Vietti Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2021 750ml

A graceful wine with cinnamon, earth, strawberries, sweet violets and leesy complexity. There is a lot of fruit depth, with a full body, lifted acidity and dense, ripe, velvety tannins. The finish is polished yet tight. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.

The 2021 Barolo Castiglione is a superb entry-level Barolo from Vietti. Rich, deep and layered in the glass, the 2021 offers tons of near- and medium-term appeal. The blend of sites is compelling. Dark red-toned fruit, spice, menthol, and licorice are all beautifully amplified. In 2021, the Castiglione approaches the level of the crus, and that is saying something.

This bottle marks the end of an era, and all you Barolo Castiglione fans out there are in for some very bad news. The name "Castiglione" is being taking off the bottle, and what we have instead is the Vietti 2021 Barolo. In truth, the name "Castiglione" does appear in very small, small letters at the bottom of the label for old time's sake, but during my discussion during this tasting, I agreed to remove it from the wine's official name in our database. I'm told it will definitely be gone by the next release. Apparently, the estate was on the wrong end of a copyright issue, so it had to go. Winemaking has not changed, and the wine remains a blend of 20-plus MGA sites. There is no particular set formula. The parcels are fermented separately and a final blending decision is made further down the road. You still get the same phenomenal value. This wine offers firm structure, plummy dark fruit flavors and elegantly chalky tannins. The finish is a little dry, and that ending gives the wine a near-term personality. This is an ample 70,000-bottle release.

Fragrant, polished and vibrant right out of the gate, the 2020 Barolo Castiglione displays beautifully-lifted notes of crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, white pepper and orange peel. This classically built, mid-weight Barolo is classy to the core. Like all the 2020s here, it will benefit from time in bottle or a good decant. (Antonio Galloni)

Always a popular choice, the Vietti 2020 Barolo Castiglione (made with a blend of fruit from multiple MGA sites) has a voluptuous approach with dark fruit, cola, wild berry coulis and smoky tar. The wine wears a hot vintage well, with accessible and powdery tannins for near or medium-term drinking. In terms of texture, the Castiglione has a little more brawn and body compared to your standard Barolo. This is an ample release of 70,000 bottles. (Monica Larner)

The 2021 Barolo Castiglione is a ruby red color and is floral on the nose, opening to perfumed aromas of roses, fresh cherries, sweet herbs, and dusty earth. Medium-bodied, it has a lovely structure and is very well-balanced, and I love the apricot-noted fruit on the finish. The fruit is more present than in the 2020 version of the same wine. A fantastic vintage for this entry-level wine, I love it already and would be happy to grab a few cases to enjoy over the coming 15 years. (Moving forward, due to newly implemented labeling restrictions, they are going to remove “Castiglione” from the front label, and it will only be on noted the back label.)

Elegantly lifted aromas dance between depth and delicacy, as red fruits and mixed flowers float above subtle herbal undertones. The palate tells its story through balsamic notes and bright acidity, while finely structured tannins provide graceful framework. The finish remains buoyant and fresh, concluding with an engaging savory narrative that beckons another sip. Drink Now - 2045

A lean, tightly wound red, with cranberry, sour cherry, licorice, eucalyptus and earth flavors. Fresh and stitched with burly tannins, this leaves a juicy, savory finish. Best from 2027 through 2040.