Oddero Barolo Classico 2017

Bricco Chiesa is historically the core of our production, effectively the “home vineyard”. Below the church of Santa Maria della Neve, which in the 15th century was known as Sancta Maria de Marcenasco, the vineyard boasts an attractive series of regular rows, facing directly south and ranging from 210 to 290 metres above sea level. The soil is predominantly fine clay, mixed with sand and calcium carbonate. Here in 1928, as a nine-metre well was being dug by hand near the top of the hill - where the road to La Morra runs today - the skeleton of a fish was discovered dating from the Tortonian Miocene age; it was perfectly preserved and is currently displayed in our winery, thanks to its generous donation by the Museo F. Eusebio in Alba.

The Oddero 2017 Barolo draws its fruit from three sites: Bricco Chiesa and Capalot, both in La Morra and Fiasco in Castiglione Falletto. I always admire the purity and elegance inherent to these wines from Oddero and am happy to report that the 2017 vintage delivers on those same promises. The wine pours from the bottle with a brilliant ruby hue, and it offers aromas of wild cherry, blue flower and tarry smoke. There are virtually no signs of the vintage heat, save for a little more tannic power and concentration that you perceive in the mouth. I'd suggest a longish drinking window as a result. Drink 2024-2040 – 94 Points. Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate.

From La Morra and Castiglione Falletto. Importer: Mondo

Ripe red fruit, almost into cherry sweets, chamomile, a little mint and spice. It’s fresh, distinctly red-fruited, floral and almost pretty, but then there’s some firm dry grip of tannin with a chalky feel, ripe strawberry and spice and a bright but tannic finish, long but slightly warm. Stylish. Drink 2023-2029+ – 93 Points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front.

For all the heat that vintage 2017 in Barolo faced, Oddero seems to have tamed any harmful beams exceptionally. The Barolo Classico 2017 is a fantastic entry level Barolo for those looking to get into the Oddero style. An alluring nose that entwines botanicals, red berries and feint traces of charcuterie. Matched with a grippy tannin profile that never seem to fade away on the finish. There isn’t much subtlety to the power of the 2017 vintage, but that sense of swagger works incredibly well here. Oddero’s style managing to harness the heat with impressive finesse. – Will Lennox, FWC