Marrone
Barolo Bussia – 2021
Region: italy - piedmont
Marrone
The origins of Agricola Marrone date back over a century and through four generations. The family is focused on cultivating local grape varietals with a passionate dedication to the land.
When Pietro Marrone was born in 1887, his father Edoardo was already producing wines. In 1910, at 23 years old, he asked his father to plant some vineyards. In the early 1920s/30s the winery began cultivating vineyards using techniques that were revolutionary at the time: reducing production yields to prioritize higher quality and avoiding sowing wheat between vine rows, a standard practice at the time. This decision was an early adoption of what eventually became known as modern cultivation practices widely used in the region today.
In 1978 ‘Gianpi’ took over full management of Marrone and began a phase of expansion in the vineyards and the cellar space. His wife Giovanna, affectionately known as “Mamma Gio,” orchestrates private hospitality and is the kitchen director. For Giovanna, food is “tradition and Italian values that go hand with our wines.”
Since 2011 the winery has been run by “Tre Fie,” the three daughters of Gian Piero and Giovanna Marrone. Valentina is the winemaker, Serena runs marketing and business operations, and Denise is the hospitality heart and manager of the visitor programs and restaurant. The farm is run with minimal intervention in the vineyard, a philosophy that carries through from harvest to winemaking. The Marrone family pays careful attention to produce wines that are elegantly structured with the potential to evolve for decades.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Vineyards in the “Bussia” subzone, Monforte d’Alba at the border with Castiglione Falletto.
- Altitude: 820 feet/250 meters
- Exposure: Southwest
- Soil: Clayey marls with high sand content; particularly homogenous soil with low permeability
- Vines Planted: 1970
- Vine Training System: Traditional Guyot
Harvest Notes
- Hand harvested the 2nd week of October
- Berry selection in vineyard to remove those not perfectly ripe and healthy
- 2nd berry sorting at cellar before light crushing
- Fermented with skins and maceration at 80ºF/27ºC for 28 days in stainless steel tanks
- Malolactic fermentation in large 25 hl oak barrels
- Aged 30 months in wood
- Batonnage on fine lees the first 10 months of aging
- Bottled under nitrogen coverage
- Bottle aging for minimum 6 months in temperature controlled environment before release
Winemaker's Notes
Our Barolo Bussia expresses the elegance and power typical of this historic MGA. The 2021 vintage stands out for its perfect balance between freshness and concentration, with intense aromas of ripe red fruits, cherry, and plum, followed by delicate notes of sweet spices, tobacco, and a subtle hint of leather. On the palate, the structure is robust yet velvety, with well-integrated tannins and an elegant minerality that enhances the long finish. The exclusive aging in large barrels imparts finesse and complexity to the wine.
Wine Summary
100% Nebbiolo, “Lancia,” “Michet” & “Rosé” biotypes; alcohol: 14%; Bussia cru vineyard, Monforte d’Alba near border of Castiglione Falletto at 820 feet; clayey marl soils with high sand content, low permeability; vines planted 1970; hand harvested 2nd week of October with 2 passes of berry selections; fermented 28 days at 80ºF on skins in stainless steel tanks; malolactic fermentation in 25 Hl barrels; aged 30 months in oak, initial 10 months on fine lees with battonage; bottled under nitrogen cover and bottle aged at least 6 months before release.
Technical Information
- 100% Nebbiolo, “Lampia,” “Michet” and “Rosé” biotypes
- Alcohol: 14%
- Total Acidity: 5.38 g/l
- Extract: 27.2 g/l
Reviews
94 Points
Vibrant and spicy wine, full of licorice, oak bark and potpourri, red cherries and a whiff of rhubarb root. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins, refreshing acidity and a savory, nicely woven finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.
jamessuckling.com, January, 2025
93 Points
Crafted from vines planted in 1960, the Bussia opens promptly with engaging tobacco, cedar forest and cinnamon scents. Those sweet spice nuances reverberate on the well padded palate, infusing the ripe plum and rhubarb compote fruit. The tannins present as plush initially but become firmer as they take hold, offering plenty of structure and substance for a solid stint in the cellar. It finishes with a savoury, rusty tang. Gian Piero’s three daughters all play an active role in the winery. The youngest, Valentina took on the role of winemaking in 2006. 2027 – 2041
Decanter, January, 2025
95 Points
Deep bright red-ruby. Pungent aromas of black cherry, pine cone, menthol, and chocolate with a hint of resin. Clean and very precise flavours follow, showcasing red and dark cherry flavours of lovely energy and focus. Lingers impressively on the forest floor- and spice-accented finish. There’s no doubt in my mind that these vines must have something special about them, because independently of the Marrone family’s talent, it is really uncanny how many excellent Barolos they have made, year after year and in all vintage conditions, from this site. So good for them. 2031 – 2040
Ian D'Agata Wine Review, May, 2025
93 Points
Time slows when you encounter Marrone’s 2021 Bussia. Opening with aromas of sassafras and star anise that weave through sweet vanilla, drawing you deeper into the glass. As the wine develops, waves of dried Morello cherries and black plums mingle with forest floor, while the palate unfolds into dark fruit preserves. Beneath lurks something more pro found, whispers of tobacco and earth that remind you this is serious Nebbiolo. Drink now–2045. Cellar Selection.
Wine Enthusiast, June, 2025
17++ Points
A little more oaky than the other Marrone Barolos. There’s a wedge of sandalwood and raw cedar through the gloriously pretty fruit, but it’s not oak out of whack – it very much feels as if this will settle and seam in over time. The structure is so refined and the energy of the wine is a composition in beautifully modulated vibrato contralto. It just needs more time. 2029 – 2038
JancisRobinson.com, August, 2025
94 Points
The Marrone sisters’ Bussia bottling is made from their oldest vines, having been planted in 1960. Their grandfather chose to plant a pair of clones of nebbiolo here, Michet and Lampia. The wine is raised similarly to the other Barolo bottlings here, with two and a half years aging in botti and tonneaux. The 2021 Bussia is a stunning young Barolo, offering up a superb bouquet of red and black cherries, gamebird, coffee bean, a complex base of soil tones, red curry, fresh oregano, woodsmoke and just a hint of oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off stunning depth of old vine fruit at the core, with great soil signature and grip, ripe, beautifully integrated tannins, superb focus and balance and a very, very long, very promising, complex finish. Once this wine is ready to drink, it is going to be stunning! 2041 – 2100
View From The Cellar, September, 2025
General Info
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Piedmont |
| Appellation(s) | Barolo DOCG; Langhe DOC |
| Proprietors | Gian Piero Marrone |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Winemaker | Valentina Marrone |
| Annual Production | 4600 9L cases |
| Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | Farmed using organic principles |