Roughly an hour's drive south east of the Italian city of Torino lies the wine region of Barolo. Eleven villages (including Barolo itself) make up the region; producing predominantly red wines along with tiny amounts of white.
Barbera and Dolcetto are the most prevalent varieties with rare Freisa a bit player; however, the fuss surrounds the wines made from the region's star variety Nebbiolo. Fruit off younger vines and less prestigious sites is utilised to produce Langhe Nebbiolo, but the star turn for the region is the noble Barolo.
My last visit to this region rekindled my love of the hilltop villages perched above steep and undulating vine-clad hills; their twists and folds creating differing sites and exposures which all add their nuances to the finished wine.
As a broad generalisation, the area to the northwest has more sand in the soil, leading to Barolos that can be more open and expressive; to the east, there is a greater amount of clay in the soil, giving Barolos that can be somewhat brooding and with more powerful tannic structures.
History has taught the locals which sites are the most favoured: add to this the intricacies of vintage, vine age and individual producer and you have incredible and delectable variety in the wines.
Historically, Barolo could be hard and unyielding in its youth, needing considerable bottle age to show its best. However, among currently available vintages of 2011, 2012 and 2013, the 2011 was a warm one in the region and has given wines which are much more fleshy and immediately appealing while still having the backbone for age.
For neophytes, the 2011s are a great introduction to Barolo. The wines are never cheap, but in comparison to wines from other famous wine regions like Burgundy and Bordeaux, they remain largely affordable.
Price: $65
Rating: Excellent
Bright and lifted nose with floral notes, red fruits and a hint of wild herb. A wine with lovely complexity showing red fruits and cherry, a balsamic/olive touch and a minerally note.
Fine tannins are well integrated and while this wine is approachable now, it will continue to give pleasure for years ahead.
Price: $75
Rating: Excellent
Quite a rich and darkly fruited wine with a real plushness and depth to it. Dark fruits and black cherry with hints of licorice and spices. Sumptuous on the front palate; the tannins come rushing in on the long finish to remind you of the structure.
A powerful expression and very appealing.
Price: €39 (at cellar door)
Rating: Excellent
Dark berry, wood smoke, balsamic and spice notes with an added floral note show on the nose of this powerful wine. Rich and velvety on the front palate; the sweet, ripe fruit leads into a hint of leather with full but finely melded tannins and an underlying firmness.
A traditional producer and a rather lovely expression.
