Appellation: Alba, Piedmont, Italy

Style: Barolo is the undisputed champion of Italian reds, dubbed “The King of Wines and the Wine of Kings.” Piedmont’s Alba region is Italy’s westernmost, bordering Switzerland and France—the local dialect is the same Langue d’Oc from the French side of the border. Piedmont means “foothills,” and the elevation makes for cold winters, warm, dry summers and cool foggy conditions during Autumn harvest.

Nebbiolo grapes take their name from these fogs (nebbia). Notoriously demanding to grow (and rarely seen outside the Piedmont), they require sheltered south-facing sites with well-drained calcareous marl (chalky) soils, and Alba has the Piedmont’s best, yielding grapes with high tannins, good extract and very importantly for this long-lived style, bracing acidity for structure and ageability. Piedmont’s devotion to tradition and its pride in its native vines shows immediately in the Estate Series Piedmont Barolo.

Medium-heavy in body with a luminous dark cherry color, tannin dominates the flavors initially, with intense grip and robust dryness in the finish. High acid, tannin and alcohol levels challenge the palate when the wine is young, but with age come rewards: wild ripe strawberries hot from the sun, a whiff of dark tar, the scent of roses and violets, and earthy, rich truffles. Burly, assertive, chewy wine, it is not for the faint of heart, but for those seeking intensity and complexity, there is nothing else like Barolo.

Harvest Conditions: pH 3.5, Brix 23.0, T.A. 5.3g/l

Similar Styles: Selection Original Barolo Style

Food Pairings: Braised beef and lamb dishes, charcuterie, game dishes, grilled steak, and any dish with truffles.

Sweetness Code: 0 (really very dry indeed)

Alcohol by Volume: 12.5 - 13.0%

Oak: 60 g regular oak and 60 g toasted oak

Aging: Drinking Selection Estate Series Barolo under one year of age will yield swingeing tannins and intense dryness, but to experience the rose and strawberry notes will require 12-18 months of age, with violets, tar and truffles coming in, developing deeper, fuller notes (and a magnificently long finish).