Wines from Piedmont

First bottled in 1967, Roncaglie (formerly Barbaresco Masseria) comes from a vineyard in Bricco di Neive and is essentially vinified and aged like a Barolo. Since the 2018 vintage, it now comes from a small parcel that used to belong to the Socré Barbaresco winery, and it is now deliberately brought to market a year later to ensure greater harmony and balance.

The grapes for the profound Le Vigne come from Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba (for the power), Villero in Castiglione Falletto (for the precision), Vignane in Barolo (for the purity of the flavours) and Merli in Novello (for the fullness of the fruit). It opens wide with aromas of fresh red fruit and a delicate spicy note. Very intense on the palate, remarkably elegant, fine-grained tannins, extremely clear, structured and long. SUPERIORE.DE

The Torriglione vineyard is a stone's throw away from Annunziata, and the eponymous single-vineyard Barolo is not only released two years later than the other crus of the house, but it is also exclusively filled in magnum bottles. It shows its very own character first and foremost with a noble restraint and caginess, and its density and complexity only give a taste of what awaits Barolo lovers here after a few minutes of aeration. Here, everything is in its place and there is more than enough of it: freshness, fruit, acidity, tannin, and the whole paired with a finesse that is unparalleled and that one would rather expect in Burgundy or Etna. A wine that indisputably belongs to those that you must have drunk at least once in your life! SUPERIORE.DE

Over the years, Roberto Voerzio has changed his winemaking to a gentler extraction and reduced the influence of French oak, making the purity of the fruit very expressive. What is remarkable about all his wines is his non-interventionist approach. In addition, up to two-thirds of each bunch is cut away in the vineyard to ensure even ripening of the remaining grapes. Roberto also chooses different bottle formats to present each wine as accurately as possible.

The grapes come from the single vineyard MGA Rabajà in the municipality of Barbaresco. 2019 is a retro vintage, so to speak, as it marks a return for Vietti, who vinified Rabajà back in the 1980s. 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. Intense garnet red colour. Opulent and delicate on the nose with floral scents of rosehips and violets and ripe black cherry. Amazingly fresh and enveloping for a mature Riserva from the very first sip. The tannins are ripe, soft, silky and wonderfully integrated, giving the wine a great structure and elegance. What completely won us over during the tasting was the almost immeasurable length of the wine, which is still resonating as we write this. Complimenti! SUPERIORE.DE

2019 is considered one of the vintage highlights of the last decade in Barolo: cool nights, sunny days and a long vegetation period led to perfectly balanced ripeness. In Bricco Pernice, this meant maximum aromatic clarity and structural depth. The high, south-westerly exposure in the Ravera cru site ensures an interplay of warmth and freshness, while the calcareous marl soils promote a taut, vertical style.

Bricco Pernice, usually harvested a little earlier, is a warm, south-facing plot in the top Ravera vineyard at an altitude of 320 metres. Cognos Barolo offers the depth, richness and concentration that characterise this site and vintage. Blood orange, mint, sweet red cherry, star anise and a range of spicy notes give it an impressive aromatic and flavour complexity. Medium-bodied, refined and expressive on the palate, it has a lot to offer. The best thing is that, despite its potential, it is easy to drink after just a few years in the bottle. It is a graceful wine: polished, nuanced, elegant and impeccably balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

Cerequio is considered one of the grand cru sites of Barolo and has been an integral part of the Michele Chiarlo icons for decades. The steep slopes between La Morra and Barolo face south-east and south-west, with calcareous marl and fine veins of sand that give the Nebbiolo here an unmistakable combination of depth, finesse and flavour. The vines, some of which are over 30 years old, produce wines of remarkable complexity in mature vintages. The 2019 vintage was characterised by a balanced vegetation cycle: a cool spring, followed by warm, sunny summer months and moderate temperatures in September, which allowed for slow, complete ripening. After gentle fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, the wine matured for two years in large French oak barrels before being further refined in the bottle.

Unique horizontal in an exclusive 9-piece original wooden box – a limited edition of just 100 copies of all single-vineyard Riserves produced from the outstanding 2019 Piedmontese vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

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.

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

Chiara Boschi's Cannubi 2020 beguiles on the nose with layers of fragrant fruit. A sensual Barolo and yet quite typical in its vineyard character. Soft, silky tannins frame the long finish. A wonderful wine, characterised by its balance and above all by the sweetness of its tannins. Very full-bodied, focussed and with great length. SUPERIORE.DE

Marassio is Giulia Negri's highest Barolo parcel and lies at an altitude of just under 540 metres on the western edge of La Morra – a cool, windy location where Nebbiolo ripens particularly slowly and evenly. The soil, rich in limestone marl and fine clay, gives the wine a distinctive minerality and firm structure. The wine is aged for 30 months in large, neutral wooden barrels to preserve the pure expression of the vineyard. 2020 offered a balanced climate with warm, dry phases and sufficiently cool nights, which gave the Nebbiolo a rare balance of aromatic richness and precise acidity.

Barolo Ornato is a great wine every year. It captures the true character of Serralunga with its wild herbs, minerals and ferruginous notes. Its bouquet shows small berry fruits and cassis, framed by gravel, forest floor, blue flowers and candied orange peel. The wine also has a dusty, mineral note and is intense on both the nose and palate. Ornato sets in with finely integrated tannins and an acidity that sustains all these fruit flavours. A wine that is consistently vertical, straightforward and frontal. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Cannubi 2021 is a great wine that emphasises the classic beauty of Nebbiolo and the top vintage. This wine is like a statue of a Greek goddess with perfect proportions and feminine aesthetics. The bouquet is multi-layered, with bright fruits, white pepper, mint, orange peel and spicy liquorice. The tannins are polished and fine, with a hint of the characteristic limestone chalk that you sometimes taste in Cannubi. The lively acidity rounds off this extremely elegant, fresh and graceful wine. Very full-bodied and focussed, with great length and great potential. 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.

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.

Giacosa's Barolo Vigna Le Rocche is only vinified in the best vintages as a Riserva (red label) and has a magical attraction for Nebbiolo lovers all over the world.

A beautiful, very sensual, feminine wine that is only vinified in the best vintages. Exquisitely flavoured with dark fruit, elegant and fine on the palate with plenty of fruit and length. It was named after the nickname once given to the young wild Clerico by his father: Aeroplan Servaj - wild aeroplane. And the labelling of the six bottles is just as wild and creative, but see for yourself! SUPERIORE.DE

The single vineyard Il Bricco, situated on both sides of the hilltop, the highest point is about 410 metres above sea level. Family-owned since the 1970s, you can expect great things every year. 2020 brought a stable summer, with a precise cooling in September and cool nights until the harvest. The result is very healthy, aromatically ripe grapes with clear fruit and balanced acidity – charming on the palate, yet precise and persistent. After separate fermentation of the batches in stainless steel, the wine is matured traditionally in large barrels and a moderate proportion of barrique is used for texture.

"Vigna Rionda Riserva is for us every year the Barolo from Serralunga at the peak of its potential. It is the wine we are most proud of. Vigna Rionda, protagonist of the history of our winery, is one of the most sought-after and prestigious cru sites in the entire Barolo area. We are not just talking about microclimate and soil here: Something very special happens on this hill in Serralunga d'Alba, and this something gives the Vigna Rionda Riserva its life and makes it a truly unique wine." Franco Massolino

The fruit for this top-class Barolo, which is exceptional not only because of its six different labels, comes from the MGA Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba, whose vines were planted in 1994. Aeroplan Servaj (little aeroplane) is the affectionate nickname that Domenico Clerico's father gave his young, free-spirited son. Exciting bouquet of wild cherry, candied orange peel, ploughed earth and rusty nails. There is a subtle sweetness in the primary fruit, but the wine is mainly defined by its very refined, rich and savoury side. As it progresses into an impressive finish, it offers impeccable balance and straightforwardness. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Ornato is a great wine every year. With its wild herbs, minerals and ferrous notes, it captures the true character of Serralunga. Its bouquet shows small berry fruits and cassis, framed by gravel, forest floor, blue flowers and candied orange peel. The wine also has a dusty, mineral note and is very intense both on the nose and on the palate. Ornato starts with finely integrated tannins and an acidity that sustains all these fruit flavours. A wine that is consistently vertical, straightforward and frontal. SUPERIORE.DE