Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini 1997

2006 marked a new era for the Corino family: Renato and Giuliano split the estate. While Giuliano kept the Giovanni Corino label, Renato started his own new label, and they divided the vineyards amicably and equally. The Giovanni Corino estate remains directly next to the classic Giachini vineyard, from where their flagship wine comes (and nearly all of the fruit for the old-vine "Vecchie Vigne" cuvee). Giuliano also maintained some of the holdings in the famed Arborina Cru and is our only producer that was spared the devastation brought on by violent hail storms in 2006. The "Vecchie Vigne" Barolo comes from vines averaging 30-50 years old and is released one year later than the other wines. His Dolcetto & Barbera are equally terrific – classic, easy-drinking, very fairly-priced versions of these staple Piedmont wines.

Integrated insect and disease control is employed. Sulfur- and copper-based products prevalent. Only manure is used as fertilizer. Spontaneous cover crops (grass cover) are left between the rows of vines. There is minimum use of SO2 in wines in order to prevent oxidation.