Michele Chiarlo Barbaresco Asili 2018 Review: The Elegant Side of Nebbiolo, Eight Years Later
Asili is one of those vineyards that make Barbaresco lovers pay attention before the cork has even been pulled. Its reputation rests on finesse, aromatic complexity and an ability to produce Nebbiolo with remarkable persistence without relying on excessive concentration. Michele Chiarlo’s 2018 captures much of that personality, although there is still a firm tannic backbone beneath its polished exterior.
This is a serious, refined Piedmontese red, with articulate fruit, lively acidity and an appealingly savoury character. The 2018 vintage is particularly interesting because it rewarded producers who managed yields carefully during a relatively generous growing season. Chiarlo reduced the crop substantially, preserving concentration without sacrificing the delicate identity of Asili.
Eight years after the harvest, the wine has begun to develop greater complexity, although it remains some distance from full maturity. At €54, it offers an attractive opportunity to explore one of Barbaresco’s most prestigious vineyards without paying the extraordinary prices commanded by its most celebrated labels.
The Basics
- Producer: Michele Chiarlo
- Wine: Barbaresco Asili
- Vintage: 2018
- Classification: Barbaresco DOCG
- Cru: Asili MGA
- Region: Piedmont, Italy
- Production area: Barbaresco, Cuneo
- Grape: 100% Nebbiolo
- Vineyard: Approximately 1 hectare, planted in 1990
- Altitude: 250 metres
- Exposure: Southwest
- Soils: Blue-grey calcareous marl, with a small clay component
- Training system: Guyot, approximately 4,500 vines per hectare
- Harvest: October 7, 2018
- Fermentation: 17–18 days on the skins in 55-hectolitre oak vats
- Ageing: 18 months in oak casks, followed by bottle maturation
- Alcohol: 14% ABV
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Serving temperature: 17–18°C
Michele Chiarlo: A Lifetime Spent Searching for Great Vineyards
Michele Chiarlo founded his winery in Calamandrana in 1956, at a time when Piedmontese wine was still struggling to establish the international reputation it enjoys today.
His father Pietro had worked the family’s agricultural land and recognised the economic possibilities of viticulture, but Michele wanted to pursue something more ambitious. Having studied oenology in Alba alongside future protagonists of Italian wine, including Giacomo Tachis and Renato Ratti, he began developing a business built around quality, vineyard selection and international distribution.
Chiarlo was particularly important in the modern history of Barbera. He believed that the grape deserved more serious attention and helped establish the reputation of Nizza as a territory capable of producing complex, age-worthy reds.
At the same time, he expanded into the great Nebbiolo vineyards of the Langhe.
The acquisitions of Cerequio in 1988 and Cannubi in 1989 demonstrated his conviction that vineyard location was fundamental to producing exceptional wine. Barolo and Barbaresco gradually became central to the estate’s identity, alongside its historic Barbera vineyards.
Asili represents the more delicate side of this philosophy.
The first vintage appeared in 1996, and the wine has subsequently become one of the producer’s most prestigious expressions of Nebbiolo. Unlike some heavily extracted interpretations of the grape, Chiarlo’s Asili aims to preserve the refinement associated with its vineyard.
Michele Chiarlo died in 2023, leaving a substantial contribution to Piedmontese viticulture. His sons Stefano and Alberto continue the family business, with Stefano particularly involved in vineyard management and winemaking.
The estate’s international reputation is considerable, but Asili is interesting for reasons that go beyond the name on the label. The vineyard has an identity of its own, and the best producers understand that excessive intervention can easily obscure its greatest qualities.
Asili: One of Barbaresco’s Most Celebrated Vineyards
The Asili vineyard lies immediately around the hamlet of the same name, in the municipality of Barbaresco.
It is among the most prestigious geographical mentions of the denomination, celebrated for wines that combine aromatic finesse, finely textured tannins and exceptional ageing potential.
Asili has attracted some of the most important producers in the region, including Bruno Giacosa and Produttori del Barbaresco. Their wines have contributed enormously to the international reputation of this small hillside.
Michele Chiarlo’s parcel covers approximately one hectare, planted in 1990 on a southwest-facing slope at 250 metres above sea level.
The soils consist predominantly of blue-grey calcareous marl, with relatively little organic matter and a modest clay component.
This geological formation belongs to the sedimentary landscape that gives the Langhe much of its viticultural identity. Its structure influences drainage, water availability and vine development, creating favourable conditions for a demanding variety such as Nebbiolo.
The southwest exposure is another advantage. Afternoon sunshine helps the grapes complete their long ripening cycle, particularly during cooler autumns.
Asili is often associated with elegant, fragrant wines, but that reputation should not be confused with a lack of structure.
Nebbiolo remains a naturally tannic variety, and the finest Asili wines can require many years before their components become fully harmonious.
What distinguishes the vineyard is the quality of that structure. Tannins are frequently persistent but relatively fine, while the aromatic profile develops considerable complexity without depending on enormous fruit concentration.
For a broader perspective on the appellation, our Barbaresco wine guide explores the region’s vineyards, grape varieties and distinctive winemaking traditions.
The 2018 Vintage: Good Wine Required Hard Work
The 2018 growing season was not particularly easy in Piedmont.
After the relatively dry conditions of 2017, winter and spring brought abundant precipitation, replenishing soil moisture but creating considerable challenges in the vineyards.
May and early June were particularly demanding. Persistent humidity increased disease pressure, requiring careful canopy management and timely vineyard treatments.
The summer subsequently became warm and relatively dry, encouraging vigorous grape development.
For Michele Chiarlo, the principal challenge was controlling yields.
The vines had produced substantial quantities of fruit, and the estate removed approximately 30–35% of the bunches to encourage balanced ripening.
This was not a cosmetic intervention. Excessive crop loads can delay maturity, particularly in Nebbiolo, whose tannins require a long growing season to develop properly.
Favourable conditions during the final weeks of summer, followed by mild September days and cool nights, allowed the remaining grapes to ripen gradually.
The harvest began on October 7, with healthy fruit and good physiological maturity.
The resulting Asili combines attractive concentration with the acidity and aromatic definition expected from a serious Barbaresco.
It is not among the most monumental vintages of the decade, but that is not necessarily a disadvantage in a vineyard celebrated for delicacy.
The 2018 has a relatively generous palate, yet its overall character remains focused and articulate.
Nebbiolo: A Grape That Doesn’t Need to Shout
Nebbiolo has an extraordinary ability to produce wines of considerable structural authority despite its relatively pale colour.
Its skins contain substantial tannins, while the variety naturally retains acidity and develops an aromatic profile that can become increasingly sophisticated with bottle age.
These characteristics explain why both Barbaresco and Barolo belong among Italy’s most age-worthy red wines.
Nevertheless, the two appellations should not be reduced to the familiar idea that Barolo is powerful and Barbaresco elegant.
Individual vineyards matter considerably more than such convenient generalisations.
Asili is an excellent example.
Its most successful wines possess enough tannic structure for prolonged ageing, but they express their character through aromatic definition, persistence and a relatively refined texture rather than excessive weight.
The 2018 Chiarlo follows this tradition.
Its concentration is evident, particularly in the middle palate, but the fruit remains measured and the tannins are carefully managed.
That restraint is important because Nebbiolo can easily become exhausting when producers pursue excessive extraction or introduce too much new oak.
A great Asili should have authority without sacrificing grace.
How Michele Chiarlo Asili 2018 Is Made
The 2018 was produced from manually harvested Nebbiolo grapes selected from the estate’s Asili parcel.
Fermentation took place in 55-hectolitre oak vats, with approximately 17–18 days of skin contact.
Rather than relying on aggressive mechanical extraction, the winery used a gentle shower system to keep the cap of skins wet during fermentation, with temperatures maintained between 27°C and 30°C.
This technique encourages controlled extraction of phenolic compounds while limiting unnecessary physical stress on the fermenting material.
Malolactic fermentation also took place in vat.
The wine subsequently matured for eighteen months in oak casks before further bottle ageing, with a total maturation period of at least two years.
The distinction between fermentation in oak vats and maturation in oak casks is worth making. Neither necessarily implies the pronounced vanilla and toasted character associated with extensive use of new barriques.
Here, wood provides a controlled environment for fermentation and gradual development rather than an obvious aromatic signature.
The result is a Barbaresco whose structure comes principally from Nebbiolo and its vineyard.
In the 2018, the oak influence remains discreet, allowing the wine’s floral and savoury personality to develop without excessive sweetness or polish.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Transparent garnet red with bright ruby reflections and a delicate orange rim.
Bouquet: Rose petals, ripe cherry and raspberry introduce an elegant nose, followed by liquorice, tobacco and a restrained earthy suggestion. Delicate spice and dried flowers add complexity, while the fruit retains good definition. The aromatic development is refined rather than exuberant.
Palate: Medium-bodied, precise and pleasantly concentrated, with lively acidity and fine, persistent tannins. The fruit is ripe but never excessively sweet, while a savoury undertone gives the middle palate greater depth. There is a slightly firm edge to the tannins, although the texture remains polished and well proportioned.
Finish: Long, dry and persistent, with a gentle balsamic nuance and a refined tannic grip. Freshness carries the wine towards an elegant, measured conclusion.
Our Verdict
Michele Chiarlo Barbaresco Asili 2018 is a serious, beautifully proportioned Nebbiolo whose principal strength is the balance between finesse and structure.
The wine has the aromatic character expected from Asili, with enough depth to sustain its reputation as one of the most interesting vineyards in Barbaresco.
The 2018 vintage gives it a relatively generous middle palate, although there is no excessive concentration or intrusive oak. The tannins remain persistent, but they have a refined texture that contributes to the overall elegance.
At eight years from the harvest, the wine has begun to develop attractive secondary nuances. Nevertheless, its fruit remains clearly recognisable, and the structure suggests considerable further potential.
There are limitations.
The bouquet is sophisticated but not extraordinarily complex, and the palate retains a certain youthful firmness. It lacks the exceptional depth and persistence that distinguish the greatest Asili bottlings, particularly those from more concentrated vintages.
There is also a question of price. Asili is a prestigious vineyard, and the name inevitably commands a premium. Buyers should expect more than technical competence simply because the label carries one of Barbaresco’s most celebrated geographical mentions.
Fortunately, Chiarlo’s 2018 offers enough character to justify serious consideration.
Its precision, fine tannins and measured extraction create a wine that is enjoyable now but clearly capable of further development.
A comparison with Pio Cesare Barbaresco 2018 helps explain its position. Pio Cesare offers a broader interpretation of Barbaresco, while Chiarlo’s Asili places greater emphasis on the individuality and refinement of a specific vineyard.
The distinction is particularly appealing for anyone interested in the differences between individual Nebbiolo sites rather than simply buying prestigious appellations.
The wine is ready to drink, but another five to eight years of cellaring should allow its tannins to become more harmonious and its aromatic character to develop further.
Serve at 17–18°C in a generous Nebbiolo glass. A short period of aeration will help the wine open, although prolonged decanting is unnecessary.
At €54, Michele Chiarlo Asili 2018 is a very good purchase. It has elegance, structure and a convincing expression of one of Barbaresco’s most prestigious vineyards. Not a monumental Nebbiolo, but a refined, serious wine whose greatest qualities lie in precision rather than power.
Price
€54.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers.
