Vietti Barbera d'Alba "Vigna Vecchia Scarrone" DOC 2022
(Piedmont, Italy) - [WA 94] [JD 94] [VM 94] [WS 90]

About the Winery:
The Vietti winery, now managed by the family’s fifth generation, is based in the small medieval village of Castiglione Falletto, the heart of Piedmont’s famous “Langhe” wine region. Here the Currado family carefully and patiently handcrafts lauded wines that are the result of a unique combination of sun and soil. Although the family has made wine for two centuries, the first Vietti-labeled wines were produced by third-generation Mario, who transformed the family’s farm into a grape growing winery. In 1952  Luciana Vietti married winemaker and art connoisseur Alfredo Currado, whose intuitions – from the production of one of the first Barolo crus (Rocche di Castiglione – 1965), through the single-varietal vinification of Arneis (1967) to the invention of Artist Labels (1974) – made him both symbol and architect of some of the most significant revolutions of the time.

In 1970 the Viettis began working with artists on an ongoing, original artwork label program, featuring Pier Paolo Pasolini and Janet Fish among others, which received an exhibition at New York’s MOMA in 1996. In 1990 Alfredo and Luciana’s son Luca joined the family business as winemaker after working at California's Simi Winery, Opus One, Long Vineyards and Bordeaux's Mouton-Rothschild. His innovative winemaking utilizes a unique combination of the modern and traditional. Luca's focus on terroir is reflected in his careful cultivation and organic farming of more than 25 single vineyards. The estate has gradually grown over the course of time, and today the vineyards include some of the most highly-prized terroirs within the Barolo winegrowing area.

In 2016 the historic winery was acquired by Krause Holdings, enabling Luca and Elena, always at the head of Vietti brand, to add a number of prized crus to the estate’s holdings, and be able as a result to look to a future with new, stimulating prospects, all while maintaining the family approach for which the cellar has always been known.

About the Wine:
The steep terraced single vineyard site Scarrone is located in Castiglione Falletto, with a south-eastern exposure. The oldest parcel of the vineyard is planted in 1918, with a density of 4,300 grapevines per hectare. The vineyards soil is made of marl (clay in combination with limestone). The yield which is low by nature due to the age of the plants, is further reduced by a very strict selection of the grapes.

Winemaking:
The handpicked grapes were destemmed and, after a short period of cold-maceration, fermented in stainless steel tanks for about two weeks. During this period, alcoholic fermentation, frequent remontages and délestages were implemented to achieve a perfect extraction of color and tannins.

Ageing:
18 months in big oak cask, barriques and steel tanks.

Tasting Notes:
Deep ruby purple color. Pronounced and intense aromas of ripe red and black cherries and blackberries, paired with notes of spices and a hint of tar. Full bodied, with intense fruit on the palate that is paired with refreshing acidity. The single vineyard Scarrone has finesse, excellent balance, great complexity and a long lingering aftertaste.

Food Pairings: Hearty stews, seasoned pasta and poultry with rich sauces, game, roasted red meats and hearty cheeses.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Wine Advocate:
"Benefitting from southern vineyard exposures, the Vietti 2022 Barbera d'Alba Scarrone Vigna Vecchia is a wine of big intensity and richness. Indeed, that richness is the wine's pedigree. Fruit comes from very old vines planted back in 1918. This expression boasts balanced results without too much extraction or too much acidity, but you are definitely in for an opulent wine." - Monica Larner (Jan 2025)

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2022 Barbera D'Alba Vigna Vecchia Scarrone is matured in the same way as the Vigna Scarrone and comes from the portion of the vineyard which has southwest exposure and a bit more warmth. In the glass, the wine displays a saturated inky purple hue, and it’s layered with liqueur-like aromas of blackberry, smoky earth, black licorice, and lavender oils. Full-bodied, it’s rounded with plush, ripe tannins, a ripe but balanced feel, and good length through the finish, where brighter red fruits come through to lift off the palate. Drink over the coming 10-12 years." – Audrey Frick (May 2025)

94 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2022 Barbera d'Alba Scarrone Vigna Vecchia is a full-throttle Barbera. Old vines in this intensely warm, dry year yielded an intense, opulent wine. Ripeness is pushed to the limit—that much is clear. The Vigna Vecchia is unapologetically rich, but all the elements meld effortlessly. Creamy contours wrap it all together." - Antonio Galloni (Jan 2025)

90 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A leading note of toasty oak envelops the blackberry and plum fruit in this rich red. There are substantial tannins that need a year or so to resolve, and this is powerful enough for grilled or roasted red meats. Drink now through 2028. 325 cases made, 70 cases imported." – Bruce Sanderson (Jan 2025)