Gavi - Front and Center

Gavi has historically been one of the favorite Italian white wines in America, but recently it seems to have been lost in the shuffle. Pinot Grigio has taken some of the business away and then there are just so many other wines out there a consumer can choose from, be it from Italy or a dozen other countries.

I recently went to Piemonte to try the new vintages of Barolo and Barbaresco, but of course, I needed some white wine to balance out all that red. I tried some lovely bottlings of Arneis, but I kept coming back to Gavi for some pleasant surprises. Here is a report on three wines I enjoyed very much during my trip.

One of my favorites was the newly released 2010 from Fontanafredda, a winery that has rediscovered its greatness over the past decade. There are many factors for this, from the direction of general manager Giovanni Minetti to the winemaking style and expertise of Danilo Drocco to the new vision of owner Oscar Farinetti. I've experienced greater complexity as well as more freshness in their wines as of late and this is certainly on display in this Gavi. My notes list fresh Bosc pear, Meyer lemon and a hint of mango for the juicy aromas, while the wine has lovely texture, lively acidity and even a hint of minerality. I'd love to pair this wine with risotto or shellfish and the price should be around $22 or so a bottle, which I think is quite reasonable. You may find the 2009 vintage on shelves now; that wine was also well made and quite flavorful and delicious. And while I rate 2009 as a superior vintage in Piemonte as compared with 2010, this new release from Fontanafredda is as complete and an complex a Gavi as I've had from them. Don't miss it. (For those interested in these things, this particular bottling is labeled as a Gavi del comune di Gavi, meaning the grapes were grown in Gavi and the wine was made in a cellar in that township.)

Gavi #2 that impressed me was the 2010 Francesco Rinaldi. Yes, you read that right - the historic winery known for their traditional Barolos from the Brunate and Cannubi vineyards, has produced its first white wine. It so happens that their winemaker owns a vineyard in Gavi and decided to produce a wine under the Rinaldi label. This wine has appealing Bosc pear, lemon peel and lilac aromas, is medium-full and sports very good acidity and persistence. It will be an excellent choice over the next 2-3 years with asparagus, lighter chicken preparations or with most shellfish.

The Gavi that impressed me the most during my trip was the 2009 Rovereto from Michele Chiarlo. Chiarlo produces three different offerings of Gavi and I first tried this bottling about six years ago on a visit to the winery in the Asti province. I had tasted the regular bottling of Chiarlo Gavi on many occasions at home, so this was a revelation for me, as I had not sampled a Gavi with this sort of richness and complexity.

The 2009 has those same qualities and is from an outstanding vintage. There are aromas of fresh Bosc pear along with quince and mango and there is excellent persistence. This Gavi has lovely texture and a lengthy, flavorful finish and is a step up from most bottlings of this wine type. I enjoyed it thoroughly with my tajarin with asparagus at one trattoria and with seafood at another ristorante. 

Unfortunately, this wine is not imported into the United States, so the only way most of us can try it is in Piemonte. Now you have another reason to go!

Anyway, it's nice to see that Gavi is still a healthy, vibrant wine in Piemonte. Let's hope it regains some of its former sales success here in America.

Traditional Love

Over at Do Bianchi, Jeremy Parzen recently posted his translation of a newsletter article from Francarlo Negro. The article was about two of the greatest Barolo producers, Bartolo Mascarello and Bruno Giacosa and how they first met back in the 1960s (the article was initially highlighted by Jeremy’s colleague (and my friend) Franco Ziliani, who is co-author of the blog VinoWire along with Jeremy (I also contribute from time to time on vinowire).

Beyond being a wonderful recollection of two great vintners, the article (especially the second part) is an impassioned plea by the author for the preservation of traditional Barolo, as practiced by Giacosa and Mascarello (note: Bartolo Mascarello passed away a few years ago, but his Barolo is as traditional as ever, thank to the efforts of his daughter, Maria Teresa).

Botti Grandi in the cellar of Sergio Barale in the town of Barolo These are the traditional casks for aging Barolo

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

I’d like to add a few thoughts on this article and on this subject in general. Loyal readers know of my love of traditional Barolo, so I was pleased to read such an emotional defense of this style of wine. Italians love to speak of the anima or soul of the wine. This has to be achieved by minimalist winemaking; you cannot recognize much in the way of terroir in Barolo (or any great red wine) when the fruit is covered up by the spice of new barriques.

Negro is correct that international demand has altered the style of Barolo and he is also on target when he states that too many winemakers in Barolo have altered their practices to assure more modern wines that will often result in better scores.

He goes on to write that certain publications have been unfair to Giacosa and Mascarello at awards time each year, as these magazines generally prefer the more international style of Barolo. While it is true that Gambero Rosso in Italy does hand out its Tre Bicchieri ranking (its highest) to dozens of Barolos made in a more modern style, they have not forgotten the traditional producers. Giacosa is a regular Tre Bicchieri recipient, while Mascarello has also achieved this honor several times (though not as often as Giacosa). (At least two comments, those from Gary Chevsky and Alfonso Cevola at the site, pointed this out as well).

While of course, the article was about a meeting between Giacosa and Mascarello, let’s not forget other great producers that continue to produce Barolo in a traditional style. I will certainly forget a few names unintentionally, so forgive me, but here a few of my favorite Barolo vintners that stay with tradition:

Cavallotto (Bricco Boschis, Bricco Boschis “Vigna San Giuseppe” Riserva)
Elio Grasso (Vigna Casa Maté, Gavarini Chiniera)
Maracarini (La Serra, Brunate)
Brezza (Sarmassa, Bricco Sarmassa)
Vietti (Rocche)
Giuseppe Rinaldi (Brunate Le Coste, Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera)
Ettore Germano (Prapo)
Giuseppe Mascarello (Monprivato, Villero)
Massolino (Vigna Rionda Riserva, Margheria)
Giacomo Conterno (Monfortino Riserva, Cascina Francia)
Rocche Costamagna (Bricco Francesco, Rocche dell’Annunziata)
Sergio Barale (Cannubi, Castellero, Bussia)
Giovanni Rosso (Cerretta, La Serra)
Giacomo Fennochio (Bussia, Villero)

GianLuca Grasso, winemaker, Elio Grasso, with botti grandi for aging his Barolo

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

Again, there are other examples, but what evidence these bottlings are for crafting Barolo in a traditional style! All of these wines are routinely excellent, with a few (Cavallotto “San Giuseppe”, Rinaldi “Brunate Le Coste" and Conterno “Monfortino”) rising to world class ranking.

Now having said that, I want to address another issue – the use of barrique. Negro states that these small French barrels are the tool of the winemaker who wants to produce a more modern style of Barolo; he also indirectly reasons that traditional producers will have nothing to do with them.

I agree that barriques have been the preferred choice of the international style Barolo producers; the flashy notes of spice and vanilla are often pointed out by certain journalists as highlights of these wines, as though the beautiful Nebbiolo fruit wasn’t enough of a treat. There are some producers today who use either all new French oak or a large percentage of it for their Barolos; there are many of these wines I do not like, as they taste more like a young, ripe Syrah than a Barolo. I am not going to mention these producers, as that’s not my point in this essay.

But are barriques necessarily a bad thing for Barolo (or Barbaresco for that matter)? I think not. Technology is always changing and that means that wine styles will change. Much as I would love to see every producer use only grandi botti for Barolo, it’s not going to happen. I compare this to technology that is available to movie makers these days. Computer-generated images (CGIs) are popular these days and we’ve probably all seen a few films that have used them. Is a computer image necessarily a bad thing in a movie? Of course not. If a film has to depend on CGIs for its appeal, then it’s probably not a good piece of work. The strength of any particular movie usually depends on a well-written script along with excellent direction. If a film doesn’t have that, then all the CGIs in the world aren’t going to save it. But a well-crafted film that also uses CGIs can be a good piece of work – one that is honest and is not trying to win an audience merely on visuals. It’s the same with Barolo; if the appeal of the wine is the character of new oak, then it’s probably not that great a wine.

My point here is that there are dozens of Barolo producers that use barriques in conjunction with botti and make gorgeous Barolos. Try the “Rocche Marcenasco” from Renato Ratti and see if this doesn’t taste like a classiclaly styled Barolo. The same holds true for several bottlings of Barolo from Oddero, such as their “Rocche” or “Villero”. At Fontanafredda, winemaker Danilo Drocco starts aging for his cru Barolo (“La Rosa”, “La Villa” and “Lazzarito La Delizia”) in barriques and then transfers the wine to botti. His reasoning is that the barriques will preserve the color of the wine as well as decrease oxidation. Yet he believes that too much time in barriques will mean that the wine will be dominated by wood, so he switches over to botti. Drocco has been making beautifully-styled Barolos for more than twenty years (he enjoyed a successful tenure at Prunotto before moving to Fontanafredda in the late 1990s) and today produces wines that strike a lovely balance between tradition and modernity.

Danilo Drocco, winemaker at Fontanafredda. Drocco ages his Barolos in barrique and botte grande

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

At Ceretto, winemaker Alessandro Ceretto has recently decided on tonneaux - mid-size barrels of 500 liters - as opposed to the 225-liter barriques. Ceretto is another winemaker who belives that barriques are often too strong for Barolo; given his wines from 2004 and 2005, I’d have to say that his decision has been an excellent one.

Perhaps the philosophy of Luca Currado at Vietti is the best way of deciding on the proper use of oak for aging Barolo. Currado makes cru Barolos from several sites; the most famous being Brunate and Rocche. As Brunate is in La Morra, where the wines are more floral and contain less assertive tannins, he ages this wine in barriques, as he believes this will add some tannic backbone to the wine. For Rocche, which is from Castiglione Falletto, this is a site that produces a Barolo with strong, almost aggressive tannins; thus he uses only botte grande for this wine, as he wants to downplay the youthful bitterness in this wine. Currado once told me that his winemaking choices are like that of a tailor. Just as every man needs a suit that will fit his measurements, so his wines must be tailored to the individual site. For Currado, it’s a decision of what’s best for the wine and not the market.



There are many ways to make Barolo or many other full-bodied red wines. For myself, I think the most important factors with Barolo are making a wine that is varietally pure and one that displays its terroir. Much as some people would argue that there is only one way, I respectfully disagree. Let the debate continue!

2005 Barolos - Many Promising Wines

Brunate, one of Barolo's finest crus and the source of outstanding and excellent Barolos from the 2005 vintage

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

Enough about the mess in Montalcino, let’s turn our attention to a positive subject for Italian wines at the moment – the release of the new Barolos from the 2005 vintage.

You should realize that you will be subjected to a number of reviews in the coming months about the 2005 Barolos stating that these wines are not like the 2004s, which were outstanding. This is true, but unfortunate, as 2004 was a brilliant vintage for Barolo and brilliant just doesn’t come along every year – in fact, it doesn’t come along but once or twice a decade, if that much. So remember that, please.

So let’s be fair with the 2005 Barolos; this was a successful vintage and there are some excellent wines and even a handful of outstanding ones. The best offerings are medium-full with very good to excellent concentration, offer very good acidity and refined tannins. This is not a powerhouse vintage and the wines are not as complex in aromatics as the 2004s, but overall, these are very well made wines. The finest Barolos from 2005 will age for 15-20 years and while that is not as long as a great year such as 2004, 2001, 1999 or 1996, that is still impressive.

I tasted over 100 different Barolos from the 2005 vintage this past May in the city of Alba at the annual Alba Wines Exhibition. The wines were tasted blind, and as usual with this practice, I found many pleasant surprises along with a few disappointments. This is always an excellent tasting and my thanks to the hard-working staff of wellcom for their organization.

There were a few outstanding wines including the Bartolo Mascarello, Prunotto, the “Brunate” from Francesco Rinaldi and the “Gabutti” from Giovanni Sordo. The Prunotto was beautifully styled and is one of the best bottlings I’ve had from this producer in some time, while the Mascarello and Rinaldi are classic bottlings, made in a traditional style (aged only in large casks). These wines offer a lovely combination of spice, fruit and gentle tannins and are textbook representations of terroir. Barolo to me is all about terroir; the roundness and floral aromatics of the wines from La Morra standing next to the structure and firm tannins of the wines from Monforte or Serralunga, so I prize this distinctiveness far more than power or ripeness. As for the wine from Sordo, I’ve always liked the offerings from this small estate in Serralunga, but this cru bottling is as good as I’ve tasted; it’s a lovely wine with beautiful complexity.

Sergio Barale produced an excellent Barolo from the Cannubi vineyard in 2005

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

Other excellent Barolos from 2005 include the Sergio Barale “Cannubi”; the “Brunate” from Oddero; Marcarini “Brunate”; Michele Chiarlo “Cerequio”; Fontanafredda “La Rosa"; the Massolino "Margheria"; the "Ravera" from Elvio Cogno; the Prapò bottling of Ceretto and the Famiglia Anselma bottling.

There are several more bottlings I’ve rated as excellent; you’ll be able to read about these wines in the upcoming Fall issue of my Guide to Italian Wines. This will include reviews not only reviews of the 2005 Barolos, but also the excellent 2006 Barbarescos (tasted in Alba the same week as the Barolos) as well a few dozen new releases of wines from Campania. To learn about subscribing to my Guide to Italian Wines, click here.

Favorite Italian Red Wines of the Year

Detail of the Sorano Vineyard of Ascheri in Serralunga d'Alba, source of one of the author's best bottlings of Barolo from this past year. (Photo ©Tom Hyland)



This year many of my top Italian reds centered on a common theme – they were from the glorious 2004 vintage. The Barolos from that year are stunning, the Amarones are polished and the bottlings of Taurasi are wonderfully concentrated with their typical charm. Throughout the country, 2004 was a remarkable success for Italian reds.

Here are my favorites (listed from north to south in Italy):

2004 BAROLOS
Rarely has there been a collection of Barolos with such deep fruit aromas, concentration of fruit and gorgeous acidity. There are so many great 2004 Barolos that I can’t list them all, but here are a few favorites: Fontanafredda “La Villa”, the least known, but most elegant of the three cru Barolos produced by this historic estate; Cascina Cucco “Vigna Cucco” and “Cerrati”, two beautifully supple bottlings from this small estate in Serralunga d’Alba; Ascheri “Sorano Coste e Bricco”, one of the most finesseful of all the 2004 Barolos and the Ettore Germano “Prapo”, a wine with vibrant spice backed by graceful tannins.

Also, the Elio Grasso “Vigna Chiniera”, a traditionally produced beauty from Monforte d’Alba; the powerful Aldo Conterno “Romirasco”, that displayed remarkable concentration and two beautifully structured offererings from Roberto Voerzio – “Rocche dell’Annunziata Torriglione” and "Sarmassa". These wines are ultramodern in style as they are aged in barriques, yet the layers of fruit are the story and not the oak.

Finally, other top Barolos include Vietti “Rocche”; Rocche Costamagna “Bricco Francesco”, the finest bottling of this wine I’ve tasted to date; Luigi Baudana “Baudana”; Cogno “Ravera” from the commune of Novello and the Damilano “Liste” from the commune of Barolo.


Bruno Nada, winemaker at Fiorenzo Nada. He produced one of the author's top bottlings of Barbaresco from this past year. (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

2005 BARBARESCOS
Though less powerful than the bottlings from 2004, the Barbarescos from 2005 are equally impressive, at least for the best producers. Three wines take the top spots on my list: Fontanabianca “Sori Burdin” with its distinctive aromas of rose petals, cumin, allspice and dried orange peel; Fiorenzo Nada “Rombone” with its excellent fruit persistence, nicely styled tannins and lively acidity and finally the elegantly styled Rizzi “Boito” that offers plush aromas of red cherry, strawberry and red spice along with big fruit persistence and lively acidity. This is one of the most underrated producers in Piemonte and all of Italy!

2004 ANTOLINI AMARONE “MOROPIO”
This is a gorgeous Amarone that takes you back to the days when local producers concentrated more on elegance than power. This offers beautifully perfumed aromas of violets, black raspberry, a hint of chocolate, molasses and rum, is balanced throughout and has lovely acidity and subtle oak. I wish more producers made their Amarone in this style!

2004 TENUTA SANT’ANTONIO AMARONE “SELEZIONE ANTONIO CASTAGNEDI”
Although this is a bit more modern in style than the Antolini, this is still a lovely Amarone with great finesse. Big aromas of red cherry, coriander and tobacco and a lengthy finish- this is beautifully made. I prefer this wine to the riper, more powerful “Campo dei Gigli” bottling from this producer.

2005 TENUTA SAN GUIDO “SASSICAIA”
2005 TENUTA DELL’ ORNELLAIA “ORNELLAIA”
You might expect these selections from Bolgheri to be no-brainers and to some extent they are, but these are more impressive to me than their respective 2004 bottlings, as they offer more lively acidity and backbone. Some will prefer the 2004s for their power, but the 2005s aren’t exactly lighweights and I admire the overall balance of these wines from start to finish. Look for these wines to be at their peak in 15-20 years.

2005 TENUTA DI BISERNO “IL PINO”
Another Bolgheri red from a relatively new estate headed by Lodovico Antinori (formerly of Ornellaia) along with his brother Piero. This blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot has explosive aromas, excellent fruit persistence and lively acidity and should be at its best in 10-12 years.

2005 MARINA CVETIC MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO
I listed this producer’s Trebbiano d’Abruzzo as one of my favorite whites of the year and this glorious red made by the Gianni Masciarelli (Marina’s husband who recently passed away) is one of my top reds. This is a flavorful wine with notes of tobacco and myrtle with lively acidity and a long finish- it’s simply delicious!

2004 MASTROBERARDINO TAURASI “RADICI”
Is there another producer of Taurasi that makes as flavorful – and at the same time – elegantly styled bottling than Mastroberardino? The winery’s approach with this 100% Aglianico really shines in a great vintage such as 2004. You get the textbook chocolate and cherry flavors, great fruit persistence and young, but balanced tannins. Look for this to be at its best in 15-20 years.

2005 MARISA CUOMO RAVELLO ROSSO RISERVA
Here is another winery that I included in my list of best whites of the year for its 2007 Furore Bianco “Fiorduva”; this lesser known wine also makes the list for best reds. A blend of 50% Aglianico and 50% Piedirosso aged in barriques, this is quite stylish with flavors of black cherry, licorice and tobacco backed by tart acidity. It’s not a powerhouse – it will be at its best in 5-7 years - but it is quite impressive!

2004 DUCA DI SALAPARUTA “DUCA ENRICO”
For some time now, this has been one of Sicily’s most complex and beautifully structured reds. Winemaker Carlo Casavecchia has produced one of his finest efforts to date with this gorgeous effort from 2004. 100% Nero d’Avola from vineyards near Gela in southeastern Sicily, this has inviting aromas of marascino cherry and fig backed by subtle oak, lively acidity and velvety tannins. This is an oustanding bottling of Duca Enrico; look for this to be at its peak in 12-15 years.


Please note that I did not list any bottlings of Brunello di Montalcino. This has nothing to do with the current situation in Montalcino, rather it has to do with the quality of the current releases from the 2003 vintage. Though there were some successes, overall the wines offer bitter tannins, robbing these wines of their usual elegance and finesse. Given that the 2004 bottlings of Brunello will be released in 2009, I expect several of these wines to be on my list of the Best Italian Reds next year.

Importers of Authentic Italian Wines - Part 1

Fontanafredda Estate in Serralunga d'Alba, one of the great Italian wine producers whose wines are imported by Domiane Select (Photo by Tom Hyland)

I can think of hundreds of ways that are easier to make money than importing Italian wines. Thank goodness there are enough dedicated individuals who do this work year in and year out, so we can taste the distinctiveness of what Italian wine producers have to offer.

It’s one thing to import a few trophy wines such as Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino or Amarone, but along with those selections, importers must also carry Dolcetto, Barbera and Chianti Classico along with speciality wines such as Rosso Conero, Aglianico del Vulture and Vermentino. These three wines – along with dozens of other unique offerings – are wonderful, but in reality, how often do you see these wines on restaurant lists or on retail shelves? Clearly someone who brings in these wines is a believer in the quality of Italian wines from across the country.

Add to this the fact of the relationship of the US dollar versus the Euro and you can understand the difficulty in making the importing of Italian wines your business. Thankfully, the dollar has become stronger over the past six months, so prices are not as unreasonable as they were over the past few years, but it is still a difficult proposition.

So in this post and the next, I want to single out a few importers of small estate Italian wines. These businessmen are committed to offering wines that are based on indigenous and not international grapes and for that, we should all be thankful.


Paolo Domeneghetti – Domaine Select
Paolo Domeneghetti, a native of Italy, founded Domaine Select in 1999 and today this Manhatttan-based company is one of the key importers of Italian wines in the United States. While he imports wines from small estates from other countries as well (including France, Germany, Austria and Chile), Italian wines are his specialty.

Domeneghetti’s portfolio is one of the most impressive collections of Italian wines you’ll find anywhere. There is a nice mix of estates from virually every region in Italy and while he has a number of famous estates that are well known to Italian wine lovers (such as Fontanafredda, J. Hofstatter and Edoardo Valentini), his book is filled with small estates that produce wines of the highest quality, yet are terribly unknown. These include Vinosia from Campania (the most recent estate of the Ercolino brothers who founded Feudi di San Gregorio), Villa Sparina, a highly original producer of Gavi and Tenuta Olveto and Il Palazzone, two producers of Brunello di Montalcino that release balanced and subtle bottlings of this iconic red.

On a personal note, Domeneghetti features reviews on his website domaineselect.com from numerous publications, big and small. He has included some of my reviews from my newsletter (Guide to Italian Wines) as well as from some of the top wine blogs. This is typical of the vision he has; too many importers are only willing to print reviews from the Wine Spectator or The Wine Advocate, as they believe those are the only two wine publications that matter. Clearly, Domeneghetti believes otherwise.

Domeneghetti’s book is constantly changing, a sign that Paolo is always looking for the best Italian wines estates. I’ve seen him in action in Italy- he truly is tireless!



Bruno Nada, a Barbaresco producer, whose wines are imported by Premium Brands (Photo ©Tom Hyland)


Paolo Boselli – Premium Brands
Paolo Boselli is one of the true gentlemen in the importing business. In his early 70s, he continues to build a remarkable portfolio of Italian wines at his company based in Forest Hills, NY. paoloboselli.com

You won’t find too many big names in his book, but if you are looking for wines from small estates that echo the local terroir, this is the place. He’s done a wonderful job with producers from Barbaresco, for example, with the wines from Fiorenzo Nada and Fontanabianca (both of whom received a coveted Tre Bicchieri rating from Gambero Rosso in their 2009 guide). He also represents a great grappa producer from Piemonte, Marolo, whose bottlings, from nebbiolo and moscato grappa to camomile liquor, are truly amazing. He also represents small Barolo estates, such as Bruna Grimaldi and Bel Colle.

Casa Emma, San Felice and Lilliano are three of his excellent estates in Chianti Classico; other producers worth noting include Guado al Melo from Bolgheri; Panizzi, an outstanding producer of Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Isoidoro Polencic from Friuli (another Tre Bicchieri winner for 2009). You’ll also find producers from just about every region in Italy, including Valle d’Aosta, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria.

Paolo’s son Alessandro ably assists his father in day-to-day operations and together they continue to build one of the most notable collections of Italian wines in America today.


Ancient Vine at Giuseppe Apicella Estate near Amalfi Coast, Campania. Apicella's wines are imported by Wine Emporium
(Photo ©Tom Hyland)


Franco Bengasi – Wine Emporium
Franco Bengasi is typical of many importers of Italian wines in this country in that he does a lot of work himself, from visiting Italy and finding new and/or unrepresented producers to going out in New York City (his offices are in Brooklyn) and tasting the wines with customers. Franco does have Agnes in his office to help, but it’s up to him to make his business work- there’s no team of 25 salespeople here! wineemporiumny.com

Bengasi, a native of Campania, does not have a huge portfolio; rather it’s a small, well thought out selection with some real gems. He represents the wines of Sergio Barale of Barolo, a vastly underrated producer, who also happens to craft a lovely, non-oak aged Chardonnay (I rarely care much for Chardonnay from Piemonte, but I love this one). He also has the wines of Tiburzi, a relatively new producer of Sagrantino di Montefalco wines; they are modern is style, but offer gorgeous fruit and aren’t overwhelming in their tannins.

From his home region, Bengasi has the wines of Giuseppe Apicella from the Amalfi Coast, I Borboni from Caserta (a gorgeous passito offering of Aspirinio di Aversa) and from the Taburno area, the wines of Fontanavecchia, which produces first-rate bottlings of Aglianico (their regular 2004 Aglianico del Taburno is a steal at less than $20). This is a nice mix of Campanian producers; it’s nice to see that there is an importer that understands there is more to this region than Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino and Taurasi.

Then there is the excellent Franciacorta brand Monte Rossa as well as Gradiscuitta, a producer from Friuli that should be better known. You get the idea – Franco Bengasi has done his homework and represents the true spirit of Italian wine.

Improving Barolo

(Photo) Danilo Drocco, Winemaker, Fontanafredda (Photo ©Tom Hyland, 2008)

Barolo has been around for more than 150 years, but there have been more changes to this wine over the past 30 years than in all the previous years. Traditionally aged in large Slavonian oak known as botti (vessels as large as 50 or 60 hectoliters), some producers beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s started to age their Barolos in small French barrels known as barrique, which are 225 liters in size. As these barrels were smaller, the wines took on more of an oak influence as well as a greater degree of tannins from the barrique and Barolo – at least from some producers – took on a new style.

Today, there are some outstanding producers of Barolo that continue to use only barriques for their aging in the cellar; these producers include Roberto Voerzio and Revello. Yet most producers either use a combination of barrique and large oak or use a third type of oak barrel known as tonneau, a mid-size barrel, often 500 liters in size. The thinking here is that aging a Barolo only in small barrels yields a one-dimensional wine where oak and fruit are the dominant characteristics. Wines like this can become too international in style and lose the specific terroir of the Barolo zone, whether from La Morra, Serralunga d’Alba or any of the other nine communes where Nebbiolo grapes are grown for production of this wine.

At Fontanafredda in Serralunga, winemaker Danilo Drocco uses both barrique and botti for aging his cru (single vineyard) Barolos. He begins the aging in barrique to ensure a deeper color, but finishes the wines in botti. This means that the wines will not have too much oak influence. “A little oak is fine for Barolo, but not too much,” he explains.

Of course, there are still many first-rate producers that use only botti to age their Barolos; these include such famous estates as Bartolo Mascarello, Maracarini and Giuseppe Rinaldi. Instead of ripe black fruit and aromas of vanilla, these wines offer notes of cedar, dried cherry and orange peel. Best of all, they are reflections of the local terroir.

Of course, the choice a vintner makes is personal and in the end, it is all about making the best wine possible, one that offers subtleties and not just ripe fruit and wood. Listen to Drocco talk about how his winemaking philosophy has changed. “I had a period during the aging where I was trying to have very large fruit and wine that was very open. But now for the last couple of years, I’m trying to come back to a wine that sometimes is a little closed, but one that is more elegant and complex.”

Continuing, Drocco reasons for finesse with these wines; “I think that with Barolo we have to make wine that give emotions little by little. So not everything at once, not all together, but like the great Burgundies that give to you sensations little by little.”


(Photo) Stefano Gagliardo, Proprietor, Gianni Gagliardo Winery (Photo ©Tom Hyland, 2008)

At the core of the great Barolos, no matter the style, is the aging potential. Do the modern wines with riper fruit age as well as the more traditionally aged Barolos? The jury is out, according to Stefano Gagliardo, proprietor of the Gianni Gagliardo estate in La Morra; “It’s almost impossible to tell what that aging potential will be,” he comments. "This new way to produce Barolo that provides Barolos that are extremely full of character and identity, but at the same time are easier to drink when they are relatively young, doesn’t have a long history. Today we can taste wines that were made in the ‘50s, but we need to wait a few years before we understand the new style of wines.”

For Gagliardo, exactly how long his Barolos will age is not that critical a matter. “For me, honestly, to know whether my Barolo will need 20 or 30 years is not that important today. It’s more important today that my customers can buy a bottle of Barolo and of course, they know that it can age for 15 or 20 years.

“If it can age longer than that, it’s a bonus. I think I can allow myself to say that because I know that Nebbiolo will have this bonus. With Nebbiolo I think that we have such a long aging potential that we can as well work a little bit for today as well as the future.”


Reviews

2004 Fontanfredda Barolo “La Rosa”
Bright, deep garnet with aromas of truffle, red cherry, cumin and a touch of soy. Medium-full with very good to excellent concentration. Very good fruit persistence, lively acidity and ample oak. A bit tannic now, so give time. This will be at is best in 15-20 years.

2004 Gianni Gagliardo Barolo “Serre”
Garnet with aromas of red cherry, orange peel, rose petals and vanilla. Medium-full with very good concentration. Rich mid-palate and excellent fruit persistence. Lively acidity and a nice balance of all components. Lightly spicy finish. Best in 12-15 years.
Excellent

A Guide to the Best Crus of Barolo

(Photo) La Serra, one of Barolo's best crus, located in the commune of La Morra. (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

Many wine lovers know about Barolo, but few truly understand the variety of styles of this regal Piemontese red. Produced entirely from Nebbiolo, Barolo is a classic example of a wine that expresses the local terroir. There are eleven towns in the Barolo zone (just south of the city of Alba) where this wine can be produced; the most important are Barolo itself, La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba.

There are two major different types of soils that run througout this area and this variation explains a great deal about the aromas as well as tannins in a particular bottle of Barolo. Two very diverse styles emerge from Serralunga d’Alba and La Morra, for example. The soils in the former are quite old and thin, resulting in wines that have big tannins while the Barolos from La Morra are more elegant, as the soils there are younger and more fertile, resulting in wines that have less powerful tannins. Examples of Barolo from La Morra as well as Barolo itself tend to be more floral and are suppler upon release, while those from Serralunga, Monforte and Castiglione Falletto tend to need more time in the bottle.

As some producers make Barolos from vineyards in different communes, it is important to know the most famous cru and where they are located. This is especially important in an outstanding year such as 2004, which resulted in some of the most brilliant bottlings of Barolo seen in some time. The 2004 growing season was cool, ensuring a not-too-early harvest, meaning grapes would acquire complex aromatics as well as excellent natural acidity. In a great year such as 2004, terroir is more evident than in a torridly hot year such as 2003, where the alcohol is too high and the aromas not as floral.

Here is a brief list of some of the most famous cru of Barolo, arranged by commune. I have tasted wines from these vineyards for years and it bears repeating that the wines from 2004 are amazing. I have put together a special 2004 Barolo guide with reviews of more than 125 of these wines, which is available for a reasonable price of $10. Email me at thomas2022@comcast.net and I will let you know how to receive this guide.





LA MORRA

La Serra – Literally, “the greenhouse,” this is an excellent cru that is quintessential La Morra with charming floral aromatics and supple tannins. Several great local estates make a Barolo from La Serra, including Roberto Voerzio, Gianni Voerzio (both in a more modern style) along with Marcarini, a traditionally styled Barolo producer.

Brunate – Located right next to La Serra, Brunate is arguably the most sought after cru in La Morra. The wines are quite aromatic and floral, but tend to be a bit more full-bodied than its neighbor. Elio Altare, Marcarini and Roberto Voerzio from La Morra produce a Brunate Barolo as does Vietti from Castiglione Falletto.

Rocche dell’Annunziata – Beautifully situated vineyard near the base of La Morra town, this is treasured for its beautiful floral aromatics (roses) and attractive cherry fruit notes. Several La Morra producers such as Rocche Costamagna, Revello, Roberto Voerzio (known as Rocche dell’Annunziata Torriglione) and Mauro Veglio produce a Barolo from this cru as does Paolo Scavino.

Cerequio – This cru is shared with the commune of Barolo. Historically, this was rated as one of the finest Barolo cru over 100 years ago. A bit more powerful than the typical La Morra cru, the best examples are from Roberto Voerzio, Michele Chiarlo and Contratto.

Conca – This is a beautiful amphiteater vineyard with outstanding exposure. The best examples are from Renato Ratti, Mauro Molino and Revello.


BAROLO

Cannubi – This is arguably the most famous cru of all; it is certainly one of the largest at over 70 acres. As Cannubi has several subsections, such as Boschis, San Lorenzo and Muscatel, this figure is not written in stone. What makes Cannubi so special is that both older and newer soils exist here; thus the Barolos from Cannubi have beautiful floral notes but are more tannic than bottlings from other Barolo cru. Famous examples of Barolo from Cannubi include those of Francesco Rinaldi, Michele Chiarlo, Luigi Einaudi, Marchesi di Barolo and Sandrone.

Sarmassa – Located just northwest of Cannubi, Sarmassa borders with Cerequio. Excellent quality with lovely perfumed aromatics. Best examples include those from Giacomo Brezza, Roberto Voerzio, Marchesi di Barolo and Bergadano.



CASTIGLIONE FALLETTO

Bricco Boschis – This vineyard is owned by Cavallotto and is the source for several bottlings of Barolo, including the sublime Vigna San Giuseppe, which is one of the most graceful bottlings of Barolo produced by any estate. Superb exposition.

Rocche – Not to be confused with Rocche dell’Annunziata of La Morra, the Rocche vineyard in Castglione Falletto is the source of the finest Barolo produced most vintages at Vietti. Oddero and Brovia also produce excellent Barolo from this cru.


MONFORTE D’ALBA

Bussia – This is one of the best known of all Barolo cru and it represents a variety of producers and styles. There are actually two different Bussia: Bussia Soprana (upper) and Bussia Sottana (lower). Some producers make a more elegant style, such as Sergio Barale and Cascina Ballarin, while others - most famously - Aldo Conterno, craft a more intense wine.

Romirasco – This vineyard shares part of its border with Bussia Soprana, but its most famous distinction is that it is the primary source for the great bottling, Gran Bussia of Aldo Conterno. In a year such as 2004, the Romirasco on its own displays all the greatness of a Monforte Barolo with its intensity of fruit, powerful tannins and beautiful structure.

Ginestra – Typical Monforte wines with great weight and tannins. Best examples are from Elio Grasso (Casa Maté) and Domenico Clerico.





SERRALUNGA D’ALBA

Lazzarito – Gorgeous views of the towers of Serralunga from this ampitheater vineyard. Long-lived, spicy wines that age beautifully. Fontanafredda produces an excellent version; this wine is the last of their cru Barolo to be released each vintage. Vietti also produces a powerful Barolo from this site as does Ettore Germano. Angelo Gaja has a vineyard on this hillside planted to Nebbiolo which he uses for his Langhe Nebbiolo called Sperrs.

Prapo – Also known as Pra di Po. Made famous by Ceretto and their classic, terroir-driven wine from this site. Also a gorgeous bottling from Ettore Germano with beautiful currant fruit and notes of Asian spice. Very long-lived wines, as is typical from Serralunga.

Ceretta – Beautiful vineyard that is vastly underrated. Classic Serralunga bottlings (terroir-driven) from such producers as Giovanni Rosso and Ettore Germano that offer lots of red cherry and red pepper notes.

Margheria – Serralunga has many crus that are not as famous as they should be and Margheria is one of them. Beautiful wines with notes of tobacco and cumin with a typical local terroir profile from producers such as Massolino and Luigi Pira.

Falletto – Gorgeous vineyard with very steep, south and southwest facing vines. This is the site of the best Barolos from Bruno Giacosa.

Ornato – Located next to Falletto, this is the cru belonging to Pio Cesare. Classic Serralunga style with firm tannins and notes of tar.

La Rosa – Pretty ampitheater vineyard at the Fontanafredda estate. This Barolo is less tannic and more approachable upon release than their bottling from Lazzarito.

Sorano – Small vineyard on the way up to the town of Serralunga. The wines here go to Ascheri and are quite elegant. The best part of the vineyard go into the winery’s “Sorano Coste e Bricco” Barolo, which is quite finesseful.