What is Barolo Wine?

Barolo is a red wine made from the Nebbiolo grape variety in the Piedmont region of Italy. This wine is named after the town of Barolo, located in the Langhe hills in the Cuneo province of Piedmont.

The Nebbiolo grape is known for its thick skin and high acidity, resulting in a wine that is full-bodied with high tannins. Barolo wine is typically aged for at least two years in oak barrels and another year in the bottle before it is released. This aging process gives Barolo its signature complex flavors and aromas, including notes of red fruits, truffles, leather, and spices.

The History

Barolo wine has a long and storied history, dating back to the mid-19th century. It was originally produced by winemakers in the Piedmont region as a sweet wine, but this changed in the late 19th century when French winemakers introduced new techniques and equipment that allowed for the production of dry red wines.

Today, it is widely considered one of Italy’s greatest wines, and it is known around the world for its exceptional quality and unique flavour profile.

Barolo Wine Production

Barolo wine is made from nebbiolo grapes, which are harvested in October. The grapes are then fermented in stainless steel or cement vats, with the skins and seeds left in contact with the juice for up to three weeks. This process helps to extract the flavors and tannins from the grapes, resulting in a wine that is full-bodied and complex.

After fermentation, the wine is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two years, although many producers choose to age their wine for much longer. During this time, the wine develops its signature aromas and flavours, which are influenced by the type of oak used for aging and the conditions in which the wine is stored.

PRODUCERS

Elio Altare is well-known for their Barolo’s. Altare’s wines are concentrated, deep in flavour and at the same time ethereal and elegant. The deep flavors of ripe nebbiolo, its complexity and length in combination with soft, well integrated tannins make Altare’s Barolos the most sought-after wines in the world. Both the Barolo Classico and the wines from the Cru vineyards, like Cerretta, have a great aging potential of easily 20 years.

Their neighbours Mauro Veglio is the other producer we work with. The current generation of Barolos are already fantastic in their younger years, but the big party starts from about 5 years old, their wines also have an impressive aging potential. The Barolos from the late 90s are now (2023) slowly starting to be ready to drink. Barolo from a good year (when properly stored), e.g. Paiagallo 2017, can easily age for 20 to 30 years old without losing any of its initial beauty.

Barolo Wine Regions

Perfect Pairings

The Price

Conclusion

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