Nebbiolo grape variety

Undisputedly the most powerful and robust Barolo in Roberto Voerzio's top range is the Rocche dell'Annunziata from one of the best vineyards in La Morra. For us, it is a benchmark in determination and forward momentum. Wonderfully harmonised fruit and spice components, a great wealth of impressions and precisely drawn beauty characterise this exceptional Barolo. Intensely fragrant nose of plums, preserved cherries and lots of raspberries, rounded off with cedar, spices and tobacco. Its depth, complexity and determination never rest; even 24 hours after opening the bottle, the connoisseur is still surprised by fine notes of mint and balsam and this incredibly expressive and charming wine shows no signs of ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes come from the MGA Rabajà in the municipality of Barbaresco. The soils are calcareous and clayey, with a south/south-west exposure and an altitude of around 235-315 metres above sea level. The average age of the vines is 51 years and they are cultivated according to the Guyot system. SUPERIORE.DE

If Brunate is a geological statement and Cerequio whispers, then Rocche dell'Annunziata roars – but with aristocratic restraint. This site, whose name appears in connection with viticulture as early as the Middle Ages, is considered one of the most sought-after subzones of La Morra. Full southern exposure, geologically young soils of Sant'Agata marl with sand, limestone and an exceptionally high proportion of silt – an element that links Rocche dell'Annunziata with the legendary Cannubi Boschis. Roberto Voerzio calls this his most important site, not only because of its perfect exposure to the sun, but also because of the paradoxical combination of raw power and disarming elegance. Voerzio himself calls Rocche dell'Annunziata his "monolith" – and yet it is not a rigid block, but a wine full of inner tension. The 24-month maturation in used barriques and large barrels has lent it complexity without taming its youthful vitality. In the endless final, notes of dark fruit, liquorice, chocolate and a mineral precision remain, giving the wine its backbone.

The Falletto vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba is considered the centrepiece of Bruno Giacosa's work. The south and south-west facing slopes with calcareous marl soils produce Nebbiolo with unmistakable depth and structure. The 2020 vintage was characterised by a warm, sunny summer, balanced by cool nights and a long, stable autumn – ideal conditions for fully ripe, aromatically complex grapes with precise acidity.

Vigna Elena is a Ravera parcel of 1 hectare in size. Just 5,000 bottles of Cogno's famous Riserva come from here every year. The Vigna Elena 2019 has just the right balance between fruit and wood, which is often a real challenge in this category. The rather bright bouquet has red fruits and nuances of truffle, ash, dried citrus peel and pressed flowers. Elegant, brooding and powerful, as only a great Barolo can be, Vigna Elena possesses a wealth of nuances and dimensions from the very first sip. Exotic spice and orange peel notes, followed later by ripe raspberries, mocha and autumn leaves. The Vigna Elena 2019 is an absolute delight. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that define regions. Gaja's Barbaresco is one of them. It has been produced since 1859, over five generations, and in all these decades it has remained what it always was: the calling card, the brand ambassador, the essence of what Barbaresco means. While the single-vineyard wines – sorì San Lorenzo, Sorì Tildìn, Costa Russi – show virtuosity, it is this classic Barbaresco that captures the soul of the terroir. It is the sum of fourteen vineyards spread across the municipalities of Barbaresco and Treiso, each parcel a mosaic stone in the big picture.

Roberto Voerzio is a master of his trade. The crowning glory, however, is his Riserva Case Nere, aged for 10 years in large oak barrels, which he brings to the market just at the beginning of a long (incipient) phase of drinking maturity. Dried autumn leaves, macerated cherries, tobacco, spices and liquorice lend this exceptional Barolo an impressive complexity and deep nuances that only gradually unfold in the glass. Sweet, silky and polished on the palate, already full of balance and harmony. There is something mysterious about this Riserva that is bound to captivate any connoisseur. After some time, the tannins emerge and the wine takes on a much more virile personality and you realise that it will take many more years for this wine to reveal all its secrets ... SUPERIORE.DE

There are situations that don't need to be explained – you just have to name them. Romirasco is one of them. The highest parcel in the Bussia Soprana, 395 metres above sea level, less steep than the Cicala, but more exposed, cooler, more dramatic. The oldest vines on the entire estate are here – 65 to 70 years old, Nebbiolo Lampia on Rupestris du Lot rootstock, rooted in a soil of calcareous clay with exceptional amounts of manganese and magnesium. It is these minerals that give Romirasco its characteristic flavour – the unmistakable fingerprint that distinguishes it from Cicala and Colonnello even in blind tastings. Only 4,000 bottles are produced per vintage from 3.8 hectares – the lowest yield of all Conterno wines. Romirasco was first produced in the legendary 2004 vintage, when hail damage made it impossible to bottle the other crus separately. The result was so overwhelming that the Conternos decided to vinify this vineyard separately from then on. Today, Romirasco is considered the best wine of the house.

Where the path ends, this story begins. In 2016, Danilo Drocco made a decision bold enough to commemorate the pioneering work of Carlo Negri. The grandson of the founder, who bottled a Sfursat for the first time in 1956, putting Valtellina on the map of great wine. 60 years later, NINO NEGRI 3000 was born: 3,000 magnum bottles, two iconic wines, an experiment between heaven and earth. The Chiavennasca grapes for this Sforzato were left to dry for 100 days in the cool, clear Alpine air – the traditional method that gives strength and concentration without sacrificing the Alpine freshness. The wine then rested for three years in large oak barrels at Castello Quadrio before the magnums began their journey at the end of 2020: up to the rock-cut mountain cellars of Heaven 3000 in Bormio and Ristoro Carosello 3000 in Livigno. Five years at 3,000 metres, where time slows down – less oxygen, lower temperatures, a maturing process that reveals nuances that remain hidden in the valley.

Barolo Castiglione 2018 is bright, fresh and clearly defined. Crushed red berry fruit, white pepper, chalk, mint and rose petals run through this beautifully shaped Barolo. The purity of the fruit and overall energy are captivating. Castiglione is Vietti's entry-level Barolo and is always the most approachable in the bottle range, but this vintage shows a higher level of intensity, complexity and freshness. The silky tannins are accompanied by a lovely mentholated brightness into a beautiful finish. A very down-to-earth drop that unmistakably shows off its charm. SUPERIORE.DE

Seven hectares surrounded by a hostile world. The Vigna Fracia is located where the Alpine valleys meet, where glacial winds ensure temperatures that are below the average for the already cool Valtellina. It is historically the coldest zone in the region – and yet lavender and rosemary grow wild here between the dry stone walls. This contradiction has characterised the wine since 1897, when Nino Negri acquired this parcel: his oldest, his most idiosyncratic. Where the Sforzato Carlo Negri favours concentration through drying, the Vigna Fracia chooses the classic path. No appassimento method, no sultana sweetness – instead a pure red wine vinification that preserves the Nebbiolo's alpine freshness. After fermentation, the wine rests for twelve months in medium-sized oak barrels, followed by two years of bottle ageing in the valley. At the end of 2020, the magnums began their ascent: five years in the rock cellars of Bormio and Livigno at 3,000 metres. Two paths, one goal – altitude as the finishing touch.

At the very top of the Serradenari parcel, the fruit grows for an exceptional Barolo, with which the young winemaker Giulia Negri has truly created a monument to herself. Marassio clearly benefits from the cool climate of Piedmont's high altitudes and will therefore hardly change its character even if the climate continues to change.

Rabajà is one of the great vineyards of Barbaresco – a gently sloping south-west-facing slope between the Asili and Martinenga crus, whose calcareous and clayey soils produce wines with unmistakable depth. The 2021 vintage is considered outstanding in Piedmont: a balanced vegetation cycle with warm days, cool nights and ideal harvest conditions produced Nebbiolo grapes of rare aromatic purity and perfect phenolic ripeness. Intense garnet red in the glass with sparkling ruby-coloured reflections. The nose opens with a precise, almost crystalline fruit of sour cherry, ripe raspberry and sloe, surrounded by violets, dried rose petals, fine cedar wood and a minerality reminiscent of graphite. On the palate, the wine is both powerful and silky, with fine, ripe tannins and a present, perfectly integrated acidity that lends freshness and tension. The finish is long, elegant and carried by a saline note that impressively reflects the character of the vineyard. A Barbaresco with great development potential and the typical noblesse of Rabajà. SUPERIORE.DE

The single vineyard Falletto in Serralunga d'Alba is one of the centrepieces of the Barolo region. On steep, south-facing slopes, whose marl and sandstone soils store heat and contribute minerality, Nebbiolo matures here into wines of great structure and depth. The 2021 vintage is considered one of the best of the last decade: a stable summer with cool nights and sunny days allowed for long, even ripening and produced grapes of rare balance.

Barolo Castiglione is produced from a large number of parcels throughout the Barolo zone, many of which are of such high quality that they could be bottled separately. The 2019 vintage is beautiful in the way it combines the vibrancy of the year with a soft, inviting textural presence. Fresh cut flowers, mint, sweet spices, aniseed and red berries are beautifully interwoven in the glass. As the wine progresses, it shines with exquisite finesse, floral aromas and an exquisite overall balance. Ripe, silky tannins support the impressive finish. The 2019 version gives a first impression of how great this vintage is at Vietti. This is first-class stuff. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Prapò comes from Serralunga d'Alba and is, as expected, the most powerful and structured of the various single-vineyard wines from this ambitious estate. At the same time, it is also the most closed at the beginning and, with its introverted nature, is made for a long ageing period. This site is one of the last where the grapes ripen, giving them plenty of time to develop slowly and carefully each year.

Sibi et paucis – for the few who understand that great wines are not in a hurry. Sandrone retains around 10 per cent of the production from each Aleste vintage and allows these bottles to mature for a full decade longer in his own cellar. What could have been released in September 2019 remains dormant until today – and is becoming something that goes beyond regular Barolo.