A Barolo Discovery

The wines of Giovanni Sordo seem to astonish everyone who tries them; “where have these been?!”. Almost everyone, that is, as there are a few devotees already...“What a lovely traditional producer Sordo is. These wines age gracefully for many years (tasted from the 1980s+). They have purity, refinement & loud terroir expression. It’s particularly fun to try the single vineyard cru wines all together as they show the added structure of limestone/sandstone vs clays, the cooling effect of altitude, & the different Cru complexities.” Chester Osborn, Nov 18

Sordo HQ is nestled in the corner of Castiglione Falletto comune on the last stretch of the Alba-Barolo road before it takes that left fork up to Barolo village. You take this track (Frazione Garbelletto) just to the left for Paolo Scavino and Azelia, or right another 100 metres for the entrance to the Sordo family’s quite spectacular and beautiful new cellar (seen above). While the sheer impact and architectural quality of this new facility are eye-catching, the wines demand the most attention. For the sheer consistent excellence of this number of wines, made in an essentially traditional and unforced style, it is impossible not to take note of the wines of A A Giovanni Sordo. These wines have been described as transparent, and they are made by people who want their wines to speak of where they come from.