Jun 3, 2018
This week: The Greats Barolo and Barbaresco of Piedmont, Italy. These two wines are both 100% Nebbiolo, and are fragrant, tannic, acidic, and outstanding. We cover the similarities and key differences between these greats and why each is a force in its own right.
Here are some key show notes:
Barolo
- King of Wines and Wine of Kings
- Production Zone in Province of Cuneo: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, parts of Cherasco, Diano d’Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Novello, Roddi, Verduno
- Production must be on hillsides: no valley floors or humid, flat areas nothing with northern exposure – mandated by 2010 law
- The soils and mesoclimates vary slightly, subtle differences but also winemaking plays a big role
- Until mid 19thc Barolo was SWEET -- 1835, Paolo Francesco Staglieno published a winemaking manual about how to make wine stable for transport – fermenting dry was one of the ways.
The Barolo wars: Traditionalist v Modern
- Modern: “international style” fermentation is 10 days (less tannin), age wine in new French oak barriques (smaller, more oak flavor). Very different flavors – fruitier, more new oak, doesn’t age as well. May illegally put in Barbera, Cab, Syrah… unproven as of yet
- Modernists producers: Elio Altare, Domenico Clerico, Robero Voerzio, Angelo Gaja, Renato Ratti
- Traditionalist: Extended maceration, long cask aging, less fruit requires age and patience.
- Traditional producers: Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, Giuseppe Mascarello, Capellano, Marcarini, and Giuseppe Rinaldi
Barolo wine aromas/flavors:
- Classic: light in color, smells like tar and roses, very aromatic – dried fruit, mint, leather, licorice, plum, tobacco, herbs, truffles
- Standard Barolo must be aged for three years — two in cask and one in bottle.
- Riserva: Aged for five years upon release — three in cask and two in bottle.
- Barolo Chinato -- digestif
BARBARESCO
- Barbaresco -- immediately to the east of Alba – communes of Barbaresco, Trieso, Neive plus part of San Rocco Seno d'Elvio
- Vineyards on Tanaro river, go up northeast of Alba, closer to the river (the Tanaro), with higher fertility in the soil
- Slight maritime climate – warmer, drier, milder than Barolo
- Barbaresco Communes:
- Barbaresco:
- 45% of Barbaresco production, largest wineries
- light in color and body, well structured and aromatic.
- Best cru: Asili, Martinenga, Montefico, Montestefano and Rabajà
- Neive:
- 31% of Barbaresco's production
- Powerful and tannic expressions of Barbaresco if closer to the commune of Barbaresco, to the east, more sand, lighter wines
- Albesani, Santo Stefano, Bricco di Neive, Gallina
- Treiso
- South of Barbaresco, highest altitude sites in the area, constant breezes, great diurnals
- lightest in body, perfumed, higher acidity
- Pajorè is best site
- San Rocco Seno d'Elvio: floral with finesse
Barbaresco History
- Cantina Sociale di Barbaresco was founded in 1896 by Domizio Cavazza: he died early in 1915, not until the late 1950s that Barbaresco was reignited -- with Bruno Giacosa and Angelo Gaja leading the way
- Local parish priest, Don Fiorino Marengo, founded Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative cellar, the best co-op in Europe
Wines
- Grapes ripen earlier, less tannic, need less aging
- Aromatic – spicy, perfumed, floral with rose and violet, cherry, truffles, licorice, fennel, leather tar
- Normale: 2 years of aging, 1 in wood
- Riserva: four years of gaining, two in wood
Best producers and vineyards: Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Ceretto, Produttori del Barbaresco, Roana, La Spinetta, Rizzi, Marchesi di Gresy, Punset
BAROLO V BARBARESCO:
- Size: Barbaresco is smaller and more consistent
- Altitude: Barolo is higher than Barbaresco
- Weather: Barbaresco gets less rain and bad weather.
- Tannins: Barbaresco is better at an earlier age and lighter body than Barolo. Barolo is a better bet to hold for long periods.
- Soils: in Barbaresco, the roots of the vines do not have to go as deep as with the thinner soils found in many parts of the Barolo zone -- less aggressive tannins for many Barbaresco.
On or the other is NOT BETTER: they are DIFFERENT
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Addendum: the Cru of the regions
Barolo
Barolo:
- Bricco Viole
- Brunate
- Cannubi
- Cannubi Boschis
- Rue
- San Lorenzo
- Sarmassa
- Via Nuova
La Morra:
- Arborina
- Brunate
- Cereguio
- Gattera
- Giachini
- Marcenasco
- Rocche dell’Annunziata
Castiglione Falletto:
- Bricco Rocche
- Fiasc
- Mariondino
- Monprivato
- Parussi
- Pira
- Rivera
- Villero
Monforte d’Alba
- Bussia
- Cicala
- Colonnello
- Dardi
- Ginestra
- Mosconi
- Munie
- Romirasco
- Santo Stefano
Serralunga d’Alba
- Falletto
- Francia
- La Serra
- Marenca
- Marenca-Rivette
- Margheria
- Ornato
- Parafada
- Vigna Rionda
Barberesco
Barbaresco’s Cru:
- *Asili
- Ca' Grossa
- Cars
- Cavanna
- Cole
- Faset
- *Martinenga
- Montaribaldi
- Montefico
- Montestefano
- Muncagota
- Ovello
- Pajé
- Pora
- *Rabajà
- Rabajà-Bas
- Rio Sordo
- Roccalini
- Roncaglie
- Roncagliette
- Ronchi
- Secondine
- Tre Stelle
- Trifolera
- Vicenziana
Nieve's Cru's
- Albesani
- Balluri
- Basarin
- Bordini
- Bric Micca
- Bricco di Neive
- Canova
- Cottà
- Currà
- Fausoni
- Gaia Principe
- Gallina
- Marcorino
- Rivetti
- San Cristoforo
- San Giuliano
- Serraboella
- Serracapelli
- Serragrilli
- Starderi
Treiso's Best Cru's
- *Pajorè
- Ausario
- Bernadot
- Bricco di Treiso
- Casot
- Castellizzano
- Ferrere
- Garassino
- Giacone
- Giacosa
- Manzola
- Marcarini
- Meruzzano
- Montersino
- Nervo
- Rizzi
- Rocche Massalupo
- Rombone
- San Stunet
- Valeirano
- Vallegrande
The Cru of Barolo...
Barolo:
- Bricco Viole
- Brunate
- Cannubi
- Cannubi Boschis
- Rue
- San Lorenzo
- Sarmassa
- Via Nuova
La Morra:
- Arborina
- Brunate
- Cereguio
- Gattera
- Giachini
- Marcenasco
- Rocche dell’Annunziata
Castiglione Falletto:
- Bricco Rocche
- Fiasc
- Mariondino
- Monprivato
- Parussi
- Pira
- Rivera
- Villero
Monforte d’Alba
- Bussia
- Cicala
- Colonnello
- Dardi
- Ginestra
- Mosconi
- Munie
- Romirasco
- Santo Stefano
Serralunga d’Alba
- Falletto
- Francia
- La Serra
- Marenca
- Marenca-Rivette
- Margheria
- Ornato
- Parafada
- Vigna Rionda