Cavallotto

Cavallotto Winery

The Cavallotto estate dates back to 1928, but the first bottle of Cavallotto Barolo wasn’t released until 1948. Back then it wasn’t common to bottle wine under a family label. Most farmers sold their grapes or sold the wine in bulk. Olivio and Gildo Cavallotto were the ones who began to vinify and bottle the wine under the family name, and today their children Alfio, Giuseppe and Laura continue the work of their family.

Wines

All the Cavallotto vineyards are located around the estate in Castiglione, and most of the grapes grow in the historic Bircco Boschis vineyard. Of the 25 hectares a whopping 17 hectares (more than half) is Nebbiolo for Barolo. In addition to the usual suspects (Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo), the Cavallotto family also cultivates Freisa, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Grignolino.  

Winemaking

Contemporary Traditionalists – that’s what I would call the Cavallotto family. They use “modern” technology like temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and modern crushing techniques, but “traditional” ageing methods with bigger barrels. Honestly, I think the whole “modern” vs “traditionalist” debate is out of date, and there is so much more to the whole story than what type of oak is used. Just ask Chiara Boschis!

Sustainable winemaking – another term to use about the Cavallotto family! As it says on their website, “Alfio and Giuseppe Cavallotto, both enologists, are deeply attentive to their vineyard practices, and all work is performed according to a fundamental respect for the land.”

Fun fact

The Cavallotto have multiple weather stations, where they monitor the weather closely. They started this because the local weather station was located in Alba, and the climate there is quite different from the climate in Castiglione.

Fun fact II

Alfio is experimenting with alternative methods to spray plants with natural herbicides and one of the options currently on the table is drones.

Wines

Wines available in:
Norway
Australia
Germany
Hong Kong
Italy
Netherlands
Switzerland
UK
USA

Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vina San Giuseppe
Grape: Nebbiolo
Classification: DOCG
Number of bottles produced: 9 000
Fragrance: fruity, floral, spices
Taste: fresh acidity, ripe fruits, long finish
Food pairing: prosciutto, salami, red meat, grilled fish, aged cheese

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 20-35 days.
Ageing: Traditional in Slavonian Oak Casks for 4-5 years.
Minimum aging in bottle: 12 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: San Giuseppe
Exposure: South-West
Year planted/Age of plants:  1961 / 60 years old

Barolo Riserva Vignolo

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Barolo Riserva Vignolo
Grape: Nebbiolo
Classification: DOCG
Number of bottles produced: 6 500
Fragrance: fruity, floral, spices
Taste: structured, long finish
Food pairing: prosciutto, salami, red meat, grilled fish, aged cheese

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 20-35 days.
Ageing: Traditional in Slavonian Oak Casks for 4-5 years.
Minimum aging in bottle: 12 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Vignolo
Exposure: South-West
Year planted/Age of plants:  1966/ 55 years old

Barolo Bricco Boschis

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Barolo Bricco Boschis
Grape: Nebbiolo
Classification: DOCG
Number of bottles produced: about 35 000
Fragrance: fruity, floral, spices
Taste: dark fruits, licorice, ripe tannins
Food pairing: prosciutto, salami, red meat, grilled fish, aged cheese

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 20-35 days
Ageing: Traditional in Slavonian Oak Casks for 3-3.5 years
Minimum aging in bottle: 6-12 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Various parcels inside Bricco Boschis, including the historic Punta Marcello and Colle SudOvest plots
Exposure: : South, South-West, South-East, West
Year planted/Age of plants:  1971/ 50 years old

Langhe Nebbiolo

This Nebbiolo comes from Barolo vineyards, generally from the youngest vines.

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Langhe Nebbiolo
Grape: Nebbiolo
Classification: DOC
Number of bottles produced: about 20 000
Fragrance: red fruits and flowers, spices
Taste: red fruit, spices, intense, structured
Food pairing: pasta, simple red meat, seasoned cheese

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 20-35 days
Ageing: Traditional in Slavonian Oak Casks for 15-18 months
Minimum aging in bottle: 6 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Various inside Bricco Boschis, Codana and Pernanno; grown in 100% Nebbiolo da Barolo parcels
Exposure: South-East, South, South-West, West
Age of plants:  50-60 years old

Barbera d’Alba

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Barbera d’Alba Vigna Cuculo
Grape: Barbera
Classification: DOC
Number of bottles produced: around13 000
Fragrance: red fruit, ref flowers
Taste: black stone fruit, cassis, fresh, goof acidity
Food pairing: salami, pasta, pizza, robust white meat, aged cheese

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 10-15 days
Ageing: Traditional in Slavonian Oak Casks for 15-18 months
Minimum aging in bottle: 6 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: the “Vigna Cuculo” parcel inside Bricco Boschis
Exposure: Southwest/West
Age of plants:  59 years old

Dolcetto D’Alba Vigna Scot

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Dolcetto d’Alba Vigna Scot
Grape: Dolcetto
Classification: DOC
Number of bottles produced: 13 000
Fragrance: cherries and other red fruit
Taste: red fruit and berries, spices, mineral notes
Food pairing: appetizers, pizza

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 3-4 days
Ageing: In large Slavonian oak botti of 50 hl for 6 months, then in cement tanks for 6 months
Minimum aging in bottle: none

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Vigna Scot parcel between Bricco Boschis and Vignolo
Exposure: East/North-East
Year planted: 1979

Langhe Freisa

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Langhe Freisa
Grape: Freisa
Classification: DOC
Number of bottles produced: 3 000
Fragrance: cherry, strawberry and other red fruits, flowers and spices
Taste: Well-structured and complex
Food pairing: pasta, pizza, simple red meat

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 3-5 days
Ageing: Traditional in Slavonian Oak Casks for 12-15 months
Minimum aging in bottle: 6 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Bricco Boschis
Exposure: West
Year planted: 1991

Langhe “Grign”

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Langhe Grign
Grape: Grignolino
Classification: DOC
Number of bottles produced: 
Fragrance: strawberries, red fruits, herbs
Taste: mid-weight and aromatic, red fruit, mineral
Food pairing: appetizers, pasta, simple red meat, seasoned cheese

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated with submerged cap for 5 days
Ageing: steel tanks for 12 months
Minimum aging in bottle: 6 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Bricco Boschis
Exposure: West and South- West
Year planted: 1974

Langhe Chardonnay

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Langhe Chardonnay
Grape: Chardonnay
Classification: DOC
Number of bottles produced: 4 000
Color: pale straw colored
Fragrance: apple, pear, lime, tropical fruit, minerals
Taste: apple, peach, mineral notes
Food pairing: aperitivo, white meat, seafood

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: Low-pressure, very gentle whole berry pneumatic pressing before fermentation. Fermentation controlled at 16°-18°C for 45 days under slight pressure in stainless steel autoclaves
Ageing: The wine is aged sûr lie for 9 months in the steel autoclave with daily batonnage
Minimum aging in bottle: 6 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Slopes between Bricco Boschis and Vignane
Exposure: East/North-East
Year planted: 1972

Pinner

BASIC INFORMATION

Product name: Pinner
Grape: Pinot Noir
Classification: 
Number of bottles produced: 6 000
Color: pale straw colored
Fragrance: tropical fruit, minerals
Taste: peach, melon, citrus
Food pairing: aperitivo, white meat, seafood

VINIFICATION (Wine-making)

Method: Low-pressure, very gentle whole berry pneumatic pressing before fermentation. Fermentation controlled at 16°-18°C for 45 days under slight pressure in stainless steel autoclaves
Ageing: The wine is aged sûr lie for 9 months in the steel autoclave with daily batonnage
Minimum aging in bottle: 6 months

VINEYARD

Vineyard: Vignolo and Bricco Boschis
Exposure:  East/North-East
Year planted: 1972