Born more than 2,500 years ago and consecrated to fame by Charles Albert of Savoy, who was enchanted by it, Barolo is the symbol of Piedmontese oenology, a gem with intense aromas of red fruits, flowers and spices, which take on structure and body with age.
But how do you pair Barolo and what are its history, terroir and production methods? Here is the definitive guide to this king of Piedmont wines!
Barolo wine characteristics, labels and pairings
Exploring the traits of Barolo wine, a Piedmontese red wine with an ancient history, is no easy task. Firstly, because a variation in the climates and soil composition of the Langhe - its production area - is enough to give rise to different nuances.
Moreover, this wine is characterised by an excellent capacity for ageing (even up to 30 years!) and gives different experiences depending on its version - normal or Riserva - and the time spent in the cellar before uncorking it.
Want to know which labels to start with and what to pair with Barolo? Here are 3 proposals not to be missed to get to know it in its various facets!
"Caviot" Barolo DOCG 2021
When drunk on average young, as in the case of a "Caviot" Barolo DOCG 2021, this Italian red wine offers primary aromas of red fruits, violets and roses, with a pleasantly balsamic finish. On the palate, the taste is soft and velvety, accompanied by tannins that are not too scratchy. Traits that go well with pies and meat pies, but also with mature cheeses such as a Double Gloucester or a Cheddar with truffles, an ingredient he particularly loves.
Barolo Bergera DOCG 2016
With Barolo, the wait is rewarded and uncorking a bottle left to rest in the cellar for a few years is always a wise idea. This example of Barolo Bergera DOCG 2016 is proof of that. Particularly well-suited to medium-aged cheeses and savoury meat dishes - a Sunday roast, a slice of beef wellington, a beef stew or sausages with potatoes - this wine is characterised by garnet hues and a persuasive and elegant aromatic charge, due to the ageing in Slavonian oak barrels. Cherries, flowers and spices are the primary aromas, while the taste is tannic, intense and structured, but also pleasantly fresh and versatile. A wine definitely not to be missed!
Barolo DOCG Bussia Riserva 2017
In its Riserva version, Barolo amplifies these scents, enriching the tasting experience even more. The merit of such a complex and bewitching organoleptic charge is due to the production process regulated by the regulations, which envisages an ageing period of at least 5 years before release.
In the case of this Barolo DOCG Bussia Riserva 2017 (the best Barolo if you love aged wines), the first 36 months of ageing take place in Slavonian oak barrels, while the remaining maturation takes place in the bottle, until an organoleptic bouquet rich in facets is obtained, including notes of wild berries, tobacco, dried flowers and spices. The palate is just as full-bodied, characterised by elegant tannins and a slight sweetness, which transforms the tasting into an experience of great depth, first and foremost in the moments of meditation. Here again, the combination of Barolo and food offers enormous satisfaction, especially when paired with slow-cooked meat dishes such as braised, stewed and roasted pork, beef and game.
Terroir and production of Barolo
Not only strictly Piedmontese, but confined to 11 communes in the Langhe (Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba and part of Monforte d'Alba, Roddi, Verduno, Cherasco, La Morra, Diano d'Alba, Novello and Grinzane Cavour), Barolo is a territorial wine, which brings with it millennia of traditions, but also the quality of a land with unique characteristics. The wide range of nuances by which this wine is characterised is due above all to the variety of terroirs that the Langhe itself offers - despite the limited size of the area - where the Nebbiolo vine has found its ideal environment.
The hilly expanses that characterise this area are home to plots located between 200 and 550 meters above sea level and are influenced by the climate, which is on average cool and windy, but protected by the presence of the Alps. The composition of the soils - of marine origin - varies from a predominantly calcareous-clayey area to a marly and sandy area, which create different nuances in the wines. These are central elements in the production of Barolo, which also owes its primary characteristics to the rigid production process.
How is Barolo produced?
It is not enough to use Nebbiolo grapes to make a Barolo, but it is necessary to follow a strict disciplinary that regulates every little aspect of the production stages. In addition to being made entirely (i.e. at every stage of production) in one of the 11 communes of the Langhe, Barolo receives special attention especially during ageing.
Specifically, to be officially defined as Barolo DOCG, the wine must undergo at least 38 months of ageing, calculated from 1 November of the same year in which the grapes were produced. Of these 38 months, in addition, 18 must be spent inside wooden barrels. In the Riserva version, i.e. Barolo wine aged for a long time before release, the ageing process continues for at least 5 years.
Wines of Kings, King of Wines: A Brief History of Barolo
The history of Barolo is one that links tradition and innovation, and which began in Piedmont - especially in the Langhe area - at least 2,500 years ago. Here, the Ligurian Stazielli and Gaul populations started the first cultivations, achieving such remarkable oenological results that the Romans were won over by the goodness of the local wine, made from what is today the most important grape variety in the region, Nebbiolo, whose name first appeared only in the Middle Ages.
After a fair amount of success in the Renaissance period and the first imports in the 18th century, which was an important turning point for the birth of today's Barolo. On the death of her husband Carlo Tancredi Falletti, Giulia Colbert de Maulévrier took over the man's landed estates and decided to develop them by relying on the advice of the oenologist Louis Oudart, thus applying French techniques to her wines, transforming Barolo from a sparkling, sweet wine - fermented in the open air - into a still, dry product.
Also contributing to its fame was the opinion of King Charles Albert of Savoy, who - after receiving it from the Marquise - happily described it as vinum regum, rex vinorum, or “wine of kings, king of wines”. Oudart's role in all this did not end there, however, as he also supported Camillo Benso di Cavour in the management of his vineyards, producing wines so good that they were used for formal gatherings such as the 1861 celebrations for the Unification of Italy.
After overcoming the difficulties caused by phylloxera and the world wars, this product - considered the king of Piedmont's red wines - began to be protected by consortia and associations and - when it was awarded DOCG status in 1980 - the regulations officially determined the areas and methods of production.
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