Home Winners > Winners 2015 > ITALY: North-West Reds, including Barolo & Barbaresco

Winner Details

Italy: North-West Reds, including Barolo & Barbaresco


2015: Gold 4 Silver 7 Bronze 4 Commended 7
2014: Gold 8 Silver 7 Bronze 7 Commended 14



Shades of Sesame Street, with the north-west’s medals brought to you by the letter B. From bargain Barberas through a string of belting Barolos and Barbarescos, there were some beautiful bottles being brandished here. There were a few grumbles about the non-Nebbiolos from more recent vintages, but not over their classy siblings. Barolo and Barbaresco might not be cheap, but our tasters rarely quibbled about the price when the quality merited it.

FOOTNOTE: Includes wines from Valle d'Aosta, Lombardy, Piedmont & Liguria.

From the Tasting Teams


‘We found some pretty good Nebbiolos at the cheaper end; the quality was always there.’ Jeremie Guiraud, Lords of the Manor

‘When someone calls the sommelier to talk about Barolo, they have an idea of what they want. We need to talk the customer through the wines, even if they know a bit about it.’ Giuseppe Longobardi, The Cross at Kenilworth

‘Some Nebbiolo around now is much lighter in style, but some of these were more crunchy, perhaps a little old fashioned, but in a good way. There is a call for both styles and there were some cracking wines here.’ Giancarlo Cuccuru, The Gilbert Scott

‘Too many of the north-west wines just lacked fruit – they were all structure, and aggressive structure.’ Natasha Hughes MW, team leader

‘The Nebbiolos were better at £15 upwards, where they showed greater complexity.’
Simon Cassina, Winexponent


Award winners

Found 22 wines

Italy: North-west reds, including Barolo & Barbaresco

GD Vajra, Barbera d'Alba Superiore 2012, Piedmont, Italy

Gold medal winner

'Love it – this is very deep, youthful yet restrained,' said team leader Richard Bampfield MW, continuing: 'Rich, flavoursome, juicy. Partner with pepper steak.' While Gustavo Medina of Rex Whistler Restaurant admired the ‘concentrated, great texture’ of this wine, noting: ‘Good backbone of tannins with red and black fruits and forest herbs,' team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW said: ‘Dense, concentrated, extracted, plenty of oak but it is refreshing.'

£21.95 Liberty Wines

Terre da Vino, La Luna e I Falò, Barbera d'Asti Superiore 2012, Piedmont, Italy

Gold medal winner Food Match

Versatility and an 'outstanding price' took this wine to the top, while its freshness and balanced tannic structure gave it the trendy Beef Burgers Food Match trophy. ‘Great nose, red fruits with leather tones but nice freshness too,’ said Gustavo Medina of Rex Whistler Restaurant, with team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW adding: ‘Typically rich with mocha and red fruits, long, brisk freshness and a tarry finish.’ 'Deep youthful and light, you could drink on its own or with food,' said team leader Richard Bampfield MW.

£7.99 Vinum

Marchesi di Gresy, Camp Gros, Barbaresco 2006, Piedmont, Italy

Gold medal winner

‘Gentle, lithe fruit but still good, firm structure; there’s a floral, herbal lift to the gentle cherry and rosehip fruit flavours,’ said team leader Simon Woods, concluding: ‘Good now, but still bags of life in it.’ ‘Cherry, strawberry, leather notes, wet forest floor, concentrated with a chalky mineral backbone,’ agreed an equally impressed Matteo Malquori of Hakkasan Hanway Place. 'A beautiful wine,' said Louise Gordon of Lime Wood Hotel, suggesting veal shank or strong game as the food match of choice.

£45.00 Boutinot

Ca' del Baio, Valgrande, Barbaresco 2011, Piedmont, Italy

Gold medal winner

‘Red fruit and dark cherry nose, smooth and spicy palate, an inviting style,’ said Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Gilbert Scott, with Winexponent’s Simon Cassina noting: ‘Rose, violet and blackcurrant on the nose, tarry, savoury black cherry palate with mineral notes and well-defined tannins.’ 'Gamey notes with soft spice and silky tannins. Would love pigeon!' said Louise Gordon of Lime Wood Hotel.

£16.10 Eurowines

Enrico Serafino, Barolo 2009, Piedmont, Italy

Silver medal winner

‘Good regional expression, with rose and violet floral notes and sour cherry on the nose, concentration and potential for ageing on the palate, with elegance and finesse,’ said an impressed Matteo Malquori of Hakkasan Hanway Place. ‘Big, meaty, slightly bretty and intense style,’ added team leader Simon Woods.

£21.06 Matthew Clark

GD Vajra, Albe, Barolo 2011, Piedmont, Italy

Silver medal winner

'Silky-soft tannins, beautiful complexity with plenty of dark fruit, this is marvellous,' said Jeremie Guiraud of Lords of the Manor, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW adding: 'Lots of French oak and more traditional winemaking.’

£24.00 Liberty Wines

Terre da Vino, Paesi Tuoi, Barolo 2010, Piedmont, Italy

Silver medal winner

‘Spicy and leather notes, dry with good minerality and a relatively light structure,’ began Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW adding: ‘Juicy red fruit with structured but fine tannins, attractive leather and spice.’

£12.28 Vinum

Massolino, Parafada, Barolo 2011, Piedmont, Italy

Silver medal winner

‘Slightly jammier fruit style, intertwined with savoury notes. Big tannins but well integrated, with balance,’ said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, with Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth adding: ‘Cocoa and cassis, tannin with personality, and very long, with a finish ranging from dried fruit flavours to marmalade.’

£44.50 Liberty Wines

Ruinello, Luponero, Oltrepò Pavese, Bonarda 2010, Lombardy, Italy

Silver medal winner

'Showing some maturity, this is expressive, with spicy and tarry notes. Intensely flavoured, with high acidity and dried fruits,' said team leader Richard Bampfield MW, while Ram Chhetri of Bread Street Kitchen noted 'cranberry jam, leather and smooth texture'.

£9.10 Azienda Vinicola Ruinello

Araldica, Rive, Barbera d'Asti Superiore 2012, Piedmont, Italy

Silver medal winner

'Notes of dark fruit, chocolate and cassis lead to a dense, powerful but still enjoyable palate,' said Ram Chhetri of Bread Street Kitchen, with team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW adding: ‘Floral, with redcurrants, dense and rich with jammy fruits and punchy, lifted acidity.’

£9.00 Boutinot

Fontanafredda, Vigna La Rosa, Barolo 2010, Piedmont, Italy

Silver medal winner

‘Typical light ruby appearance, sour cherry and raspberry aromas with a mineral freshness on the palate and soft tannins; broad flavours right to the back of the mouth,’ said Simon Cassina of Winexponent, with team leader Simon Woods adding: ‘Huge style, grippy and intense, long and tangy with plenty of fruit, but needs years.’

£42.89 Enotria&Coe

Dezzani, Stardé, Barbaresco 2011, Piedmont, Italy

Bronze medal winner

‘Floral, cherry and rose petal nose, concentrated with red fruits and power on the finish, well structured and good value,’ said Matteo Malquori of Hakkasan Hanway Place. Team leader Simon Woods added: 'Elegant and delicate, with richness and texture to balance the tannin.’

£12.65 Eurowines

Marchesi di Gresy, Martinenga, Barbaresco 2008, Piedmont, Italy

Bronze medal winner

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW found this wine ‘complex and long’, saying: ‘Lifted aromas, attractively juicy with a bold tannin structure.’ Still young, Louise Gordon of Lime Wood Hotel noted: 'MInty bramble jam and a gamey base, with soft spice and velvety tannins. Match with steak.'

£31.00 Boutinot

Poderi Colla, Nebbiolo d'Alba 2012, Piedmont, Italy

Bronze medal winner

‘Floral and perfumed notes on the nose, a more elegant style that’s not too complex, but is fabulous value,’ said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, with Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth highlighting its ‘plum and leather, and high tannins’.

£10.60 Boutinot

Dezzani, San Carlo, Barolo 2010, Piedmont, Italy

Bronze medal winner

‘Chocolate and plum aromas, nice body with sweet tannin and toasted cocoa and vanilla on the finish,’ said Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW adding: ‘Lovely integrated wine, bags of acidity and tannins, with leather and floral notes.’

£16.00 Eurowines

Araldica, Alasia, Barbaresco 2011, Piedmont , Italy

Commended medal winner

£7.50 Boutinot

Vietti, Tre Vigne, Barbera d'Alba 2013, Piedmont , Italy

Commended medal winner

£14.67 Bibendum

Terre da Vino, Essenze, Barolo Riserva 2001, Piedmont, Italy

Commended medal winner

£24.27 Vinum

Terre da Vino, Essenze, Barolo 2010, Piedmont, Italy

Commended medal winner

£15.07 Vinum

Costaripa, Maim, Garda Classico, Groppello 2009, Lombardy, Italy

Commended medal winner

£15.54 Alivini

La Gironda di Galandrino, Le Nicchie, Barbera d'Asti Superiore 2010, Piedmont, Italy

Commended medal winner

Prunotto, Piano Romualdo, Barbera d'Alba 2011, Piedmont, Italy

Commended medal winner