Winemaker Notes
This is a regal wine whose nose expresses a myriad of sweet perfumes of spice and ripe fruit accompanied by the typical balsamic (mint and eucalyptus) notes characteristic of this unique vineyard. On the palate, an impressive structure and decisive tannins are complimented by a long, elegant finish.
The soil composition (a perfectly amalgamated mix of Tortonian and Helvetian soils, particularly rich in sand) and an ideal southern-facing vineyard exposition allow Chiara to produce an extraordinarily harmonious wine from Cannubi, the most famous Cru vineyard in all of Barolo.
Organically grown
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Plums and ripe strawberries with some crushed-stone undertones. Full-bodied and layered with round, rich tannins and an intensely fruity finish. But then, some fine tannins that are cashmere-like. A little tight at the end. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2024.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Chiara Boschis is a historic proponent of organic farming, and she lobbied to make the entire Cannubi cru a certified organic vineyard. Her 2017 Barolo Cannubi shows terrific balance and clean intensity in a vintage that presented quite a few challenges across the appellation due to the heat and drought, along with other issues such as an unexpected frost in April, but that caused the biggest damage to the lowest elevations. The Cannubi is less overtly fruity than the blended Via Nuova or the Mosconi. Instead, it has a more prominent saline imprint with mineral and crushed limestone. However, the quality of the tannins in this release is superior and silkier, and that added structure and focus give the Cannubi the longest drinking window in my opinion of these three new releases.
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Wine Spectator
Floral, juniper, strawberry, cherry and green tea aromas and flavors are the hallmarks of this taut, sleek red, which is firm too, yet the core of ripe fruit prevails midpalate and should serve this well over time.
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.