Giuseppe Cappellano Barolo Pie Rupestris 2018 (1500ml)

The 2018 Barolo Rupestris is usually a bigger wine than the Franco. It is again in 2018, with more fruit but also more tannin. Accordingly, it may need a bit more time to come into its own. Iron, cedar, white pepper, tobacco and blood orange give the Rupestris a level of aromatic intensity that is not always present in this wine. The 2018 is gorgeous, but it's a Rupestris that is only going to blossom in the cellar. Many years ago, Baldo Cappellano asked me not to score his wines, so all Cappellano wines show up on our database as NR.

Not Rated

- By Antonio Galloni on November 2021

Augusto Cappellano's 2018 Barolos are among the more successful wines of the year. Both the Rupestris and Piè Franco show the gracious, understated side of the vintage to great effect. The 2018s developed beautifully over the several days I followed them. These remain among the archetypes for fine, traditionally made Barolo. I also tasted the Barbera d'Alba Gabutti, which is also pretty special. "I fermented the Piè Franco in cement and the Rupestris in stainless steel," Augusto Cappellano told me. "I had our wood uprights cleaned before harvest, but I was not totally satisfied with the results, hence the change. I gave the 2018s five weeks on the skins. Usually when I do long macerations I do submerged cap maceration at the end, but the last minute change of tanks did not allow for that. The malos were done the following spring and we bottled in July 2021."