Winemaker Notes
Spontaneous fermentation carried out by indigenous yeasts for about 12 days in concrete tanks, controlled temperature (22 – 25 C initially, 29-30 at the end ), followed by submerged cup maceration for 40 – 60 days, stable temperature 29 C. After the racking off, the malolactic fermentation starts, and it lasts about 15 days at 22 C. Ageing: 4 years in Slavonian oak casks (4500L) with a further refining in bottle for 6 mounths.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The nose here is unique — it has an intense, pomegranate-tea note, accompanied by incense, red licorice, lychee and pink guava. Hints of fresh grass and herbs. The palate is lithe and supple for a Barolo, but very edgy in its delivery of laser-sharp acidity. Cutting, polished and very, very flavorful. The aftertaste of rose petals goes on for a long time. Drink from 2024.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of menthol, new leather and tobacco waft out of the glass. On the taut linear palate, tightly knit, assertive tannins support dried black cherry, spiced cranberry and tobacco. Drink after 2025.
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Decanter
Heady cherry compote bouquet. Broad and concentrated palate; a peppery tone adds spice and complexity to the suave finish.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
The center of the production of the world’s most exclusive and age-worthy red wines made from Nebbiolo, the Barolo wine region includes five core townships: La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and the Barolo village itself, as well as a few outlying villages. The landscape of Barolo, characterized by prominent and castle-topped hills, is full of history and romance centered on the Nebbiolo grape. Its wines, with the signature “tar and roses” aromas, have a deceptively light garnet color but full presence on the palate and plenty of tannins and acidity. In a well-made Barolo wine, one can expect to find complexity and good evolution with notes of, for example, strawberry, cherry, plum, leather, truffle, anise, fresh and dried herbs, tobacco and violets.
There are two predominant soil types here, which distinguish Barolo from the lesser surrounding areas. Compact and fertile Tortonian sandy marls define the vineyards farthest west and at higher elevations. Typically the Barolo wines coming from this side, from La Morra and Barolo, can be approachable relatively early on in their evolution and represent the “feminine” side of Barolo, often closer in style to Barbaresco with elegant perfume and fresh fruit.
On the eastern side of the Barolo wine region, Helvetian soils of compressed sandstone and chalks are less fertile, producing wines with intense body, power and structured tannins. This more “masculine” style comes from Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba. The township of Castiglione Falletto covers a spine with both soil types.
The best Barolo wines need 10-15 years before they are ready to drink, and can further age for several decades.