Blog: Barolo | Classic

Barolo is one of the most prestigious Italian wines. Because of its origin and the centuries-old traditions associated with it, it has long since become a historic wine. Its exceptional longevity and consistency make it an outstanding wine. Barolo is fascinating for its particular characteristics, which it derives from the soils on which it grows - and for its always different vintages. It is an elegant wine because it has a balanced structure and because its class and character remain unchanged even after a long time. This noble and famous wine from Piedmont is the crowning glory of any table.

Barolo always has a garnet red color, smells of roses, almonds, mint and spices, in addition you perceive a range of other smells, from fruity to complex. Its taste is full-bodied, with elegant nuances of smoothness, velvety, dryness and warmth. This red wine is tannic, austere in its youth, but mellows with age. Barolo conquers the palate with power, harmony and fullness, captivating for a long time.

Like all the wines of the world that are now considered great, the characteristics of Barolo were defined and its typical features described at the beginning of the 19th century. This work is due to a lady, Marquesa Victurine Colbert Faletti from Barolo, a relative of the famous French Colbert, who married an estate owner of the area and entrusted Oudart, a French oenologist, to take care of her husband's cellars. This oenologist knew the technique that had been used for several decades in France, especially in Bordeaux, and changed the taste of the wine, which until then had been rather half-hearted. He made the wine dry, made it long lasting, balanced, alcoholic and fruity.

Barolo wines have a relatively high alcohol content, are always dry and tannic, with a moderate acidity, rich in mineral salts such as phosphorus and iron. The wine is full of complex aromas and astringent on the palate. Its taste ranges from fruity nuances to earthy notes, forest moss, tobacco and leather. With time, the intense acidity gives garnet and orange reflections to the ruby color; the initial freshness turns into fruitiness, the aromas become more intense and ethereal, tannins and glycerine make the wine velvety, the alcohol gives it fire and strength. The harmonious contribution of all these elements to the longevity of Barolo, to its constant refinement, to its unchanged persistence, is predominant, allowing the taster to fully satisfy his sense of smell and taste with this excellent red wine.

Barolo is produced exclusively from Nebbiolo vines. Nebbiolo is one of the oldest Piedmontese grape varieties and was also called 'Nubiola' in the 14th century. Over the centuries, through mutation and selection, it has given rise to numerous varieties. These varieties are influenced by soil conditions and have different characteristics, mainly due to the soil in which they grow. The Nebbiolo variety is in fact sensitive to the terroir that surrounds it, so that the wines made from it are in most cases named after their geographical origin.

Lampia, Michet (from the dialect word 'micot', small bun), Rosé are the officially registered varieties. but one could add to them numerous other varieties, such as San Luigi, Rossi, Bolla, which are no longer grown today. The vines are raised according to the Guyot system and the life of a vine is up to forty years. The area of cultivation of Nebbiolo vines, from which Barolo can be obtained, was officially established by the Agricultural Committee of Alba. - Gerardo [TS03/23]