The writing was on the wall last year, so to speak, when Vietti presented a stellar set of 2018 Barolos made even more notable by how challenging that vintage was. Then this fall I tasted the 2019s, which pick up where the 2018s left off. But what truly won Vietti this very well-deserved award is the showing of their everyday wines, the Barberas and Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco in particular. 

I was very skeptical when the Cordero and Currado families sold Vietti to American billionaire businessman Kyle Krause in 2016. The circumstances around what was a forced sale were not great, but then again, family businesses are never easy. Luca Currado and Elena Penna could have taken their paycheck and settled into an easy life. Instead, they have poured their hearts and souls into Vietti, perhaps more than ever before. The Currados have added a number of crown jewel vineyards to an already impressive lineup, kept quality exceptionally high throughout the range and shown no signs of letting up on their intense travel schedules. More recently, Elena Penna started a line of spirits that tie back to her early life growing up in her family’s bars. Interestingly, Luca Currado’s father, Alfredo, also had a passion for spirits, so it is an interest that runs deep in both sides of the family.

Luca and Elena Currado (right) and longtime cellarmaster Eugenio Palumbo (left) continue to take Vietti to new heights. 

I was very fortunate to be exposed to Vietti in high school, when my parents sold the wines in their shop. Later, as a young adult with a huge interest in wine but little money, I often bought the Vietti Tre Vigne Barberas. To me, Vietti has always been a reference point. All these years later, well, the wines have frankly never been better. The last two years in particular, I have been blown away by the quality and consistency here. Bravi!

Read the full article here https://vinous.com/articles/2022-the-year-in-review-dec-2022