Today, let’s travel back to Italy in our minds, shall we? After getting to know the area of Colli Berici DOC in Veneto, hop on a train in your imagination and let’s go visit some of the best Crus in Barolo, Piedmont. Gianni Gagliardo is one of the most well-known producer. The family has been producing wine for generations, and their dedication to quality and tradition has earned them a reputation as one of the top Barolo producers in the World. A couple of months ago, I got the chance to sit on a masterclass, where we have tasted their different selection of Barolos from the village wines to the best vineyards expressions. Let me share with you this experience by talking about the region, the winery and the wines of course!
Barolo
Barolo is a small town situated in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. It is known for its production of one of the world’s most distinguished red wines, also known as Barolo. The wine is made from the Nebbiolo grape entirely, which is grown on the hilly vineyards surrounding the town. It covers around 2000 hectares in 11 communes (or villages). There are around 360 producers working on that surface which gained DOC status in 1966 and have been upgraded to DOCG in 1980. Barolo wine is typically characterized by its garnet colour, super high tannins, and flavors of cherries, truffles, leather and violet. A wine that is capable of ageing for decades before the tannins soften, especially the traditional style Barolos.
There are strict rules of aging requirements before releasing the wines to the market: after fermentation, a minimum aging of 36 months (at least 18 in wood by law) for Barolo DOCG and a minimum of 60 months for the Riserva is a must.
One of the distinguishing features of Barolo is the use of single vineyard designations. The Barolo DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) regulations require that wines labelled as Barolo must be made from grapes grown in one or more of the following designated vineyards: Cannubi, Brunate, Rocche di Castiglione, Monprivato, Cerequio, Liste, Villero, and Fossati. In addition, there are a few other single vineyards that are not officially recognized by the DOCG regulations but are still highly esteemed by Barolo enthusiasts. We will look into a couple of the mentioned Crus soon!
Podere Gianni Gagliardo
The Podere Gianni Gagliardo winery had been originated by a tradition of vintners based in Piedmont since 1847. It was officially founded in the 1970s by Gianni Gagliardo, who was passionate about wine and determined to create a winery that would produce some of the best Barolo in the region. Today, the winery is run by Gianni and his 3 sons, Stefano, Alberto and Paolo. The continue their father’s legacy of producing exceptional wines.
They are only working with native varieties, those that reflect the character of the territory. The winery is certified organic and has implemented a range of environmentally friendly practices in their vineyards, including the use of organic fertilizers and natural pest control methods.
The winery has 35 hectares of vineyards, with the majority of the grapes being Nebbiolo. They produce a range of wines, including Barolo, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba, and Dolcetto d’Alba. However, it is their Barolo that is most famous and highly regarded. The winery produces several different Barolo wines, each with its own unique flavour profile and aging potential. The vineyards are located in some of the best MeGa (cru) of the Barolo region, including Lazzarito, Castelletto, Monvigliero, Mosconi and Fossati while the cellar is located in the commune of La Morra.
Single vineyards in Barolo
The single vineyard wines of Barolo are some one of the most sought-after ones among wine lovers. Each vineyard has its unique characteristics, which contribute to the distinctiveness of the wines produced.
Fossati:
33,78 hectares, situated in the northeastern part of Barolo, south to the village of La Morra. The soil in the Fossati vineyard is loamy with good amount of organic substance, medium limestone and good fertility. It is a vineyard with a somewhat late cycle, in fact, it is generally harvested last. It is set in a natural forest, which strongly contributes to the uniqueness of its microclimate.
Barolo Fossati DOCG 2018 by Gianni Gagliardo: they own 0,1 hectares from this single vineyard that makes only 500 bottles of production. A concentrated and deep wine with darker fruit character and sweet spices. After a while in the glass, starts to develop more earthy notes. Full body, high tannins, darker colour and a very long finish.
Mosconi:
75,75 hectares, located in the southern part of the Barolo region, near the town of Monforte d’Alba. The soil in this vineyard is loamy with low organic matter content, in Southern selection there is more silt and little more active limestone. Early ripening, despite the high altitude of 350 metres above sea level.
Barolo Mosconi DOCG 2017 by Gianni Gagliardo: a single vineyard of only 1,26 hectares belong to the family. That makes up around 800-1000 bottles produced yearly and the usage of only used oak barrels. A more developped wine, dominated by dried flowers and earthy, mushroomy aromas. It has a somewhat sweeter, riper nose, still high but smoother tannin structure. A juicier wine with a full-body.
Lazzarito:
29,54 hectares, situated in the eastern part of the region, near the village of Serralunga d’Alba. The soil in this vineyard is loamy with a good amount of limestone. Shallow, it needs a constant organic supply. It is among the first to sprout and the last to be harvested. The calcareous subsoil doesn’t allow abundant production of grapes, but of excellent quality.
Barolo Lazzarito Vigna Preve DOCG 2017 by Gianni Gagliardo: This wine is only made in the best years, using the highest-quality Nebbiolo grapes harvested from the “Lazzarito” plot of the Preve vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba. Here, the family owns 0,85 hectares on 390 metres above sea level which is one of the highest in all Barolo. This is the highest classification possible in the region a very exculsive wine. It has a very light ruby colour in the glass. Less earthy notes as the previous wine, definitely needs time to open up after pouring out from the bottle. The red fruits are coming forward with some mint, cinnamon and red roses. Smoother tannin structure than the Mosconi and a fruity very long finish with a touch of smoke. Outstanding quality wine!
Conclusion
It truly was an excellent and informative tasting that perfectly showed the different characteristics of Barolo’s single vineyards and introduced the Gagliardo family’s wine making philosophy. It was a pleasure to taste these wines and I hope I made you curious enough as well to discover those exceptional Barolo Crus!
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