Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera 2017

Gianluca Grasso calls the vineyards Gavarini and Ginestra his “brothers”. Even though these vineyards are within a stones throw of each other,  Gianluca’s “brothers” are far from twins. They are incredibly different and every year manage to show off the entire spectrum of complexity and flavors possible in Barolo. In my tasting experience, 2016 is Gianluca’s finest.

The only way to get a sense of these Grand Crus is to lace up your hiking boots. It’s a million dollar view from the top of Gavarini, The medieval castle of Castiglione Falletto to the left, Conterno’s Cascina Francia to the right and the ever present Alps always in the distance. One handful of Gavarini’s chalky sand speaks volumes about the incredible tension and crackling minerality in the finished wine. A quick walk through Ginestraloads your boots up with the calcareous clay the lend power and length that wine has become famous for. 

The 2017 Grasso Baroli perfectly balance the fine line between fleshy, layered fruit and mineral, stony structure that will allow these wines to age gracefully for decades. Antonio Galloni showered praise on Gianluca’s 2017’s calling them some of the “most thrilling” and “one of a handful of estates whose 2017s match up to the 2016s”.