Successive evening tastings at the new Le Pont Wine Store in South Melbourne featured benchmark wines from the 7 main (of 11 total) communes of the Barolo DOCG.
Presenter David Ridge used wines from traditionally-styled producers, Fratelli Barale (of Barolo village), Giovanni Sordo of Castiglione Falletto and tiny family artisans Boasso, from deep in Serralunga commune, to illustrate the fascinating variations when terroir is allowed – by simple and careful winemaking – to express through the medium of the wonderful Nebbiolo grape.
Wines were shown which celebrated the art of blending across different parcels of land to achieve the old-time ‘composite’ Barolo, alongside the fascinating individualism of Cru wines, of the recognised MGSs or single-vineyards, which we commonly (but unofficially) call the Crus of Barolo.
Most guests while being converts to the aromatics and textured charms of Nebbiolo, were keen to appreciate the differences said to be found found in wines from vineyards often separated only by metres. After these ten wines, the different aromatics, tastes, textures and tannins became apparent. We contrasted the rich, rusty reds and tougher tannins of Ravera Cru with the generous, mostly smoky, dark fruits and (relatively) easy tannin feel of Monvigliero. Or the power and finesse of Rocche di Castiglione, with its fading flowers, tobacco, cranberry and fine, integrated tannin/acid thing, in stark comparison with the swirling, smoky, stock and tougher black-tea tannins of Gabutti of Serralunga. The wonders of Barolo. Click here to read more.
