BAROLO

King of wines, wine of kings

TERRITORIES & TERROIRS
➤ Piedmont is the most mountainous region in Italy: mountains cover more than
the 43% of the region, and hills a good 30%.
➤ Both Barolo and Barbaresco hail from a hilly area called Langhe, in southern
Piedmont, which spreads around the city of Alba.
➤ Since the 90s there was an increase of nearly 40% in vineyards, for a total of
almost 1900 ha. Part of this space tho, is not suitable for the purpose, as too
cold to ripen Nebbiolo fully.
➤ Growing area is split into 11 towns: Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione Falletto,
Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Verduno, Cherasco, Grinzane, Roddi,
Novello, Diano d’Alba.
➤ In Barolo only, there are 170 specific vineyards areas, here called “menzioni
geografiche aggiuntive”, or “additional geographical mentions”.
BAROLO: A BIT OF HISTORY
➤ Became DOC first in 1966 and DOCG in 1980
➤ Growing area is split into 11 towns: Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione
Falletto, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Verduno, Cherasco,
Grinzane, Roddi, Novello, Diano d’Alba.
➤ Ageing required by law: 38 months of total ageing, 18 of which have
to be in wood. Previous regulations were 3 years, 2 of which in
wood. As of today, still many producers age their wines for at least 2
years in wood.
➤ Barolo Riserva has to be aged for 5 years, 18 months of which in
wood.
 NEBBIOLO, A DIFFICULT GRAPE
➤ Sometimes compared to Pinot Noir, because both extremely site sensitive, and both produces lightly coloured,
but complex and long-lived wines.
➤ Bunches are med-to large, nebbiolo grapes are thinly skinned but high in tannins and acidity.
➤ Fickle and demanding, it only excels in certain areas with specific growing conditions - the calcareous marls of
Langhe.
Not surprising that of the 5990 hectares of Nebbiolo planted in the world, 4477 hectares are planted in
Piedmont (roughly 80% of the total planting).
➤ It has one of the longest growing cycle amongst all the grapes in the world, and the longest in Piedmont, being
the first to bud, and the last to ripen. Hence why producers favour south (and SW - SE) exposures, to guarantee
more sunlight to help the ripening, although this exposes the grape for longer to weather issues.
N. is a very vigorous vine, that requires a lot of work in the vineyard in terms of vine management (trimming
of the leaf canopy etc.).
➤ Because of the steepness of the majority of Nebbiolo vineyards in B&B much of the vineyard management is
done by hand, harvesting above all.
➤ Compared to other major Italian winemaking regions, producers in the Langhe have a respect for older vines
and a great part of them make B&B from 30- 40- 50-year-old vines, some even older than that.
SOILS AND INFLUENCES ON THE WINE
➤ Three main soils in Barolo: Marne di Sant’Agata (Marls), Arenarie di
Diano (Sandstone) and Formazione di Lequio (Sandstone interlayered with
grey marls).
➤ Marne di Sant’Agata: Calcareous Clay based soils, of Tortonian origin,
formed by 55% clay, 30% sand, 15% limestone. It tends to give acidity to
the wine, but also vines planted on this type of soil tend to ripen later.
M. di S. Agata produces elegant and perfumed wines, more suitable to an
early consumption. You can find Marne di S. Agata in most of Barolo and
La Morra, Verduno, and a very small part of Castiglione Falletto.
➤ Producers in these areas: Giuseppe Rinaldi, Bartolo Mascarello (Barolo),
Eugenio Bocchino (La Morra).
➤ Arenarie di Diano: Sandstone soil of Helvetian origin - sedimentary soil
composed of sand particles - normally quartz - that have been pressured
bound together by iron-based minerals. Castiglione Falletto and a small part
of Monforte d’Alba lies on this type of soil.
➤ Formazione di Lequio: Mixed soil of Helvetian origin - here sandstone and
grey marls are interlayered. Soil typical of Serralunga d’Alba, Grinzane and
most of Monforte d’Alba.
➤ Wines produced on these soils (broadly speaking on the eastern part of the
region) are normally bolder, bigger in body, with a higher content of alcohol,
and more suitable for longer ageing.
➤ Producers: Cappellano, Principiano, Giacomo Conterno (Serralunga d’Alba),
Aldo Conterno, Giuseppe Mascarello (Monforte), Brovia, Roagna
(Castiglione Falletto).
BAROLO
➤ 12% of total Barolo production, this is the birthplace of the homonymous
wine, as it was in this village that Tancredi and Giulia Falletti, Marchesi di
Barolo, began seriously producing wine from the Nebbiolo grape.
➤ Barolo sits on a high U-shaped plateau surrounded by an amphitheatre of
slopes covered in vines.
➤ Here lies one of the most recognised names in the denomination: Cannubi,
which is probably the most historic cru in all of Barolo. Apparently, the two
main types of soils in Barolo overlaps in Cannubi - the sandy components
allows C. to excel in classical years, but also performs better in wet years
thanks to a well draining soil. Suffers tho in hot years cause the soil doesn’t
retain humidity.
 BARTOLO MASCARELLO - 3HA IN
BAROLO, 15,000
➤ The winery was founded BOTTLES
by Bartolo’s father, Giulio, in 1920. Started with a very
small parcel, in 10 years time he was able to buy more vineyards in key crus like
Cannubi, San Lorenzo, and Ruè and later Rocche in La Morra, being able to blend
from the best sites in the area. When Bartolo was forced on a wheelchair, his daughter
Maria Teresa joined the company, and at that point he made her promise she would
never use barrique, and make “carpenters’ wines”. Apparently, to make sure she’d
never use barrique, in the 90s he bought all the Slavonian barrels he could physically
fit in the cellar, so she couldn’t have stuffed a barrique anywhere. (!!)
➤ Maria Teresa follows a non-interventionist approach in the vineyards and cellar, but
she shuns the romance of natural wines. If something goes wrong e.g. with
spontaneous fermentation she would rely onto selected yeasts. She also kept the same
winemaking methods as the father: fermentation in glass-lined concrete tanks, no
selected yeasts or temperature control, fermentation and maceration lasting from 40 to
50 days and ageing in traditional botti.
 GIUSEPPE RINALDI, 3.8HA IN BAROLO,
16,000
➤ BOTTLES
Rinaldi’s wines are one of the best expressions of the floral, earthy and mineral purity of Nebbiolo
grape.
The family company was founded by Giuseppe’s grandfather in 1890, and then taken over by his
father in 1947. Rinaldi owns vineyards in Brunate, Le Coste and Ravera, and also some small
parcels of Cannubi S.Lorenzo. Single-vineyard wines were a point of contrast between father and
son, and Giuseppe stopped producing single-vineyard wines in 1990, as he strongly believes that
no individual vineyard can perform well every year, while blending different crus allows him to
reach the perfect balance.
Also, he is against the use of chemicals in the vineyards, and he declares they’ve never used any in
their vineyards, and doesn’t use selected yeasts either.
In regards to barrique use in barolo, a wooden chair in the cellar, with the handwritten sign “The
best use for barriques”, says it all.
➤ Until 2010, two wines were emblematic for the winery: Brunate - Le Coste and Cannubi
S.Lorenzo - Ravera. Now, Rinaldi can no longer make these two iconic wines cause the
regulations have changed, and only one vineyard can be put on the label or none at all.
➤ Their vineyards lie at an average altitude of 300m above s.l. while the average age of the vines is
between 35 and 40 y.o.
 LA MORRA
➤ La Morra has the largest surface dedicated to Barolo vineyards, which sums up to
nearly 25% of the whole region. In here you find the greatest difference in altitude
amongst its vineyards, that range from 200m to 500m. This area produces some of the
most graceful and elegant Barolos, and that’s why grapes from the area were key in the
blending, when looking for fragrance and finesse. Altitude is definitely one of the main
reasons for this, but soil also plays a major role, being mainly Marne di Sant’Agata.
The abundance of clay tends to keep more humidity in the vineyards, so obviously La
Morra performs better than other zones in particularly hot vintages, but on the contrary
suffers in very wet ones.
➤ Barolo from La Morra tend to be easier to drink earlier than others, although still being
complex and age-worthy. The elegance and finesse of the wines led tho to a reaction -
especially when big and bold wines were praised - that saw many producers turning to a
more invasive winemaking, extreme extraction of colour and tannins, and an over-use
of barriques, trying to build-up muscle and structure in the wine.
CASTIGLIONE FALLETTO
➤ Castiglione Falletto makes what possibly are the more balanced
wines, combining elegance and finesse and intense perfume, with an
impressive structure. Smack in the heart of the denomination,
Castiglione Falletto is the smallest of Barolo’s core villages, but the
one with the most articulate soil. It’s composed of layers of
calcareous marls, sandstone, and sand beds scattered with marls.
Given the complexity of the soil, it’s no surprise that Castiglione
Falletto Barolos are among the most multifaceted in the
denomination, combining gracefully perfume, elegance and depth.
➤ Some of its best crus are Monprivato, Rocche di Castiglione, Bricco
Boschis, Villero, Fiasco.
BROVIA, 10HA, 32,500 BOTTLES
➤ Founded in 1863 by Giacinto Brovia, the family firm has a long
history. It is now run by Giacinto’s grandson and his two daughters,
Elena and Cristina.
In the cellars Brovia keeps it very simple, fermenting with native
yeast in glass-lined concrete vats, controlling temperature and
macerating for 20-25 days. The wines are then aged in Slavonian
and French oak, and are not filtered.
➤ They own parcels in Rocche, Villero, Garblet Sue, as well as Ca’Mia
in Serralunga.
GIUSEPPE MASCARELLO, 8HA, 31,000
BOTTLES
➤ The name Giuseppe Mascarello, is practically synonymous of Monprivato, one of
the very best cru not only in Castiglione, but in all of Barolo.
Mauro Mascarello’s family were tenant-farmers for Marchesa Giulia Colbert
Falletti back in the 1800s, and that’s how they acquired nearly the entire cru of
Monprivato (93%), and they are now the only ones to use the name of the cru on
the labels.
Besides the advanced age of most vines (80-90 y.o.), Monprivato has the ideal
conditions for winemaking: southwest exposure, 280m average altitude and soils
composed of clay and silty marls that contain active limestone.
In the cellar, fermentation occurs with selected yeasts in glass lined concrete and
steel vats, maceration lasts about 25 days, and the wine is then aged in large
Slavonian casks.
➤ (Make wines from the S.Stefano vineyard in Perno, Monforte)
ROAGNA, 5HA (IN BAROLO), 25,000
BOTTLES
➤ Alfredo and Luca Roagna, 4th and 5th generation of winemakers in
Langhe, produce wines both in the Barbaresco, and Barolo area. The
wines of incredible depth are made disdaining convention, and with a
near-fanatical obsession for nature.
With a great biodiversity in the vineyards, the Roagnas
pride themselves with not using chemicals of any sort, and not putting
fertilisers, not even organic ones.
The non-invasive approach continues in the cellar, where they don’t use
any selected yeast, and the fermentation takes place in wooden vats
made of both French and Slavonian oak, with no temperature control.
The total maceration period can last up to 70-100 days (!!!) and the
wine then ages in large Slavonian casks.
SERRALUNGA D’ALBA
➤ Serralunga is often described as the area that produces the most complex
and age-worthy Barolos, from its 39 crus, some of which the most highly
praised of the whole Barolo.
The soil in here consists in numerous layers of limestone, marl, and sandy
marl. It’s rich in calcium carbonate but poor in any other nutrients, and
although similar to the soils in the surrounding it’s said to contain a much
higher proportion of c.c. The village best vineyards lie at very high
altitudes, and many parcels have southern exposures, so that growing cycle
of nebbiolo can be prolonged, producing some of the most austere and
powerfully structured Barolos.
Although the region is always associated with muscular wines, wines made
on the highest altitude (e.g. Falletto) have an extraordinary balance between
power and finesse.
 CAPPELLANO, 2HA, 7,500 BOTTLES
➤ Cappellano winery used to be one of the biggest in Serralunga, back in the days, but
when the holder of the company, Giuseppe Cappellano, died unexpectedly without
having a successor (his daughter had died before) the holding was fragmented and
passed to Giuseppe’s extended family of nieces and nephews. The end of the 1960s saw
the rebirth of Cappellano when Giuseppe’s nephew, and his son Teobaldo, returned to
Serralunga from Eritrea. By that time tho, there were no more cellar and no more
vineyards, so he had to start from zero. He bought grapes and vinified in other cellars,
until he was able to buy his own. In the 1980s he bought 2 blocks in the prestigious
Gabutti cru, at a very approachable price from someone called Otin Fiorin and as a
thank you for not having sold the plots to wealthier buyers, Teobaldo gave his name to
the wine produced there.
➤ No chemicals in the vineyard, herbicides or fungicides, any treatments used are
certified organic. In the cellar, no selected yeasts are used, fermentation takes place in
wooden vats with no temperature control and the wine is then aged in large Slavonian
botti, ranging from 16 to 50 hl.
GIACOMO CONTERNO
➤ The Conternos started making wine in the area in the early 1900s, when like pretty much
everyone they were buying grapes, making wine and selling it in bulk. Around the 1920s
tho, the young Giacomo bottled a Barolo Riserva, destined for long aging. Later renamed
Monfortino, after the family’s hometown, this became the family’s crown jewel, probably
one of the finest wines in the world (only made from Cascina Francia’s best grapes, and in
the best vintages). Around the 50s Giacomo left the business to his two sons, Giovanni
and Aldo, but they went then separate ways (Aldo running the Poderi Aldo Conterno in
Bussia) and was only Giovanni to keep the family business. Still buying grapes, he soon
realised this would’ve been harder and harder to find, as everyone was making their own
wine, so bought Cascina Francia, a vineyard at 370-420m above sea level, with an ideal
calcareous soil layered with sandstone.
➤ Just fermented wine stays in contact with the skins for an extended maceration period, to
extract color, complexity and the backbone of tannins that helps ageing the wine.
Fermentation occurs in wooden vats and ageing in large old Slavonian, and Austrian oak.
MONFORTE D’ALBA
➤ Monforte d’Alba is another one of the core villages of the denomination
and produces a wide range of Barolo styles, from structured with
gripping tannins to perfumed and elegant. The growing areas boasts a
wide variety of exposures, soils and microclimates, making it impossible
to define a typical expression of the grape from this commune. Growing
area is also one of the biggest amongst Barolo, being second only to La
Morra, and producing nearly the 20% of the total output. The soil here is
predominantly sandstone and clay, and although is often referred as
similar to Serralunga, apparently it’s closer to the soil of Castiglione
Falletto (Arenarie di Diano).
➤ Prime vineyard areas: Bussia, Santo Stefano di Perno, Pianpolvere,
Dardi, Pugnane.
ALDO CONTERNO, 12HA, 35,000
BOTTLES
➤ Son of Giacomo, Aldo established his business in the beautiful hills of Bussia in
Monforte in 1969, same year he left the family business in Serralunga. To ensure
a consistent supply of high quality grapes, he acquired top vineyards when most
of the other producers were still buying grapes.
Open-minded and not scared of changes, Aldo shifted to a slightly different
interpretation of Barolo, balancing tradition and innovation to make friendlier
wines, that kept nebbiolo’s character. He reduced the times of maceration and
fermentation, abandoned the submerged cap method for pumping over, but still
refusing new barrique in favour of large Slavonian casks. Since 1995 the firm has
stopped using industrial fertiliser or chemical, and fermentation is only carried
out with wild yeasts.
(Gran bussia is a Riserva made only in exceptional years, blending the best
grapes from the 3 Bussia vineyards)
FERDINANDO PRINCIPIANO, 7HA, 30,000
BOTTLES
➤Principiano is one of the advocate of the natural wine movement in Italy, and his real priority
is making good wine with the least possible intervention, in the most natural way. He limits
chemicals and harmful products in the vineyard as much as possible, and as an example, he’s
trying to buy the wood around his vineyard so that they’ll keep on providing a healthy and
necessary ecosystem of insects and birds, and also acting as lungs that keep the air clean and
fresh. He reduces the tractors at the minimum, as he says they damage the ground, and tries
to avoid even the copper and sulfur solution used against mold and fungus, because copper is
a heavy metal that can stay on grapes, while sulfur kills natural yeast.
He’s experimenting instead on solutions made on algae, aloe and propoli, which apparently
it’s keeping his 50-y.o. vines healthy.
➤ In the cellar, no selected yeast, no temperature control, and no sulphites in the winemaking
process. When grapes are perfectly healthy and ripe, he’s also fan of whole-cluster
fermentation, as when stems are perfectly ripened they add noble tannins to the wine but also
acidity, and work as a natural preservative of the wine.
➤ (Based in Monforte but owns vineyards in Serralunga)
TRADITIONAL VS MODERN
TRADITIONALIST
S
➤ Long macerations with skins and
seeds
➤ To avoid excess of tannins, grapes
picked very mature, so no green
tannins of unripe seeds. The wine
might lose a bit of color and
concentration, but will be way more
elegant and more representative of
the variety
➤ No barrique ageing, but big barrels
(botti)
➤ Harsher at the beginning, but
suitable to longer ageing
MODERNISTS
➤ Shorter maceration on skins and
seeds
➤ Less extraction of tannins
➤ Higher use of barriques, so
tannins coming from wood and
from grapes. Influence on the
taste which becomes less varietal
and more woody
➤ Wines of easier understanding,
and more suitable to be drunk
young, cause more on the fruit.
 VINTAGES
➤ 1971 ***** Vintage that produced age-worthy wines with complexity and finesse. To drink.
➤ 1985 **** Superb quality of the fruit. This vintage set the stage for a fruitier, more approachable style of
Nebbiolo.
➤ 1989 ***** Outstanding vintage in all Langhe. Again, wines with a great potential to age.
➤ 1990 **** Very good vintage, but has now reached its peak, ready to drink.
➤ 1996 ***** Classic vintage that produced austere, structured Barolo and Barbaresco with tough tannins and
nervous acidity. To hold.
➤ 1998 **** Austere when first released, it’s now blooming into classic bottlings, showing leather, truffle, tar and
dried cherry. To drink or to hold.
➤ 2000 *** A very hot and dry vintage that produced wines that in general lack intensity and have not developed
complexity. A vintage for early drinking.
➤ 2001 ***** Outstanding vintage that produced classic wines that needed time. Initially closed, they are bold,
structured and well balanced. Drinking well now but can last at least 10 more years
➤ 2003 ** One of the hottest, driest vintages recorded in all of Italy. Both Barolo and Barbaresco show cooked fruit,
evident alcohol, and green tannins because the plant shut down before seeds ripened. Although there were a few
good wines this was an extreme vintage, and even the best wines won’t develop well. To drink now!
➤ 2004 ***** A fantastic vintage that yielded quality and quantity. Nebbiolo reached the perfect maturation and
produced wines with big but fine tannins and bright acidity that will allow them to age. Drink or hold.
➤ 2006 ***** Classic vintage for both Barolo and Barbaresco. They show bright red fruit, great depth and gripping,
chewy tannins along with nervous acidity. Will develop extremely well. Hold.
➤ 2008 ***+ Due to a cool, wet spring, followed by damaging winds and hail in parts of Barolo in August, this was a
very difficult vintage, and quality really depends on weather the vineyards were damaged by the summer storms.
Those that survived are now classic wines with firm tannins that need time to develop. La Morra wines show
particularly well. Drink or hold.
➤ 2009 *** (** La Morra) Buyer-beware! vintage. The main problem was an incredible heat that created extremely
uneven ripening. The best wines, in fact, are the result of multiple harvests. Some producers instead, waited until
all the grapes were ripe, having some overripe grapes, and cooked fruit and very obvious alcohol in the final wine.
Some others made a single harvest, mixing underripe and ripe grapes, with the result of green, bitter tannins. And
in many La Morra barolos, green tannins were even exasperated by wood tannins given by new barriques.
➤ 2011 Extremely hot August, which led to rapid sugar build-up in the grapes, forcing producers to harvest sooner
than they might have liked. Fortunately, September rains allowed late-ripening Nebbiolo to recover (especially
grapes that had endured less heat). It is mainly due to the hard work and skill of Barolo’s producers that in general
the 2011s have turned out much better than expected.