Borgogno Barolo Fossati 2013

The Barolo Fossati comes from the Fossati vineyard, in the commune of Barolo, along the small road that links Barolo to La Morra, at the heart of the Langhe. This plot of around 3.2 hectares, facing south-east, lies on slightly sandy calcareous and clay marls, formed by sedimentation from the sea that covered the Po plain ten million years ago. This relatively young, sand-rich terroir gives wines with floral and fruity aromas.

In 2013, a late vintage, the Nebbiolo was harvested on 18 October, after a warm autumn conducive to wines for ageing. Fermentation lasts around 12 days at controlled temperature, from 22-25 °C at the start to 29-30 °C, followed by a 30-day submerged-cap maceration at 29 °C. After running off, malolactic fermentation lasts 15 days. The wine is aged for four years in 4,500-litre Slavonian oak vats, then refined for a year in bottle.

This wine reveals notes of faded rose, cherry, raspberry, liquorice, tar, tobacco, forest floor and leather. The red fruit and rose recall the finesse of the sandy terroir, while the tertiary touches bear witness to a decade of evolution. The palate, ample and structured, rests on firm tannins, refined by the long ageing in large oak vats, and on lively acidity that carries a long, racy finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!