Barolo & Friends Event 2025

Here the report from Barolo & Friends 2026.

Few things satisfy a wine enthusiast more than witnessing the birth and growth of a great event. This is the case of Barolo & Friends, a tasting of Piedmontese wines hosted in Vienna and organized by Christian Bauer and Marina Rebora, known from Selezione Italia and Doctor Wine. The venue was once again the delightful Hotel Regina in Vienna.

Last year, while the event showcased wines of good quality, it still seemed to be searching for its identity. This year, however, there was a significant leap forward, with many excellent Barolos and some remarkable offerings from other areas. These events are crucial for wineries looking to expand their reach beyond national borders, but Vienna also benefits from hosting events that attract quality producers and elevate the standard of Piedmontese wine consumed in Austria.

The Wines of Barolo & Friends 2025

Barolo del Comune di Castiglione Falletto 2020 – Azienda Agricola Monchiero

Classic, soft tannins, medium body, violets, red fruits, quinine finish.

Barolo Montanello 2020 – Azienda Agricola Monchiero

More intense nose with hints of leather, but fresh and spicy on the palate, with a piquant finish and moderate tannins. Lively. Upon re-tasting: violets, red flowers, plums. Sandy and captivating tannins that embrace the mouth, it really grabs you. Medium body. Immediately hints of emoli and yellow plums on the palate, followed by a spicy finish. Never aggressive, a gymnastics teacher.

Sèj Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2022 – Merendasinoira

Bell pepper, red fruits, blaufränkisch. Powdery tannins. Fruity and intense.

Sapèl Langhe Nebbiolo 2022 – Merendasinoira

Super aromatic with red fruits on the nose but fragile on the palate. Unbalanced yet fragrant. Very strong sandy tannins on the sides of the mouth.

Kidì Barolo 2020 – Merendasinoira

Slightly fragile. Red fruits but very fine, extremely pleasant.

Kidì Barolo 2019 – Merendasinoira

Almost outstanding. Leather. Red fruit compote. On the palate, chunky tannins around the mouth. Highly evolved yet still ethereal.

Barolo Bussia Munie Riserva 2017 – Franco Conterno

Dry tannins but very ethereal, mentholated. Graceful. Strong presence and direct palate. Upon re-tasting: dried marasca cherries, game, black tea. Blackberries on the palate, tannins still firm above and below the mouth. Stunning fruit intensity that ends with a pulpy plum and a rich, spicy finish that lasts forever.

Barolo Sette7Anni Riserva 2017 – Franco Conterno

Cola finish. Aromas of blueberry cream. Very elegant, rich, and creamy on the palate as well.

Barbera d’Asti 2022 – Emanuele Gambino

Winey. Sure, there are reminiscences of blaufränkisch, plum, and chalky tannins around the mouth, but overall quite winey.

Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2020 – Emanuele Gambino

Cocoa, maybe leather, plum. Excellent aroma rich in tertiary notes and diffused, pixelated tannins, but also “foot reminiscences”.

Riserva Extra Brut 2021 – Coppo

Tropical fruit, banana, white flowers. Sparkling perlage that I like. Fruity, with ripe fruit notes. A great aperitif.

Pomorosso Barbera d’Asti 2021 – Coppo

Soft and warm Barbera, with very timid tannins. Red fruits and a finish of red currant and plums with a significant and clean body. Pleasant.

Barolo 2020 – Coppo

Fresh and ethereal, violets, and earthy notes. Not very incisive, delicate, inoffensive.

Barolo Castelletto Vigna Pressenda 2020 – Conterno Fantino

Ethereal, mentholated, violets, sage, and small red fruits. Elegant and beautifully powdery tannins around the mouth that provide structure. Classic, feet on the ground, head in the clouds.

Barolo Ginestra Vigna del Gris 2020 – Conterno Fantino

More chestnut, cappuccino, dried flowers. Very soft on the palate and excellently integrated tannins. Elegant finish with great acidity.

Barbaresco 2021 – Castello di Neive

Spring-like. Red flowers, red fruits, rosebuds. Lots of joy and a gripping, sandy tannin that coats the mouth beautifully. Challenging but beautiful.

Barbaresco Santo Stefano 2021 – Castello di Neive

More contemplative. They say it will evolve. I believe it. Red flowers, cooked plums, mushrooms. Structured as well.

Campolungo Barbera d’Asti 2023 – Cascina Vengore

Red fruits, cherries, cheerful. Pomegranate. Soft.

Mompirone Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2022 – Cascina Vengore

More intense red fruits and sour cherry. Still, quite similar to the previous one.

Mignane Nebbiolo Terre Alfieri 2022 – Cascina Vengore

Great nose, earthy if a bit complicated, then pulpy on the palate, perhaps a bit unrestrained.

Barolo Castelletto 2019 – Fortemasso

Red fruits, very dense and pulpy, complete. Licorice finish.

Riserva Barolo Castelletto 2017 – Fortemasso

Much more quinine-like and intense compared to the previous one. Powerful but not overwhelming tannins.

Derthona Ca’degli Olmi 2023 – Canevaro Luca

Honey and flowers. Acidity expands at the end of the sip and coats the tongue. Pure palate (but with texture) and not very expressive, with hints of flintstone, yet pleasant.

Derthona Ca’degli Olmi 2021 – Canevaro Luca

Similar to the previous one, obviously, but with more notes of dried and candied citrus peel. On the palate, hints of dried herbs.

Monleale 2019 – Canevaro Luca

Unremarkable. Cinnamon, warmer and spicier on the nose compared to others. Warm and enveloping palate. Low tannins and smooth finish.

Roero Arneis 2023 – Moscone

Candied fruit and floral notes. Extremely cold. A joke.

Barolo 2018 – Moscone

Petrichor, tar, warm. On the palate, red fruits and an elegantly balsamic finish.

Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba 2020 – Palladino

Soft but well-executed. With notes of petrichor, sour cherry compote, and red fruit.

Barolo Parafada 2020 – Palladino

Compared to the previous one, more pronounced but not memorable. More spices, tea, yet seems unripe.

Barolo Ornato 2020 – Palladino

Christmas-like, with spiced plums, but overly jammy.

Barolo Riserva San Bernardo 2016 – Palladino

Cola, finish with hints of resin, and not quite at the level of a proper reserve.

Boscareto Barolo 2020 – Principiano Giuseppe e Francesco

Okay on the spice and violets, but very mute, lacking character.

Derthona Piccolo 2023 – Vigneti Repetto

Apple juice and not much else to say, even on the palate. Good acidity.

Derthona Origo 2021 – Vigneti Repetto

Almost like a Collio wine in its aromas, floral with dry rock notes, then a bit mute on the palate. Serious.

Barbaresco 2021 – Rivella Silvia

Thyme, lavender, cedar, nebbiolo but with a Mediterranean touch. Light body but very elegant.

Montestefano Barbaresco 2019 – Rivella Silvia

Richer and fruitier but also tannic and astringent. Assertive.

La Bogliona Barbera d’Asti 2019 – Scarpa

Tough competition against Barolo and Barbaresco… but a magnificent Barbera. Blueberries, spices, and clay-like tannins on the sides of the mouth. Very noble.

Edoardoprimo Brut Rosé – Serra Domenico

Small red fruits. Simple perlage but works fine (fine, persistent, and numerous bubbles). Blueberry yogurt on the palate.

Nizza 2021 – Serra Domenico

Tomato leaf, very deep, plum. Solid structure but an effortlessly smooth sip.

Langhe Nebbiolo 2020 – Tenuta Baràc

Cold fruit, frozen blueberries. Then a bit unruly on the palate. Beautiful.

Rocche Massalupo Barbaresco 2019 – Tenuta Baràc

Grilled meat with rosemary and figs. Engaging tannins with remarkable fruit intensity. Long-lasting.

Cerviano-Merli Barolo 2017 – Tenuta Baràc

More closed with a significant and imposing quinine-like finish. Great tannins.

Monferrato Dolcetto 2023 – Tenuta Foresta

Red fruits, simple. I like it as an everyday wine.

What Impressed Me

• Best Wine: Barolo Bussia Munie Riserva 2017 – Franco Conterno
• Other Outstanding Wines: Barolo Montanello 2020 – Azienda Agricola Monchiero, Barolo Ginestra Vigna del Gris 2020 – Conterno Fantino, and Rocche Massalupo Barbaresco 2019 – Tenuta Baràc
• Most Pleasant Exhibitor: Daniele Conterno of Franco Conterno
• Best Quotation (Overheard): “Whenever I hear ‘base Barolo’, I just can’t understand it. Barolo cannot be ‘base’. Either it’s Barolo or it’s a base wine. Barolo cannot be ‘base’.” (Exhibitor from Conterno Fantino)

To learn more about Piedmontese white wines, here’s an article on Timorasso.