Vietti Barolo Lazzarito 2020

Lazzarito stands out as one of the strongest wines in this portfolio of new releases from Vietti. With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the 2020 Barolo Lazzarito comes in at a very high threshold in terms of complexity, offering dark cherry, crème de cassis, violet macaron, dried herb and lavender. The wine's perfumes remind me of the south of France in summer. It shows elegant tannins, streamlined intensity and good acidity.

There is a little more savoriness here, showing contained power. Tar and dark minerality. Plenty of forest berries, dried orange peel, frozen grapefruit and raspberries. Very structured and full-bodied, with firm, chewy tannins rendering the bold austere quality to the wine. But at the end, this is focused and taut, with a crunchy, spicy finish full of length. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drinkable now if you are willing to embrace austerity, but this should be better from 2027.

Starts with an open feel, displaying cherry, peach, iron, tar and tobacco flavors before firming up. This lively red builds to the long aftertaste of red licorice, tobacco and earth. Best from 2027 through 2045.

The 2020 Barolo Lazzarito is a blend of fruit picked before and after the early October rains. It marries power and finesse to a notable degree. Dark red fruit, menthol, licorice, crushed rocks and dried herbs open nicely in the glass. This is a bit light for a Serralunga Barolo, although the tannic structure is there. This is missing a bit of personality.