Barolo 2021

In the heart of the Langhe, in Piedmont, this Barolo DOCG brings together grapes from the M.G.A.s of Liste, Fossati, Cannubi, Cannubi San Lorenzo and San Pietro delle Viole in the commune of Barolo, as well as Annunziata and Case Nere in La Morra. The vines, facing south to south-east at 290 to 370 metres above sea level, are rooted in clay-limestone marls.

After harvest the grapes are destemmed and crushed. Fermentation lasts about 15 days in large concrete tanks at 22–28 °C, followed by a 10-day submerged-cap maceration in concrete, during which malolactic fermentation also takes place. The wine is then aged for two and a half years in large Slavonian oak foudres, before a spell in concrete and bottling.

This wine reveals notes of ripe cherry, wild strawberry, forest fruits, violet, rose, liquorice, spices, cedarwood and caramel. The palate is deep and velvety, carried by a fresh acidity that stretches out the fruit; the tannins, both firm and fine, frame a persistent finish with balsamic and spicy accents.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, home of the Dolce Vita, but how difficult it is to understand how its wine world is organised! The key to understanding the Italian appellation system is to see it as several small countries rather than one homogeneous country, because each region has its own appellation system. Yet Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavours and styles, as well as bottles full of surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a great quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most useful and commercially best-known names: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let's talk a little history: winegrowing in Italy dates back to the earliest antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and changed the grape varieties planted, later calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and some regions were already standing out for the excellence of their produce. The Romans also planted many vineyards across Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquests. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The mountains of the north have a fairly harsh mountain climate. The plain in the "middle of the boot" has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. The "southern part of the boot" has a Mediterranean climate with very hot, very dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces an enormous variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of them native to its soil. It is a country just as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!