Barolo
Barolo is often described as \"the wine of kings, the king of
wines\" because it was a favorite among the Italian nobility of Turin and the
ruling House of Savoy. Based on Nebbiolo, a red Italian wine grape that grows
primarily in the Piedmont region, Barolo is a rich, deeply concentrated
full-bodied wine with pronounced tannins and acidity. Almost always lightly
colored and never opaque, Barolos vary in color from ruby to garnet while young
to brick and orange hues as they age. Tar and roses are common
notes, however maturation reveals aromas and flavors such as violets, cherries,
raspberries, truffles, tobacco, prunes, camphor, chocolate, dried fruit,
eucalyptus, leather, licorice, mint, mulberries, plum, spice, strawberries,
dried and fresh herbs. The tannins add texture and serve to balance the wine\'s
moderate to high alcohol levels. When aged a for five years or
more before release - at least three years in oak - they can be labeled
Riserva. It is generally recommended that Barolos be put aside to
age in the bottle for several years before drinking.
Barolo is produced the northern Italian region of Piedmont in a zone
that extends into the communes of Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga
d\'Alba and parts of the communes of Cherasco, Diano d\'Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La
Morra, Monforte d\'Alba, Novello, Roddi, Verduno, all in the province of Cuneo,
south-west of Alba. The different communes consist of a collection of different
climates, soil types and altitudes that can have a pronounced effect on the
development of the Nebbiolo grape and the resulting Barolo wine. The two major
soil types are a compact, sandstone-based soil and a calcareous-clay soil that
is more compact and fertile. Also throughout the Barolo there are soils that are
alkaline enough to mitigate the Nebbiolo grapes naturally high acidity. Distinct
contrasts in taste have been noted among wines produced in different
communes.
Past production methods including very long fermentation times,
along with cool weather conditions and the late-October ripening characteristic
of the Nebbiolo grape caused Barolos to become very rich in harsh tannins,
requiring more than 10 years for the wine to soften up and become
drinkable. Several modern-day producers began to cut fermentation
times to a maximum of ten days and age the wine in new French barriques (small
oak barrels). Controversies between traditionalists and modernists have been
called the \"Barolo wars.\" Advances in viticulture have helped bridge the gap
between modern and traditional producers with many producers taking a middle
ground approach - combining some modernist technique with traditional
winemaking.
