Gian Luca Colombo Barolo DOCG, Piedmont, Italy 2020

Gianluca Colombo is an up and coming oenologist in Piemonte who was recognized as such in 2014 when we was awarded the Giulio Gambelli Prize, which goes to the top Italian winemaker under 40. Having developed an early passion for wine, beginning his career as a wine consultant for a number of well known wineries throughout the Barolo area, in 2011 he opened his own winery, “Segni di Langa” near Roddi, in the northeast corner of the Barolo appellation. He makes wine in a contemporary way that respects the environment, the land, and varietal purity. His philosophy is that his wines are born from the earth and, with them, he tries to convey all the effort, passion and commitment that he devotes to his grapes. He sees himself as a farmer and he has doubled down his commitment to biodynamic farming as he believes that the results in the vineyard are the only way to achieve his goal: to produce the best Barolo period. Each bottle is marked with his fingerprint as a sign of his great passion, respect, and commitment to rare wines, produced in limited quantity.

"The 2020 Barolo Segni di Langa is an outstanding wine from Gian Luca Colombo. Pliant and open-knit, the 2020 is attractive right out of the gate. Translucent red-toned fruit, orange peel, spice, leather and tobacco all meld together effortlessly. The 2020 is a blend taken from Bricco Ambrogio, Roere di Santa Maria and Ravera, all very good sites, but perhaps not the very best sites. At times, the Segni di Langa reminds me of the traditionally made Barolos of the 1990s. The aromatics aren't perfectly focused and there are some slight imperfections from the wood, and yet those qualities somehow add to the wine's allure. This bottling has the potential to be exceptional in future vintages." Vinous 92