Vietti Barolo Ravera 2018 (1.5L)

95+ VM / 95 WA / 95 WI / 93 JS / 93 WS / 17+ JR

The 2018 Barolo Ravera is a wine of real depth and vertical structure. As always, the Ravera is a taut, nervy Barolo built on energy more than volume. Readers will have to be patient, as the Ravera is likely to require a number of years to be at its most expressive. Even in the early going, it is vibrant and full of life. Rose petal, chalk, blood orange and white pepper lend striking exotic top notes that are quite suggestive of what the future is going to bring. What a gorgeous Barolo this is.-Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Vietti is one of a handful of estates to bring the Ravera MGA of Novello to the current popularity it enjoys now. Their 2018 Barolo Ravera has a smoky personality with crushed stone and pencil shavings. There is plenty of dark fruit at the back, ripe cherry and blackberry mostly, and the wine is tonic and firm in terms of its structure and tannins. The Ravera is a wine of enormous length and a finely tuned texture. Exactly 7,560 bottles were made. - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate

The 2018 Vietti Barolo Ravera comes from grapes grown on a 3-hectare, single vineyard site in Novello with a south-western exposure and from vines with an average age of 30 years old. This wine has lovely aromas of faded roses, irises and dried flowers. On the palate it has a soft first impression, and the savory, fine-textured tannins are nicely integrated into the body of the wine, which feel a little drying. The wine shows plenty of quality, elegance and breeding.-Susan Hulme, Wine Independent

Lighter structure this year, but it’s intense, with focused red-cherry and raspberry character and spicy and mineral nuances. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a very tight finish. This is super-compact and needs time to expand. Try from 2024. - James Suckling

This red leads off with a distinctive minty note allied with cherry, iron, tobacco and underbrush flavors. Turns firm and linear on the finish, with a sinewy feel, yet remains fresh and long. Very pure. Best from 2026 through 2043. 642 cases made, 193 cases imported.-Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator

Novello. Just mid ruby. Spicy cherry, raspberry and rhubarb with a peppery tingle. Elegant and suave on the palate with fine tannins lining the fruit. Very contained, measured and elegant, and while this is pretty now, it looks like much more is to come. -Walter Speller, JancisRobinson