Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Gianfranco Alessandria – Barolo 2020
Piedmont – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Made from 100% Nebbiolo, this Barolo captures the essence of Piedmont’s most noble grape. The 2020 vintage is still youthful, showing its classic austerity and perfume while beginning the long climb toward its prime. (Educational note: Nebbiolo is famous for combining delicate floral aromatics with firm tannins and vibrant acidity, giving Barolo its legendary aging potential.)

Aromas & Flavors
Roses and violets open gracefully, followed by tart red cherry, cranberry, and dried strawberry. Nuances of anise, tar, and subtle spice emerge with air, promising further complexity as the wine matures.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied but firmly structured, with gripping tannins and racing acidity. The tart fruit and floral notes ride on a backbone of minerality, finishing long and tightly wound — signaling a wine built for age.

Food Pairings
Perfect with rich northern Italian cuisine: truffle risotto, braised beef (Brasato al Barolo), or wild mushroom tagliatelle. Also shines with aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

Verdict
A beautiful, youthful Barolo — tart, floral, and nervy, with cherry fruit and soaring acidity. Still climbing toward its peak, but already showing elegance and grace. A wine for patient cellaring, yet utterly captivating today. 🍷

Did You Know?
Barolo is often called “the king of wines and the wine of kings.” Its Nebbiolo grape name comes from nebbia (fog), referencing the autumn mists that blanket Piedmont’s vineyards during harvest.

Hidden Gem 💎
Gianfranco Alessandria is a boutique Barolo producer, crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines that fly under the radar compared to larger names — a true gem for collectors and explorers. — a month ago

Brandon Boesch

9.6

Wow! So glad I bought a bottle of this. Funky on opening. After 2 hours it is so good. Violets, roses, cherry, baking spice is in background, there’s an earth/herbal component I cannot pinpoint. It is so drinkable but evolves with almost every sip. Need more Pinots like this in my life. — 8 months ago

Aaron Tan

9.0

For the price, I expected a lot more. So did the rest on the table. Probably too young as it did improve with air, but I’ve had youthful (and cheaper) Champagne’s that performed far better than this. Started off with heaps of pears, bruised apples, and almonds on the nose. The palate was concentrated, juicy and almost too fruity for me (apples and apricot for days!). Air brought about more cut and chalkiness, as well as some floral notes. In short, I expected more depth. I suspect I’m just not a fan of the vintage. Time will tell. — 2 years ago

Diane Heyboer

8.9

Had the 2024 in August of 2025. What a really neat little wine. Light pink color. Some strawberry, peach and orange blossom on the nose. Delicate little wine. Some strawberry, honey and a light floral character on the tongue. Short finish but very tasty. Would drink this one again. — 3 months ago

with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.0

Plenty of tannins left. 25bucks. Those were the days! 14%| Quite classic. Browne tinge. Needs at least 2-3 hours of air. Quite harsh and astringent. Roses, earthy and dusty, very dry. Hint of truffles. - Not super exciting at first (15min) so wait. Will last another 10 years - but i do worry about the fruit component if you need space in your cellar - i would suggest drink up. I will. Some folks tend to hype these wines i don’t - after all this is their most basic version with a large production volume. Total volume is 500,000 bottles a year at this cooperative. My guess they to make a lot of this one. — 5 months ago

Mary H

9.2

Yeasty bread, ripe and slightly browned Fuji and honeycrisp apple, hint of pineapple. Crisp but not bracing, fine bubbles. — 2 years ago

Ericsson

9.8

1st Growth Bordeaux comparison. Mind blowing. I mean, from a weak Bordeaux vintage comes this masterpiece which can be enjoyed now or saved for decades to come. Beautiful nose and almost perfumed with roses and black cheery and blueberry, cedar, and pencil shavings. The palate is pure bliss full of complexity, intensity yet balanced and the finish just goes on and on. Cheers. — 3 months ago

romo

9.3

Plainly native Piedmont, but super-approachable now. Very pretty and open with lots of red roses. — 5 months ago

Peter Sultan

9.4

Feels about the right drinking window w 12 yrs post release; fairly translucent rose/ brick red, supreme leather & dried roses on nose, balanced tannins & full yet soft on palate. Overall balanced affair, drunk out of limited stemware with a large bday party contingent so imagine would notice much more in quieter circumstances — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; consumed over a three hour period. No formal notes. The 2015 Ferrando “Etichetta Bianca” pours a striking transparent garnet moving towards an iron oxide rim. It almost looks advanced…but Nebbiolo has a tendency to do that. On the nose, a lovely mix of red and black fruits, both ripe and desiccated. There is also tar, dried roses and leather and dried spices. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with significant structure. Confirming the notes on the nose. The warmth of 2015 shines through with the ripeness of of the fruits nearly coming across a bit stewed (but not overblown). It’s complex and already starting to show some secondary characteristics. Drink now through 2035. — 2 years ago