In the Gregorian calendar there is a time „Before Christ” (BC), referencing to the years before the birth of Jesus Christ and there is a time referred to as „Anno Domini“ (AD) – from Latin „in the year of the lord“ – used for years after the birth of Jesus. If we applied that system to the more secular world of fine wine or particularly Barolo, there might as well be an era before 2010 and a time after 2010…
Sounds a little dramatic? Let me lay down my thoughts for you.
Overall quality
2010 is widely considered one of the very best vintages Barolo has ever produced. Many of the leading critics have rated it higher or on the same level as the very best vintages of the last decades. Antonio Galloni, the founder of Vinous and one of the most respected wine critics and specialists for Piemonte, called it „one of the truly great modern-day vintages for Barolo“, and awarded it a rating of 98+/100 points. This almost perfect score implies that in his view, 2010 might be even superior to the great historic vintages of 1989 (98/100), 1978 (97/100), 1971 (98/100), 1961 (97/100), but also to the more recent great vintages of 2016 (98/100), 2006 (98/100) or 2004 (98/100). The Wine Advocate considers 2010 the best vintage since the beginning of their vintage chart in 1970 with a lofty score of 98 points. Wine Spectator is rating 2010 with 97 points a „classic vintage“, with only 2016 and 1996 being rated one point higher. Jancis Robinson is considering 2010 Barolo „outstanding“ and Alessandro Masnaghetti -BaroloMGA360 (link)- is rating 2010 with five stars, together with only a handful of other epic vintages.
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