Azelia Barolo DOCG 2022 – classic Barolo with elegance and power
Azelia Barolo 2022 – refined Nebbiolo from the heart of Barolo
The Azelia Barolo DOCG 2022is a wonderful introduction to the style of this historic family winery from Castiglione Falletto. For this Barolo, Azelia combines Nebbiolo from seven different vineyards in Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba. This unites the wine's finesse and aromatic elegance from Castiglione Falletto with the power, structure, and depth from Serralunga d’Alba. Even a portion of the grapes from Bricco Voghera, the famous vineyard from which Azelia makes its Riserva, contributes to this Barolo.
The 2022vintage was warm and exceptionally dry, but Azelia’s old vines proved to be a significant advantage in these conditions. The result is a remarkably open and elegant Barolo with cherries, red berries, roses, violets, fine herbs, and a lively freshness. The tannins are finer and more accessible than many young Barolos from cooler, more powerful vintages. A Barolo that already provides much pleasure but can also develop excellently for several years in the cellar.
The Azelia winery in Castiglione Falletto
Azelia is one of Barolo’s historic family businesses. The winery was founded in 1920by Lorenzo Scavino and is now run by the fifth generation. Luigi Scavino has over forty vintages of experience and now works alongside his son, Lorenzo. The family owns approximately 16 hectares of vineyardsand produces around 85,000 bottles annually.
Azelia’s philosophy emphatically begins in the vineyard. Many tasks are performed by hand. No chemical herbicides are used, and for crop protection, natural remedies such as copper, sulfur, and pheromones are used as much as possible. Chemical fertilizers are also avoided; where necessary, Azelia uses organic fertilizers. Furthermore, old vines are only replaced when they truly die off.
This attention to old vines is crucial for Azelia’s style. Older vines produce smaller quantities of grapes and have deeper roots, enabling them to produce ripe, concentrated grapes even in dry years like 2022.
The seven vineyards of the Azelia Barolo
This Barolo is not a wine from one specific Cru. Azelia deliberately chooses a blend from seven different vineyards in Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba. The total area used for this wine is approximately 5.5 hectares. The vineyards are located at an altitude of about 250 to 370 meters, predominantly with a southwestern exposure.
In recent vintages, the classic composition consists of Altenasso and Solanotto in Castiglione Falletto, complemented by grapes from Cerretta, Bricco Voghera, San Rocco, Cerrati, and Broglio in Serralunga d’Alba, among others. The precise ratio between the different plots may vary by vintage. Cerretta and Bricco Voghera are important components of the blend.
This is interesting because both villages impart their own character to the wine. Castiglione Falletto is known for Barolo with refinement, perfume, and precision, while the calcareous and clay-rich soils of Serralunga typically provide more structure and power. The combination ensures that Azelia does not make a simple entry-level Barolo, but a serious Barolo in which different terroirs complement each other.
Soil, vines, and planting
The soil primarily consists of white calcareous soil transitioning into clay. The vines are trained according to the traditional Guyot system, and the planting density is approximately 4,400 vines per hectare.
For this Barolo, Azelia states an average vine age of approximately 50 years; for the 2022 vintage, Decanter mentions an average age of about 55 years. This means this Barolo certainly does not belong to the category where only young vines are used for the base wine. The high proportion of old vines is an important quality characteristic of this wine.
2022 vintage in Barolo
2022 was an exceptionally dry and warm year in Piedmont.Rain was scarce during the winter and growing season, and the drought ultimately proved a greater challenge than just the high temperatures. As a result, bunches and grapes remained relatively small, and yields in many vineyards were significantly lower.
Lorenzo Scavino of Azelia also indicated after the harvest that yields, depending on the vineyard, were about 10 to 20% lower. At the same time, according to him, the grapes were very healthy, fully ripe, and concentrated.
Nebbiolo was harvested considerably earlier in the Barolo zone in 2022 than in a classic late year. The harvest in the region largely took place from mid-September to early October.
Remarkably, the best Barolos from 2022, despite the heat and drought, turned out surprisingly fresh and aromatic. According to Decanter, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba were among the best-performing areas of the vintage. Lorenzo Scavino himself pointed to the advantage of Azelia’s old vines in this difficult year.
Vinification and aging
The Azelia Barolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo. Azelia ferments with naturally present, indigenous yeasts. According to current technical data, vinification takes approximately 20 to 25 days, at about 31°C, using the traditional cappello sommerso– the submerged cap.
After fermentation, the wine ages in traditional large wooden casks. Azelia states an aging period of 24 monthsfor this. These large casks impart much less pronounced oak aromas than small new barriques, thereby allowing the character of Nebbiolo and the different terroirs to truly express themselves.
For 2022, Azelia deliberately opted for restraint in the cellar to prevent the natural concentration of the warm and dry year from becoming too heavy. Decanter notes that Azelia’s Barolos in this vintage received less oak influence to preserve freshness and elegance.
Aroma and taste of the Azelia Barolo 2022
The 2022 beautifully demonstrates why this Barolo is so appealing. On the nose, we find classic Nebbiolo aromas of red cherries, redcurrants, roses, and violets, complemented by nuances of citrus peel, dried herbs, and fine spices.
On the palate, the wine is refined and energetic. The red fruit is juicy and pure, with cherries and red berries at the forefront. This is balanced by a lively acidity and fine, almost powdery tannins. The wine possesses sufficient structure to clearly be a Barolo, but lacks the austerity that can sometimes make young Barolo inaccessible for years.
James Suckling calls the wine expressive, precise, and beautifully balanced between tannin, acidity, and juicy fruit, awarding it 92 points. Decanter also rates the Azelia Barolo 2022 with 92 points, emphasizing its floral character, red cherries, fresh acidity, and soft, fine tannins. Jancis Robinson rated it 16.5/20and mentions its juicy, polished cherry fruit and finely ground tannins.
When to drink?
One of the attractive qualities of Barolo 2022 is that the best wines are relatively accessible early on. This Azelia can therefore be drunk now, especially if the wine is opened or decanted one to two hours beforehand. At the same time, it possesses sufficient acidity, tannin, and concentration to develop further. Both James Suckling and Jancis Robinson already consider the wine drinkable, while the general expectation for good Barolo 2022 supports about ten to twelve years of development from release.
For those who enjoy fresh fruit and floral Nebbiolo, drinking between 2026 and 2030is appealing. Those seeking more tertiary notes of leather, tobacco, dried flowers, and earth can confidently age it longer.
Serving temperature:approximately 16–18°C.
Recommendation for young drinking:decant for 1–2 hours.
Barolo Azelia 2022 and food pairing
The combination of fresh acidity, juicy red fruit, and fine but distinctly present tannins makes this Barolo particularly gastronomic.
Excellent pairings include:
- Tajarin with ragùor with butter and fresh truffle
- risotto with mushrooms or truffle
- slow-cooked beef shank
- Brasato al Barolo
- ossobuco
- veal cheek or beef cheek
- game dishes such as venison
- duck with a mushroom-based sauce
- porcini and other hearty mushroom dishes
- aged hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano
The combination with dishes featuring mushrooms or truffles is particularly delightful. The earthy and spicy development of Nebbiolo complements these flavors exceptionally well.
Why choose Azelia Barolo 2022?
The Azelia Barolo 2022 is much more than just the ‘standard’ Barolo from the winery. The grapes come from old vines from seven different vineyards, including plots that also play a role in some of Azelia’s most important Cru wines. The combination of Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba provides both elegance and power, while the warm 2022 vintage ensures a wine that is remarkably accessible and seductive.
Azelia Barolo DOCG 2022: serious Barolo character, beautiful provenance, and remarkably enjoyable to drink.
