Regular readers of Wine Review Online know that I’ve been focused intently on Barolo and Barbaresco in recent years, traveling there and reviewing more than 300 wines each year. The reasons for this are clear. No region in the world has enjoyed such an astonishing string of great vintages (since 1996!), and none of the world’s great wines have improved as much as these have over that span. If decanted and paired with food, they can be enjoyed soon after release, but can also benefit from cellaring for over a decade…or two. They are the only wines
in the world that offer a level of complexity and individuation comparable to red Burgundy, yet the best wines are far less expensive. Add all of that up, and my apparently crazed fixation on Barolo and Barbaresco might not seem quite so crazed.
Those who are still learning about these wines (which means everyone, since this is a very complex area that is changing at a very rapid rate) should know that success in buying Barolo and Barbaresco involves another comparison to Burgundy: Despite the great importance of vineyard sites in determining the character of the wines, nothing is as important in determining their quality as the capability of the particular producer. The Nebbiolo grape is perhaps the only important red variety that is even more difficult to grow and vinify than Pinot Noir, so there’s no substitute for skill and experience when crafting these wines.
There are many excellent producers in Barolo and Barbaresco, but those at the very top all share a common profile: Great vineyards, accumulated experience, a willingness to innovate, and a skillful ability to work with the fickle nature of Piedmont’s climate and the Nebbiolo variety.
That description is a perfect fit for Paolo Scavino. Enrico Scavino has been crafting the wines of this house for more than 60 years, now working with his daughters Enrica and Elisa. The family owns vineyards in six of Barolo’s eleven communes, including Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, La Morra, Roddi, Serralunga and Verduno. Enrico has been among the region’s leading innovators for decades, and the consistency of the wines from year to year is remarkable. As for skill, have a look at the wines reviewed below.
One quick note regarding my admiration for these wines: I have never met the Scavino family, so you can rest assured that my judgment hasn’t been clouded by being charmed in their cellar or at their table. I’ve enjoyed the wines sporadically for years, but have never lined up the different bottlings for a comprehensive, focused tasting until last week. Have a look at my reactions:
Paolo Scavino, Barolo 2007 ($52, Banville & Jones): This exemplary producer turns out four or five more particular and more expensive bottlings from Barolo each year, so one might be tempted not to take this wine seriously on the theory that it is assembled from inferior components. That would be a bad mistake, as this shows very serious concentration and depth of flavor, along with more complexity and class than many single cru wines from other Barolo producers. It shows the ripe, plush character of the very warm 2007 vintage, and is already very enjoyable to taste even at this young age, but it has the structure and guts to develop for at least another five years. 91
Paolo Scavino, Barolo “Bricco Ambrogio” 2007 ($75): Bricco Ambrogio is a highly 
regarded cru among insiders in Barolo, but is little known in export markets on account of being situated in the small and rather obscure commune of Roddi. Scavino’s 2007 rendition shows striking ripeness and very generous fruit that is backed by plenty of fine-grained tannins and tasteful framing from subtle oak. Dark cherry and black plum fruit notes are accented with a floral topnote and undertones of tobacco leaves and spices. 92
Paolo Scavino, Barolo “Monvigliero” 2007 ($75): Remarkably firm and structured for a Barolo from the famously warm 2007 growing season, this will take far longer to unwind than most wines from this vintage, but then again it already shows more emergent complexities than the vast majority of its counterpart wines. Floral aromatic accents prove very alluring, and are joined by subtle notes of spices, woodsmoke and truffles. The fruit is dark and dense and backed by formidable tannins, but there’s an engaging, endearing sweetness to the fruit that enables the wine to achieve near perfect balance. A terrific achievement. 95
Paolo Scavino, Barolo “Carobric” 2007 ($90): This shows excellent complexity and detail, with intricate aromas and a host of balanced flavor notes that add up to a wine that seems, well, complete. Ripe but also quite fresh, with welcoming softness but also plenty of subtle structure from acidity, tannin and oak, this exceptionally well made wine is sourced from three top vineyard sites. Some purists may prefer more individuated wines that display the particularity of a single site, which is fine, since that will leave more of this for the rest of us who can appreciate its remarkable symmetry and completeness. 94
Paolo Scavino, Barolo “Cannubi” 2007 ($120): Scavino’s rendition of Cannubi from the 2007 vintage is wonderfully expressive and generous at this relatively early stage in its development, showing lifted aromatics and rich, sweet fruit augmented by very appealing savory notes recalling carpaccio and truffles. The tannins are certainly notable but have no astringent effect on the finish, which is very persistent, with all of the flavor notes tailing off symmetrically. A beautiful wine. 94
Paolo Scavino, Barolo “Bric dël Fiasc” 2007 ($120): This extraordinary wine manages to show all the virtues of the 2007 vintage (great richness and remarkable textural softness) without any of the vices (a slightly stewed aromatic note and a lack of balancing firmness) that afflict the less successful products of this hot growing season. The core of dark berry fruit shows striking vibrancy and freshness but also great depth and warmth, with intriguing accents of fresh flowers, incense, Asian spices and anise seed. Intricate but also very powerful, this is already very tempting, but is best cellared for another five years to enable it to attain all of its 
marvelous potential. 96
Paolo Scavino, Barolo Riserva “Rocche dell’Annunziata” 2005 ($200): This is an astonishing bottle of wine…and the single best Barolo from the 2005 vintage that I have tasted, which is a set that includes hundreds of bottles. Really just beginning to show the full range of its charms, it displays admirable density and depth of flavor, but its most outstanding attributes are its marvelous aromatic complexity and its broad range of distinct flavor notes. The core of dark berry fruit remains quite pure and fresh despite 36 months of oak ageing, and the fruit is greatly enhanced by accents recalling lavender, baking spices, woodsmoke, damp earth, and cured meat. The finish is precise and very persistent, and if there’s any error in my score for the wine, I’ve missed on the low side. 96
Paolo Scavino wines are imported by Banville & Jones.
1