The 2019 Vietti Barolo Castiglione is a standout vintage of their most widely produced Barolo, offering depth, polish, and vintage-driven character. While it’s a blend of fruit from multiple top vineyard sites, it’s not generic—it’s nuanced, floral, and richly textured. Think cherries, rose petals, watermelon, with mineral and saline touches underneath. The 2019 vintage gave the Nebbiolo thicker skins, so this has a bit more structure than the 2020, yet it’s still approachable with a few years of cellaring. It’s a great snapshot of Vietti’s style and the overall strength of the vintage.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95
Published: Aug 24, 2023
Drink: 2024-2040

This is the most accessible Barolo from Vietti and the wine that casts the biggest net in terms of fruit sourcing from across many MGA sites. The 2019 Barolo Castiglione is a layered and generous wine that reflects the main takeaways offered by this very successful vintage. In fact, because this wine is not from a single site, it speaks more to the quality of the vintage than it does to any one specific vineyard. The Castiglione reveals generous richness and concentrated cherry fruit with dark saturation and good structure that comes from the thicker skins developed on Nebbiolo grapes this year. It concludes with a salty mineral note that adds focus and elegance.

I tasted these wines with Luca Currado and Elena Penna at the Vietti winery just a short time before I would learn that they were leaving for good. The couple sold Vietti to American entrepreneur Kyle Krause in 2016. That historic sale would mark a milestone for the Barolo appellation that has appreciated in value almost exponentially since then, driving wine, grape and land prices through the roof. Luca and Elena stayed on these past years to ensure continuity in winemaking, but that handover phase finally came to an end this past winter. The couple was nice enough to call me and assure me that they were ready to leave and feel that Vietti is in very good hands. In fact, they leave an outstanding portfolio of wines, counting eight Barolos, including one new Barolo Riserva reviewed here. Elena Penna is now focused on making a popular Vermouth di Torino, and Luca Currado plants to continue in wine as a consultant. The couple still lives in their house above the winery. On a personal note, I will miss them dearly. Luca and Elena are some of my favorite people in Italian wine, and I look forward to their next moves. I send them my warmest regards.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 94
Published: Jun 21, 2023

Extremely perfumed with hibiscus, flowers and watermelon with some fresh cherries. Medium-bodied with chewy, polished tannins and a fresh and vivid finish. Very solid. Made from about 20 different vineyards. Needs time to soften. Vegan. Drink after 2027.

Vietti.com

Denomination: Barolo DOCG
Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)

Grapes from one of the most historic vineyards in the entire Barolo area, in the Rocche di Castiglione Falletto. Vineyard with plants from 1940, 1950 and 1968 with southern exposure on steeply sloping terraces. Soil of marly, yellow-bluish composition. Guyot training system with a density of about 4,600 plants per hectare. Altitude of about 330 m above sea level 

Vinification: Rigorously manual grape harvest on 8 October 2019. Following soft pressing, fermentation lasts about four weeks in a steel tank in contact with the skins with regular pumping over. This time includes pre- and post-fermentation cold maceration which takes place using the traditional submerged cap method.?The malolactic fermentation is carried out in wood.

Aging: Oak barrels for about 30 months.

Description: Ruby red colour. The nose is complex and elegant.?It has notes of mandarin and ripe red fruit, rose petal accompanied by a hint of chamomile. On the palate it is fresh, balanced, silky, enveloping and complete. The tannin is important but already well integrated. Long and persistent finish. We recommend decanting it a few hours before serving. 

Pairings: Land dishes, game, red meats and aged cheeses.