- 94 points -
July 2021Fascinating aromas of ripe strawberry, bark, mushroom and black tea follow through to a full body with round, creamy tannins that are juicy and rather punchy.
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AZELIA
Barolo
2016
Country
Italy
Regulated designation
Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG)
Region
Piedmont
Appellation
Barolo
Varietal(s)
Nebbiolo
100 %
Colour
Red
Producer's website
About this winery
Azelia is still something of a Barolo lover's secret. Though the estate is not a high-profile one, proprietor Luigi Scavino is cousin of Enrico Scavino of the renowned Paolo Scavino estate, and shares ownership of the famed Fiasco hill in Castiglione Falletto with him. Luigi, his wife Lorella and son Lorenzo Scavino own and maintain 16 hectares of vines in Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba (including Cru Barolo from Margheria, San Rocco and Voghera Brea) and Montelupo Albese (for their...
See the AZELIA detail page for more information on this brand
Product notes
An impeccable balance. Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba match here in a superlative way. In Castiglione, where the soil is more calcareous and white, the grapes acquire elegance and an aromatic complexity while in Serralunga the more clayey soil transmits character and body. The vines of the six vineyards used for this wine are 45 years old on average.
Production notes
Average age of vines is 45 years. Fermentation takes place in rotofermenters, and in vertical, stainless steel tanks. The juice is vinified with indigenous yeasts, for 4/5 weeks with submerged cap, at an average temperature of 31 °C. it is then aged for 24 months in large casks.
Tasting notes
Aroma and finesse with power and body at the same time. Sweet nose, with hints of cherry, black currant and licorice. Fruity tannins. A union of characters. Aged for two years in large casks.In the vintages in which Barolo Riserva is not produced its grapes contribute, with their superb quality, to this exceptional Barolo.
Press reviews
- 94 points -
September 2020 (Vintage 2016)This is an ultra fine Barolo with cherries, spice, cedar and hints of dried flowers on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied, yet reserved, very caressing and fine-grained. A thoroughly beautiful young 2016.
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- 93 points -
Antonio Galloni, February 2020 (Vintage 2016)Azelia's 2016 Barolo is a blend of fruit from two parcels in Castiglione Falletto and five in Serralunga, with the character of Serralunga especially felt in the wine's tannic grip and persistence. Iron, sage, mint, smoke and wild cherry give the Barolo striking aromatic nuance and complexity, all in the mid-weight style that is such a signature at this address. The purity of the fruit is just striking. Stated simply, this is a tremendous wine in its peer group.
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- 93 points -
June 2023 (Vintage 2019)A fine-tannined and very pretty Barolo with cherry, strawberry and orange peel aromas and flavors. Medium body. Fine tannins and a bright finish.
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- 93 points -
August 2023 (Vintage 2019)The 2019 Barolo has a pretty bouquet that is laced with light fruit, licorice and lots of blue flower. On the palate, the wine is mid-weight and lively. This is a nice expression of classic Nebbiolo that shows depth and elegance. It ferments with ambient yeasts and sees 40 days of extended maceration with submerged cap. This 29,400-bottle production represents a blend of fruit from seven sites: Altenasso and Solanotto in Castiglione Falletto, a part of Cerretta, the younger part of Bricco Voghera where the vines are from 55 to 60 years old, part of San Rocco, and Cerrati and Broglio in Serralunga d'Alba.
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- 93 points -
August 2022 (Vintage 2018)Focused and accessible, featuring earth, tar, tobacco, iron and underbrush aromas that introduce flavors of cherry and plum. Ripe and balanced, with a long, fresh and firm finish.
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- 93 points -
October 2020Mixing the calcareous soil of Castiglione Falletto with the heavier clay soils of Serralunga d’Alba is the magic behind this beautiful wine. In all, six plots of vines from two villages, with vines verging on 50 years of age is the story behind fruit purity in this wine. The nose is exquisite with clean, pure cherries and black licorice. The tannins are dense but almost chalky, supporting a fruity, floral, cherry, licorice, mineral palate that lasts and lasts. Another impressive 2016 Barolo that is going to age for a long time. A dense, soft, modern Barolo with impressive styling after ageing 24 months in 25 to 50HL oak barrels of Slavonian, French and Austrian origin.
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- 92 points -
January 2023 (Vintage 2019)From 5.5 hectares in Castiglione Falletto, including a selection from Bricco Voghera – from which Luigi and Lorenzo Scavino usually pick the grapes for their Riserva. Here is a Barolo full of details: intense sweet violet and cinnamon aromas with smoky minerality, pomegranate and red currants. The freshness on the nose is allied to a lot of sucrosity on the palate, with lifted acidity and firm, dusty and even slightly rustic tannins. Good concentration for a village Barolo, and one of the greatest price-quality ratios.
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- 92 points -
December 2014 (Vintage 2010)The chewy texture gives definition to the cherry, plum, licorice and tar flavors. The tannins are surprisingly civilized, making this Barolo relatively open and fluid for the vintage. Tightens up on the finish.
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- 92 points -
Michaela Morris, November 2020 (Vintage 2016)As pleased as Azelia’s proprietor Luigi Scavino is with 2016, he doesn’t consider it a classic vintage due to its relatively accessible character. Indeed, the tannins here are smooth and round on the entry, though they layer up with a fine, sandy texture and cling to the finish. Racy, linear acidity makes for a beguiling juxtaposition. Throughout, anise, sage and eucalyptus accent pretty woodland berries. This brings together seven crus with the backbone coming from Cerretta and Broglio in Serralunga d’Alba.
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- 92 points -
August 2022 (Vintage 2018)Deep, spicy red-fruit character on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied and firm, so give it a couple of years to open up. There’s a lot under the surface.
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- 91 points -
December 2021Aromas of wild berry, eucalyptus and fennel seed mingle with blue flower. On the austere palate, tightly wound tannins accompany sour cherry, blood orange and licorice before a firm, rather lean finish.
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- 91 points -
February 2021The 2017 Barolo is a gorgeous entry-level wine. Scorched earth, tar, licorice, black cherry and gravel give the Barolo an unusually dark, brooding profile in 2017. As it often is, the 2017 Azelia Barolo offers tremendous character and nuance in its peer group, or any peer group for that matter. Translucent and so expressive, the 2017 has a lot to offer.
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- 90 points -
August 2022 (Vintage 2018)Luigi Scavino's classic Barolo shows a sweet spot on the bouquet with baked cherry and sweet plum. The Azelia 2018 Barolo does not show the depth or complexity of past vintages; however, the wine offers lots of basic Nebbiolo crispness and plenty of wild berry flavors. There are earthy notes on the close with some light spice.
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94+ Points
Luca Gardini, May 2022 (Vintage 2018)A successful mix of grapes from 7 single vineyards, located between Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga, which is joined, by tradition, a part of the grapes of the cru dedicated to the Reserve, Bricco Voghera. Plants of 50 years, beautiful nuances of black raspberry on the nose, with touches of Valdostan mint and undergrowth. The taste is crisp, with savory-salty tannins.
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