2021 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra DOCG

JD98 A medium red color, the 2021 Barolo Ciabot Mentin is a more focused and linear wine coming from higher elevations and cooler exposure. Offering notes of red berries, rhubarb, cranberries, mint, cinnamon spice, and orange peel, it’s medium-bodied, focused, and long on the palate. This is my favorite of these wines and has fantastic energy and saltiness all around, followed by a long finish with hints of apricot or citrus. Drink over the coming 20 or so years.

WP98 Gloriously aromatic, with garden soil, black plum tart, and exotic spice. The palate is radiant with energy, showing a thrilling combination of smoked game, pignola olives, and sun-warmed black cherry. Framed with ample tannins, the endless finish is shows incredible promise for future evolution and cellaring.

WA97+ Between the Pajana and the Ciabot Mentin, I have a preference for the latter. The Domenico Clerico 2021 Barolo Ginestra Ciabot Mentin comes from the higher part of the slope (with vines planted in 1978) and offers an extremely precise and finely stitched bouquet that incorporates elements of cassis, wild berry, herb, blue flower and crushed stone. The mineral signature is a little more pronounced in this wine, and it leans into iron ore and rusty nail. Like the Pajana, the tannins are quite firm, and the wine will need more time in bottle to integrate. This is a release of 5,500 bottles and 150 magnums.