BAROLO FOR BEGINNERS

EVERYTHING ABOUT BAROLO & BAROLO WINE

Barolo wine region

 

Where is Barolo located?

The village of Barolo is located in North-West Italy in the Piedmont region and the Langhe wine region. Between Turin and the Mediterranean Sea.

How big is the Barolo region?

About 2000 hectares divided into 181 MGA (cru) vineyards spread over 11 municipalities.

What grape is Barolo made from?

From the Nebbiolo grape. This has three sub varieties; Lampia, Michet and Rose.

What does a Barolo taste like?

That depends on many things. Every year about 1200 different Barolos come onto the market and every year is different, every vineyard is different, every winegrower works differently. So it cannot be said unequivocally. Barolo wine generally has a lot of complexity, a very long aftertaste and is tannic. Aromas that can occur in a Barolo are: red and black fruit, leather, tobacco, coffee, truffle, chocolate, cocoa, green herbs, and oriental herbs.

Is Barolo a natural wine?

The definition of natural wine is:

Natural wine is the most natural product possible, made with minimal intervention and no or minimal additives.

Let us first say that all our family businesses work as organically and naturally as possible. Simply because they cannot afford to poison the precious land they own. In addition, they are all craftsmen, where the quality of the product is the indicator in all cases. This means that they do everything they can to produce the most honest and pure product possible without or with as few additives as possible.

Why is a Barolo wine “expensive”?

Because it is very expensive to produce a Barolo. This starts with the fact that Barolo may only be marketed in the 4th year after the harvest. This means that the winegrower must also house the wine for this entire period. In addition, the Nebbiolo (the grape for Barolo) is the vine that sprouts first and is harvested last, resulting in a much longer risk of (partial) failure of the harvest.

How much does a bottle of Barolo cost?

You can get a bottle of good quality Barolo from an existing wine grower from around 30 euros. There is actually no maximum price. A bottle of 1971 Barolo from a good winery can cost thousands of euros.

Why are there cheap Barolo's around?

There are occasionally bottles of Barolo on sale at various supermarkets. It is not necessarily said that these are bad wines, but in general they will not have the quality that can be expected from a Barolo. This often concerns leftover product of a lower quality.


What is the best/tastiest Barolo?

There is no clear answer to this as it is a matter of taste. It is a good idea to get to know Barolo by drinking Barolo wines from different wineries and different regions to get an idea of ​​what your preference is.

 

What is the difference between a Barolo and a Barbaresco?

Barolo and Barbaresco are both Piedmontese wines made from the Nebbiolo grape, but come from two different DOCG regions. Both areas are located just outside Alba. Said very black and white; Barolo is known for its full flavor profile with strong tannins, while Barbaresco has a more delicate aroma and softer tannins. Both wines often have notes of cherries, rose petals, tar, leather, tobacco and licorice. Another difference between the two wines is that Barolo must be aged for at least three years before being released to the market, while Barbaresco can be sold after just two years of aging.

 

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