Palladino, Barolo Ornato 2021 – Barolo

The wine has a pale ruby color. The nose is dense, fruity and chocolatey. On the opening, it expresses notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, dried mint and a hint of tonka bean, which are then complemented by aromas of tart red cherry, crushed raspberry, ripe strawberry (even roasted strawberry) and garnet. There are also notes of cardamom, liquorice, toasted bitter almond, a hint of dried aromatic herbs (mint, a hint of rosemary), and flowers (dried rose, peony in the background). The palate is well defined, and expresses on the attack a good bitterness of bergamot tea, coffee and bitter almond, as well as freshness and tanginess of red cherry, cranberries, raspberry, fresh cherry and garnet. In the mid-palate, we find a roasted hint (toasted hazelnut), as well as minerality of limestone and a touch of peony. The finish is straight, chiseled, with a salivating acidity and a chocolatey touch, which balance the firm, even astringent tannins. Good persistence in the mouth, a tannic, robust wine, with potential, which will open up after time in the bottle.