scented with small dark fruits, a more brooding character with a certain balsamic back note. The palate backs this up with a showstopping sense of precision – dense, pure fruit offset by a vibrant acidity, a blue/ black fruit underpinned by finely ripe, mineral, slightly austere tannins. To the finish, there is a hint of spice as the juicy nature of the fruit with its mineral nuances pushes on. Stunning, nothing out of place and among the best I have tasted from this vineyard, without any doubt. Drink 2030-2044.

Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, 97 points, January 2025
The 2021 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is fabulous. Bright and transparent, with captivating depth, the 2021 is a stunning beauty. Enveloping balsamic notes make a strong opening statement that remains a theme here. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and blood orange all come alive in the glass. What a wine! 2029-2041


2021 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera, Elio Grasso
£330 per 6 bottle case in bond

Simon Larkin’s note from yesterday:
Scented, floral with a violet note to the fresh aromas of macerated red fruits There is more than a hint of blood orange on the nose, spearmint too, and even a note of juicy peach. This is a wonderfully focused Chiniera, not as austere as many vintages, but just austere enough at this early stage with a markedly linear, racy nature in contrast to Casa Matè! What singles this out is the creamy intensity to the core of fruit, and the sleek, supple, rounded accent to the perfectly judged tannins, Charm is not a word I have used to describe Chiniera before, but the 2021 has bags of it. Exceptional, graceful with bright crushed raspberry and pomegranate fruit to the fore. One of the most more-ish Chiniera yet – I drained my glass far too quickly. This is so fine; I predict a broad drinking window. Drink 2028 to 2044.

Antonio Galloni, vinous.com,  97 points, January 2025
The 2021 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a deep, powerful wine. In most vintages, the Gavarini Chiniera is a bit more linear, but the 2021 has an extra kick of textural depth that is such a hallmark of the year. Iron, chalk, dried flowers, mint and red cherry fruit build with a bit of coaxing. Readers will find a potent, explosive Barolo that hits all the right notes. 2029-2041


I always say it, but I can’t recommend these Barolo more highly. If I had to compile a list of Barolo estates whose wines I would buy religiously, vintage in and vintage out, Grasso would be one of the very first names on my list. And I consider 2021 to be an extremely fine vintage, one whose high points, whilst not as numerous, are capable of rivalling some of those found in recent great Barolo vintages. At Grasso, they are amongst the best – as I say, hard work pays off.

Please let us know of your interest.

Simon and Richard

simon.larkin@atlasfinewines.com
richard.omahony@atlasfinewines.com

Simon Larkin MW, January 2025