Barolo - King of Wines

Barolo – said to be Italy’s greatest red wine, a wine of unyielding strength, enormous complexity, that will last a century or more.

Yet for all its supposed greatness, to many Barolo remains a mystery.  Is it too expensive for what is in the glass?  Why is it so dry with fearsome tannins?  When is the right time to drink a wine that is going to age for a 100 years?  And what do you drink it with?  Finally, how do we even know it’s a Barolo just be looking at the label?

With our first flight we begin as the Piedmontese would want us too – a brief exploration of the grapes that lead up to Barolo’s magnificence: Barbera, with it’s juicy upfront acidity and now wide ranging stylistic choices and Dolcetto, the “little sweet one” which can revel in its dark tannic depths.  We finish with a regional Nebbiolo, our introduction to the wine of Kings.

The second flight we consider Barolo’s two major soil types, Helvetian and Tortonian and their affect on the fruit character, tannic structure, and acidity of the wine.  These characteristics will be linked to the wines’ flavor profiles with discussion of agability and single vineyards, or “cru”.

The third flight is an exploration of the “Barolo Boy’s” (now mostly daughters) and the “modern” winemaking techniques they brought to Barolo.  These wines will be contrasted with “traditional” producers.

This tasting aims to be a fun loving, yet sensorally detailed and aggressive approach to studying the depths of this great wine.  We will explore the geography, the traditions, and the wine making styles that all make Barolo what it is today.

Wines to be tasted: 

1971 Cordero di Montezemolo Monfalleto $599.99

2018 Cordero di Montezemolo Monfalleto $74.99

2018 Renato Ratti Barolo $74.99

2018 L. Pira Barolo Serralunga $64.99

2018 Revello Barolo La Morra $54.99

2018 Seghesio Barolo Castelletto $64.99

This is an example list from the prior year's tasting. 

All prices listed shown are regular retail. Significant discounts offered on all wines at the tasting.

Due to the their highly allocated nature, some wines may change without notice.