Winemaker Notes
The playful label that adorns this “vino rosso,” created by the late, famous Italian comics artist Sergio Staino, belies the class, structure, and ageability of the Fantino brothers’ Laboro Disobedient, a riserva Barolo they originally declassified because of bureaucratic red tape. All it takes is one sip of this profound and stately red, swirling with notes of cherries, tar, blood orange, and spice, to be captivated by the alluring power of the Fantinos’ Monforte terroir.
Attracting the most glory, prestige and fame to the Piedmont region, Nebbiolo in all of its expressions—Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Ghemme and Gattinara—creates a complex wine, truly unique for its delicate qualities combined with strength and a great potential to improve over time.
But Nebbiolo isn’t all there is to red wine from Piedmont! Barbera is the most planted variety and historically most popular as a dependable, food-friendly, everyday wine.
Beyond these two, a surprising number of red varieties call Piedmont their home. Worth a try include Dolcetto for its bold concentration and aromas of spice cake. Other grapes to investigate include Freisa, Croatina, Brachetto, Grignolino and Pelaverga.