Every once in a while, we get to brag. And BRAG we shall: how often do we get to hand you a wine that scored a perfect 110 cum laude, the highest possible mark, from one of the most celebrated sommeliers in Italian wine?!?! And over 50% OFF $150 SRP …umm enough said! It won’t last long, especially when you read on!

That score topped Gardini’s Castiglione Falletto ranking for 2019, beating out the 100 point Vietti Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, the Giacomo Fenocchio Villero, the Azelia Bricco Fiasco Barolo, Cavallotto, Massolino, Parusso, and Sobrero Francesco, some of the biggest names in the commune.

If you love those Barolos, you’re going to love this one. A few of us are HUGE Barolo fans, and we were genuinely stoked when this crossed our desk.

Not many people know about Brunella, and if you didn’t before, consider yourself invited into the small inner circle of Barolo’s best kept secrets. Secrets we shall share as we go all Yoda on you!

The vineyard name goes back to the 1600s, one of the oldest in Castiglione Falletto, though this specific ground has passed through other hands over the centuries. Boroli only started farming it in the late 1990s and didn’t bottle it solo until 2013. Just 7 acres, missing the decades of track record that Vietti, Mascarello, and Brovia have built on this same hill. Brunella sits directly above Villero, at the crest of the same hillside, dead center of the Barolo zone, the sweet spot between La Morra’s perfume and Serralunga’s power. Best of both worlds!

Gardini’s words on this more than PERFECT scoring bottle as published in his 2019 Barolo ranking: “Memorable was the 2019 vintage of Brunella… a juicy Barolo that shows great freshness. Raspberry, blood orange, bitter licorice, then touches of black pepper at the nose.”

You may be asking yourself who is Luca Gardini? That’s fair! Italy has its own version of our top American critics, and Gardini is arguably the biggest name of all, his word carries as much weight in Italian wine circles as Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri. Though, not too sure how many of our critics carry the decorative awards as Luca.

Crowned Best Italy Wine Critic of the World in 2022, he also holds titles as Best Sommelier of Italy 2004, Best Sommelier of Europe 2009, and Best Sommelier of the World 2010. His résumé includes Michelin-starred restaurants, and today he’s known as “The Wine Killer” for identifying wines blind in under 30 seconds.

One of our favorite things about a great Barolo is watching it grow up. Give it time and it slides into a pure elegance phase, like a beautiful aged Pinot Noir stepping into a showstopping gown. Boroli’s Brunella is still young today, but mark our words: this one will stop conversations and turn heads later.

Pour it and the color is classic, but deceptively light for what’s coming! The nose opens with dried rose and violet, then cherry and blood orange peel push through, backed by a distinct red spice lift. Underneath, real earth: wet stone, a whisper of licorice root underneath.

The palate shows its youth and its ambition all at once. Immensely Gratifying!! Cherry deepens into dark plum, dense and still tightly coiled out of the bottle. It’s backed by dried thyme and a savory edge. Tannins are firm, grippy, and exactly what you want in a young Barolo of this quality, and built with the structure to age. Acidity stays high and bright, keeping everything lifted. It has a long finish, still circling that same rose and spice note from the first pour. This is a wine built to wait, but with a few hours in the decanter; enjoy it with Brasto al Barolo, a rich Clemenza sauce (one the godfather would be proud of) Tajarin with truffle…

This beauty will not last the day! It’s a good thing we have some other very special wines lined up in our store today following the great B’s of Italy! At just $66 for this 2019 Brunella Barolo cru, it is as criminal as us keeping secrets from you!

110 Points Cum Laude - Luca Gardini ”Memorable was the 2019 vintage of Brunella… a juicy Barolo that shows great freshness. Raspberry, blood orange, bitter licorice, then touches of black pepper at the nose.”

96 Points - Raffaele Vecchione ”Solid and centered, it displays a splendid Mediterranean character reminiscent of rosemary, wild thyme, marjoram, lemons, and red plums. Full body, perfectly extracted tannins of commendable beauty, and a slender yet disturbingly charming finish. Wow! Better from 2024.”