10 minute read
Wine Country International 2023 Issue V3
Barolo
Land of hills, sophisticated wines, and cuisine
Story and Photos by Christopher J Davies
I must confess upfront. Before this September, I had never visited Piedmont, let alone the town of Barolo before. I am now asking myself why.
I have been a big fan of Nebbiolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, and Dolcetto for over half my lifetime. I fell into the same trap that most people do when visiting Italy to discover exceptional wines. The first place that 95% of Americans visit is Tuscany and Florence. While that is not a bad thing, I have begun to open my eyes to new horizons.
In June, we received a press announcement from Slow Food International promoting the dates for Slow Food Cheese in Bra. With 200,000 cheese mongers descending on the small city of Bra, I cast my accommodations-seeking net further and searched for apartments on Airbnb. After several searches and an hour of reading the reviews left by past renters, I settled on a great apartment in the heart of Barolo. The location was in the center of the city, near a wall that had a spectacular view of rolling hills and vineyards. Located on the building’s 1st floor (2nd level), our apartment had two outdoor balconies accessible from the dining area. The cost with surcharges and cleaning fees came out to $152 per day, which is a bargain when considering the location.
Barolo is a small village with a famous reputation. Its centerpiece is the Barolo Castle and Wine Museum. The first documentation of its fortification traces back to the tenth century.
The second most prominent landmark of the town is the place where world-renowned Barolo wine originated. Marchesi di Barolo resulted from a love story and passion for wine dating back to 1834. Juliette and Carlo Tancredi moved from France to Turin in 1814, where she took her Italian name, Giulia. That year, the couple moved to Barolo, where Giulia saw the potential of the vineyards planted around the castle and the tiny village. They established Marchesi di Barolo and were the first to produce red wine from Nebbiolo grapes under the Barolo name.
In 1929, Pietro Abbona acquired Cantine dei Marchese di Barolo with his brother and two sisters. Today, his ancestors continue the family legacy of producing elegant, refined wines from Barolo.
Marchesi di Barolo was just a five-minute walk from our apartment. We reached out in advance and made an appointment to meet the family. When we first arrived, we were greeted by the communications manager and given a personal tour of the cellars and production facilities by a knowledgeable young man named Simone. Several original casks from Giulia’s reign remain on display in the cellar. A private wine library stores a collection of older vintages of wine that were part of the Abbona family’s collection.
There was also a display of special flattened bottles made to fit into boxes disguised as books to hide the wines from the Nazis during World War II.
Ernesto and Anna Abbona are the current owners of Marchesi di Barolo. Their daughter, Valentina, oversees the marketing and sales, while their son, Davide, oversees the viticulture.
Valentina invited us to taste some wine in the winery’s tasting parlor. The walls were laden with graffiti created by past visitors.
Barolo is often called the “King of Italian Wines” and the “Wine of Kings.”
Like most European wine regions, the Barolo DOCG area has strict rules; the wine must be made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes and aged for at least 36 months, 18 of those aged in oak barrels. Riserva wines must be aged for a minimum of five years.
Grapes must be sourced from vineyards located within the designated growing area encompassing these eleven communes:
• Barolo
• Castiglione Falleto
• Cherasco
• Diano d’Alba
• Grinzane Cavour
• La Morra
• Monforte d’Alba
• Novello
• Roddi
• Serralunga d’Alba
• Verduno
Barolo can be made as a cuvée blend of grapes from multiple vineyards or as a single vineyard wine. Barolo wines have excellent cellar aging abilities. Some serious collectors have laid down these wines for thirty years or longer.
There are several wine producers based in surrounding villages that make Barolo using grapes purchased from vineyards in the town.
In 2014, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention declared that the vineyard landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato in Piedmont, which includes Barolo, are a world heritage site.
“The vineyard landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato in Piedmont consist of five distinct wine growing areas and a castle, whose names evoke profound and ancient expertise in the relationship between man and his environment.” https:// whc.unesco.org/en/list/1390/
Marchesi di Barolo wines tasted:
Marchesi di Barolo ‘Bric Amel’, Langhe White Blend 2021 $20 *****
Made from a blend of Arneis, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Pale Yellow Straw color. Outstanding floral notes of peaches with almonds. Full and fresh floral flavors with a mineral finish. Production: 25,000 cases.
Marchesi di Barolo ‘Peiragal’ Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2021 $39.99 *****
Made from 100% Barbera grapes. Dark burgundy color. Blackberry and stone aromas. Plum and peppery flavor. Production: 20,000 cases.
Marchesi di Barolo Alba Picit 2021 $29.90****1/2
Made from 85% Nebbiolo and 15% Barbera. Dark ruby color. Aromas of blackberry and pepper. Flavors of juicy blackberry and plum. Production: 10,000 cases.
Marchesi di Barolo - Barolo Tradizione 2018 $54.99*****
This flagship wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Crimson color. Aromas of blackberry and cherry. Flavors of juicy tart cherry. Production: 15,000 cases.
Marchesi di Barolo - Coste di Rose 2018 $100****1/2
This wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes sourced from the prestigious Coste di Rose hillside vineyard. The soil is sandy and silty. Burgundy red color. Aromas of blackberry, plum, and dark cherry. Flavors of lush, vibrant red fruit with blackberry and blueberry. Production : 5,000 cases.
Marchesi di Barolo - Sarmassa 2018 $135*****
This wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes sourced from the southeastern-facing vineyards with calcareous rock and clay soils. Dark burgundy color. Aromas of candied dark fruit. Flavors of black plum with firm tannins. Production: 7,000 cases.
Marchesi di Barolo is a must visit in Barolo. This historic, founding winery has set the bar high for the magnificent wines that talented winemakers and viticulturists can produce in Barolo and Italy: https://marchesibarolo.com/en/
Since the founding of Barolo’s first winery, others have followed suit, and according to the commune, there are now forty-four producers in the village.
Some top producers include:
Borgogno-Established in 1761: https://www.borgogno.com/
Germano Angelo-Established in 1908: https://www. germanoangelo.com/en/
Damilano-Established in 1890: https://cantinedamilano.it/en/home/
WHERE TO STAY:
Hotel Barolo (3-Star)
This hotel is centrally located at the entrance to the village, situated on a steep hill. The Brezza family has operated the hotel and restaurant for three generations. The hotel has a spectacular view of the castle, a large swimming pool and is surrounded by vineyards. High season (May to December) room rates: Single Room € 90,00 – 110,00. Double Room € 150,00 –170,00. https://www.hotelbarolo.it/en/
Arborina Relais (4-Star)
Here is an upscale property in the hamlet of La Morra, just north of Barolo. The property is adjacent to lush hillside vineyards. They have three different types of luxury suites with outdoor spaces. The finishes are top designs, and the beds are soft and spacious! Room rates range from € 320,00 – 470,00 per night. Osteria Arborina is a fine dining restaurant with a zero-waste kitchen. Chef Fernando Tommaso Forino, a Campania native, is at the helm. He has extensive experience working in some of the world’s finest restaurants in Italy and abroad.
https://arborinarelais.it/en/home/
Piazzetta Holiday Apartments, Barolo
- Apt. B: ($152 per night)-Location Superb
On Airbnb https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8198978?source_impression_id=p3_1698198175_3id%2B08qLtNtYFY5a
There are many Agritourism properties and Bed and Breakfast accommodations available online.
WHERE TO EAT:
BREZZA RISTORANTE - Hearty and Wallet-Friendly!
Inside the Hotel Barolo, Brezza Ristorante serves authentic, hearty cuisine in an informal, relaxed atmosphere and is delightfully wallet friendly. We tried veal with traditional tuna sauce (€12), seasonal flan with cheese cream (€10), Braised beef in Barolo wine sauce (€14), with fried polenta, and Bra sausages (Veal) with crisp polenta (€13). The wine list consists of the owner’s private brand of local wines:
https://www.hotelbarolo.it/en/ristorante-brezza/typicalrestaurant-barolo/
PETTI’T BISTROT - Tasty, delicious near the castle!
Located near the walls of the Barolo Castle, this small restaurant and wine bar has authentic charm. They have several areas for dining with indoor tables, outdoor balconies with excellent views of the Barolo Castle, and steeped vineyards in the distance.
We sat outside near the front door at a small table.
• Arancini al’ ragu
• Roasted Melanzana (Eggplant) with prosciutto
• Guitar pasta with fungi cream sauce, topped with slices of white truffles
Wine pairing :
Viridis Langhe Sauvignon Blanc Piedmont 2022 https://pettitbistrot.it/it/
EASY COSI BAROLO - Intimate, tasty, and with excellent value! This small winery, wine bar, and restaurant was just steps from our Airbnb in Piazza Municipio 4.
We walked by it for several days, smelling the flavors emanating from the kitchen, peeking in, and seeing the happy faces of the patrons. On our last evening in Barolo, we peeked in again and made an early dinner reservation.
Antipasti:
• Beef Tongue with Parsley Sauce €12
• Pumpkin Flan wit D.O.P Castelmagno Cheese Cream €12
Primi:
• Handmade Ravioli with Butter and Sage €12
• Stewed Veal stewed in Barolo Wine Sauce with Polenta Pie €15
The wine markup on bottles was lower than other restaurants and wine bars in town.
https://www.easycosibarolo.com/
2023 Barolo Harvest Report:
During our visit, the harvest was going into full swing. Wineries were beginning to bring in red grapes. In mid-October, I contacted Marchesi di Barolo to see how the crop turned out.
Davide Abbona, Viticulturist at Marchesi di Barolo, explained:
“Vintage 2023 was again a very complicated year because of the many weather overruns that occurred. The period between May and June was characterized by generous rainfall in the Langa and Roero areas, while in the Asti zone the long period of drought was further prolonged. In early July a very violent and extensive hailstorm primarily affected the Roero area and, although on a small scale, the Barbaresco zone. Over the following months, heat raged: particularly in August, temperatures averaged 39°C (102 degrees F) for 10 consecutive days. Heat and low rainfall continued until the end of the harvest. That said, it is precisely in vintages such as this one that readiness and timing of intervention impact both in terms of quantity and quality on the yield of future wines. I proudly emphasize how our team in the countryside responded excellently to the various situations that occurred.
The harvest lasted a total of about fifty days, with more hectic weeks and others a bit quieter. To sum it up, I am extremely satisfied with the work done in the vineyards and in the cellar: I can already confirm surprisingly fresh wines with parameters suitable for long aging.”
Barolo made us feel like we entered an enchanted Disneyesque world. There was a lot to experience in such a small village. There was no shortage of wine shops (Enoteca’s) on every street and alley. Everywhere we looked, down the streets or across the steep valleys, we were reminded that we were in one of the world’s most spectacular wine towns.
