Disclaimer: I have not visited Moccagatta before. And honestly, haven’t tried many of their wines. However, a few weeks ago my friend served me the Bric Balin 2016 blind and it blew me away! Which then led to my new interest in the Moccagatta wines.
Barbaresco
Nebbiolo for Barolo or Nebbiolo for Barbaresco? The grape may be the same, but the end results are quite different. Why? Climate has a lot to do with it. So does soil. The “Map Man” makes great 3d maps of the different areas, that show you how different the soil, altitude & exposition are in the different cities of Piemonte.
Even though I tend to stay within the confounds of Barolo, I do try to venture out and try wines from all over Piemonte (and the world). And Barberasco is not exactly very far away from Barolo. Although I have not tried all wines from Barbaresco, I normally prefer the wines from Barolo. But the Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin 2016 really impressed me.
Moccagatta Bric Balin 2016
2016 produced some really big wines. Often compared to 2010, wines from 2016 will benefit from staying in the cellar for quite a few years.
The tannins are big, but they disappear fairly quickly and you’re left with beautiful fruit flavors. The wine lasts long in the mouth and it’s hard to put the glass down. If you drink it now, having some food with a glass will go a long way. Some air might also be beneficial to the drinking experience.
Barbera d’Alba 2017 308kr (New Vinatage) Cavallotto’s barbera supriore is excellent. 2017 is not my favorite vintage, but when you’re a good winemaker, you make good wines in any vintage. This is a barbera that has excellent aging potential. It spends 15-18 months in big barrels and then 6 months in the bottle before it’s release. Good acidity, dark fruits, intense – perfect with pasta or pizza.
Langhe Nebbiolo 2017 280kr (New Vintage) Cavallotto makes their Langhe Nebbiolo almost like a barolo. The grapes come from the Barrolo Cru vineyards and spend 15-18 months in big barrels after a long fermentation. The tannins are quite persistent, but the fruit shines through and lasts a while in the mouth. Can drink now, but I’d keep it for a little bit.
Moccagatta
Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin 2016 575kr (New Vintage) I’ve recently been served this blind, and I was mega impressed. 2016 is a big vintage, but the tannins disappear quite quickly and you’re left with an impressive fruit boquet.
Vietti
Vietti Barolo Castiglione While we’re waiting for the 2016 Barolo’s from Vietti, the 2015 is drinking quite nicely right now!
Trediberri
Shhhh don’t tell anyone, but the 2016 Barolo from Trediberri will be released tomorrow! I’ve only ever tried it directly from a freshly bottles bottle, but I can tell you that the wine is INCREDIBLE.
My good friend Lorenzo is the youngets generation of the Azelia family. Fun fact: one of the people in the world that makes me laugh the most is Lorenzo Scavino. I’m not sure why, but I swear I’m in stitches like 50% of the time I spend with Lorenzo.
The story of Azelia starts in 1920 when Cavalier Lorenzo Scavino started to vinify the grapes from the family owned vienyards. This would be the start of an incredible journey for the Scavino family. Today, Luigi, Lorella and their son Lorenzo run the show. Lorenzo, who bears the name of his great grandfather, represents the 5th generation of winemakers in the family.
Winemaking
When it comes to the “style” of winemaking, Azelia adopted a method in the cellar that represents a fusion between modern and traditional; a method I like to call Contemporary Traditionalist. But, as I’ve mentioned before, who really cares as long as the wines are good? As Luigi says, “It’s always a matter of balance.”
Azelia Wines
Azelia has 16 hectares across Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba and Monelupe Albese. Some of their vineyards include Margheria, Bricco Fiasco and San Rocco, of which they make excellent Cru Barolo’s.
With 8 wines in their lineup, there are many good options to chose from. In addition to the Barolo’s, Azelia also makes Dolcetto, Langhe Nebbiolo and a Barbera Superiore.
Fun fact about the Azelia Label
Because there are a few Scavino’s in the area, Lorenzo the 1st decided to use a different name on the label: Azelia. Azelia (Azalae) is a wild flower similiar to Daisy that used to grow in the Langhe. Sadly, this flower no longer grows in this region.
And you might have noticed an image of a peacock on the label. It’s there because the family’s farm used to have many peacocks running around.
Fun fact II
You may have heard of the winemakers Paolo Scavino and Cavallotto. Well, as it turns out that the Azelia, Cavallotto and Paolo Scavino families are related (somehow). I forget exactly which family member is related to who, but how cool is it to have winemaker in your blood! Must have been some good genes in that family!
Azelia Wines
Wines available in: Norway Italy Sweden Switzerland USA United Kingdom
*List is not complete
Dolcetto d’Alba
What distinguishes this Dolcetto from many other in the Barolo region, is the location of the vineyard. Located outside of the “borders” in Montelup Albese, the soil of this vineyard gives the wine a very different impression than if it were grown inside the “borders”.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Dolcetto d’Alba
Grape: Dolcetto Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 15,600 Color: Intense purple red color
Fragrance: Red fruits, blackberry, rose, sweet spices
Taste: Aromatic and mineral, fruity and flolar
Food pairing: pizza, pasta, aperitivo
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Rotorfermentors, vinification with indigeneous yeast Temperature: 27 degrees celcius Length: 7 days Ageing: Stainless steel
VINEYARD:
Soil: Calcareous tending to sandy Exposure: South, 600 m a.s.l. Age of plants: 45 years
Langhe Nebbiolo
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Langhe Nebbiolo Grape: Nebbiolo Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 10,200 Color: Fragrance: Violet and floral aromas, cherry, strawberry, currant Taste: Good acidity, ripe tannins, easy to drink
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Rotorfermentors, vinification with indigeneous yeast Temperature: 28 degrees celcius Length: 7 days Ageing: Stainless steel
VINEYARD:
Soil: White calcareous Exposure: Age of plants: Average of 20 years
The age of the vines used for the Barbera are around 60 years old! It’s also a Barbera Superiore, which means it spends some time in oak.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Punta Grape: Barbera Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 6,700 Color:
Fragrance: Forrest berries, prune and blackberry.
Taste: Balanced acidity, fresh, fruity
Food pairing:
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Rotorfermentors, vinification with indigenous yeast Temperature: 29 degrees celcius Length: 15 days Ageing: 14 months in small barrels
VINEYARD:
Soil: Calcareous
and Clayey Exposure: South-west Age of plants: 60 years old
Azelia Barolo
A classic Barolo with grapes from both Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba. Spends about 2 years in big barrels. In the vintages where the Riserva isn’t made, those grapes go into this wine,
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Barolo Grape: Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 26,400 bottles, 600 magnums Fragrance: Sweet nose, hints of cherry, black currant and licorice Taste: Fruity tannins
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Rotorfermentors, vinification with indigenous yeast Temperature: 31 degrees Celcius Length: 4-5 weeks with submerged cap Ageing: 24 months in large casks Minimum aging in bottle: 1 year
VINEYARD:
Soil: White calcareous tending to clayey Exposure: South-West Age of plants: 45 years
Barolo Bricco Fiasco
The Barolo Bricco Fiasco has been made since 1978. A historic cru from Castiglione Falletto. The age of the vines average 65 years.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Bricco Fiasco Grape: Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 6,800 bottles, 520 magnums and 60 double magnums Fragrance:Perfumed, floarl, red fruit Taste: Rich, warm, fresh, ripe tannins
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Vertical fermenters in stainless steel, vinification with indigenous yeast Temperature: 31 degrees Celsius Length: 4-5 weeks with submerged cap Ageing: 24 months in small barrels Minimum aging in bottle: 1 year
VINEYARD:
Soil: White calcareous Exposure: South Age of plants: 65 years
Barolo Margheria
This was one of the first Barolo’s Luigi decided to put in big barrels. Typical Serralunga style. Energetic.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Margheria Grape: Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 8,100 bottles, 520 magnums, 60 double magnums Fragrance: Complex aromas, black fruits, licorice and spices Taste: Persistent tannins that give it structure, long finish
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Vertical fermenters in stainless steel, vinification with indigenous yeast Temperature: 31 degrees celcius Length: 4-5 weeks with submerged cap Ageing: 28 months in large casks Minimum aging in bottle: 1 year
VINEYARD:
Location: Serralunga d’Alba Soil: Clayey with tufaceous marls Exposure: South Age of plants: 50 years
Barolo San Rocco
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: San Rocco Grape: Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 6,400 bottles, 520 magnums, 60 double magnums Fragrance: Licorice, spices, dark fruits Taste: Fruity, cherry and blueberry. Sweet, ripe tannins, complex.
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Vertical fermenters in stainless steel, vinification with indigenous yeast Temperature: 31 degrees celcius Length: 4-5 weeks with submerged cap Ageing: 24 months in small barrels Minimum aging in bottle: 1 year
VINEYARD:
Location: Serralunga d’Alba Soil: Clayey and Calcareous Exposure: South Age of plants: 55 years
Barolo Riserva Bricco Voghera
The Riserva from Azelia is only made in excellent vintages, and is
released after 6 years.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Riserva Bricco Voghera Grape: Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 3,100 bottles, 340 magnums and 60 double magnums Fragrance: Dried flowers, dried fruit, great freshness Taste: Black cherry, prune, rose, violet, dark chocolate, round tannins, long finish
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Vertical fermenters and stainless steel, vinification with indigenous yeast Temperature: 31 degrees Celcius Length: 4-5 weeks with submerged cap Ageing: 30 months in large casks
VINEYARD:
Location: Serralunga d’Alba Soil: Clayey and calcareous Exposure: South Age of plants: 75 years old
Enzo Bartoli was born in 1897 in Nizza di Monferrato and have his life to the soil, wine and people from the town at the foot of the mountain. He was a simple and honorable man who devoted his life to find and cultivate the perfect soil to produce the finest fruit from the vineyards and handcraft wines that reflect the majesty of the Piedmont.
Now, the question remains the same: Who is, or was, Enzo
Bartoli?
And the answer? Enzo never existed. He was made up by the company
that produces the Enzo Bartoli wines. And how do I know this? Well, I did some
research.
Digging a little deeper
Research showed that the import
company Independent Wine Company
previously spun a tale about who Enzo Bartoli was on their website. Back in 2018
you could find this statement (in Swedish) on the website:
“Enzo föddes 1897 i Nizza di Monferrato
och vigde sitt liv till jorden, vinet och människorna i landet vid bergens fot.
Han var en enkel och värdig man som i sin tysta strävan sökte efter jordens
genuina uttryck. Idag lever hans arv vidare genom dessa viner som vi i sann
Enzo anda har förädlat. Kort sagt – Enzo Bartoli är Piemonte
personifierat.”
This statement was later changed,
and the Enzo who was born in 1987 in Nizza Monferrato was all of a sudden
referred to as a myth. And now, any mention of Enzo, myth or otherwise, has been
removed completely from the website.
If you dig deep into the Enzo
Bartoli Instagram, you’ll find traces of this story. The back label used to
say: This wine is dedicated to Enzo. Enzo, the most humble man from the
Monferrato area. Enzo, who devoted his life to find and cultivate the perfect
soil to produce the finest fruit from the vineyards at the foot of the mountain
and handcraft wines that reflect the majesty of the Piedmont. Drink with
respect to the elder at room temperature.” But if you look at the Enzo Bartoli
website today, there is no mention of Enzo at all.
Turns out I am not the only one…
As it turns out, I am not the first to question the wines of
Enzo Bartoli. During my research I came across this article from 2018 on
Eftersmak.se, where the myth of Enzo Bartoli was debunked. Along with multiple
screen shots, pictures of the bottles and multiple quoted conversations with customer
service at Systembolaget seems to prove that Enzo Bartoli was indeed made up.
After the good work of the people at Eftersmak.se, The Independent
Wine Company issued a statement in 2018 where they apologized for the miscommunication
around Enzo Bartoli, and confirmed that he was never a real person, but a myth.
You’ll find the screenshot of the Facebook statement
What is Enzo Bartoli?
I think the more pressing question is: What is Enzo Bartoli?
Because calling it wine would be a disservice to the other winemakers in
Piemonte.
On the Enzo Bartoli website it states that “all Enzo Bartoli Wines are made my Mondo del Vino. However, on the website of Mondo Del Vino, Enzo Bartoli is not listed in their portfolio. The headquarters of MGM Mondo Del Vino is in Forli and the only other address is in Priocca. In other words, not really anywhere close to Barolo. So how come a Barolo is associated with these companies? And where is the wine made? Because in order for it to be called Barolo, the wine should be produced within the borders of Barolo.
Anyone have any idea where to find this winery? Or factory? No one seems to be able to answer this question… I have reached out to Mondo Del Vino via their contact form online, but have not heard back. I’ve also spoken to a man (presumably one of the Norwegian importers) at a wine fair in Norway, and he was unable to answer any of my questions.
What does all this mean? I know
the world is changing, but since when has it become ok to pass off mass
produced juice as quality wine? How can someone create a fictional character
and pass him off as real in order to sell wine? How insulting is that to
winemakers like Elio Altare or Maria Teresa Mascarello, or any of the other
legends or hardworking winemakers from Piemonte?
Nebbiolo for Peace
It’s important to speak up when something isn’t right, but
it’s also important to focus on all the good things. The main reason why I love
wine is the people. The hardworking, passionate, hardcore men and women who dedicate
their lives to winemaking. Let’s come together and celebrate these wonderful
people.
I’m certainly dedicating my life to tell the world about these amazing farmers. My life is definitely richer because of them. I frequently laugh when I think about Nicola from Trediberri comparing the 2018 Barolo to Miley Cyrus. And I’m in awe of Elio who went against his family in order to follow his heart. And I look up to Chiara Boschis, one of the few female winemakers during a time when it was a “man’s world”.
So le’ts celebrate the wonderful winemkars of Piemonte. And drink lots of Nebbiolo.
We all know that Nebbiolo is the main grape in Piemonte. Personally, I think there are many other great grape varieties in the area, like Dolcetto, Barbera, Chardonnay, Nascetta, Freisa – I mean the list goes on. But Nebbiolo usually gets the most attention.
And with Nebbiolo, the winemakers can make both Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d’Alba, as well as Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Gattinara, Carema & Ghemme. The latter all qualify as DOCG when made in their respective areas. Honestly, the rules and regulations in Piemonte are too complicated to get into right now.
Trediberri Nebbiolo – 2018
As Nicola so eloquently put it, 2018 is as skinny as Miley Cyrus. So the Trediberri Nebbiolo in 2018 will be a bit more “thin” than 2017. But skinny or thin is not necessarily a bad thin. It’s just different.
Fruity, fresh, approachable and well balanced – all the above describe this wine. I personaly prefer 2018 over 2017. At least for the moment.
Nicola’s take on the past vintages
I know you’ve seen this before. But I have to repost it, because it’s just too good.
Every year is different, for better or worse. 2014 is known for it’s massive amounts of rain. 2010 is considered a wine for the books. But I believe a truly great winemaker can make good wine in any vintage. If you work with nature, respect nature and generally just work hard, you can make magic happen.
In recent encounter with Nicola, this is what he said about the past vintages:
2016 is all class like Jaqueline Kennedy. 2017 is as huge Pamela Anderson. And 2018 is as skinny as Miley Cyrus.
Giovanni Corino started making his own wines in the 1980’s. As many of the other winemakers in the area, his family farmed land and sold the fruit. Today, Giovanni spends more time in his vegetable garden than in the vineyards. Giovanni’s son Giuliano runs the show today, along with his wife Stefania and their two children, Veronica and Andrea.
Kind. That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of the Corino family. The first time I flew solo in Piemonte, my second winery visit was with Corino. My brother and I had bought some wine at the previous winery, Nadia Curto, and proceeded to by more wine at Corino. At age 19, I didn’t have a rental car, so we were on foot. And Stefania, who gave us the winery tour, offered to drive us back up to La Morra. Believe me, we were eternally grateful. I don’t know if you’ve walked from Annunziata to La Morra, but it’s quite a hill.
On another occasion, I found myself early at a tasting, this time with Andrea Corino. Giovanni and his wife live above the winery, and they saw me standing outside. With my basic Italian skills I managed to explain the situation, and it wasn’t long before I found myself in Giovanni’s kitchen drinking coffee! With my conversational Italian and his Piemontese dialect, conversation was interesting, but we managed. I seldom witness such kindness of strangers, and it’s one of the reasons why I love Piemonte.
The Corino Family: Stefania, Andrea, Veronica, Giuliano, Giovanni and Delfina
Wines & Winemaking
Giovanni Corino follows what some like to call the “modern style” of wine making. With small oak barrels, also called barrique, they make about 50 000 bottles a year. All the vineyards are in La Morra, with barolo vineyards in Arborina, Giachini and Bricco Manescotto. In addition to the Dolcetto, Barbera and Langhe Nebbiolo, they also make a Barbera Ciabot du Re, and a L’Insieme.
They follow similar methods for all their wines. Maceration takes place between 5-7 days in a temperature controlled rotaryfermenter, at about 25 – 30 degrees celcius. The Dolcetto, Barbera and Langhe Nebbiolo spend about 10 months in steel tanks before bottling. The Barolo’s and the Barbera superiore spend time in small oak barrels. The precentage of new and old oak depend on the wine.
Fun fact
Giovanni Corino has one of the best vegetable gardens in La Morra (maybe even Piemonte). He supplies many of the homes, hotels and restaurants with his superior vegetables. I stayed in a B&B once, and the tomatoes provided were grown by Giovanni.
Fun fact II
Andrea Corino did an internship at a winery in New Zealand. It’s fairly common for the younger generation to explore wineries outside their own area.
Giovanni Corino Wines
Wines available in: Norway Belgium Denmark Italy Netherlands Switzerland United Kingdom United States
Dolcetto d’Alba
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Dolcetto d’Alba Grape: 100% Dolcetto Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 7000 Color: dark red, violet Fragrance: dark berries, fruity Taste: light to medium bodied, fresh and fruity Food pairing: something light, like a basic pizza
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Temperature: 25 – 30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days of maceration Ageing: 8-10 months in steel tank
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey Calcareous Exposure: West Year of plantation/age of plants:
Barbera d’Alba
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Barbera d’Alba Grape: 100% Barbera Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 12000 Color: ruby red Taste: good acidity, fresh Food pairing: salami, cheese, turkey, ribbe, pinnekjøtt
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Temperature: 25-30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days of maceration Ageing: 8-10 months in steel tanks
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey and Calcareous Exposure: West & South West Year of plantation/age of plants:
Barbera d’Alba Ciabot dù Re
The vines for the Giovanni Corino Ciabot dù Re are old and the soil porous. After the maceration in rotary fermentor, the wine goes through fermentation in oak barrels (50% new, 50% used). It will spend about 18 months in barrels before bottling.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Barbera d’Alba Ciabot dù Re Grape: 100% Barbera Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 2500 Color: ruby red Fragrance: red fruits Taste: powerful yet smooth with good acidity Food pairing: salami, cheese, turkey, ribbe, pinnekjøtt
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Sugar fermentation and malolactic fermentation takes place in small oak barrels Temperature: 25-30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days maceration Ageing: 18 months in small oak barrels, 50% new and 50% used. Then 3-4 months in steel tanks
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey and Calcareous Exposure: West & South West Year of plantation/age of plants:
Langhe Nebbiolo
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Langhe Nebbiolo Grape: 100% Nebbiolo Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 10 000 Color: garnet red Fragrance: cherries, liquorice, violets and forest floor Taste: good structure, notes of cherries and liquorice Food pairing: red meat, pasta, pizza
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: Sugar fermentation and malolactic fermentation in steel tanks Temperature: 25-30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days maceration Ageing: 8-10 months in steel tanks
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey and Calcareous Exposure: South & South West Year of plantation/age of plants:
Barolo Del Comune di La Morra
This is the classic Barolo, meaning it’s a blend of multiple plots. Recent changes to the regulations allow for the winemakers to write the Comune of the wine on the label.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Barolo Del Comune di La Morra Grape: 100% Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 10 000 Color: garnet red Fragrance: red fruits, cherries, liquorice Taste: medium bodied, fruity, Food pairing: red meat
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Temperature: 25-30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days maceration Ageing: 24 months in small oak barrels Minimum ageing in bottle: 12 months
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey Exposure: South Year of plantation/age of plants:
Barolo Giachini
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Barolo Giachini Grape: 100% Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 6000 & 150 Magnum Color: garnet red Fragrance: red fruits, ripe cherries, tobacco, violets Taste: darker fruits, tobacco, liquorice, long finish Food pairing: red meat
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Temperature: 25-30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days maceration Ageing: 24 months in small oak barrels, 35% new oak Minimum aging in bottle: 12 months
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey-Calcareous Exposure: South Year of plantation/age of plants:
The 2014 Barolo Arborina is a very pleasant, attractive Barolo. In 2014, the Arborina has good bit of midpalate pliancy that softens some of the typically coarse Arborina tannins. Black cherry and plum fruit are nicely pushed forward in this attractive, medium-bodied Barolo. Sweet tobacco, menthol, leather and dark spice all develop in the glass, but it is really the wine’s harmony that impresses most. All the elements are in the right place. The 2014 is a small-scale, somewhat hushed Arborina, but its balance is impeccable. Drink it over the next decade or so. Drinking window: 2022-2028. 92 points
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (02/18)
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Barolo Arborina Grape: 100% nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: Color: garnet red Fragrance: delicate aromas, red fruits, floral Taste: full body with silky smooth tannins, high acidity, long finish Food pairing: red meat
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Temperature: 25 – 30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 day maceration Ageing: 24 months in small oak barrels, 35% new and 65% used Minimum aging in bottle: 12 months
VINEYARD Soil: clay and sand Exposure: south & southeast Year of plantation/age of plants: Date of harvest: In 2014, October 7th
Barolo Bricco Manescotto
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: Barolo Bricco Manescotto Grape: 100% Nebbiolo Classification: DOCG Number of bottles produced: 2600 and 100 Magnums Color: garnet red Fragrance: red fruits, hint of tobacco Taste: full bodied, red fruits, wet forest floor Food pairing: red meat
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Temperature: 25-30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days maceration Ageing: 24 months in small oak barrels, 35% new oak Minimum aging in bottle: 12 months
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey, calcareous, sandy Exposure: West Year of plantation/age of plants: Date of harvest:
Giovanni Corino Barolo Riserva
The Barolo Riserva is made only in excellent vintages. The first vintage to be released was 2010, which they released in 2016 (6 years after the harvest). It spends about 30 months in bottle before the release.
L’Insieme
L’Insieme is group of winegrowers from the Langhe, united by a project, a dream and a goal. Elio Altare is the founder. The project aims to make wines which, under a single brand, tell a story of friendship and collaboration, of hard work, shared passion for the Langhe and its outstanding grapes. The dream is that, from this union, the resultant label will be a symbol of friendship and mutual aid. A wine that is our personal way of thanking the land that gave us our roots and its support.
Our goal is to make L’Insieme wine a practical ethical tool, allowing us to fund projects of high social value as a way of giving back to our local area a part of the good fortune and beauty it has given us. The wine is It is actually a combination obtained from the individual decisions taken by each producer, from traditional grape varieties such as the Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto, with grapevines introduced only recently to the Langhe area, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Nero.
BASIC INFORMATION
Product name: L’Insieme Grape: 40% Nebbiolo, 30% Barbera, 15% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Classification: DOC Number of bottles produced: 1000
VINIFICATION (Wine-making)
Method: each grape variety us vinified separately due to different harvest times. But they go through the same process. Temperature: 25 – 30 degrees celcius Length: 5-7 days maceration Ageing: small french oak barrels for 18 months, 40% new and 60% used Minimum aging in bottle: about 12 months
VINEYARD Soil: Clayey and Calcareous Exposure: South & South West
Quite a few blind tasting’s take place throughout the year. It’s how I learn. And it’s fun. Looking back on the year, two tastings stick out.
A 2014 lineup with three Barolo: Trediberri Rocche dell’Annunizata: this was a little closed on the nose at first, but after a while a bouquet of red fruits appeared. The wine had good acidity, good balance and an excellent finish. For a “young” barolo it was very fresh and approachable. Bartolo Mascarello Barolo: Notes of red fruits, strawberries and some spices. High acidity, round tannins and well balanced. Fratelli Alessandria Monvigliero: Dark fruits, some ripe fruits on the nose. Good acidity, fresh tannins and a good finish. This bottle had been open for about 24 hours (with the cork “put back in”) so it was very approachable.
A more “diverse” lineup: Elio Altare Barolo 2004: When tasting this blind, it still had so much “oumph” that it could have been mistaken for a fresh nebbiolo! This was wine of the night for me. Giacomo Conterno Barbera Vigna Francia 2014: I have always thought the barbera from Contero has a very distinct nose, a nose very different from other barbera’s. This was really hard to figure out next to the other wines. A Chianti Classico 1993: Curveball! Could tell this wine had some age, with notes of toffee both on the nose and in the mouth. In my opinion, this was past it’s prime. Impossible to identify blind in this lineup.
Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2009
Vietti never ceases to amaze me. After some air, this wine from 2009 (10 years old) blew me away with its fresh fruit, round tannins and unbelievable finish. In my opinion, this wine is not even close to reaching it’s potential!
Ester Canale Rosso Langhe Nebbiolo 2015
This wine “had” to be tried. The new project of Giovanni Rosso gained quite a bit of fame, and I had to see what all the fuss was about. The wine is good. Is it worth the price? Let me put it this way, here are many other wines I would buy before this one. However, it will be very interesting following this project going forward!
Diego Morra Monvigliero
2019 would be the year I discovered quite a few new wineries. One of my favorites is Diego Morra. And one of the wines in their portfolio is a Monvigliero. You might have heard of it. Antonio Galloni gave a 100 points to the Monviglerio of Burlotto in 2013. So it’s safe to say it’s quite famous. And the one from Diego Morra is very good!
Diego Mora Monvigliero 2015 had some truffle and wet soil on the nose, quite strong tannins (typical of this cru), but still very elegant and floral.
The Corino family from La Morra (or Annunziata if you wan’t to be really specific), cultivate 9 hectares which are all located in La Morra. In the 1980’s Giovanni Corino decided to not only grow grapes to sell, but to actually bottle some wine as well. And so the winery was born. Today the son of Giovanni, Giuliano, is the winemaker. His wife, Stefania, and their 2 children, Andrea and Veronica, all work at the winery as well. It truly is a family business.
Arborina
Among the many Cru’s in Barolo, you’ll find Arborina. The Vineyard is located in Annunziata in La Morra. The soil consists of clay, sand and limestone, and is actually quite poor in nutrients. However, the wines made from this vineyard offer characteristics of extreme elegance, finesse, fruitiness and freshness.
Winemaking
The Corino Barolo Arborina is one of a few Arborina’s in Barolo. After 5-7 days of maceration in a rotor fermenter, the wine moves to steel tanks where it remains until the end of the fermentation. The wine then moves into small oak barrels, 35% new and 65% used, to age for 24 months. You’d think it would be ready, but the wine has to spend a year in the bottle before being released.
Corino Barolo Arborina 2014
2014 was a challenging year in Piemonte, but I think the end results proves that hard work pays off. Although the wines from 2014 might not have the same structure as 2013, the wine certainly doesn’t disappoint. Very approachable, even young, with good fruit and a long finish.
Where to find it?
If you live in Norway, you can buy the Corino Barolo Arborina 2014 at www.vinmonopolet.no.
The Corino wines are also available in other countries, like: United Kingdom Italy Germany United States
Marco Marengo: Geek or nerd, in the modern, positive, definition of the words. The same way Bill Gates is often referred to as a nerd, an expert and enthusiast, and obsessed with intellectual pursuit of winemaking.
Cantina Marengo has about 6 hectares of vineyard in total, and the majority is used for nebbiolo for barolo. They make about 35,000 bottles of wine per year, which is spread out over the 6 (or 7) different wines they make. Both the Brunate and Bricco delle Viole vinyeards have belonged to the family for 5 generations.
Brunate is a well known name for many people.. Located in La Morra (73%) and Barolo (27%), the vineyard has mixed clay and silt soil with south/southeast exposure. There are 14 different wineries that have plots in Brunate (and some private).
Marengo Barolo Brunate
The vines Marengo use for Brunate are almost 80 years old. The vineyard has mixed clay and silt soil and south exposition. Harvest happens in September/october, depending on the vintage. Then the wine goes through natural acoholic and malolactic fermentation, before spending 24 months in french barrique. After an additional 6 months in bottle, the Marengo Barolo Brunate is ready to go!
Brunate is perhaps one of my favorite cru’s from Piemonte, and Marengo makes a very good one. You’ll find aromas of fruit, black cherry and some spices. The wine is full body, with silky but persistent tannins. Goes well with meat and cheese.
Where can you find the Marengo Barolo Brunate?
Norwegians, you can order it at www.vinmonpolet.no or get it in these local stores: Aker Brygge – 5 Moss – 22
Marengo’s wine are availale in many other countries as well. Look for them in the US and Italy. You can always ask Jenny where to find their wines: marengo@cantinamarengo.it
Norwegians are getting ready for all the wines being released on Friday. I’ve been lucky to try a few (or more) beforehand and here are some of my favorites.
Weingut Walter Kabinett Riesling 2018
I’ve grown more and more fond of Riesling the past year, and this was a pretty good one. Must admit I don’t know a lot about the winery and how the wine is made, but I quite like the Kabinett from Weingut Walter. And it’s available at a very decent price as well.
Available in BU at Vinmonopolet (11357201) 149,90kr
Cigliuti Langhe Nebbiolo 2018
You’re probably not surprised that a Langhe Nebbiolo for Piemonte made the list. Claudia Cigliuti from Neive makes really good wines. She might be most known for the Serraboella, but I quite like the Langhe Nebbiolo. I might have priced it a little lower (the Altare Nebbiolo is 285kr and the Trediberri Nebbiolo is 189kr), but it’s always good with some variety!
Available in BU at Vinmonopolet (11347301) 299kr
Lamy Saint-Aubin La Princée 2017
Summer is over but one need not fret; it’s king crab season! And it’s never wrong to pair Hubert Lamy with king crab. With notes of citrus and white stone fruit, and of course a hint of oak, Hubert Lamy does not disappoint!
Available in BU at Vinmonopolet (11347101) 388kr
Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis Riserva San Giuseppe 2013
I think the words Cavallotto, Bricco Boschis and Riserva say it all. But I’ll say more anyways. Obviously still very young, but with incredible potential. Tannins are persistent, but disappear after a while and you’re left with wonderful notes of fruit.
PIEMONTEGIRL 