Giovanni Rosso Giovanni Rosso Barolo 2021
DOCG

Giovanni Rosso Barolo

Azienda Agricola Rosso Giovanni

Vintages 2021 2018 2017

Giovanni Rosso's classic Barolo blends Nebbiolo from Serralunga d'Alba, Castiglione Falletto and Barolo, aged 18 months in 50 hL French oak. Rose, red cherry and tar with fine-grained tannins: a benchmark Serralunga estate's most approachable Barolo.

UK Market From £37.00 Found across 3 retailers
Check Availability
Verified retailers Price comparison Updated daily
Tasting Notes

Tasting Giovanni Rosso's Serralunga Barolo

A classic three-commune Nebbiolo, aged 18 months in 50 hL French oak. Critics from Galloni to Kerin O'Keefe rate recent vintages 90 to 94 for rose, red cherry and fine-grained tannins.

Tasted by
ItalianWines editorial (drinker + critic consensus)
Tasted on
11 June 2026
Source
Drinker consensus · confidence Medium
Taste profile
Body Light / Full
Tannins Smooth / Grippy
Sweetness Dry / Sweet
Acidity Soft / Crisp
Nose

Classic Nebbiolo perfume leads with rose petal and violet over red cherry and raspberry, the tar-and-roses signature of Serralunga d'Alba. Across recent vintages critics and Vivino drinkers return to cedar, dried herbs, sweet spice and licorice, with a recurring note of eucalyptus or wintergreen mint. The aromatics stay bright and high-toned rather than dark, true to this estate's elegant house style.

Rose petalRose petal
VioletViolet
CherryCherry
RaspberryRaspberry
TobaccoTobacco
TarTar
LeatherLeather
LiquoriceLiquorice
Palate

The palate is medium-bodied and savoury, built on the fresh acidity and fine-grained, taut tannins that 18 months in 50 hL French oak casks polish rather than mask. Red cherry, cranberry and crushed raspberry carry star anise and a chalky, mineral edge drawn from Serralunga's pale, calcareous soils. Galloni placed it as a very pretty entry-level Barolo, all charm and delineation rather than brute power.

Finish

The finish is long and perfumed, closing on red berry, dried herb and a savoury, tobacco-tinged grip. Tannins stay refined and the acidity keeps it fresh, a quality Wine Spectator summed up as lively and focused.

Overall

This is the most approachable wine in Giovanni Rosso's Serralunga range, a classic three-commune blend that critics rate 90 to 94 and that Vivino drinkers hold at a steady 4.1 to 4.2 for its balance and value. Drink the warmer 2017 now, the elegant 2018 over the next decade, and give the structured 2021 a year or two before its window opens toward 2040.

Drink now Best by 2041
Live UK pricing

Where to buy this Barolo, and at what price

Three UK-shipping listings here span the 2017, 2018 and 2021 vintages from about £37 to £45, below the roughly £60 median for Barolo DOCG.

Best price · 75 cl £37.00 at bbr
Price spread £37.00 – £44.99 Across 3 UK retailers tracked
Retailers tracked 3UK 1 in stock · 2 awaiting restock
Vintages live 2021 · 2018 · 2017 Current release: 2021
Per-litre (75 cl basis) £49.33 Per-litre price for the lowest current offer
Last checked 7 Jun 2026, 15:47 BST Refreshed once every 24 hours
Wine fit score

How this Barolo scores for food, value and cellar

Strong on food versatility and value at £37 against a £60 Barolo median, with real but entry-level cellar potential next to the estate's single-vineyard wines.

Best with food 9.0/10

Medium-bodied with high acidity and fine, firm Nebbiolo tannin: a classic, versatile food red that excels with braised meats, truffle pasta and game.

Best value 9.0/10

Lowest UK listing £37 against a roughly £60 median for Barolo DOCG (ratio 0.62), strong value from a benchmark Serralunga estate.

Best for an occasion 8.2/10

Barolo DOCG carries real prestige and a circa £40 price, a confident choice for a special meal or a gift.

Best for cellar 7.4/10

Barolo DOCG with 38 months of mandated ageing and structure to about 2040, but built as the estate's earlier-drinking entry tier below its Serra and Cerretta crus.

Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our editorial methodology.

Denomination Compliance Snapshot

Barolo in five fields

A compact view of what the Barolo denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.

Allowed grapes
1 varieties listed
This bottle: Nebbiolo.
Minimum ageing
38 months minimum
Of which 18 months in oak.
Region / area
Cuneo, Langhe: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Diano d'Alba, Cherasco, Roddi
Source: Disciplinare.
Style
DOCG · Barolo
Minimum ABV at this colour: 13.0%.
Classification
DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita)
What that means →
Retailer Shortlist

Where to Buy

Compare tracked offers from verified retailers at a glance. Stock is shown only where the retailer exposes it. Logos, sale pricing, and the strongest offer are surfaced first.

Best Live Price £37.00
Retailers Tracked 3
Last Checked 7 Jun 2026
Decantalo logo

Decantalo

Awaiting restock
Vintage 2021
£39.12
£52.16/L · checked 7 Jun
Notify me
75 cl · Low stock confidence
Vintages

2017, 2018 and 2021: how the vintages differ

A hot 2017, a cooler classic 2018 and a structured, age-worthy 2021. Each carries its own drinking window, reaching beyond 2040 for the 2021.

2021 Current release
Lowest price
£39.12
Retailers
0 in stock · 1 awaiting restock
ABV
14.0%
Window
Drink now through 2041

A balanced, structured vintage widely rated among Barolo's best of the decade; critics scored this bottling 90 to 94, citing cedar, violet and red cherry with taut, fine-grained tannins. Galloni advised a year or two of cellaring, with a window stretching toward 2041.

2018 Previous release
Lowest price
£44.99
Retailers
1 in stock
ABV
14.0%
Window
Drink now through 2035

A cooler, classic Langhe season produced a fresher, more perfumed Barolo; Falstaff (93) noted rosehip, violet and balsamic herbs over a structured but juicy palate, and AIS awarded it Tre Viti. Drinking well now and holding into the early 2030s.

2017 Previous release
Lowest price
£37.00
Retailers
0 in stock · 1 awaiting restock
ABV
14.0%
Window
Drink now through 2032

A hot, dry Piedmont growing season gave a riper, rounder Barolo with softer tannins than the classic norm; Falstaff (92) found a restrained, peppery nose over melting red fruit. Best enjoyed now and across the late 2020s rather than as a long-haul vintage.

Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.

The disciplinare, the place, the label

Why a Serralunga Barolo is priced where it is

Barolo DOCG demands 38 months of ageing, and Serralunga's pale, calcareous soils command premium fruit. This is Giovanni Rosso's entry to its Serra and Cerretta crus.

01

DOC, DOCG, IGT: what the badges mean

Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.

Barolo is in the DOCG tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.

02

The denomination rules, in detail

  • Allowed grapes. 1 varieties listed in the disciplinare
  • Yield ceiling. 8.0 tonnes per hectare
  • Minimum ABV. 13.0% vol
  • Minimum ageing. 38 months total (of which 18 in oak)
  • Tasting panel. Mandatory pre-release tasting commission
03

Region and area context

Barolo falls within Piedmont , covering Cuneo, Langhe: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Diano d'Alba, Cherasco, Roddi. The denomination is further divided into 11 sub-zones.

04

Reading the label

  • Azienda Agricola Rosso GiovanniProducer / estate
  • NebbioloGrape varieties (in declared order of dominance)
  • Barolo DOCGGeographic indication and quality tier
  • 2021Vintage (year of harvest)
  • 14.0% vol · 75 clAlcohol by volume and bottle size
  • Imbottigliato all’origineEstate-bottled
05

What sits behind the price of Giovanni Rosso Barolo

Tracked from
£37.00
Direction
Mostly cost up
Drivers
4 up / 2 down
Main factor
Serralunga d'Alba fruit on chalky, calcareous soils, family vines planted 1984
  1. 01

    Serralunga d'Alba fruit on chalky, calcareous soils, family vines planted 1984

    Cost up

    Giovanni Rosso's home vineyards sit on Serralunga's pale calcareous marl, among the most sought-after and costly fruit sources in the Barolo zone.

  2. 02

    Barolo DOCG 38-month ageing, 18 of them in 50 hL French oak casks

    Cost up

    The wine cannot be sold until almost three and a half years after harvest, and 18 months in large French oak ties up cellar space and capital long before release.

  3. 03

    Classic three-commune blend, not a single-vineyard cru

    Cost down

    Drawing parcels from Serralunga, Castiglione Falletto and Barolo into the estate's entry Barolo keeps it well below the price of the Serra and Cerretta crus.

  4. 04

    Strong critic and competition record, 90 to 94 points and Wine Hunter Gold

    Cost up

    Consistent 90-plus scores from Galloni, Kerin O'Keefe and Wine Spectator, plus a Wine Hunter Gold, support pricing above anonymous Barolo.

  5. 05

    UK alcohol duty and 20% VAT at 14% ABV

    Cost up

    At the 2026 still-wine rate of £2.67 duty per bottle plus VAT, UK tax adds roughly £9 to a £40 shelf price before the trade takes any margin.

  6. 06

    Wide UK availability across multiple importers

    Cost down

    Stocked here by Berry Bros & Rudd, Cellier and Decantalo; competition among UK sellers keeps the street price near £37 to £45.

Perfect Pairings

Dishes that complement this wine

Brasato al Barolo on stoneware bowl with Bay Leaf, Beef Chuck, Carrot

Brasato al Barolo
Tajarin al Tartufo on stoneware bowl with Butter, Egg Yolk, parmesan

Tajarin al Tartufo
Agnolotti del Plin on stoneware bowl with Butter, Egg, Egg Pasta Sheets

Agnolotti del Plin
Porcini mushroom risotto, plated

Porcini mushroom risotto
Ossobuco alla Milanese on stoneware bowl with Beef Broth, Carrot, Celery

Ossobuco alla Milanese
Food Pairing

Nebbiolo tannin and acidity: dishes that fit Barolo

Fine-grained tannin and fresh acidity make this a natural with brasato al Barolo, truffle pasta and game, the classic tables of its native Langhe.

Tannin softening Strong match

Slow-braised Piedmontese beef

Barolo's firm, fine-grained Nebbiolo tannins need protein and fat to soften. The collagen and unctuous sauce of long-braised beef bind those tannins, leaving the wine smoother while its fresh acidity lifts the richness.

Try with: Brasato al Barolo · Ossobuco alla Milanese · Beef stew · More pairings →

Acidity matching Strong match

Buttery Langhe pasta and egg-rich primi

The high natural acidity of Nebbiolo cuts the butter and egg yolk of Piedmont's hand-cut pasta, refreshing the palate between bites. Its savoury, perfumed character echoes the dish rather than fighting it.

Try with: Tajarin al Tartufo · Agnolotti del Plin · Tagliatelle al tartufo di Acqualagna · More pairings →

Aromatic bridge Good match

Mushrooms, truffle and forest-floor flavours

The tar, dried-herb and earthy aromatics that Serralunga Nebbiolo develops bridge directly to porcini and white truffle. Aroma matching, not weight, drives this pairing, so the medium-bodied wine is never overwhelmed.

Try with: Porcini mushroom risotto · Truffle risotto · Tajarin al Tartufo · More pairings →

Body matching Good match

Game and roasted dark-meated birds

Medium-full body and savoury, spiced structure let Barolo stand up to venison and game birds without flattening them. The wine's acidity and tannin frame the gamey, iron-rich flesh.

Try with: Venison Stew · Roast Pheasant · Roast Duck · More pairings →

Fat cutting Good match

Aged alpine and hard cheeses

Acidity and structured tannin scour the fat of aged Piedmontese and hard cheeses, while the wine's red-fruit core balances their salty, savoury depth. Keep to mature, firm styles rather than soft, creamy ones.

Try with: Castelmagno · aged Parmigiano Reggiano · Toma Piemontese

Avoid Clash

Chilli heat and sweet glazes

High tannin and alcohol amplify chilli burn, and Barolo's savoury profile clashes with sweet, sticky sauces. Spicy stir-fries and sugar-glazed dishes leave the wine tasting hard and bitter.

Skip with: Crispy chilli beef · Lamb bhuna · sweet-and-sour pork · Pairing guide →

Drinking + cellar

Cellaring Giovanni Rosso Barolo

The 2021 rewards a year or two in the cellar and should hold toward 2040; the 2017 and 2018 are better drunk over the nearer term.

Drinking window
2026 → 2041

Peak around 2032. Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.

Decanting
h1

A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.

Cellar potential
High

Barolo DOCG with 38 months of mandated ageing and structure to about 2040, but built as the estate's earlier-drinking entry tier below its Serra and Cerretta crus.

Buy now or wait?
Buy now

£37.00 is the lowest tracked offer for the current vintage and we have no signal of further discounting.

Sources & trust

Sources behind this Giovanni Rosso Barolo page

Prices & stock

Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Last refresh: 7 Jun 2026, 15:47 BST. We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.

Confidence · High
Tasting notes

Drawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino and Wine-Searcher, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.

Confidence · Medium
Appellation rules & ageing

From the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.

Confidence · High
Why it costs what it costs

Our reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.

Confidence · Medium
Drink window & cellar potential

Style guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.

Confidence · Medium
Related

Explore Nebbiolo, Barolo and Serralunga d'Alba

Producer
Azienda Agricola Rosso Giovanni Piedmont
Grapes
Nebbiolo
Denomination
Barolo DOCG
Region
Piedmont Region guide
Cuisine
Italian Cuisine 5 dishes paired

Common Questions

It is a classic, perfumed Barolo: rose, violet and red cherry on the nose, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins on a medium-bodied palate. Critics score recent vintages 90 to 94 and Vivino drinkers rate it around 4.1 to 4.2, praising its balance and elegance over sheer power.

It is 100% Nebbiolo, the only grape permitted in Barolo DOCG. The fruit is a classic blend from the Serralunga d'Alba, Castiglione Falletto and Barolo communes, aged 18 months in 50 hL French oak casks.

The warmer 2017 and elegant 2018 are drinking well now; the structured 2021 benefits from a year or two and will hold toward 2040. As Barolo DOCG it spends at least 38 months ageing before release, so even young bottles are approachable.

Classic Piedmontese matches shine: brasato al Barolo, tajarin or agnolotti with truffle, porcini risotto and game. Its acidity and tannin also cut aged hard cheeses. Avoid chilli heat and sweet, sticky glazes, which clash with Nebbiolo's structure.

From the Giovanni Rosso estate in Serralunga d'Alba, in Piedmont's Langhe hills, a family property since 1946 with vines planted in 1984. This classic bottling is the estate's introduction to its single-vineyard Barolos, Serra and Cerretta.

UK listings here run from about £37 to £45 a bottle. That is strong value for Barolo DOCG, where the typical bottle sits nearer £60, especially from a benchmark Serralunga producer.

You May Also Appreciate

DOCG Vajra G.D. Vajra Albe 2021

G.D. Vajra

G.D. Vajra Albe

Piedmont Nebbiolo

4 retailers

From

£28.25

View Wine
SAVE -14%
DOCG Domenico Clerico Domenico Clerico Barolo del Comune di Monforte d'Alba 2019

Domenico Clerico

Domenico Clerico Barolo del Comune di Monforte d'Alba

Piedmont Nebbiolo

4 retailers

From

£44.71

£52.18

View Wine
DOCG Vajra G.D. Vajra Bricco delle Viole 2021

G.D. Vajra Bricco delle Viole

Piedmont Nebbiolo

3 retailers

From

£49.75

View Wine
DOCG Pio Cesare Pio Cesare Ornato 2020

Pio Cesare

Pio Cesare Ornato

Piedmont Nebbiolo

3 retailers

From

£85.10

View Wine

Affiliate disclosure. Some links above are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Editorial coverage, ratings and tasting notes are written independently and a retailer cannot pay to be listed or to be ranked higher.

How retailer prices are sourced. Prices and stock are read from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Outbound buy links carry rel="nofollow sponsored noopener". The list is sorted by price; we do not accept payment for placement.

What we will never do. Imply we tasted a bottle when we didn’t. Imply stock when a retailer is out. Imply independence on links that are paid affiliate links.

Giovanni Rosso Barolo
Check Availability