2021 Oddero Barolo
I often say that to understand a vintage, you don’t look at the single vineyards first; you look at the
Producer
Oddero
I have reviewed five wines from Oddero, from the 2019 to 2021 vintages, all from Barolo. All are Nebbiolo. Scores range from 93 to 98, averaging 95; the highest is the 2021 Oddero “Monvigliero” Barolo (98 points). Oddero also features in one journal article on this site.
The Oddero family’s winemaking roots in the Langhe stretch back to the late 18th century, making it one of the oldest and most historically significant estates in Barolo. Based in the hamlet of Santa Maria in La Morra, the winery is guided by Mariacristina and Mariavittoria Oddero. It is fiercely traditional: organic farming, submerged-cap fermentations and long ageing in large Austrian and Slavonian oak casks, for Barolos of aristocratic elegance, aromatic complexity and longevity.
The collection of crus reads like a map of Barolo. Monvigliero, the grand cru of Verduno, is lighter in colour but intensely aromatic — white pepper, crushed strawberries and that savory olive note typical of the village. Villero, one of Castiglione Falletto’s most historic sites, is tight, austere and limestone-driven, with firm, granular tannins. Brunate, in La Morra, behaves with the power of Serralunga, dark and balsamic with mint and truffle. Bussia Mondoca, from the upper part of the Mondoca vineyard in Monforte d’Alba, is released as a Riserva of tar, licorice and scorched earth. The estate also farms Vigna Rionda and Rocche di Castiglione.
The Barolo classico is a strategic blend of La Morra for perfume and Castiglione Falletto and Monforte for spine. In 2021 it was a perfect introduction to the vintage — vertical, crunchy and full of nervous energy.
2021 Oddero “Monvigliero” Barolo
Monvigliero is often called the “Grand Cru” of Verduno, and for me, it is the spiritual home of the style
2021 Oddero “Villero” Barolo
This is one of the most historic crus in Castiglione Falletto, and Oddero owns a prime parcel that consistently delivers
2021 Oddero “Brunate” Barolo
Brunate is fascinating because it sits in La Morra, which we associate with elegance, but it behaves with the power
2019 Oddero “Bussia Mondoca” Barolo Riserva
While the 2021s are about electric energy, the 2019 Riserva is about classic, structural power. Sourced from the upper part
2021 Barolo – Vintage Report
After a series of warmer, solar vintages, 2021 marks a majestic return to the “Alpine” soul of Nebbiolo. Defined by a long, snowy winter and a perfectly paced autumn, this is a vintage of noble austerity and breathtaking precision. These are not the open-knit wines of 2020; they are tension-filled, vertical, and built for the long haul. With “crunchy” red fruit, savory minerality, and a spine of vibrant acidity, 2021 is being hailed as the most complete and “classic” vintage since 2016—a year where the distinct terroir of each commune is rendered in high definition.