Barolo is the most illustrious and austere son of the great vine species: Nebbiolo.
Cultivating the Nebbiolo vine species in hilly regions was mentioned even back in 1512 in the “Loci Murre” Statutes. It can be a rather unpredictable vine species, which only expresses its best in more congenial environments.
The variableness of expression is also reflected in its name: there are those who say Nebbiolo takes its name from the Italian word nebbia meaning mist/fog, which accompanies the late ripening, there are those who say it comes from the misty layer of bloom that covers the grapes and there are those who define it as a metamorphosis of the adjective “noble”.
For the Nebbiolo, perhaps more than for any other vine species, the grandness of this wine depends on the location of the vineyard in which it is cultivated. Nebbiolo only becomes Barolo after maturing in wooden casks for two years and one year in the bottle.
Vine species: Nebbiolo.
Colour: from ruby red, it changes, with age, to garnet red.
Bouquet: ample and persistent, flowery with hints of rose, complex even up to leather and tar.
Taste: dry, full-bodied, well proportioned, and even velvety.
Min. alcoholic strength: 13% vol.
Ageing: a wine suited to long ageing.
Store: bottle horizontally, in a dark room and away from sudden temperature changes.
Serve: at room temperature approx. 18°C. Excellent with red meats (both roasted, skewered, or grilled) and especially with wild game.
