Italy > Piedmont > Langhe
"I love Barolos and Barbarescos, specially with a bit of bottle age" tells me my suited friend while perusing the wine list.
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| Giacomo Conterno 'Montfortino' 1941 Barolo Riserva |
And don't we all? I wonder.
Mind you, my wallet isn't that fat that would allow me to comfortably burst out "let's get that 1996 Barolo Bussia then".
Barolos and Barbarescos can be outstanding and deceiving wines. Delicate looking, enticing and aromatically seducing yet with a structure more solid than a weightlifter's spine. And even when young they are pretty pricey. I guess it's true what they say, Barolo is like Burgundy: you need to spend money or don't bother.
So, I can't afford the bottle age or appellation but still want a bit of Nebbiolo action? The answer is "de-classified" Barolos.
What do I mean by de-classified?
These are wines made with Nebbiolo that isn't considered "good enough" to be called Barolo, or just don't come from the correct vineyard, or are blended with other grape varieties. And because of that, these wines will labelled as "Langhe DOC".
Take Conterno Fantino 'Monpra' as an example, it is a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera.
The Nebbiolo grapes come from the vineyards of Ginestra, Bussia Sottana, Ornati and San Pietro – all Barolo crus, which will give you big grippy tannins and minerality; the other half is the fruitier Barbera, that will provide (a much needed) balancing freshness and fruit.
The end result is an exquisite and approachable red wine showing the best of both grapes, the best of both worlds.
The Nebbiolo grapes come from the vineyards of Ginestra, Bussia Sottana, Ornati and San Pietro – all Barolo crus, which will give you big grippy tannins and minerality; the other half is the fruitier Barbera, that will provide (a much needed) balancing freshness and fruit.
The end result is an exquisite and approachable red wine showing the best of both grapes, the best of both worlds.
Versatile, fresh, rich and fun; the oak is a bit more apparent with notes of chocolate and toast, even though the blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera is 65/35 the fruit seems riper and darker on the nose and palate. None the less, a fine bottle of vino and it will be considerably cheaper than its DOCG cousin.
So, next time you're out there wining and dining, do look for those lesser known Piedmontese wines, order two bottles without remorse and feel like a king, for you are now in the know.
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