2018 Barolo Bussia Riserva
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The Barale Fratelli 2018 Barolo Riserva Bussia Sergio Barale shows nicely in this flight that features mostly wines from the younger 2021 vintage. The 2018 holds its own in that company. It has an interesting aged bouquet with dried cherries and rose hip tea. But it also has a leafy quality, which is a bit strange, like bales of hay in the summer, or maybe it's a celery root like in rémoulade. It closes long and thin. This release of 2,153 bottles ages in large botti for three years.
Critic scores
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Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A warmer, more approachable vintage than 2019, I am told. Aged 30 months in botte. Light brick colour. More developed than the Castellero 2019, in both colour and aroma: ripe, sweet yet fragrant dried cherry. Tannins are still pretty grippy but the fruit is more dried than fresh. Firm, leathery aftertaste. (JH)
The organic Barale Fratelli 2018 Barolo Bussia Sergio Barale reveals a bright, lifted and tensile personality. This Barolo is thin and elegant in appearance with shiny ruby highlights. The Bussia shows a classy ensemble of aromas with tart cherry, wild rose, licorice root, salty limestone and mineral coolness at the back. Production is limited to a precious few 2,845 bottles.
The 2018 Barolo Bussia shows the intensely aromatic, mid-weight style of the vintage here, but with an extra kick of tannin that is such a signature of Bussia. Readers will want to cellar this for at least a few years. Dark cherry, spice, menthol, licorice and dried rose petal all flesh out with a bit of coaxing.