Barollo Wines
Exploring the Dimensions
By: Philip Kampe - Nov 03, 2014
There is a new Italian wine company on the block, headed by a new breed of winegrowers.
The brother winegrowers, Marco and Nicola Barollo represent the new generation of winegrowers who have found nature, especially in their home area located in-between the Dolomites and the Adriatic sea, a region of opportunity to grow and harvest grapes in this microclimate of warmth, frost, sun, rocks and water.
North east Italy, known as Veneto, is the home of the vineyard and bothers Barollo.
This is where they do their magic.
According to Marco Barollo, ‘Wine is an alchemic formula. A magic masterpiece that changes the wine, and it is never the same from one year to another. For this reason, every year we find ourselves forced to make brave decisions and invest carefully and only choose those techniques that are proven to help us to give our wine its originality and character’.
And that is what they did at the preview of the 2015 launch of Barollo wines.
The wines were discovered, I believe, at the elaborate VinItaly expo in Verona, Italy, by wine guru, Gary R. Grunner, a formidable wine promoter and visionary.
Barollo produces wines from both international and indigenous grape varietals. The vineyards are located on old lands, where Roman wine making once took place. Marco broke down the make-up of how the vineyard is planted.
Prosecco is planted on 41 acres, followed by 18 for Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco each with 15 acres, followed by ten acres each of Merlot and Moscato. Six acres for Cabernet Franc and Manzoni Bianco each followed by one and a quarter acres of Sauvignon Blanc . Production has a potential of 300,000 bottles.
Presently, 100,000 bottles are produced.
Gary Grunner explained that the grapes are picked by hand. To Barollo, quality is their first commitment to the consumer. He went on to say that It takes about twenty people to harvest the grapes from two and a half acres in a day.
Marco explained that ‘The environment is our most important resource. We support sustainable viticulture. Our main goal is to constantly reduce the ecological footprint and CO2 emissions. We involve all of our partners to achieve the same goal.’
Barollo emphasized that we are the new dimension in Italian winemaking. From sampling the wines, I would have to agree with him. Add the incredible packaging to the alluring wines and the new dimension of Italian wines evolves at Barollo.
Italy’s foremost winemaker, Riccardo Cotarella, heads the team.
The wines that I sampled are food friendly. Acidity and minerality abound.
What I sampled.
2013 Sauvignon Blanc ($19)
Sweet, herbaceous, acidic and grassy.
2012 Pinot Bianco
Apple, pear flavor, loaded with minerality.
2012 Marzoni Bianco
Nose of Riesling, perfectly balanced with acidity.
2013 Piave Frater Merlot
Classic Merlot structure, medium weight with concentrated sweet fruit.
2010 Frank Cabernet Franc
Rich in flavor, well balanced, long finish of ripe fruit with mocha overtones.
Barollo Prosecco
Not your ordinary Prosecco, rich, lush, elegant and creamy.
Philip S. Kampe
philipkampe@yahoo.com