Azelia Barolo

Luigi Scavino’s Azelia Barolo luncheon tasting at Singapore’s Oso Restaurant in June 2009 was kick-started with his 2002.  At the time I couldn’t help but think that to begin a rare consumer tasting in Asia of Barolos with your 2002 smacks of either over-stocks desperation or a mark of undaunted confidence.

“On the 3rd of September 2002 we experienced our worst harvest storm in history,” Domenico Di Luccio, Azelia’s accompanying exporter to Asia and Luigi’s translator informed me, “similar to 29th May 1986.  Areas of Barolo were destroyed while others were hardly touched.”  He went on to explain that Azelia’s vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba remained about ¾ unscathed and this formed the basis of the Barolo 2002 since, as with many of their peers, Azelia produced no single vineyard wines that year.  Instead, the best grapes including those from the revered Serralunga commune were all declassified into their straight Barolo label.  Of the grapes that could be salvaged, only about 1/3 were selected-out for this wine. 

By now I’ve tasted a good number of salvaged 2002 Barolo efforts.  Judging from the regional typicity and commendable quality owner / winemaker Luigi Scavino managed to craft from this very trying vintage, there was justifiable method to the apparent madness of opening a tasting with this one…though I’m also pretty confident that the local distributor could have a few bottles to sell given the reputation of the vintage.  The moral is that one should never blindly judge a wine by its vintage.  And given the pricing of this maligned vintage, this Azelia Barolo 2002 is a fantastic bargain for Nebbiolo lovers.

On a global scale, Azelia Winery is small enough to fit firmly in the boutique category with an annual production currently at only around 60-70,000 bottles.  The family farm dates back to 1920 and today Azelia remains family owned and managed.  40% of Azelia’s production never leaves Italy while 10% is currently exported to Asia with Singapore as their largest Asian market.  

If the 2002 Barolo was not enough of an unorthodox opener, our next wine in the Azelia lunchtime line-up was an equally controversial vintage: 2003.  “In 2003 the harvest in Barolo was nearly a month earlier than 2008,” Luigi told me.  Contrary to their normal vineyard routine and what some other local producers continued to do in 2003, he avoided leaf trimming / pulling that year, allowing the grapes a little respite from the direct damage of that unforgettable summer’s scorching sun.  Was it enough?  Well, generally I’m not a fan of the wines that were produced from Barolo in 2003, and this example was not enough to convince me otherwise.  I found it was even less expressive on the nose than the more largely berated 2002, managing at best some relatively simple cherry compote and dark chocolate aromas.  Fortunately the two wines to follow were blockbusters for Azelia’s Barolo label, 2004 and 1999, though the lunch culminated on a bit of a low with the fading 1998.     

It was after lunch that the real fun was to begin.  J & D Burleigh, Azelia’s importer in Singapore, put together a fantastic line-up of various recent vintages of Luigi’s single vineyard Barolos, highlighting the level of quality, complexity and individuality of which this winery is capable.  To follow I’ve included notes for several vintages of Bricco Fiasco and San Rocco along with samplings of relative newcomers in the range, Margheria and the incredible Riserva Voghera Brea (both from Serralunga).

The quality bar is undoubtedly raised and raised high for Luigi’s Bricco Fiasco, coming from the hill of Fiasco in Castiglione Falletto, and the San Rocco, fetching from Serralunga.  This tasting of five vintages of each wine highlighted some discernable stylistic differences.  Bricco Fiasco produces an elegant Barolo that tends to possess and maintain more primary cherry and red berry fruit with a distinctive floral perfume.  San Rocco is a richer, bigger, powerful style that tends to give more earthy / savoury aromas and flavours, with seemingly riper fruit.  Both are superb Barolos in their own rights providing wonderfully contrasting faces of the beguiling Nebbiolo grape and truly communicating a sense of place. 

Another particularly exciting new wine was the Riserva Voghera Brea, a single vineyard wine produced only in exceptional years – so far just 2000 and 2001 have been released.      

This Azelia Barolo luncheon and tasting at Oso Restaurant in Singapore was organized by the winery’s Singapore importer / distributor, J & D Burleigh.  Interested collectors in Singapore can contact:
J & D Burleigh Pte Ltd
Importer & Distributor of Fine Estate-Bottled Wines
3 Clementi Loop, Level 3
Singapore 129815
Tel.  +65 6744 2765
Fax. +65 6744 2715
Contact: Josephine Chua
Email:  josephine@jdburleigh.com

Tasting Notes

Azelia Barolo 1998
85 points
Medium to deep brick colour.  The nose is fading, providing notes mainly of leather and dried tobacco leaves with very little perfume or fruit.  The palate is mainly acid and powdery tannins.  Medium to long finish.  Past its best.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo 1999
91 points
Pale to medium ruby-garnet with a touch of brick in the rim.  Great intensity of earthy / meaty aromas to begin with notes of underbrush, loam, truffles and hung game plus a touch of marmite.  A pretty perfume develops after a few minutes in the glass giving aromas of dried petals and warm cherries.  The palate provides very good concentration of flavours nicely supported by high acidity and firm, fine tannins.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2014.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo 2002
87 points
Medium to deep garnet-brick colour.  Textbook fragrant aromas of tar and roses with an undercurrent of warm cherries, forest floor and leather.  The full bodied palate provides a very good concentration of red berry and savoury / meaty flavours with a nice crisp backbone of acidity and a medium level of chewy tannins to support.  Nicely balanced, elegant style.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2012.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo 2003
85 points
Medium garnet-brick colour.  Simple aromas of cherry compote, dark chocolate and a touch of cinnamon.  The palate provides a full body with a decent concentration of ripe cherry and spice fruit balanced by medium+ acidity.  Medium+ level of slightly astringent tannins.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2013.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo 2004
91 points
Medium garnet colour with a slight brick rim.  Enticing aromas of crushed cherries, raspberries, game, potpourri, star anise, Sichuan pepper and cassia.  The palate gives a nice contrast of crisp acidity and rich fruit with a medium to firm level of finely grained tannins.  Long finish with lots of fruit and savoury layers.  Drink now to 2017.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco 1998
90 points
Pale ruby-brick colour.  Pressed flowers, damp leather and forest floor aromas with a touch of meat and dried berries.  The palate is still holding up with more savoury than fruit flavours.  Elegantly styled with a backbone of high acidity and a medium+ level of grippy tannins.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2012.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco 1999
92 points
Pale garnet-brick colour.  Alluringly fragrant aromas of dried roses and violets, moss, black truffles and cassia with a core of warm raspberry.  Crisp acidity and a medium level of chewy tannins with plenty of mouthfilling berry and spice flavours on the palate.  Long, layered finish.  Drink now to 2018.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco 2000
93 points
Medium+ garnet-brick colour.  The nose is a little mute to begin but with coaxing reveals an enticing perfume of varied floral, spice, fruit and earth aromas: violets, anise, strawberry preserve plus a whiff of tar and leather.  The palate is rich, decadently textured with a full body and high level of acidity to provide freshness.  Medium-firm, fine tannins.  Very long finish, great balance.  Drink now to 2017.  Tasted June 2009. 

Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco 2001
93 points
Pale+garnet-brick colour.  The nose is slightly subdued to begin, as with the 2000, yet opens out to an equally expressive perfume of ripe cherry fruit combined with cinnamon, cumin, forest floor, sweaty leather and game.  The full bodied palate is concentrated with layers of berry and earthy / savoury fruit balanced by crisp acidity and a medium to high level of chewy tannins.  Very long, spicy finish.  Drink now to 2019.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco 2003
89 points
Pale ruby-brick colour.  Subtle warm berry compote and mocha aromas on the nose.  Full body, medium+ acidity with a high level of very firm, chewy tannins.  Long, bitter cherry finish.  Drink now to 2015.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo San Rocco 1998
90 points
Pale ruby-brick colour.  Slight waft of volatile acidity on the nose, though not so it detracts, backed by tobacco, leather, potpourri, damp leaves and dried cranberries.  The fruit development has peaked on the medium to full bodied palate, yet is still held together by crisp acidity and a medium+ level of very fine tannins.  Long finish.  Drink now.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo San Rocco 1999
94 points
Pale+ ruby-brick colour.  Intense aromas of berries bursting with ripeness, kirsch, licorice, underbrush and fresh cigars.  The palate is still youthful with tons of juicy warm cherry fruit countered by a refreshing backbone of high acidity and a firm level of finely grained tannins.  A nice combination of power and refinement in perfect harmony.  Long spicy finish.  Drink now to 2020+.  Tasted June 2009. 

Azelia Barolo San Rocco 2001
93 points
Pale+ ruby-brick colour.  Subtle, restrained aromas of dried cranberries, hung meat, marmite, rose essence, star anise and white pepper.  The palate bursts with warm cranberry and raspberry fruit with savoury nuances and a gentle spiciness.  Crisp acidity balances the rich, viscous texture supported by medium to firm, finely grained tannins.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2019.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo San Rocco 2003
90 points
Pale ruby-brick colour.  Pronounced nose of cherry compote and bark with a faint smoky bacon and grilled meat character.  Medium to high acid and firm, grippy tannins give backbone to the warm, fleshy fruit.  Long finish with a lingering astringency.  Drink now to 2015.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo San Rocco 2004
94 points
Pale to medium ruby colour with a faint orange rim.  The nose still has wonderful primary-character vibrancy giving pronounced aromas of ripe black cherries, crushed raspberries, tar, rose water, cigar boxes and freshly cracked black pepper.  The palate is equally youthful, singing with racy acidity and ripe, juicy fruit.  Firm, fine tannins aptly texture the opulent flavours.  Long, layered finish.  Drink 2011 to 2020+.  Tasted June 2004.

Azelia Barolo Margheria 2003
91 points
This was the first vintage to be produced of this wine.
Medium ruby colour with a touch of orange.  Nice intensity of warm berry and spice aromas.  A good concentration of fleshy fruit pads out the crisp acidity and a medium+ level of chewy tannins.  Long spicy finish.  Drink now to 2016.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo Margheria 2004
92 points
Pale to medium ruby colour.  Intense aromas of warm cherries, loam, rose essence, tar and mocha plus a waft of cedar – quite a modern style.  Nice backbone of high acidity and a medium to firm level of fine tannins support the rich fruit.  Long finish.  Drink 2011 to 2020.  Tasted June 2009.

Azelia Barolo Riserva Voghera Brea 2001
94 points
This is only the second vintage ever produced of this wine, the first being 2000.
Pale ruby-brick colour.  Incredible nose – intense aromas of rose oil, violets, freshly crushed cherries, dark chocolate with the slightest whiff of game and forest floor.  The palate is rich, concentrated, full bodied, with tons of red cherry fruit and layers of earthy complexity.  Medium to high acidity and a medium to firm level of very finely grained tannins.  This wine is still youthful in fruit profile though the extra maturation afforded undoubtedly contributes to its accessibility at this stage.  Very long finish.  Drink now to 2020.  Tasted June 2009.