2021 Grasso, Elio - Barolo Gavarini Chiniera MAGNUM (1.5L)

Elio Grasso is a respected, self-critical winemaker based in Monforte d'Alba, where he farms 18 hectares of prime Barolo vineyards alongside his wife Marina and son Gianluca. The family places its focus squarely on vineyard work over cellar technique, an approach that has helped Grasso develop a distinctive signature across his top wines. Gavarini Chiniera, along with the estate's Ginestra Casa Maté bottling, has become one of the clearest expressions of that philosophy, balancing power and elegance in a way that has earned lasting critical acclaim.

This Barolo comes from a three-hectare sub-zone within the larger Ginestra vineyard area, where soils dominated by chalky white clay and sand give the wine its characteristically robust, structured style. The grapes are harvested by hand in the second half of October, and following fermentation the wine matures for around 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels before further aging in bottle for eight to ten months. The 2021 vintage reached 14.5% alcohol and shows more textural depth and volume than the typically more linear character of this vineyard.

The wine opens with bright red berries, violets, and mint, layered with blood orange, iron, and chalk. On the palate it is potent and structured, with silky tannins, vibrant acidity, and dark cherry and mineral notes carrying through to a long, elegant finish.