Azelia
Castiglione Falletto
- Est. in 1920 by Lorenzo Scavino. In 1967, Alfonso Scavino (son of Lorenzo) took the reins of the estate and bottled the first wines under the Azelia name.
- Now run by the 3rd and 4th generations, namely by Luigi and Lorenzo.
- Luigi Scavino is the cousin of Enrico Scavino of Paolo Scavino winery, and the two share ownership of the famed Fiasco hill.
- Total production is around 6,000 cases per year.
- Cover crops are sown between the rows of vines, the grass is mowed and the soil is not tilled. There is very careful use of SO2 in the wines.
Borgogno
Riserva
Barolo
- founded in 1761, Giacomo Borgogno e Figli is among the oldest names associated with wine in the Langhe region.
- Cesare Borgogno changed the name of the estate in 1967 to Giacomo Borgogno e Figli.
- In 1955, the French Institut des Appellations d’Origine took legal action against Borgogno, claiming that the name was unfair competition for the wines of Burgundy (Borgogna in Italian).
- Big stylistic focus on cuvee bottlings rather than cru bottlings!! Like Mascarello, Borgogna believes blending the exceptions cru sites in Barolo creates a more harmonious and balanced expression of Barolo.
- Long maceration & extended aging…. longevity!
- Calling card: vintage Barolo that predates WWII. The family still implements the unusual corporate policy of putting away stocks of good vintages in bottle and releasing them more than two decades later.
Elvio Cogno
‘Bricco Pernice’
Ravera, in the Novello Commune
- Elvio used to work for Marcarini at La Morra, and left in 1990 to start his own operation in Ravera.
- 7,000 cases annually
- Valter Fissore and Nadia Cogno (son in law and daughter of Elvio) cultivate indigenous varieties with organic vineyard practices and low yields.
“Bricco Pernice”- a Barolo DOCG. Bricco Pernice is named for the rock on which courting partridges build their nest. “Pernice” translates to “partridge,” “Bricco” is a hill. made from the finest vineyard in Novello in the most historic part of the Ravera cru. The label is designed by Elena, Elvio’s granddaughter.
Aldo Conterno
‘Bussia’
‘Cicala’
‘Colonnello’
‘Granbussia’ Riserva
Monforte d’Alba
- The late Aldo left his brother at his father’s cellar (the legendary Giacomo Conterno estate) in 1969 to pursue his own winemaking interests.
- Aldo was known for making instigating a rebirth of Modern day Barolo, not as tannic and more accessible in youth. Polished and beautifully expressive Barolos, now made by Aldo’s two sons.
- Strong belief to Slavonian Botti rather than French Barrique.
‘Bussia’- blend of the various estate-owned vineyards in Bussia from 50 year old vines. 1,247 feet above sea level. Classic and approachable bottling, with longevity.
‘Cicala’- Spicy & structured Barolo with rich fruit. Calcarious soil in this vineyard with higher than usual amounts of iron.
‘Colonnello’- made from a vineyard that according to local legend was named after a colonel in Napoleon’s army who bought the hillside in 1797 because he loved wines produced there. Most elegant and floral of Aldo’s single vineyards.
‘Granbussia’ Riserva- the Barolo Reserve Granbussia is produced by blending grapes from the oldest vines, from the Romirasco, Cicala, and Colonnello, before fermentation starts, in the following percentages respectively: 70% - 15% - 15%. The Granbussia remains in the cellar for at least 9 years before commercialization. It is produced exclusively in the best years and in limited quantities.
Giacomo Conterno
‘Cascina Francia’
‘Degli Amici’ Riserva
‘Monfortino’
Serralunga d’Alba
- Long-lived, traditional, and structured Barolos spanning three generations of Conternos: Giacomo, Giovanni, and Roberto.
- Southwest exposed vineyards and high elevation (1,214 feet above sea level).
- Fementaion in conical wooden vats rather than stainless.
- 15 years ago also introduced large, neutral Austrian casks for aging alongside the Slavonian casks.
‘Cascina Francia’- Started being produced in the 1970s.
Their first purchased vineyard site.
‘Monfortino’- The Conterno crown jewel, Monfortino, is not only arguably the greatest Barolo; it was also the very first Barolo made in what has come to be known as the classic style. At the time that Roberto Conterno’s grandfather Giacomo served in World War I, Barolo was generally sold in either cask or demijohn, meant for early drinking. So he started making Monfortino in 1920, a Barolo with incredible aging potential.
Fontanafredda
‘La Rosa’
‘Falletto’
Serralunga d’Alba
- Started in 1878 by Count Emanuele Guerrieri of Mirafiore, son of the king of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, and Countess Contessa Rosa di Mirafiore.
- One of Barolo’s oldest and most storied properties, as a magnificent estate surrounded by quiet woods.
- 110 hectares of land, but also the largest contiguous estate in the denomination. The winery also sources grapes from hundreds of growers.
‘La Rosa’- The calling card of the estate. Named after the King’s mistress (& baby mama) Rosa, but also derived from the wild roses that bloom along the walls of the farmhouse crowning the hill. Owned entirely by Fontanafredda, it is lower than most of Serralunga’s vineyards and harvested 7 days earlier than other sites. Structured Barolos that are intensely floral and aromatic. Aged in barrique, 50% new.
‘Falletto’- higher elevation and more structured.
Bartolo Mascarello
Barolo
-Extremely traditional! Radically so. Opposed to all recent changes in Barolo.
“I don’t make wines with fantasy names. I don’t make crus, I don’t make wine in barriques, my wines don’t have perfume of vanilla and Limousin oak. I’m the last of the Mohicans.”
- He fermented with the indigenous yeasts in concrete vats without temperature control, allowing the season to leave its full imprint. Submerged cap, rather than punching down.
- Blends always, rather than single vineyards.
- Passed away in 2005, and his daughter Maria Teresa is at the helm, adhering to her father’s practices through and through.
Giuseppe Mascarello
‘Monprivato Ca d’Morissio’
Barolo
-Mauro Mascarello has been the winemaker for the Giuseppe Mascarello estate since the late 1960s, the last remaining giant of the great Barolo generation that included Giovanni Conterno and Bartolo Mascarello. And like them, Mauro is a traditionalist dedicated to long fermentations and aging in old botti.
‘Monprivato Ca d’Morissio’- In 1983, having made several great Barolos from Monprivato, Mauro began replanting a two-acre section of the vineyard, using a Nebbiolo clone originally planted in Monprivato in 1921 by his grandfather Morissio. Mauro theorized that this clone—of the Michét subvariety—had become uniquely adapted to the Monprivato terroir. Mauro’s goal was to produce a super-riserva Barolo called Cà d’Morissio.
Today, Cà d’Morissio stands next to Giacomo Conterno’s Monfortino and Giacosa’s Rocche del Falletto Riserva as the greatest of all traditionally made Barolos.
Massolino
‘Parafada’
‘Vigna Rionda’
Serralunga d’Alba
- Founded in 1896 by Giovanni Massolino. Giovanni was one of the founders of the Consortium for the Defence of Barolo and Barbaresco.
- Known for his single vineyard wines, which we have.
‘Paradada’- a vineyard in Serralunga, with 55 yeard old vines. South facing slopes.
‘Vigna Rionda’- a single vineyard in Serralunga, with traditional aging and meant for long aging. More concentrated.
Oddero
‘Rocche di Castiglione’
Barolo
-1878, first bottled by Giacomo Oddero. Cultivates 35 hectares of the best cru of the Langhe and Asti territories.
‘Rocche di Castiglione’- Rocche di Castiglione is a beautiful narrow vineyard on top of the “Rocche”, whose meaning is “cliffs”. 250 meters above sea level, southeastern exposure, 100% in 20-hectoliter French oak barrels for 30 months.
Parusso
‘Bussia Vigne Rocche’
Barolo
- Family first bought land in 1901
- Parusso has pioneered the concept of micro-zoning soils based on the individual characteristics of each plot.
- Today, Parusso operates on 22 hectares of land, producing just over 100,000 bottles annually.
- Only indigenous grapes grown and planted.
Giacomo Fennochio
‘Villero’
Monforte d’Alba
- Five generations of Fenocchios have been producing wine from their holdings in the heart of the Bussia in Monforte d’Alba since 1894.
- he purchased prime parcels in some of the best crus in the Langhe – including Villero in Castiglione Falletto and Cannubi.
- minimalist, traditionalist, non-interventionist
Francesco Rinaldi
Barolo
- Founded in 1870, when Francesco Rinaldi inherited a vineyard and house in Barolo, inducing him to leave behind his work with the very large Mirafiore estate and set out on his own.
- no new oak, long macerations and long aging in large Slavonian oak botti prior to bottling.
- rancesco Rinaldi e Figli makes two non-cru denominated bottlings, one of Barbaresco and one of Barolo, made from a blend of different parcels. The Barolo is made from vineyards in the towns of Barolo, Castiglione Faletto and La Morra.
Giuseppe Rinaldi
‘Brunate-Le Coste’
‘Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera’
Barolo
“the least talked-about of the great old-style producers.”
- powerfully structured, hauntingly perfumed, very slow to mature and completely without concession to current fashion.
- he farms organically, ferments with the indigenous yeasts in his father’s and grandfather’s ancient tini—tall upright oak vats—without temperature control for a month, punches down by hand and ages in old botti grandi for 3 ½ years.
- Rinaldi is a fierce adherent to the tradition of blending Barolo from different sites. He has old-vine holdings in some of Barolo’s greatest crus,but today he makes no single-cru Barolo.
‘Brunate-Le Coste’- creating two blended wines from four crus that are strikingly different from each other. Rinaldi’s best known wine, Brunate-Le Coste is dark toned and powerful.
‘Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera’- more red-fruited and perfumed.
Luciano Sandrone
‘Le Vigne’
Barolo
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Luciano Sandrone
‘Le Vigne’
Barolo
- He started to learn viticulture at the age of 14 or 15, and after years of work as a cellarman he depleted his life savings and purchased his first vineyard on the Cannubi hill in 1977.
- He made his first vintage in 1978, in the garage of his parents.
- Sandrone subjects his wines to medium-length maceration period, shorter than traditional, but makes limited use of new oak in the maturation process, which takes place in 500 liter tonneaux, all signs of a more traditional approach in the cellar.
‘Le Vigne’- a wine created from four different Nebbiolo vineyards: Vignane, Merli, Baudana, Villero. The wine is aged in these casks for 24 months, followed by 18 months bottle aging. Around 1,300 cases are produced in a typical vintage.
Vietti
‘Rocche’ Riserva
Casiglione Faletto
- Patriarch Mario Vietti, starting from 1919 made the first Vietti wines.
- “single vineyard” or “cru-designated” wines are the focus of Vietti.
- His innovative winemaking utilizes a unique combination of the modern and traditional. Luca’s focus on terroir is reflected in his careful cultivation and organic farming of more than 25 single vineyards.
Robert Voerzio
‘Cerequio’
La Morra
- Voerzio’s yields are not only recognized as the lowest in Barolo, each vine of Voerzio’s produces approximately 750 grams of fruit. Thus, the production levels realized by Voerzio’s seven Barolos are exceedingly low, averaging between 150 and 450 cases.
- He would be a traditionalist in terms of his extended 15 day maceration times, and is between modern and traditional with his barrel aging incorporating a combination of barriques and midsized barrels.
‘Cerequio’ - one of the most prestigious sites in La Morra.
Renato Fenocchio Barbaresco
‘Starderi’
Barbaresco, village of Neive
‘Starderi’- The vineyard which gives both the grapes and the name to this wine sits in the village of Neive, on the South-Western side of the famous hill named “Starderi” Vinification with a long maceration of the skins (20-25 days) under controlled temperature; after it the wine was kept in 700-litre, mid-toasted tonneaux for 19 months. After it, the bottling and a six-month bottle ageing .
Gaja Barbaresco & Langhe
‘Sori San Lorenzo’
‘Sori Tilden’
‘Costa Russi’
- Founded in 1859, Gaja is the oldest winery un the denomination.
- Gaja is credited with pulling Barbaresco out of obscurity.
- Pioneer of single vineyard Barbaresco bottlings.
- He typically ages his Nebbiolo for one year in barrique, followed by subsequent aging in 100 year old Slavonian casks.
- Took all 3 of his single vineyard Barbaresco’s out of the Barbaresco DOCG, and into the less prestigious Langhe DOC due to his addition to Barbera as a bending grape.
Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco
‘Santo Stefano’
‘Faletti-Asili’
‘Falletto’
- Wine was made by Bruno’s grandfather Carlo and his father Mario as far back as the 1890’s, but the first bottled and sold one was 1961.
- Bruno considers himself to be a rigid traditionalist. However, the key elements in his work are a two to three-week fermentation in stainless steel at moderate temperatures followed by three to four years aging in French oak botti.
- Starting in 1996, Giacosa has divided into two winery names based on whether the grapes are estate grown : “Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa” makes wines only from estate vineyards, “Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa” makes wines using grapes purchased from selected growers.
‘Santo Stefano’- Historically, the most famous Giacosa cru bottling.First made in 1964 from grapes purchased from the vineyard’s sole owner, the Castello di Neive. The commune of Neive’s soils have a high proportion of clay and produce powerful and structured Barbaresco; Giacosa’s Santo Stefano—whether a white label normale or a riserva from a great year—is the quintessential Neive Barbaresco.
La Spinetta
‘Vigneto Valeirana- Vursu’
- Bruno, Carlo, and Giorgio Rivetti are the three brothers behind the famed La Spinetta estate, which was founded by their parents in 1977.
- The main estate is in Castagnole Lanze and their newer ‘Campè’ estate (acquired in 2000) in Grinzane Cavour.
- All three locations craft their wines using state-of-the-art equipment, including rotary fermenters and the most sophisticated grape presses on the market. After vinification, all the wines are aged in 100% new French oak barriques.
- Extremely modern, new world style of Barbaresco.
Moccagatta
‘Basarin’
Barbera
- Luigi Moccagatta began making wine in 1913, from vineyards owned by his family since the 1800s.
- Organically farmed vineyards with use of mor emdoern winery equipment and new oak. Considered a modern Barbaresco producer.
‘Basarin’- the Basarin cru in Neive, Moccagatta’s only single vineyard located outside of the Barbaresco township. Basarin is marked by its high altitude and calcarerous-marl soils. These estate owned vineyards, dating back to 1967, are located at a southern exposure. The grapes are macerated on the skins in temperature-controlled steel vats before maturing in French oak barriques for 18 months.
Cascina Ebreo
‘Torbido!’ Novello
- Peter Weimer and Romy Gygax purchased the property known as Cascina Ebreo (‘The Jewish Farm’) in Novello, in 1991. Two years later, they left their home and their former careers (engineering and banking) in Switzerland to take up permanent residence at their house on the Ravera hill above Barolo.
- Organic farming and viticulture. No filtering or fining.
‘Torbido!’- produced only in extraordinary years. It is fermented with a maceration of 20 – 25 days. Followed by 30-36 months in partially new barriques. Produced entirely from Nebbiolo grown on the estate, Peter submitted a bottle to the tasting panel for DOCG approval. The panel deemed his wine very fine quality but too cloudy (torbido) to meet with the “typicity” for Barolo. Though offered to submit another sample, Weimer rebelled, instead choosing to declassify the wine to Vina da Tavola status and name it Torbido!
