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About Barolo
The town of Barolo is situated in the Langhe Hills, just southwest of Alba. The vines cover a relatively small surface area of 4,285 acres. There are eleven villages, townships or “communes” that make up the Barolo DOCG. However, there are five key zones that contribute 87 percent of the wine. These are La Morra, Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, and Monforte d’Alba. The soil types divide these communes into two zones, the Central Valley to the east made up of Tortonian soil (creates more approachable wines with fragrance, softness, and elegance), and the Serralunga Valley to the west consisting of Helvetian soil (generally creates long-lived, powerfully concentrated wines). The physical elements of each commune provide further characteristics that distinguish it from the other six communes—Grinzane Cavour, Verduno, Novello, Diano d’Alba, Roddi, and Cherasco. These qualities are even further segmented by the microclimates where specific vineyards rest.
Much is said about the stylistic divide that characterizes contemporary Barolo production. In traditional practice, Barolos are fermented in large wooden botti and the maceration process may extend over a two-month period. Producers of the classic orientation believe that a protracted length of time is necessary to extract tannin sufficient enough to ensure the wines’ longevity. As early Barolo production held that the “perfect Barolo” derived from multiple sources, the varied influences of which modified and enhanced one another, traditional practitioners still pursue a regimen of multivineyard blending. The 1961 vintage inaugurated a shift in value, as vintners sought to privilege the distinctive elements characterizing specific sites, and contemporary production privileges the distinct nuances realized through cru bottlings. Until the early 1970’s Barolo was for the most part a non-cru wine. Barolo was generally the ideal blend of grapes from La Morra, Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga, and Monforte. However, thanks to the refined efforts of Gaja, Ratti, and Ceretto, among others, the approach of single-vineyard designations is now an ingrained practice for Barolo much as it is for the great wines of Burgundy. Due to the varied soil types and exposures across vineyards there is a lot to discover.
Throughout history, Nebbiolo, from which Barolo is made, has been the choice of the erudite palate, delivering structural and aromatic complexity. The dynamic between Nebbiolo and the Barolo region is a challenging one, however, as Barolo’s temperamental attitude hardly accommodates Nebbiolo’s difficult nature; the risks posed, however, are well worth the reward. The Piemonte region was blessed with consecutive vintages of quality (1995-2001), setting the stage for the production of high-caliber wines.
Spotlight on Barolo
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