Top 10 things to do in Barolo - where to sleep eat and drink

by Amanda

The wine region Barolo is made up of eleven different villages, in which only three are entirely inside the Barolo boundaries. 

1. La Morra:

Where to sleep: Corte Gondina https://www.cortegondina.it

This cozy bed and breakfast has really nailed down all the small details for one’s comforts. Located in the center of the historic village of La Morra you are walking distance to great restaurants and Enoteca’s.

Where to have a coffe and croissant: Mangè http://www.mange.it

This place opens early and will be bustling with the locals to grab their morning cup of Joe and a small sweet bite to eat. Freshly made cakes and pastries are a perfect breakfast treat. 

Where to eat: Locanda Fontanazza http://www.locandafontanazza.it

Reservations weeks in advanced is a must, this restaurant has been open for years and is gaining popularity more and more every year. The food is traditional, flavorful, and amazing. 

Winery visit: Elio Altare http://www.elioaltare.com

This winery visit needs a reservation, and is one of the harder ones to get into, but I wanted to place this on the list as Silvia not only is doing an amazing job filling her fathers shoes but the family story about how a group of youngsters changed the Langhe forever is a very important piece of history that needs to be told.

Because there are too many wonderful wineries in La Morra I could not pick just one: Oddero http://www.oddero.it/index.php/it/

Five generations making amazing world class wines. Their story and the tradition that they have captured within their winery visit is a must, and they have some of the biggest barrels I have ever seen. Make the splurge and ask to do their Barolo tasting where you can see side by side several different vineyards coming from different villages in Barolo. 

2. Barolo

Where to sleep: Easy Così http://www.easycosi.it 

This charming, small boutique bed and breakfast is located in the heart of the small village of Barolo.

Where to eat: Petti’t Bistrot Website here

The hippest place in the village! Veronica has a great selection of Vermouth and small local producers of wine. Her menu is fun traditional and exciting. A must try.

Where to eat: Il Buon Padre http://www.buon-padre.com

A family owned and operated winery + restaurant the must try are the hand cut Tajarin with ragù or butter and white truffle when in season

Winery visit: Bric Cencurio https://www.barolodibarolo.com/it/produttori/33-bric-cenciurio.html

This small family owned and operated winery is conveniently located in the center of the Barolo village. A very accommodating family, with just a quick email and you will be welcomed in like family. 

3. Serralunga d’Alba / Sinio

Where to sleep: One of my favorite romanic luxury hotels in the area, is in a castle in the neighboring town to Serralunga d’Alba, called Sinio. Castello di Sinio a small Luxury hotel comes equipped with the best hospitality in the area, a restaurant with an amazing wine list and a pool! https://www.hotelcastellodisinio.com/en/

Where to eat: Osteria Tre Case http://osteriatrecase.it/index.php/en/

Two young and passionate entrepreneurs in love with food, wine, and, traditions of the Langhe.

Winery visit: Massolino http://www.massolino.it

A very historic and traditional cellar, going back over 100 years of history. This winery in particular gives a very good and educational visit about the land, its territory, the history, and the wine making process. The wines are good too. 

4. Castiglione Falletto

Where to eat and drink!: Cantina Comunale Produttori di Castiglione Falletto. Here you can start off with an in-depth Barolo tasting and finish with a wonderful typical lunch on one of the most beautiful patios in Barolo. http://www.cantinacastiglionefalletto.it/index.php/it/

Winery visit: Azelia http://www.azelia.it/it/

Another small and family run winery, who are taking their skills to the next level. The 5th generation Lorenzo is very accommodating and when he is not out traveling the world is very happy to welcome curious tasters in to talk about his wines.

5. Monforte d’Alba

Where to sleep: Hotel Villa Beccaris https://www.villabeccaris.com/?lang=en 

This hotel is in probably the best spot of Barolo, on the top of the historic center of the village Monforte d’Alba you will have some of the most incredible views of the snow covered Alps and the rolling hills of the Langhe. 

Where to eat: Trattoria della Posta http://www.trattoriadellaposta.it

This is probably one of the most written about restaurants in Monforte d’Alba and it merits its compliments. Very traditional cuisine done right. 

Winery visit: Conterno Fantino http://www.conternofantino.it

This is hard to say but could be one of the most architecturally pleasing wineries I have been to. The views from the winery are amazing, and the visit very friendly and informative, if you have the change to be shown around by one of the family members or their wonderful tasting room assistant Claudio you are in very good hands. 

6. Novello

Where to drink:Vineria La Nas-Cëtta https://www.facebook.com/vinerialanascetta/ 

A quaint little Vineria located right in the historic center of Novello, outside of the Castel walls. If you can grab a seat outside to enjoy the views of the rolling hills in Barolo and a view of the Elvio Cogno winery. 

Where to eat: ANT https://www.antnovello.com/

If you are looking to wake up your tastebuds and also go a bit on the risky side, this is the place. There is no menu, the chef prepares hyper fresh seasonal dishes everyday, and you don’t know what you are eating until after the meal.

Winery visit: Elvio Cogno https://www.elviocogno.com/en/

This winery is a great visit, as one their Barolo wines are amazing, but also they have a very important history of bringing back an almost extinct grape Nascetta. 

7. Verduno

Where to eat: Trattoria dai Becau in Verduno another one of the most beautiful villages in Barolo. Here are two brothers who own and operate this wonderful Trattoria, and are crazy for Pelavera (a native grape varietal to this area, and one of the only places it is grown). At this wonderful and classic Trattoria you are taken in like family, that it is really not to be missed.  You will have a really great time here, trust me! http://www.bercau.it 

Where to drink: Casa Ciabotto http://www.casaciabotto.it

In Verduno the king grape here is Pelaverga a wine with aphrodisiac powers. In the castle of Verduno the King of Savoy was known to take his mistresses to this town and entertain them with the wine of Pelaverga. If this theory really works, we will never know ;)

8. Diano d’Alba

Where to taste/drink:Cantina Comunale I Sorì di Diano d’Alba http://www.soridiano.it/en

Here you can enjoy a tasting or a glass or two of Barolo and Dolcetto di Diano. Located in a historic building with a beautiful outside area overlooking some of the Barolo vineyards. 

9. Grinzane Cavour

Where to eat: La Tagliata Brasserie - http://latagliata.it

If you like steak, if you like things cooked over fire, THIS IS YOUR PLACE. Great for larger groups where you can taste all the different cuts of meat that are offered. Don’t expect to find any veggies on this menu it is all meat and maybe a potato. 

10. Cherasco

Where to sleep: Hotel Somaschi Monastero di Cherasco https://www.monasterocherasco.it/it/homepage

Located in a historic Monastery where class and luxury come together. Located in the heart of the historic center you are walking distance to everything Cherasco has to offer. 

Where to eat: Ristorante Da Francesco https://www.ristorantedafrancesco.com

If you are thinking to treat yourself head over to this one Michelin starred restaurant 

Barolo Wine Tour - Barolo Vineyard Tour

by Amanda

In this easy to use guide, I will explain to you the best way to fully enjoy a Barolo wine tour from the cities of Milan, Turin, and Alba. Easy access guide to the trains, planes, and automobiles to arrive to the most wine savvy destinations in Barolo. Imagine a day enjoying some of the worlds most sought after wine, right in the countryside of one of the most beautiful wine regions on the planet. 

Barolo Vineyards

Barolo Wine Tour from Milan

The best way to arrive to Barolo from Milan is either by train or car. The easiest way to arrive to Barolo without having to drive will be by train from Milan Centro to Asti. There are several trains each day with one stop Milan- Torino- Asti routes. From there it is highly recommended to have a wine guide or a car service in order to arrive to some of the most famous Barolo wineries. If you choose to drive from Milan, it is quite easy, about an hour and a half and you will arrive in the middle of the vine covered hills of the Barolo wine making region. 

Barolo Wine Tour from Turin

Turin the capital city of Piemonte, is an overlooked city by tourists. Turin was the first capital of Italy, with its  rich history of royalty, the architecture, the food, and of course the wines make Turin one of the most interesting and beautiful cities in Italy to visit. With a short and direct train ride from Turino Porta Nuova to Asti (35 minutes), you can easily be picked up by your wine guide or car service who in minutes will have you nestled amongst the Nebbiolo vines. 

Barolo Wine Tour from Alba

Alba the epicenter of Nebbiolo and the Alba White Truffles. Thousands of people from all over the world come to this tiny city to enjoy its culinary delights. With a location in Alba you are in the center of Barolo and Barbaresco vineyard area and a 10 minute drive in either direction will have you in the center of Langhe wine country. If you are staying in Alba a wine guide or car service is highly recommend, as drinking and driving is frowned upon.  

For more information about planning your perfect Barolo wine tour follow the link here for more details. 

The Ultimate Barolo Masterclass - Wine tasting guide to Alba, Barolo

by Amanda

Intro:

Given the intense nature of the intricate details of Barolo, I have decided to give readers the option of the amount of depth they wish to seek out.

Where there is more information on this post, you will find at the end of the initial explanations to help every reader get the most out of the Barolo area for every level of interest.

The big B. Barolo

Barolo a small wine region just to the west of the town of Alba. This area is made up of 11 villages and takes its name after the Barolo village, located in the heart of the Barolo appellation. While the soil structure of Barolo area is quite complex they can be broken down into 5 distinct types of soils that are associated with their villages and sub-zones.

The 5 main districts: 

• Serralunga 

• Castiglione Falletto and Grinzane Cavour

• Barolo and Novello

• La Morra and Verduno

• Monforte 

the soil structures of Barolo defined by color.

Origins of soil from rocks: 3 types of rocks are the base of each soil structure making each wine region so unique. 

Here is a breakdown of rocks with examples. 

igneous rocks 

cooled magma (examples granite)
e.g. granite, basalt, dolerite, gabbro, syenite, porphyry

sedimentary rocks - what we find in Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe

layers of consolidated and cemented sediments, mostly formed in bodies of water (examples limestone, sandstone, conglomerate)

e.g. limestone, sandstone, mudstone, shale, conglomerate

metamorphic rocks 

formed by the alteration of existing rocks due to heat from igneous intrusions (examples marble, quartzite) or pressure due to the crustal movement (examples slate, schist).

In the Langhe and specifically in Barolo the soil falls under the Sedimentary rocks, within this category of rocks you will find 3 prehistoric Miocene epoch of soils Serravalliano | Tortonian | Messiniano (and combinations)

Serravalliano - Formazione di Lequio

Tortonian -

1. Arenarie di Diano

2. Marne di S. Agata Fossili Sabbiose

      3. Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

        4. Marne di S. Agata Fossile laminate

Messiniano - 1. Conlomerati di La Morra

          2. Formazione di Cassano Spinola sabbiosa

          3. Formazione di Cassano Spinola marnose

        4. Formazione della Vena del gesso 

Zancleano - Marne Plioceniche    

What does all this mean?? To go into depth a bit about the soils and what they do here we go. 

The Langhe wine region which encompasses both Barbaresco and Barolo are composed of sedimentary rock. This formation was thanks to the Padano sea which engulfed a large part of the Lower Piedmont region. The sediments eroded from the surrounding areas that were gradually accumulating on the seabed, which in turn buried the older strata. It wasn’t until 12 million years ago did this sea start to reseed and from its movement out left the Langhe with complex soil of the Lequio Formation, Diano Sandstones, and Saint Agata Fossile Marls. 

The Lequio Formation: This soilsstructure can be found in the Southern part of Serralunga d’Alba and a part of Monforte d’Alba on the eastern ridge. This formation is the oldest section, marked by light-colored marl, with layers or veins of well-cemented sand. 

Diano Sandstone: This soil structure can be found in the highest part of Monforte d’Alba as well as in some areas of La Morra. This soil structure is well noted for its high resistance to erosion because of the well cemented sands. 

Sant’Agata Fossil Marl: This complex soil structure changes quite quickly and is the major soil structure throughout all of the Barolo area. These soils comprise mainly fine, silt, and clay sediments making the Barolo area perfect for grape cultivation. There is however some variability to be found, with areas rich in thin veins of sand and others with mainly silt layers.

Barolo Classifications

The best way to think about Barolo now is kind of like the structure of Burgundy. Here in Barolo, we have 4 ways to classify your Barolo.

To become Barolo you need to follow these easy steps:

The vineyards must be located in the boundary of the Barolo wine-producing area. Nebbiolo is the only permitted varietal allowed to be used in Barolo wine and these vines must not be planted on a Northern facing slope. East, West, and South are accepted. The Nebbiolo vines must not exceed 6,000 vines per hectare and the most amount harvested per hectare cannot exceed 56 hL/ha. The minimum aging requirement for Barolo in wood is 18 months, and the wine cannot be released until the 4th January after the harvest. So around 38 months the wine must stay in the cellar before release. 

After the 4th January, you must submit your wine for controls, those will consist of analysis to make sure the acidity, Ph, alcohol, and other chemical components are all right. From there, the wine will then also need to pass a sensory analysis, where other producers will get together to test the wine to make sure it is a good example of the region’s best. 

From there you then have the classifications system. 

1. Barolo “Classico” - the word “classico” is not a legal term to be used on the label but is used amongst producers and wine enthusiasts to mention a generalization of the Barolo wine. This wine is coming from any of the designated Barolo vineyards and can be a mix of them. 

2. Barolo “Comune” - the village wine. This wine will be coming from the vineyards only located in the specific town which is mentioned on the label. For example Barolo Comune di Serralunga d’Alba, these grapes can only be coming from the town of Serralunga d’Alba. 

3. Barolo “Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva” - Barolo with a geographical mention. This wine is coming from one small piece of land. For example Barolo Cannubi or Barolo Bussia. From these two names, you know that Barolo is coming from that plot of land. 

4. Barolo “Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva, Vigna” - Barolo with a geographical mention but a specific plot is being mentioned. Many producers have a special plot in a vineyard that they over the years of cultivation have noticed that there is something special about this area. With that said they decided to vinify and age separately from the rest of that vineyard. When the producer does this you will see a mention of Vigna. For example Barolo Sarmassa Vigna Merenda or Barolo Ginestra Vigna Sorì Ginestra.  With this mention of Vigna, the producer must reduce the yield by another 10% in that vineyard to increase even more the quality of the wine. 

We should even take the time to talk about Riserva wines. With a Barolo Riserva, all the laws are the same as the Barolo except that you cannot release the wine until the 6th January after the harvest. So it must stay 62 months in the cellar before release.  MORE BAROLO WINEMAKING

Cru or Specific Vineyard Sights called Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva (MGA)

I could go on all day about this chapter as there are 170 single vineyards that make up Barolo. With that I have decided to use the Renato Ratti cru map, I feel as though he took the time to really think about what could be the best possible vineyards for Barolo. He was quite correct in many ways, as many of these vineyards we are going to highlight here are some of the most talked about vineyards in Barolo. They are: Monprivato, Villero, Rocche di Castiglione, Gabutti - Parafada, Lazzarito, Marenca-Rivette, Cannubi, Cerequio, Brunate, and Rocche di Annunziata for the 1st crus. MORE CRUS HERE

Monprivato - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose

Villero - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche 

Rocche di Castiglione - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano

Gabbutti-Parafada - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Lazzarito - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Marenca-Rivette - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Cannubi - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano

Cerequio - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate

Brunate - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate

Rocche di Annunziata - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Wine Tasting in Langhe, Walk-in Tasting Rooms

by: Amanda

Don’t like making appointments to visit your favorite wineries here is my quick list to wineries that have a walk-in tasting room.

In order to make the most out of your time wine touring around the Langhe, I do highly recommend getting in contact with the wineries beforehand to organize a tour and tasting, but lucky for us there are some wineries who do not require a call or email ahead of time.

Here is my quick list to the wineries who will accommodate to these pop-in tastings:

Wine Tasting in Barbaresco:

Neive Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Castello di Neive:

Town Neive

Day of Closure: Tuesday

Opening times: 10:30 till 6:30 pm

Located in the Castle in the town of Neive, this cellar has been producing wine since the 1800’s. If you catch them at the right time you can also visit the cellar which is a beautiful historic cellar with many artifacts dating back to the 18th century. In the tasting room they offer an array of different types of wines and have a list of choices per each wine.

Massimo Rivetti at Porta san Rocco:

Town Neive (conveniently located across the small piazza from Castello di Neive)

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:30 till 8:30 pm (nice place to have an aperitivo as well)

This location is a second location for the winery, the actual farm is located in the Neive hills and typically to visit the winery requires a reservation ahead of time. But Porta San Rocco Wine Shop is a great place to meet the family and taste their wonderful wines. They even have videos to bring you as close as possible to life in the vineyards and winery as they can. A very relaxed atmosphere and a great place to spend a lazy afternoon enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace. They also offer an E-Bike service if you would like to add some sport activity to your vacation.

Wine Tasting in Barbaresco:

Barbaresco Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Produttori del Barbaresco:

Town Barbaresco

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: Monday through Friday 9:00 till 1:00pm then again from 2:00 till 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday they don’t close for lunch break so they work straight through from 10:00 am till 6:00 pm

This winery is very important as the last working cooperative in the Langhe.  Started in the late 1800’s it was Domizio Cavazza who was working as a professor at the time in the Enology school in Alba. It was his idea in the beginning to call the wine after the town of Barbaresco, actually as story goes he wanted to expand the Barolo region over to the Barbaresco area not to have any confusion with the two geographic zones. This didn’t happen, but he did manage to help the farmers out in the area of Barbaresco with experiments and new technologies in wine making that had helped to put Barbaresco on the map.

When he founded this cooperative there were the initial 3 rules:

1) One Grape Nebbiolo, that’s it!

2) The farmers who plan to work with the cooperative must not have their own winery or sell their Nebbiolo grapes to anyone else.

3) Quality comes first, the better the grapes, the higher the quality, the more the farmers get paid.

Wine Tasting in Barolo & Barbaresco:

Alba Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Ceretto:

Town Alba Fraction San Cassiano

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:00 till 5:00 pm

The Ceretto winery is a great visit, one of the few wineries in this area that understood how to take art, architecture, and wine and put them together in such a wonderful way. The tasting room at their Alba location has a wonderful room like a plastic bubble that was designed to look like a grape and if you see some photos on their website it does look just like that. The wonderful thing is from there you get a wonderful view of the rolling hills in the Langhe and also get a glimpse of some of their vineyards. The tasting options that they have are a good range and on the spot you can choose which type of tasting you would like to participate in. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable.

And if after you are hungry you can try and score a spot at Ceretto’s 3 Michelin starred restaurant Piazza Duomo, the only one of 3 stars in Piedmont.

Wine Tasting in Barolo:

Serralunga d’Alba Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Fontanafredda:

Town Serralunga d’Alba

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 9:30 till 6:30 pm

This is a winery with a whole lot of history, in order to actually have a winery tour you must make a reservation ahead of time, but for just a tasting room visit you can walk in at anytime in between the hours listed above. Fontanafredda is the largest working winery in the Barolo area and from this they have two wonderful restaurants on site. You can grab a quick bite at the Osteria or if you would like something absolutely magnificent you can make a reservation to enjoy a meal at their Michelin starred restaurant Guido.

Wine Tasting in Barolo:

Barolo Walk-in Tasting Rooms

Borgogno:

Town Barolo

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:00 till 1:00 pm then again at 3:00 pm until 7:00 pm

If you fancy a stroll around the Barolo village you can certainly take a pit stop at the Borgogno tasting room. Be warned because here in the village of Barolo the locations tend to be much smaller and thus this tasting room attracts a lot of attention and will most likely be jam packed. If you stop by there on a Thursday in the late spring/summer they will open up the terrace on the top of the building tower where you can go to enjoy a glass or bottle of wine and enjoy the vineyard view.

Damilano:

Town Barolo

Day of Closure: Never

Opening times: 10:30 until 6:30 pm

Please note that they also have a winery down the street but the tasting room shop is located in the center of Barolo where it is more convent to walk around and explore the small village. The friendly staff at this tasting room are very knowledgeable and will be able to help you find the perfect tasting package to help you get to know and understand the wonderful Nebbiolo grape.

Other posts you might like

Barbaresco Wine Tour Guide

Barolo Wine Tour Guide

Where to Eat and Drink in Barolo:

There is something very special about the wine region of Barolo, located in the Piedmont region of Italy (“Piemonte” in Itailan). Maybe it is the beautiful rolling hills, surrounded by vineyards. Or maybe it’s the laid-back atmosphere of the people who live and work here. It might also be the care, passion, and authenticity of the winemakers and their wines. No matter, Barolo is a “must visit” for wine lovers everywhere. 

 My husband and I visited the Barolo region in early September. We stayed for a weekend and visited a handful of carefully-selected wineries. We stayed in a charming farmhouse B&B, situated amongst the beautiful Piedmont hills. Our B&B also happened to make their own wines. The entire experience of our weekend in Piedmont can be summarized in a few words: romantic, educational, unfussy, picturesque, and memorable. As a wine lover, food and travel enthusiast, and blogger, I’d like to share with you my favorite Barolo wineries and eateries!

Cantina Mascarello Bartolo: Perhaps the most highly regarded winery in the Barolo region, Cantina Mascarello Bartolo is a “must visit” for all wine lovers. Why? Well, the Mascarello Bartolo wines are nearly impossible to find in Italy or internationally. The winery produces a relatively small number of bottles each year, and they are sold out well before the wines are even bottled. They take special care to produce their wines using traditional methods, and they have an extremely loyal following of wine-loving customers around the world. Despite the high demand for their wines internationally, the owner of the winery, Maria Teresa (daughter to the late Bartolo Mascarello), makes only enough wine to comfortably sustain her business, her family, and her employees. Moreover, she refuses to substantially raise the price of the wines, as she believes it would be unfair to the winery’s long and loyal customers. There is no greed or pretense here – just a passion for producing high quality wine in a traditional way. Due to the high demands for Mascarello Bartolo wines, you can’t buy the wine at the winery. Fortunately, you can still have a free tasting and tour of the cellars. If you’re a true wine-lover, don’t pass up this opportunity to experience the Mascarello Bartolo wines. You must call ahead to make a reservation. The winery does not have a website. Phone number: +39 0173 56125.

Podere Ruggeri Corsini: Podere Ruggeri Corsini is located in the country, nearly halfway between Monteforte d’Alba and Barolo. Our tasting here was perhaps the most educational experience we had during our visit to Barolo. Podere Ruggeri Corsini is a wonderful family-run winery with reasonably priced wines and excellent customer service. The tasting was free, and it was extensive. The wines were all very high quality, with my favorite being their Barolo from Bussia. The entire tasting experience at Podere Ruggeri Corsini was laid back, relaxing, informative – and delicious, of course! They also have the cutest little dog that likes to join in on visit. Call or email to make a reservation. +39 340 6741204.

Brezza Giacomo e Figli:Located in the town of Barolo, Brezza is a popular winery that also owns a hotel and restaurant. As the name would suggest, the winery is owned by the Brezza family. The Brezza estate spans over 22 hectars and dates back to 1885. Brezza had by far the most wines of any of the tastings, with multiple Barolos that I loved. Bonus? The wines are all sold at very affordable prices! You can reserve a tasting and tour by appointment only. Check out their website for more information.

Tenuta Montanello: This is the farmhouse B&B we stayed at during our trip to Piedmont. The location is perfect, nestled in the heart of Castiglione Falletto. The prices are reasonable, the scenery is unbeatable, breakfast is included, and the rooms are very comfortable. If you’re looking for a relaxing and authentic place to stay during your visit, I highly recommend Tenuta Montanello. Above and beyond having a wonderful stay here, Tenuta Montanello is also a very small family-run winery. Their wines are all quite elegant and very inexpensive when compared to other wineries in the area. They have an outdoor seating area that overlooks the surrounding vineyards. My ultimate recommendation for Tenuta Montanello? Stay here. Have a complimentary wine tasting. Buy a few bottles of their amazing wines. Crack a bottle (or two) while relaxing outside and taking in the views. Then – voila! You can walk right to your room and go to sleep when it’s time ☺

Scarzello: This was the last wine tasting during our stay in the Barolo region. In this case, it’s appropriate to say “we saved the best for last”. In my opinion, Scarzello’s wines were by far the most elegant and high quality of all of the wines we tasted. The price tags are a bit higher on their wines, but it is completely worth the additional cost. Scarzello is a family run business, located in the town of Barolo. The setting for our tasting felt like we were casually enjoying wine in someone’s living room. They make very few bottles of wine per year when compared to other wineries in the region, so definitely pick up a few bottles while you’re visiting! Tastings by appointment only.

La Case della Saracca (in Monforte d’Alba): La Case della Saracca is a small restaurant and B&B, located on an otherwise very quiet street in Monforte d’Alba. It’s a locals favorite, and for good reason. This place is just cool. It’s where I recommend you eat for aperitivo or dinner – but you MUST make reservations. In high season, you might consider making reservations a week or more in advance. The building itself was restored to preserve a medieval atmosphere, but with a modern twist. If you’re lucky enough to score a reservation for dinner, you will be guided upstairs, where there is only one table on each level, for a total of 8-10 tables max! The small number of tables is also why it is very difficult to score a dinner reservation. The restaurant sounds fancy, but it’s not expensive, and their wine list is WONDERFUL (they even had Mascarello Bartolo wines). The food was great. If you can’t score a reservation, come for aperitivo anyway. They have the best aperitivo around. You buy a drink (they have a great selection of wine by the glass, cocktails, and so on) and you help yourself to the very generous and extensive buffet of snacks. More information can be found here

Trattoria Cascina Schiavenza: We lucked out and got a table for lunch without a reservation here. Cascina Schiavenza has superb wine, food, and views. Established in 1956, Cascina Schivenza is a family-run restaurant and winery located in the region of Serralunga d’Alba within walking distance from the castle of Serralunga. Mum Lucia and her daughter prepare typical Piedmont dishes, specializing in home-made pastas. This is a great option for lunch or dinner. Make sure you try some of their Barolo wine with your meal! Reservations can be made HERE.

The vast majority of Piedmont wineries (including the Barolo region and other regions) require reservations for tastings. Additionally, the wine region of Piedmont is quite large. If I were to do the trip all over again, the only thing I would do differently would be to hire a local guide. First, local guides know how to pick the best wineries based on your tastes and budgets. You would not have to worry about any of the planning or making reservations at individual wineries. Secondly, hiring a local guide is great because you don’t have to DRIVE! There is no “easy” way around the area – taxis are not common (and they are very expensive). Therefore, you must typically drive around the region. There is a lot of wine to be drunk, and having transportation taken care of is a HUGE benefit – for your enjoyment and for your safety! I highly recommend reaching out to Amanda for your wine and food tasting and tour needs!

For more posts like this (and delicious authentic European recipes), visit www.thetravelingcookabroad.com

Name: Cammy Romanuck Murphy

Blog: The Traveling Cook Abroad

Site:

www.thetravelingcookabroad.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/thetravelingcookabroad

Instagram: @thetravelingcookabroad

Winemaking 101

Harvest can be done either by machine or by hand. Most vineyards in the Langhe and Monferrato areas because of the steep hills tend to harvest by hand. While in some flatter vineyards for the use of Moscato there has been some experimenting going on with machine harvesters. So far the results are quite good.

Once the grapes arrive into the cellar you have a few options:

• to de-stem or not

• the amount of sulfur dioxide to use

De stemming

In the Langhe there are very few producers who will not de-stem. This is because of a few reasons, the stems of Nebbiolo if not ripe give off a very bitter green tannin which is unpleasant to the wine. Only if you leave the stems to ripen (when the wood changes color from green to brown) then the tannins will be sweeter. In order to do that, you will need to let the grapes hang longer on the vines or in some cases will have a temperature controlled room to store the harvested grapes until the stems are completely ripe.

With that said most producers will de stem their grapes. Most will use a machine that will take off the stems, but since the Nebbiolo berries are more attached to the stems than the other varieties, you will wind up with some bits and pieces of stems during fermentation.

On the other hand there are a few producers who take the berries off by hand. One in the area who started to work in this method was Silvia Altare from Elio Altare, today there are more and more producers working in this way for some of their higher end Barolo’s.

To Sulphur or not to Sulphur

As winemaking trends change there has been much discussion about adding sulfites to wine and when or not at all. The advantages in addition of sulphur to Nebbiolo grapes are:

• antiseptic - by adding sulphur to the grape must this will protect against bad yeasts on the grape skins and protect against acetobacter (vinegar bacteria).

• antioxidant - to help control oxidation within the wine.

If you do not add sulphur before the alcoholic fermentation starts, typically the producer is then going to have an indigenous yeast fermentation and would want more oxygen in contact with the must to promote growth of the native yeasts.

Alcoholic Fermentation

After you have crushed, now you are ready to ferment. Depending on your winemaking choices some producers use selected yeasts* or indigenous yeats found on the skins. If this is your selected method many producers will make a starter culture (pied di cuve) to help have a strong population of yeasts to start the fermentation.

*With selected yeasts, these could be ones that have been selected from the wineries vineyard and is special to the house or they can chose and active dry yeast that they like. By selecting the yeasts they are stronger and will not have trouble to finish the fermentation when alcohol levels arrive above 4% ABV.

Fermentation Vessels

Here you have a choice:

• Tine (large oak upright fermenters)

• Cement tanks

• Stainless steel tanks

• Roto - fermenters

Tine (oak fermenters) are the oldest method and the most traditional in the Langhe area. These large upright oak tanks are a great container to have a smooth fermentation, as it is very uncommon for there to be problems with temperatures going too high in the wooden containers. There is plenty of oxygenation and the musts and wine are fermenting in a natural container. The only downside to the Tine is the cleanliness, but this should not be a problem today.

Cement tanks came into the Langhe area in the 1960’s as cement was easy to install and cheaper than having to buy Tine or Stainless steel tanks. The cement tanks are covered with a glass resin glaze that will make it safe for the wines to undergo the fermentation or aging in these tanks. Cement being quite thermal and heavy is very hard to change the temperature quickly, so these tanks are still used today as they are quite therapeutic for the wine.

Stainless steel came into the Langhe in the 1990’s when there was a revolution in the area going on. More about that here. Before the 1990’s steel was very expensive and the average farmer could not afford it. With the new wave of young producers searching for cleanliness and quality they brought in the use of steel. If the tanks are not equipped with temperature control, fermentation can get a bit out of control with temperature making it harder to cool it down. These tanks are very easy to clean.

Roto-fermenters are a stainless steel tank with paddles built into the center of these horizontal fermenters. This design was invented in the Langhe in the 1990’s by the youngster who revolutionized the area. This invention works quite well for the Nebbiolo grape to extract the color and tannin quite quickly from the skins. With the inner paddles that move slowly (depending also on the speed the winemaker wishes) it is typical for one full rotation every 24 hours. By constantly moving the must the winemaker is able to extract more color from the skins.

After the Fermentation:

The winemaker has two choices:

• To remove the skins

• Have an extended maceration

If the winemaker decides to remove the skins, the wine will go on to the next part of this post.

If the winemaker decides to have an extended maceration this can be extended as long as the winemaker feels it should. Typically when they are extending the maceration time for another 20-60 days they will submerge the cap into the middle of the tank so it will stay wet and be free of bacteria formations. The winemaker will then decide if they would like to continue with pumpovers or not, and for how many times a day and how long. By doing this they are able to have a maximum extraction of tannin complexity and color.

Malolactic fermentation aka second fermentation

The Malolactic fermentation is a natural chemical occurrence and every wine will go through this step unless it has been chosen not to, and from there will need to have a fine filtration to take out the micro bacteria that performs this transition.

Basically the Malic acid (the acid in a green apple) gets eaten by good bacteria that changes the malic acid into lactic acid (the acid in milk). From this in white wine you will have a buttery mouthfeel or in red wine you will feel a softer smoother acidity. Still mouthwatering.

Oak aging

In the Langhe you have a few options of how to oak age your wines

• Botti Grandi (large oak casks)

• Barrique (small 250 L French oak barrels)

• Tonneaux (medium 500 - 700 L French oak barrels)

The large oak casks are typical from the Langhe area. It is most common to find them from 1,000 L to 10,000 Liter and were used for centuries to make the famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines. These barrels can be used for decades if kept in good condition when cleaned regularly and restored every so many years. It is typical for these barrels to be made out of Slovonian, Austrian, or Hungarian oak. It is very seldom to find them made from French oak. With these large casks they tend to impair less wood flavors to the wines and helps with a steady and low oxygenation.

Barrique and Tonneaux barrels are something a bit new to the Langhe area. They were introduced in the 1980-1990’s when the “Barolo Boys” first started to experiment with these smaller barrels. Barrique and Tonneausx are made from French oak and can have a range of different toasts to the inside of the barrel. By toasting the barrel helps to shape the staves, but a heavy toast can leave more notes of Vanilla and spice in the wine that some people might not appreciate as it can tend to cover up the flavors of the grapes. With all kinds of experimentation happening with these new small barrels there has been an understanding to utilize different ages of the barrels in order to maintain balance within the wine.

If you would like more information about cooperages please check out my post on my visit to Gamba Botti.

After the oak aging the wine will be placed into stainless steel or cement tanks for a period of time in order to settle any deposits left in the wine before being bottled.

In depths of the Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA)

by: Amanda

The MGA’s that Renato Ratti has highlighted are as follows:

For the 1st crus

Monprivato - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose

Villero - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche 

Rocche di Castiglione - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano

Gabbutti-Parafada - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Lazzarito - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Marenca-Rivette - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Cannubi - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano

Cerequio - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate

Brunate - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate

Rocche di Annunziata - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

The other MGA’s he had highlighter for great quality and position are:

Baudana - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Cerretta - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Brea - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Cucco -

Santo Stefano di Perno - Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano & Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose

Vigna Rionda - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Pian della Polvere -

Bussia Soprana - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Bussia Sottana - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Fontanile -

Pugnane - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Cannubi Muscatel - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose

Cannubi Boschis - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Sarmassa - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate

Rocchette -

Conca dell’Abbazia dell’Annunziata - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Le Turnote -

Monfalletto -

Someone pinch me, my visit to Giacomo Conterno

by: Amanda

Ok I am not the type of girl who asks for jewelry or a designer name bags for Christmas, although its not a bad thought.  However if you are going to spend money on me I much rather it be in wine.  And thus every year my only Christmas wish is some bottles of Giacomo Conterno Barolo to be waiting for me under the tree.  Honestly my favorite wine shop who knows me so well, order it specially for my Christmas gift because they know my husband will be there like every year to buy for me to place under the tree. These bottles mind you only come out on very rare occasions, and if I have the possibility to drink them myself we can safely say I won’t waste a drop.  For many years Giacomo Conterno has been one if not the one, my most favorite producer. I fell in love with Nebbiolo when I tasted one of their Barolo Cascina Francia.

So after much courage to meet the man responsible for such amazing (for me) life changing wines, I piggybacked on a visit to Conterno with some friends, who were very gracious to support by almost embarrassing awe. We arrive to a beautiful modern looking structure, where we were greeted with wonderful hospitality and asked to make ourselves comfortable in their waiting room. We were escorted to this cubical like room with huge windows and a wonderful panoramic view, where there were plenty of couches and comfortable seats to be had. We sat there waiting anxiously sipping some some sparking water before being invited into the cellar.

I have never been so nervous in my life, I don’t know I guess its like meeting your favorite rock star.  I felt star struck, I am such a geek. The secretary Stephanie was very professional and sweet.  She took us to their tasting room where we before going into the cellar she had explained to us about their vineyards and some of the history of the estate.  Giacomo Conterno’s first vineyard purchase was a large piece in the vineyard Cascina Francia, a vineyard located in Serralunga d’Alba. This vineyard is prime real estate, great Southern facing exposure and about 400 meters above sea level making this area perfect for Nebbiolo grapes. In Serralunga d’Alba you have the oldest soil structure of the Barolo area. Where the hills from Treiso, to Castagnole Falletto/Serralunga d’Alba hills and then down to the Langhe, reach a ripe old age of over 14 million years coming from the Serrvallian age.  This was the first point of land when the Padano Sea was moving out to later become the Mediterranean Sea. This land formation is made mostly out of Lequio which is seen as alternating layers of sand, sandstone and marl.  As a matter of fact we were talking about the Francia soil being a red sand and a brownish marl, this helps to give the Nebbiolo its complexity and muscle.

They recently have had the opportunity to purchase a few hectare in a vineyard very close to the Francia vineyard, called Cerretta. They purchased this vineyard in 2008 and at the beginning have only made Barbera d’Alba and Langhe Nebbiolo, with the hopes to make a Barolo when the time is right.  Roberto said that at the beginning when they first started to work the land, it takes a few years until you can see the difference in hand on the vines.  Its not that the grapes were of poor quality and they certainly could make a stunning Barolo but like many new things it takes some time to break in.  So for the first few years only a Langhe Nebbiolo would be made from this vineyard.  Now you are able to find on the market a Barolo as well from the Cerretta vineyard.  What I like about the Cerrettais it has so much elegance and red fruit and a sweeter Nebbiolo tannin where the Francia has all the muscle and power.

We had the chance to taste out of barrel and tasted Barbera d’Alba from Ceretta and Francia 2016, amazing, stunning vintage.  Barbera loves the heat and in ’16 it was a hot and dry vintage so these two Barbera were just big juicy and very giving. The Barolo we tasted was also from tank and was 2013, a rocking vintage especially for the Nebbiolo. It was a nice summer, warm and sunny days with cool nights and we got rain when it was time so for the Nebbiolo had a great hang time.  Today the 2013’s great structure both powerful with supplant tannins, we did find out that the whole lot of the Francia for the first time will all be made into Monfortino!  Monfortino is their Riserva so this wine will spend a few extra years in the large oak barrels before being released. I guess I am going to have to be very good that year for santa will have to stock up on Monfortino 2013 :)

I brought up the question about organic farming, this seems like a good topic because it is a buzz word for just about everyone.  I was pleasantly surprised by Roberto’s answer, he simply said “apart from my family here at the winery two things are the most important. One is the vineyards and the second are my clients.  The vineyards are the most important thing for my wines, if I don’t bring in the best quality grapes I am not going to get the best results. I do not want to follow a trend to make organic wines if I cannot be completely in control of what is going on in the vineyards, I want to be more than organic or natural.  What we do here is we work the land as we see is best, then when the grapes have finished fermentation and are ready to be transferred into barrels we do an analysis of the wine to see if there are any residues left, every test comes back with zero. By not having any residuals means that there is nothing in the wine.  This is exactly what we want. This test we do is for no one but ourselves to see that what we are using are good for the vines and leaves no residue. This brings me up to another fact, that we will begin to test other products for the vineyards. Products so natural that you can literally drink this stuff. We are working with a team of scientists, as well as some of the professors from the enological schools here in Italy to study these products to see if this will be the future.  You see we are not organic, we are at the next level.”

I cannot say enough that the dedication and passion for precision and perfection were found in every aspect of the cellar.  They produce about 30,000 bottles and every single one of them was personally looked after and taken care of as though there were an only child.  The winery was completely spotless and not one thing was out of place. Not one stain of wine on the floor and the presentation and tasting were nothing but a wonderful explanation of all the hard work that goes into a great bottle of wine. Thank you.

Tocca a te Silvia Altare di Cantina Elio Altare

unnamed

Elio Altare 2006 Barolo Classico and the Barolo 2009 Cerretta

Elio Altare is a radical. He woke up one day with an idea to change the name and idea of Barolo once and for all, and well, he did. Barolo used to be known well it used to be not so well known or not known at all in the 1950’s, 60’s, until the mid to late 70’s early 80’s. Elio understood that there was something special about the Nebbiolo grape and something could be wonderful coming out of the Barolo wines. He one day packed up his bags and headed off in his (what is today) vintage Fiat 500, that was not in the best condition at the time.   His direction was France, Burgundy. After a long trip Elio finally arrives at a winery that he was familiar with. Elio parks next to the bright red Porsche and proceeds to the door to ask to have a tasting. A gentleman answers with a suitcase in hand, “Can I help you?” He asks. Elio “I would like to know if I could come to have a tour of the winery?” The reply from the Burgundian winemaker was “we are closed, it’s Friday afternoon and I have my Porsche parked outside ready to go to Nice where I plan to spend the weekend on my boat. “ After hearing this Elio was devastated, but also made him think if this winemaker can have a Porsche and a boat why can’t I?

After this trip he headed home to clean things up a bit. His idea was to modernize the winery to use barrique barrels instead of large botti. To ferment in stainless steel instead of wooden fermenters. To have the winery be sterile and not a mix of a chicken coop, tractor garage and ageing room.  In the middle of the night he would head out to the vineyards where he would for the first time in this area begin to cut off certain bunches of grapes to ensure that the ones hanging would ripen better and have more concentration. This today is called green harvest and is practiced in almost every winery. He would talk about his ideas to his friends and classmates and from this started a gang of modernists called today the Barolo Boys.

Since the year 2000 Elio’s daughter Silvia has been looking after the winery. I think today she has gained full responsibility of the winery as he has a few other projects he has been looking after. I think that Silvia has some big shoes to fill, and I think that she is doing a great job. She is charming, charismatic, and full of passion and excitement for what she is producing. If you are in the area or if she is in your area you should really go to visit her and chat a bit.

13010760_10153701766173802_8075437214450570077_n

I recently had the chance to work beside Silvia at a tasting in Trieste. It is funny because working in a winery really the only time we get to see our neighbors is when we attend tasting events. So I tasted her line up, the 2011 Barolo I have to tell you a lot of the 11’s are drinking great now and this was one of them. Fresh, fruity, elegant, with soft ripe tannins, this bottle would not last long in my house.

The 2009 Barolo Cerretta, this is coming from a vineyard located in Serralunga d’Alba. An area known to make stronger wines, on this wine I got a lot of darker fruits, tobacco, and even truffles. The tannins were well intergraded and they had a bit more presence than the 2011. Which is good because I like a lot the tannins I have tasted in the 2009’s, they are a bit more nervous.

Lastly was the Barolo 2006 Classico, which is a blend of three communes in Barolo. This one rocked the house and could have been my overall favorite from the whole tasting! This 2006 showed very young for being 10 years, it had all the classic Nebbiolo nuances, the red cherries, dried rose pedals, leather, tar, and almond oil. The tannins are soft and elegant and displays great this important classic vintage.

unnamed-1

Bartolo Mascarello - The last of the Mohicans

Maria Teresa the steward of noble tradition, the one who bares the torch of the family crest and one who believes in continuing to make a wine the same way her father Bartolo made, the same way her grandfather Giulio made. 

Following in her families foot steps Maria Teresa makes her Barolo coming from the same prized vineyards as did her father and grandfather; Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Ruè, and Rocche. Where once these vineyards were mentioned on their famous Barolo label, since the new laws placed in 2010 the vineyard names could no longer be mentioned anywhere on the label nor on any other information space. Luckily I can put them here for you. 

Maintaining her families traditions, Bartolo Mascarello winery works with only red varietals coming from the Langhe area. The grapes in which they work with are Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa, and Nebbiolo. The Freisa grape is something special to the area as some might argue that it is origin is taken from Asti/Monferrato or Chieri, but it is gaining popularity also in the Langhe. 

With all of this talk about how Maria Teresa is keeping her father’s tradition, it is also to be said that she herself has her own mark in the wines she produces today. Yes she is continuing on with the families traditions and the same skills that were passed down to her, but like every winery when it is time to change hands you clearly see a woman’s touch in her wines. What was once big brooding Barolo of her fathers’ has now an elegance and curvature to it. 

Giuseppe Rinaldi - The heart of Barolo

I’m sure if you hear the name Rinaldi you think of Beppe “Citrico” the man who stuck to his guns and kept up with making a traditntal wine, like his father, like his grandfather. But, of course with a little bit of a “Beppe” twist. Typically Barolo was always a blend of vineyards, it was never, up until the 1960’s a single vineyard expression. The wine was as the famers would always hold many different plots of land and sometimes not in their commune but the surrounding ones, a blend of those vineyards. This would bring to the wine its complexity, as the soil structures are so diverse you could have a wine both with complexity and elegance. Beppe had his own way to show these traits, he decided keeping with tradition to blend vineyards but to choose which ones would be blended together, thus making two Barolo wines. One Brunate - Le Coste (Brunate) and the other Cannubi San Lorenzo - Ravera (Tre Tine). The names in parentheses are the new names given to these wines when they passed a law in 2010 stating that only one vineyard name could be placed on the label, and inside that wine must be 85% coming from that named vineyard. 

Just as his name “Citrico” means acidic, Beppe was one with quite a strong straight forward personality, kind of like his wines. Beppe states his philosophy this way: “I don’t want a wine that pleases easily ... when someone says I like it or I don’t like it and that’s it”, he told The Art of Eating’s Edward Behr in 2000. Beppe wants Barolo that is “austere, severe, that demands research. It takes time. You have to study, to think, to understand, like all of art. It isn’t simple but complex; it doesn’t please right away. It’s the opposite of a mass-produced product. It has angles, not curves. It’s not easy. A good Barolo ... is adapted to long aging.” 

Having had the pleasure to enjoy some dinners amongst the company of Beppe as well as other colleagues/friends, I can attest to his above quote. When it was time for him to open his wines at the dinner table, I can recall, it was a 1998 magnum of Barolo Brunate, the label was not their typical label you will find on the wine shop shelves, but a manilla paper hand written label, with a piece of string tied around the bottles neck. This bottle was coming from his private stash to share with us that evening. While I was filled with the “someone pinch me” sitting at a table with one of Barolo’s most sought after producers having a rare opportunity to enjoy a glass of their wines, I recall even today (years later) the intense aromas of dried rose, tea leaf, and tar and could have happily sat there all night pondering over this glass of wine. 

Today the winery is run by Beppe’s two daughters; Marta and Carlotta, who are continuing in the footsteps of their farther. Marta oversees most of the winemaking part while her sister Carlotta looks after the vineyards. 

Giuseppe Cortese - Elegance in Rabajà

Giuseppe Cortese Rabajà

IMG_0052

Giusepps Cortese as far as I can remember has always had a good name.  It has been recently that I have been taking more notice to the exceptional quality and dangerous drinkability of these wines. On several occasions both the judging panel and I have been completely wowed by how amazing these wines are showing.

The story goes that from the mid 1800’s the Cortese family has been farming the land in the vineyard Rabajà growing grapes to sell off to other wine producers. During that time they did not have the means to make wine themselves. It was in 1971 when Giuseppe decided to produce wine himself from his high quality grapes. The winery is run today by Giuseppe’s children Pier Carlo, Tiziana, and the gentleman I see quite often Gabriele, but it turns out you sometimes will still find Giuseppe working in the vineyards.

The vineyard Rabajà is located right in the heart of Barbaresco, with it’s calcareous soil and south western exposure is a great place for the difficult Nebbiolo grape too grow. There are a few key producers who have holdings in this wonderful vineyard and we will talk about those later on.

unnamed copy 2

The most recent wine that I have tasted was the Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2008.  Their reserva’s go above and beyond the minimal ageing requirements for Barbaresco Riserva. They age their reserva’s for 3 years and 3 months in barrel and then another 3 years minimum in bottle. So when the wine is released it is almost ready to be consumed. Nebbiolo likes about 3 to 5 years in bottle before consumption. This 2008 was showing amazingly, I really enjoy the friendliness of the 2008 vintage. It has a sweet tannin and great fruit, fresh red berries, sweet tobacco, and some candied orange peel. The finish was long and the tannins were just lovely. When a Nebbiolo wine shows like this for me it is my favorite, it’s like heaven.

A few months before now I went to have an aperitivo with a good friend and we just so happened to see a bottle of their 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà and we said, why not? I can tell you that bottle between the two of us did not last too long. I might be sounding a bit like a lush but when a wine is really good even for the people who don’t like to drink too much, it drinks quite quickly. It was a complete painting of how the 2004 vintage turned out. How the vineyards basked in the perfect weather conditions the slight breeze on a foggy morning in the autum, all of this was present in the glass. Sweet tobacco, violets, and autumn undergrowth.

Here I come Fratelli Alessandria

Fratelli Alessandria Verduno Pelaverga “Speziale” 2014

10624914

I have driven by this winery many times. It is located in the heart of the town Verduno, but I have never stopped by. This year it will be on my “to do” list. After having done a little bit of research on this winery it seems as thought they have been making wine since the 19th century and have been making it well, so well that they have received two medals one from King Carlo Alberto and the other from Count Camillo Benso from Cavour. This says a lot because one: the King Carlo Alberto loved his Nebbiolo and Barolo but most of what he drank as the story goes, was wine from the town Barolo given to him from the Marchesa (a female Nobile Giulia Falletti di Barolo who was very passionate about her Nebbiolo so much so that she gave the name Barolo to this wine). So the fact that Carlo Alberto was also enjoying Barolo from Verduno is also pretty good. Another thing is that the King every once in a while enjoyed a glass of Pelaverga.

Pelaverga has two different varietals one which is believed to be the original varietal grown in the north around Torino (Saluzzo) is called Pelaverga Grosso. As you can imagine the berries of this varietal are larger with respect to the better-known Pelaverga Piccolo (small). And story has it that the Pelaverga Piccolo was brought to Verduno in the 18th century by Sebastiano Valfre’.   A genetic study has shown that actually these two varietals are not related in any way. I’m thinking because both varietals have similar characteristics in the glass and act the same in the vineyards that they were thought to be related.

The Fratelli Alessandria has given to their Pelavera the name Speziale. This in Italian is a play on words it has double meaning bother spices and special or “especially spicy”. This wine took a while to really open up to its full potential but I blame that a bit of the vintage, 2014 was not the easiest year to produce wine. Once it did open up, this wine then showed all the signature characteristics of a Verduno Pelavera. Strawberry fruits, fragrant flowers, and that hint of peppery spice. I am very excited to taste their 2015 once it has been released and get a chance to visit their winery and meet the family.

The Queen of Barolo Chiara Boschis

IMG_0295

Girl Power!!! Chiara was a woman before her time, and she has not stopped being a pioneer for the Barolo area. Chiara was born to a great wine making family in the heart of Barolo, Borgogno. As she was the only daughter amongst her brothers, being in charge of the family winery unfortunately was not in her destiny. Growing up amongst the boys, one thing is for sure that Chiara did not miss out on was the courage to take action at a young age. While convincing her father to help her acquire the winery E. Pira right down the cobble stone road from the family winery in Barolo. The late owners of whom were all women, was a place meant for Chiara. Chiara was grated the possibility to purchase the winery E. Pira under one condition, that she kept the family name and their crest on her labels so their legacy still can live on. So she did and she also added her name Chiara Boschis to let people know it was her who was making the wine. 

Chiara alongside Elio Altare and Domenico Clerico were some of the first people to change how the world looks at Barolo. She was part of a group of youngsters who were “shaking up” the Barolo area. Brining in clean winemaking methods, as well as using techniques new to the area. From this they were then called the “Barolo Boys” as it was a group of young men and Chiara. 

If you are lucky enough to bump into Chiara, to have the opportunity to sit and chat with her, the stories and her understanding of the vineyard and also the life of the wine are incredible. She is a wealth of knowledge and also is one of the first people in the area of Barolo to start to believe and work in an organic way. She believes in the future and to do so you must take care of what you have now in order to give something to the next generation. Chiara Boschis is an inspiration to women in the area as well as being a forward thinker to the evolution of the area. 

E. Pira Chiara Boschis

Barolo 2002 Cuvee Chiara

This was a gift from Chiara, and a very good one at that!

I have to say it has been fun that we have been tasting some difficult vintages lately because it helps to show who can swim and who will sink. Chiara in 2002 was the wine of the night and as the judging panel had said that hands down from the Piedmont area the Cuvee Chiara 2002 was the best 2002 they have ever had. Now we are tasting this wine in 2016 giving it 14 years of age. This says a lot for a wine who had such a hard vintage, with all the rain and particularly hail in the Barolo area a lot of producers didn’t even think or have the courage to make a Barolo in that year.

Right from the start, this wine was fresh super fresh, black fruits, herbs, chocolate. In tasting the finish lingered on the pallet and the tannins were again right there, fresh, clean. WOW! As it continued to sit in the bottle the wine continued to get better. It was too bad that we didn’t wait another 5 years because this wine really had the potential to continue to age wonderfully.   And what a surprise that would have been. Thank you Chiara.

ChiaraBoschis

Easy Breezy Brezza

unnamed-1

Brezza Giacomo e figli Barolo 2003 Cannubi

Not many people can say that they get to work by the side of an important wine maker. I can. I have been working with Enzo Brezza and his family for the past 4 years, and I can say that I have learned a LOT. It has been an honor to watch first hand the thought and detail that goes into every bottle, be able to taste frequently from the barrel, put in my opinion and help out whenever needed. It also has been wonderful to get all the secrets and hear the stories and unwritten history about Langhe. These stories I will fill you in on later posts.

Brezza is for sure arm wrestling with whom is the oldest winery in the town of Barolo. They might not be the first, but they are one that holds quite a bit of history for themselves. 

Enzo the 4th generation winemaker, tho he had hopes one day to become a pilot was brought back to the ground when he took over the family business from his father Oreste in the 1980’s. Oreste, Enzo’s farther is know far and wide for his wit and Cavalier mustache taken from the antique pictures you will see hanging on the walls in the castle of Barolo representing the time of the Savoy family. There is some fierce competition of who has the better stache. One of his famous quotes when asked how long you can age a Barolo for? The reply at 84 “I’ll let you know when I’m dead.” He still drinks two glasses a day and does not look a day over 62. 

Today Brezza holds some of Barolo’s most sought after crus and displays a great deal of the importance of terroir in their wines. You can sit down to a tasting and taste their 3 Barolo cru, all made in the same way and feel and get pick up the subtle nuances of each of the vineyards. This is where the Langhe soils get interesting, you have 3 vineyards right next to each other and you get 3 different wines. 

Cannubi is probably the most famous MGA (menzioni geografiche aggiuntive) in the Langhe. This is likely because it has the most history, it could actually be the first planted vineyard in Barolo. The name on paper dates back to a bottle of Nebbiolo coming from Cannubi (Cannubio) in 1752. This is 100 years before the name of Barolo (not the town but the wine). So that means that the farmers and locals knew that Cannubi was something special. Was it the positioning? Could be because Nebbiolo a very hard grape to grow due to it’s long ripening season ripened much better on this hill. It is the first one to bud and the last one to be picked, and back in those days the contadini (farmers) were harvesting their Nebbiolo in November. Today for example we harvest more in October. The soil in Cannubi is made up of Sant’Agata Fossil Marl and Diano Sandstone, these soil structures are very poor and thus making it wonderful for grape production.

The 2003 vintage was a record breaker of all sorts. It was one of the hottest vintages in all time. You ask why on earth would I be interested to taste a hot vintage wine one you would think is not meant for ageing and now being 15 years old? Because even in the toughest vintages great winemakers will stand out. It is a sink or swim vintage and I think that Brezza Cannubi 2003 is still fresh and lively. Never judge a wine by it’s vintage, and here on the nose it is like to walk into a pastry shop. The sweetness of powdered sugar and candied fruit are in the air. You still have the nuances of violets and rose. On the pallet the finish almost never ends. Tobacco, chocolate, and dried orange peel yet it is fresh, the acidity is vibrant and it does not seem tiered it still has the potential for another 10 years. Cannot wait to taste it then.

unnamed-2

Oddero made the night!

unnamed

Barolo 2007 Bussia Soprana Vigna Monoca

The holders of history. Within the walls of their 18th century farmhouse, you will find lots of treasures. From antique plates representing the fruits of the forests given as gifts to the happy customers at the end of their meal as a kind reminder from restaurants visited. To old silk weaving looms, to the heavy tools made out of wood for the winemaking processes. They even are in competition for who has the largest and oldest barrels in Barolo. 

The Oddero family history goes back to the 18th century, today the winery is run by Giacomo, Cristina, Isabella, and Pietro. This fantastic family holds some of Barolo’s most prized vineyards in many of its communes. It was thanks to their grandfather Giacomo who had the foresight of the quality of the land in Langhe, but it did not stop at just the wine, he recognized the quality in the cheese, hazelnuts, as well as the truffles that the sedimentary soils of the Langhe provided. To help protect these prized treasures he created a Center for Alba Truffle Studies.  Giacomo had the want and good intent to invest in vineyards every chance they could. From his decisions of quality and investment has brought a great reputation of quality to the Oddero family’s wines. 

If you are lucky enough to have the chance to visit at this beautiful Langhe country house you have the opportunity to taste Barolo from La Morra, Serralunga d’Alba, Verduno, Monforte d’Alba, and Castiglione Falletto.

Always focusing on quality first you can feel the importance in all of their wines. 

Bussia Sporana is a vineyard located in the area of Monforte d’Alba, this vineyard name you will find on many labels but who is responsible for making it famous is Poderi Aldo Conterno. In Monforte they were not afraid to make some of their cru’s out of site gigantic so the sub classification of Soprana (meaning top) and Vigna Monoca helping to give it some place on the map.

This bottle was going to be served at Christmas and I needed something special and it was one of the two top wines of the night (the other I will write later). With the help of Marta who convinced me that the 2007 was exactly the vintage and wine that would be best for such an occasion. I took the risk, typically I'm not a huge fan of 2007 vintage the wines tend to be a bit flabby and over ripe. However not in this case the wine was fresh, tannins were present but not overpowering, with hints of tobacco and chocolate. Made for the wine of the night and my guests seemed to be very pleased!!

Briccolina - a small secret in the heart of Serralunga d'Alba

Making a lot of noise in Serralunga d’Alba. The Grasso family for many years and many generations were only known as grape growers of the complex but sought after Nebbiolo grapes that likes to grow in the foggy rolling hills of Langhe. All of the family’s vineyard holdings are in one plot in the town of Serralunga d’Alba called Briccolina. It was in 2012 that the Grasso family, Tiziano along with his son Daniele and wife Simona decided for the first time to produce some wine from the vineyard that they knew all so very well. Their first year was a success, producing a modest 3,000 bottles, it was enough to get everyone in town and around the world buzzing about their first vintage. 

It was in 2014 sadly and suddenly that Tiziano passed away, just shortly after bottling their first vintage. It was a shock deep in the family as well as to all their friends, family, and townsfolk. Today Daniele and his mother Simona have taken over the reins of the family business, because of such high demands, they are slowly adding on to their small family winery in hopes to be able to produce another wine to add to their lineup. 

Azelia. Need I say more?

Everyone loves Lorenzo!

As he is smart, well spoken, fashionable, and handsome. Everything you want in a winemaker, right?  Lorenzo is the youngest generation of the Scavino family, working alongside his father Luigi and his mother Lorella he is learning to one day take over the family winery.

The founder of Azelia was in 1920 to Lorenzo’s great great great grandfather Cavalier Lorenzo Scavino. Lorenzo is the 5th generation and is the first son to take the name of his grandfather (lots of responsibility). Luigi (the big boss) as Lorenzo calls his father, really saw an opportunity to utilize some of the modern techniques both in the vineyard and in the winery. Thus allowing Luigi with his keen eye for quality and light touch of elegance allows Azelia to produce some of Castagnole Falletto’s most exciting wines. While they are neither traditional nor modern, a bit of both I would say. They work in a way that shows the strength and elegance of the Barolo area. 

The family’s understanding of the importance of the quality of work done in the vineyards to bring in an exceptional grape has been very much engrained even into the 5th generation. If you follow Lorenzo on Instagram you will see that he spends most of his time amongst the vines. A peaceful work he seems to enjoy very much. 

The family works only with red grape varieties, and has a great lineup of the Langhe’s most important varietals; Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo and of course Barolo. 

Burzi - The new kids on the Barolo block

by: Amanda

Barolo is a type of Italian red wine made from the Nebbiolo grape. It is one of the most famous and sought-after wines in the world, known for its intense aromas of rose, tar, truffle, and spices. It is often aged in oak barrels for several years before being released for sale. The best Barolo wines are known for their complexity and longevity, and are often described as “wines of kings and popes”. 

One Barolo wine that I love is coming from the young producer located in the town of La Morra called Burzi. Alberto and his sister Caterina, have taken back the ownership of thier grandparents vineyards to build thier own winery and make a name amongst the great Barolo producers. Starting only a few years ago, in 2013  and since then they have recived many awards for thier passopm and hard work. 

Alberto and Cateria follow every part of the winemaking process from the long hours in the vineyards to make sure the quality of thier grapes are perfect, to the winemaking process in the cellar with laborous hours druing the harvest season. They work with two kind of three grapes, Nebbiolo which makes both thier Langhe Nebbiolo as well as the two Barolo. Barbera which is located in a small vineyard planted with a high density planting experiment to make thier Barbera d'Alba. Then sometimes I see floating around social media a whole bunch fermented dolcetto, that has been a fun experiment from the winegrowers. 

If you are in the Barolo or Langhe area I highly reccomend a visit to Burzi, not only will they give you a great educational tour of the vineyards, winery, but will also have you taste some really wonderful and pure examples of Nebbiolo for Barolo and Barbera d'Alba. See you there!