Ettore Germano Barolo Prapò 2018

Clear, translucent garnet color with thin, colorless rims. A bit reticent, understated nose with aromas of ripe, sweet cherries, some cranberries and a hint of Nebbiolo's floral aromatics. Ripe, juicy and succulent palate with rather gentle acidity - all typical characteristics of a hot vintage Barolor. However, the wine shows remarkably prominent, firm and grippy tannins that easily make up for the lower acidity, giving the wine a lot structure. Pure, well-delineated flavors of ripe cherry, some tart lingonberry, a little sun-baked earth and a hint of tar. Pure and bright finishof only medium length with very prominent, muscular and astringent tannins. Flavors of sour cherries, cranberries, some stony minerality and a hint of tar in the aftertaste.

The wine shows wonderful old school Barolo characteristics - pure Nebbiolo fruit not obfuscated with excessive new oak and very prominent and grippy tannins giving the wine a lot of aging potential - but still, it seems to somewhat suffer from the hot vintage. Especially the acidity - so crucial for a good Barolo - is a bit overwhelmed by the ripe, sweet fruit, making the wine lack a bit in focus and length. Overall this Prapò is very good stuff, and obviously still way too young, but not on par with the better vintages. I wouldn't age this one for more than 15 years - although the wine might take a decade before it starts to resolve its youthful, tight structure.