Luigi Baudana Barolo Baudana 2020

Baudana Barolo Baudana 2020
Baudana is located on the western slope of Serralunga and belongs to a fine cluster of vineyards among Lazzarito, Parafada, Rionda, Falletto and Francia. The soil is a composition of Marne di Sant’Agata mixed with Formazioni di Lequio. It’s white on the surface and distinctively blue underneath. The site enjoys amazing soil conditions, thanks to higher water retention. Harvest usually takes place in the third week of October. Fermentation starts quite fast and runs smoothly for approximately 30 days, followed by another 10 days of maceration. One Slavonian cask is used to ferment most of the grapes, with some stainless-steel vessels used as a backup. Punch-downs and gentle pumpovers are the only activity over the maceration period. The wine is racked into oak after malolactic conversion and spends an average of 32+ months in large Slavonian oak casks.

Raspberry, spice, a little earthy and reductive, cinnamon and rose. It’s red fruited, succulent and fragrant, plenty of  red fruit flavour with a mint tea perfume, fine silty powdery tannin, some peach tea even, and quite unusual for Baudana in that it’s supple and easy-going, with a cool mint and raspberry finish of very good length. Very nice wine, though maybe atypical in that it’s so easy to grab on to as a young wine. 94 points. Gary Walsh, The Winefront May 2024