Barolo (巴络络)

Apr 17th, 2008 | By Daniel | Category: Piedmont (皮埃蒙特)

Italy (意大利) - The Northwest
Barolo (巴络络)

Many wine lovers, especially Italian lovers view the red wines from Barolo as Italy’s best-so much so that they’re sometimes called the “King” of Italian wines. Barolo is widely exported to the mainly American wine consumer market and carry a premium price tag once they leave their country of origin.

The Barolo DOCG area lies just southwest of Alba and includes the vineyards on the steep hills around the towns of Barolo. It’s one of the small numbers of DOCG areas in Italy, sharing this status in northwestern Italy’s Piedmont region with Barbaresco, Asti, and Gattinara. Like the Barbaresco DOCG, the grape used here is 100% Nebbiolo. DOCG rules require Barolo wines to age for a minimum of 3 years, two of which must be in wooden barrels. Riserva wines require 4 years; Riserva Speciale (seldom) wines must have 5 years.

Young Barolos are tough, tannic and need 5-plus years to soften, are somewhat of an acquired taste. Once they soften and open up, however, they’re rich, full-bodied and complex and can have earthy, truffly, and chocolaty characteristics with an aroma reminiscent of violets.

Grape(s):

Soils:
The soils are rich in minerals ie magnesium in the west, iron in the east. Mainly - limestone, clay, marl, and sand.

From left to right: Limestone, Clay, Marl, and Sand.

Weather Conditions:
This area experiences long autumns (With fogs, thus enabling ripening); severe winters and warm summers. Hail storms and spring frosts are concerns and may exist from time to time. Most of the vineyards are situated on hillsides for good drainage and exposed to the sun, with the vines generally facing south.

From left to right: Long Autumns, Micro Climates, Severe Winters, and Warm Summers.

Best Vineyards within Barolo
(Click on the below to view further information)
La Morra
Barolo
Montforte d’Alba
Castigilione Falleto
Serralunga d’Alba

Best Producers:
Besides Brunellos, Barolo is produced in limited quantities commands premium prices and is made exclusively from the fickle Nebbiolo grape. Over the years, Barolo has been seeing great vintages with the aid of global warming and improved viticulture practices. If the “collectible” Barolos from 2004 prove to be too pricey for you, an appropriate strategy would be to look for remaining 1998 and 2001s, as they will make for excellent drinking over the next decade at a much cheaper price. As below is our list of contenders which represent some of Barolo’s finest.

Premier Producers:
Elio Altare (Normale & Arborina)
Giacomo Ascheri (Sorano & Vigna dei Poia)
Azelia (San Rocco)
Enzo Boglietti (Brunate, Fossati, Case Nere)
Serio e Battista Fratelli Borgogno (Cannubi)
Giacomo Brezza (Sarmassa & Cannubi)
Ca dei Gancia (Cannubi)
Cascina Ballarin (Bussia)
Ceretto (Brunate & Prapo)
Pio Cesare (Ornato)
Michele Chiarlo (Cerequio)
Ciabot Berton (Roggeri)
Domenico Clerico (Pajana & Ciabot Mentin Ginestra)
Aldo Conterno (Normale, Cicala, Colonello, & Gran Bussia)
Giacomo Conterno (Monfortino & Cascina Francia)
Contratto (Cerequio)
Cordero di Montezemolo (Villero Enrico VI)
Giovanni Corino (Vigneto Arborina & Vigneto Rocche)
Fontanafredda (Lazzarito, La Rosa, La Delizia, & Riserva)
Gaja (Sperss)
Elio Grasso (Ginestra Casa Mate)
Silvio Grasso (Bricco Luciani & Ciabot Manzoni)
Bartolo Mascarello
Giuseppe Mascarello (Santo Stefano & Monprivato)
Armando Parusso (Bussia Vigna Rocche)
E. Pira & Figli (Cannubi)
Poderi Colla (Bussia Dardi le Rose)
Ferdinando Principano (Boscareto & Le Coste)
Prunotto (Bussia)
Renato Ratti (Rocche)
Fratelli Revello (Vigna Giachini)
Giuseppe Rinaldi
Rocche Costamagna
Rocche dei Manzoni (Vigna Capella di San Stefano)
Luciano Sandrone (Cannubi Boschis & La Vigne)
Paolo Scavino (Normale, Cannubi, & Bric del Fiasc)
Gianni Voerzio (La Serra)
Roberto Voerzio (Cerequio, Brunate, & La Serra)

Some other dependable producers for some further consideration:
Gianfranco Alessandria (Normale & San Giovanni)
Fratelli Barale (Bussia)
Bersano (Badarina)
Giacomo Borgogno (Classico)
Burlotto (Cannubi)
Ca Bianca (Cascina Denegri Riserva)
Cagliero (Ravera)
Capellano (Serralunga)
Cascina Bruni (Vigna Batistot)
Castello di Verduno (Massara)
Pio Cesare (Normale)
Franco Cesari & Figli (Vigna Cerretta)
Michele Chiarlo (Vigna Rionda)
Fantino Conterno (Sori Ginestra)
Cordero di Montezemolo (Monfalletto)
Giovanni Corino (Vigna Giachini)
Damilano
Fontanafredda (Serralunga & Galarey)
Gagliasi
Ettore Germano (Cerretta & Prapo)
Bruno Giacosa (Falletto)
Fratelli Giacosa (Vigna Mandorlo)
Silvio Grasso (Normale)
Luigino Grimaldi (Vigna San Biagio)
Giovanni Manzone (La Gramolere)
Marcarini (Brunate)
Marchesi di Barolo (Riserva, Sarmassa, Cannubi)
Massolino (Margheria & Parafada)
Mauro Molino (Vigna Gancia)
Fratelli Monchiero (Roere)
Andrea Oberto (Vigneto Rocche & Vigneto Albarella)
Fratelli Oddero (Vigna Rionda, Mondoca di Bussia Soprana, Rocche di
Castiglione, Rocche dei Rivera di Castiglione)
Palladino (Vigna Broglio & Serralunga)
Armando Parusso (Bussia & Vigna Munie)
Prunotto (Classico & Cannubi)
Francesco Rinaldi (Cannubio)
Renato Ratti (Normale & Marcenasco)
Gigi Rosso (Arione)
San Biagio (Sori del Rovere)
Seghesio (Vigneto la Villa)
Oreste Stroppiana (Vigna San Giacomo)
Terre da Vino (Poderi Parussi & Paesi Tuoi)
GD Vajra (Bricco delle Viole)
Eraldo Viberti
Giovanni Viberti (Normale & La Volta)