Bold and Beautiful Barolo

Although I must admit I still have a lot to learn and taste when it comes to Italian wine, from what I have studied Barolo has always stood out for me. I like big wines with plenty of character, and that is what good Barolo is. Barolo is made from the difficult to grow Nebbiolo grape (some might say that it is even more temperamental then Pinot Noir) in the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. Most Barolo must be aged at least 5 years and up to 15 years to allow the tannins to mellow and some of the finer characteristics to show through.

There are two main styles of Barolo: the more modern and the traditional. The more modern approach reduces the amount of time that the wine ferments with the grape skins and uses smaller barrels for aging, the result is a wine that matures sooner and has more pronounced oak. The traditionalists allow longer fermentation and maceration on the skins and age in large botti, the result is a tannic wine that takes a long time to mature with less noticeable oak. (The larger the barrel the less exposure to the wood and oxygen the wine gets relative to its volume.) Quite a few winemakers use a combination of the two styles. I’m a sucker for tradition and I like less oak and the extra concentration that can come from the skins so I tend to lean towards more traditional Barolo, the only draw back is having the patience to let the wine age.


1995 Barolo ‘Ginestra’- Paolo Conterno
Tasted in 2001. A big wine, probably opened it a little too early – but it did improve remarkably with breathing. Wine Spectator gave it a 94 I believe and I don’t think that’s too high, this wine is amazing. It is reddish orange (brick) at the edge of the glass, a touch of straw and tar, and an almond like perfume. It is tannic with notes of cranberry and plum – chewy and delicious. Full bodied. Wow. (This wine is probably at the end of its life now in terms of aging- 2006). (around $60) E

2000 Barolo ‘Bricco Francesco’ – Rocche Costamagna
Tasted recently in 2006. Light ruby colour, a little lighter than I was expecting. It has some of that classic straw/tar aroma which seemes to decrease with exposure to air. Light wet earth and some truffle notes. Red fruits (cherry, raspberry), with fig and sweet hay linger with a slightly spicy finish. It has a sweet midpalate. I think it is a bit light for a Barolo this young and I would recommend drinking it now as I don’t see aging improving anything. Decanter 5/5 stars, Wine Spectator 93. $59.95 E-VG
Food pairing: This went amazingly well with Parmesan cheese and truffled pasta. A real Northern Italian treat.

These two Barolos are a very small sampling of what is out there; there are plenty of other amazing producers, if your tastes are more ‘modern’ Aldo Conterno, Michele Chiarlo and Gaja will be sure to please. Nice more traditional style producers include: Cabutto, Ca’Rome, Ceretto, and Pio Cesare. Plenty of great Barolos can be found around the $60 mark, you don’t need to spend over $100 to enjoy what Barolo has to offer. $60 for a bottle of wine is still pushing it though; for more value priced examples of what the magnificent Nebbiolo grapes can do look for examples from neighbouring Barbaresco (the larger area of Langhe also has some great Nebbiolo).