2021 Virna Noi
The 2021 Virna Barolo Noi is a knockout. POW-WOW!!!
Since we first introduced this estate in 2016, it has quietly become one of our most consistent over-performers. Finding Barolo worth drinking under $50 has become increasingly difficult—duh—which is exactly why this release is sooo exciting. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another $46 bottle delivering this level of depth, purity, and classic Nebbiolo character.
The early word on the 2021 Barolo vintage has been electric, and for good reason. Italy has enjoyed a strong run of recent vintages, but 2021 offers something more: definition, energy, lift, and tannins that feel shaped rather than imposing. That balance of precision and generosity is exactly why critics are showering the wines with praise.
Virna absolutely nailed it. Monica Larner of The Wine Advocate awarded the 2021 Barolo Noi an impressive 93 points, noting its clarity of fruit, balance, and overall finesse. After opening a bottle the other night, I was struck by its elegance—but even more impressed when it was better on day two. For a wine at this price, that kind of structure and follow-through is remarkable. The smart move is to tuck a few bottles away for three years and enjoy the next level that’s clearly waiting. I’d happily pour this blind alongside far pricier 2021 Barolos—Noi would more than hold its own.
If you love the classic flavors of Nebbiolo with the finesse and polish that the female winemakers always seem to deliver (short story about the winemaker below) - this is the wine for you.Â
This is a blend of fruit from La Morra (Rocche dell'Annunziata), Monforte d'Alba (San Giovanni and Perno) and Novello (Cerviano Merli and Sottocastello di Novello). The spirit of the wine is to find a vintage-appropriate blend that shows the house style. The Virna Borgogno 2021 Barolo Noi offers aromas of dark fruit, rusty nail, tobacco and pressed flowers. It ends on a savory note and delivers tight tannins that are a few years off from full resolution. 12,000 bottles were made.Â
- Wine Advocate, 93
STORY
Lodovico Borgogno’s family lives and works on their “Borgogno” estate in the village of Barolo. The family has owned vineyards in Barolo since 1720. The passion for these hills has also inspired Lodovico’s daughter, Virna. After completing her studies in enology at the winemaking school in Alba in 1988, she joined her father Lodovico in the running of the family farm, and three years later she became the first woman in Italy to graduate with a first-class honors degree in winemaking techniques from Turin University. In 2001 the company image was given a facelift, with the introduction of the Virna logo on the label – also signifying the fact that Virna had become proprietor and head winemaker. With her sister Ivana helping out on the business side, the new look set out to highlight the role played by the women in the company, and in particular the fact that behind the wines were people who were investing all their know-how and commitment. Today the Virna estate stretches out over an area of around 12 hectares, producing wines from grapes grown on its own vineyards located in historic crus such as Cannubi Boschis, Preda, Sarmassa, I Merli, San Giovanni, and Costa delle Rose.
