WINE

Red Harvest
A progressive balance of contemporary
and traditional techniques have
transformed the otherwise unyielding
Nebbiolo grape

For the uninitiated, the formidable Barolo

is a full-bodied Italian red wine produced in
the Piedmonte region of northwest Italy from
the idiosyncratic and indigenous Nebbiolo
grape. The wines are fiercely tannic, with
pronounced angular acidity and high alcohol
levels, and until recently they had a reputation
for requiring some 20 years bottle age before
they were approachable, and 30 to 40 to reach
optimum maturity.
Barolo is unquestionably an exceptional
and truly unique wine region, with a complex
mosaic of single vineyards. Nowhere else in the
world has been able to replicate the complexities
that the Nebbiolo achieves in the hills of the
Langhe, with its hedonistic bouquet of antique
woods, cedar forest and pine needles; wild
mushrooms and truffles; dried Provencal herbs
and Oriental spices; violets, red roses and dark
cherry; liquorice and balsamic and a much
lauded cigar-box aroma.
Like many of the ‘Old World’ wine
regions, there was an inherited resistance
to change in Barolo, with the old guard
winemakers obstinately adhering to time-
honoured traditions and techniques. The
Nebbiolo grape possesses profuse tannins,
but the thin skins of the Nebbiolo actually
have very low colour pigmentation, which
traditionally meant prolonged maceration of
the skins after fermentation, up to forty days
or more, followed by lengthy sojourns of seven
or more years in large chestnut or Slovenian
oak barrels to tame the excessive phenolics.
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It is the changes in the The use of these practices promoted marked a watershed in transforming the quality Unfortunately in their enthusiasm for Revered as a staunch traditionalist, I expected Previous page
premature oxidization and volatile acidity, of the wine. Around the same time, Beppe these new methods many overindulged, both to encounter a staunch bastion of tradition. 1 Nebiolo grapes
vineyard that are significant which stripped the wine of its fruit and Colla of Prunotto inaugurated the concept of in technique and the lavish use of new French The old Brezze cellars below the legendary This Spread
to the Barolo instilled a leathery, tarry character with a dried single-vineyard Barolo’s. oak, which masked much of the Nebbiolo’s Hotel Barolo, have been in operation since 2 Serralunga vineyards

out, over-savoury palate and an unyielding
astringency. Barolo devotees cherished these
characteristics and defended them as unique
and authentic qualities that defined the wine.
But the first winds of change came to the
Barolo in the mid 1960s when neighboring
Barbaresco winemaker, Angelo Gaja, introduced
stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled
fermentation, malo-lactic fermentation and
maturation in French barrique, 225 litre
Bordeaux oak barrels. Completely radical in
Italy at the time, these methods were promptly
adopted by many Barolo winemakers and
However, the most radical modernisation
was the inception of rotary-fermenters of
varying types, some resembling a concrete
mixer where the whole tank rotates, others
with blades and plungers that gyrate inside of
the tank during the fermentation process. The
primary objective was to achieve the desired
colour extraction in the minimum amount
of time, with little or no maceration of skins,
thus avoiding the over-extraction of tannins
and facilitating a much shorter maturation
period in wood with an accent on softer more
flirtatious French oak.
unique characteristics.
Nowadays the differences between
the modernists and the traditionalists have
been steadily diminishing as the modernists
prescribe to gradual, gentler fermentations
and reduce their use of new wood, while
the traditionalists relinquish the drawn out
fermentations and macerations and adopt a
cleaner, less oxidative winemaking process with
uncontaminated maturation.
On my recent tour of Piedmonte I singled
out Giacomo Brezza & Fils who have been
making Barolo since 1885, as my litmus test.
1910. They exude an aura of heritage that 3 Enzo Brezza, right, and
conveniently camouflages the insightful his father Oreste
approach of fourth generation winemaker
Enzo Brezza, who is an exemplary model of
contemporary Barolo, where wisdom and
astuteness take the best from both the modern
and the traditional worlds.
I had an illuminating tasting of juicy,
succulent fruit-laden Barolos, deceptively
approachable, yet brooding with firm tannins,
in part due to the reduced maceration time of
around 15 days, depending on the vineyard
and condition of the grapes. Brezza himself

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 believes it is the changes in the vineyard that
are more significant to the metamorphosis of
Barolo, than changes in the winery. He cites
the defining factors as being: green harvesting,
progress in clone selection, sustainable
farming, organic and biodynamic practices
and global warming.
The Nebbiolo grape ripens later than
any other red variety, ordinarily being picked
in Barolo mid to late October, sometimes
even as late as early November, by which
time the autumnal morning clouds and mist
blanket the region, hence the association
between the grapes’ name and nebbia, the
Italian for fog.
In the past Barolo producers would be
lucky if there were two vintages in a decade
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that achieved fully ripe grapes, as the Nebbiolo
needs the extended hang-time to ripen
sufficiently, preferably with warm, dry late
summer conditions. But in the last decade
there has been an unprecedented run of very
good to excellent vintages with 2002 being the
only off-year.
Changing weather patterns in the region
mean the wineries have been picking their
grapes successively earlier over the last ten
years, and are achieving wines that are much
more accessible than in the past, with more
phenolic ripeness, less astringent tannins and
increased dry extract.
Green harvest is a relatively new, labour-
intensive process where young berries are
selectively removed, significantly reducing
yields and subsequently diverting the vines
energies to the remaining grapes, achieving
riper, more intense flavor compounds; albeit
financially painful with the reduction in
crop level.
Clearly there are fundamental changes
occurring in the wines from Barolo, and there
has never been a better time to buy Barolo,
with the superb 2004 vintage now appearing.
There are also some other stunning wines to
be found. Bottles of the excellent 2001 are
still easily sourced and there is the bevy of
good vintages of the last decade to source on
the secondary market. Looking ahead, 2005
is considered a good medium-term vintage,
whilst 2006 is already being touted as equal
to the 2001 and 2004.

The last decade has seen an On the Wine Route
unprecedended run of Touring the picturesque Barolo and neighboring
excellent vintages Barbaresco wine regions of Piedmonte is the equivalent
of gastronomic and vinous nirvana. Most wineries
welcome visitors, although it always advisable to make
advance appointments to enjoy the visit fully.
The best time to tour is the last week of September
when the Barolo auctions are held at Gianni Gagliardo
winery, with a live simultaneous satellite telecast in Hong
Kong and Singapore. This celebrated extravaganza of
Barolo features guest Italian chefs from all over the world
creating a perfect introduction to the cuisine of the
region with the added bonus of potentially acquiring rare
older vintages from top producers.
October sees the start of the d’Alba white truffle
season with the annual Truffle Market Auction attracting
some of the world's greatest chefs. The auction is
held every weekend throughout October and the first
weekend of November at the Alba Truffle Fair and
market; an event that showcases Piedmontese specialty
foods and cheeses as well as truffle related produce.
Top Barolo Producers
Other local specialties include abundant orchard fruits Aldo Conterno www.poderialdoconterno.com
and honey. Angelo Gaja
The best place to stay in Alba is the Hotel Brezza Giacomo e Figli www.brezza.it
San Lorenzo, located in the charming old town in a Bruno Giacosa www.brunogiacosa.it
refurbished 19th Century building just behind the Conterno Fantino www.brunogiacosa.it
Cathedral. If you want to be right in the heart of Barolo, Domenico Clerico
there is the legendary Hotel Barolo with its views across Elio Altare www.elioaltare.com
the vineyards and Barolo Castle. It has rooms decorated Enzo Boglietti www.enzoboglietti.com
with regional antique furniture and offers genuine Cavallotto www.cavallotto.com
Piedmonte hospitality complemented by one of the best Francesco Rinaldi & Figli www.rinaldifrancesco.it
restaurants in the region and a wine list that features over Fratelli Brovia www.brovia.net
seventy producers with vintages dating back to the fifties. Giacomo Conterno www.conterno.it
At any time of the year, the Gagliardo winery Gianni Gagliardo www.gagliardo.it
is a must-visit, with its Ristorante and Barolo wine bar Giuseppe Mascarello www.mascarello1881.com
Vineria del Barolo featuring over 350 different wines and Luciano Sandrone www.sandroneluciano.com
celebrated chef Alessandro Neri presenting authentic Luigi Einaudi www.poderieinaudi.com
regional dishes. Massolino www.massolino.it
Essential to discovering the very best authentic Michele Chiarlo www.chiarlo.it
restaurants in the region is the infallible Slow Food Osterie Paulo Scavino
and Locande Guide and you should also obtain a copy of Pio Cesare www.piocesare.it
Text & Photos: Curtis Marsh

4 A tasting at the Barolo
auction
5 Nebbiolo on the vine
Alba is the perfect location to be based with the
Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards only 20 minutes away
and central to the other wine regions of Piedmonte. It
is also the chocolate and hazelnut capital of Italy, and
is home to a plethora of bakeries and delicatessens.
the Gambero Rosso Italian Wines, by Slow Food Editore. Renato Ratti Ratti www.renatoratti.com
Useful websites:
www.hotelbarolo.it. www.albeisa.org
www.slowfood.com www.gamberorosso.it
www.albergo-sanlorenzo.it
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