Exposing The Regal Terroir of Serraboella

Sitting down with Claudia Cigliuti of Cigliuti Barbaresco, talking about the past, present and future of the region and her family.  They are pioneers and farms at the core, making great Barbaresco, just happens to be a very happy result.  Enjoy!



If you would like to learn more, check out The Cellar Table Blog for a full write up of the producer and their wines.

Exploring The New Frontiers of Spain

Bitten by the Spanish Wine Bug at The V.I.P. Table

It all started with Rajat Parr’s newest book, a real page-turner I must add, The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste.  However, what captivated me most was the very final chapter on Spain.  I’ve read more books about Italy, France, and Germany than I can recount.  However, what I’ve had very little exposure to was a well-written and insightful piece on Spain, and that is exactly what the final chapter of Rajat’s book spoke about.  The best part was that this section didn’t speak about the usual suspects.  Instead, Rajat went on to talk about what was exciting him, which was the new generation of winemakers, some of whom were working in the well-known regions of Spain, but others were exploring new frontiers, terroir, and making the best use of often-forgotten vineyards.

As I’ve come to realize, as soon as someone begins to talk to me about biodynamic winemaking, ancient vines mixed with ancient techniques, forgotten landscapes and unique grape varieties, my ears perk up like a starving man hearing the dinner bell.

I jumped in feet first.  Some of these producers I had already heard of, such as Dominio del Aguila and Nin Ortiz, but others were completely new to me, and I decided it was time to seek them out.  

What I found only increased my desire to explore and learn more.  Each and every example provided me with an entirely new array of aromas, tastes and sensations, things that I had never expected from a glass of wine, such as those from Daniel Gomez Jimenez Landi, where the bouquet of each wine was like touring through a selection of the most carefully curated rose gardens, or a florist shop full of sweet flowers and spices.  Each expression was remarkably different from region to region, producer to producer and grape to grape, yet all of them so inviting, seductive and refined.

Refined is the most important part I must add, because if there a signature for Spanish wine in my opinion, it’s always been about brute power, with only a few producers being able to also obtain refinement.  However, this was a common theme across the range.  In some cases, the wines were incredibly powerful, but also remarkably refined.  In other cases, they sported only 12.5% alcohol, yet had the depth and intensity of a well-muscled stallion.  It became hard to understand how each of them could be so diverse, interesting and off of my radar for so long.

That’s when I decided to go deeper, and I purchased The New Vignerons, by Luis Gutiérrez.  If you don’t know the name, then all you need do is look at the shelf-talkers in the Spanish wine section of any reputable wine store.  Luis heads up the Spanish wine reviews at The Wine Advocate, as well as a number of related regions, and he’s also one of the most trusted and knowledgeable sources on Spanish wine that you could ever hope to find.  The book was amazing, not focusing on the typical data or the same old stories we’ve heard over and over.  Instead, Luis focused on the people, what led them to wine, how they worked, struggled and ultimately the fruit of their labor.

Apparently, Luis had been keen to the swell of new talent and interesting projects around Spain (as we would expect he would be), and he had been following, tasting and trying to get the word out for quite some time.  Granted, in most cases these are mostly small production wines, produced from tiny parcels of abandoned or forgotten vineyards.  One theme that seemed to follow throughout most of the winemakers I had been introduced to was that they searched for and slowly acquired these parcels.  Sometimes they would be located in what appeared to be impossible locations to farm, or were tended to by old farmers who continued to keep them up out of respect for tradition and family.

I think back to my last visit to Spain, and what struck me more than anything else about the country was the amount of old dilapidated and abandoned farmhouses, homes, and wonders of architecture that dotted the countryside.  It added flavor to the landscape, as these sights are often beautiful despite the cold reality. That reality being that poverty or the mass exodus of families from rural areas, in search of making a living, had created these glorious ruins.  

Those are the images that went through my mind as I read through Luis’s book, when he talked about the slow acquisition of vineyards by Descendientes de José Palacios, around the village of Corullon, a village with a current estimated population of 937 inhabitants.  Ricardo Perez of Descendientes had to prove to the people of Corullon that he would take proper care and put their vineyards to good use.  Today, they are more than happy to be a part of his vision, a man who literally lives among his biodynamically farmed vines.

At this point I was truly hooked.  These new frontiers of Spain were providing me with the whole package, a unique and diverse set of wines from rugged, forgotten terrain, made by true passion-driven artisans, most often through 100% natural winemaking techniques. Call it organic or biodynamic, but in the end these are people who want to put the best, most natural product into the bottle.  They want to communicate terroir.  I was in a beautiful haze of new experiences, and the best part is that the experience has no end in sight, and there are still so many new producers to explore.

I find myself with a growing collection of Spanish wine in my cellar, consisting of names that many people have never heard of.  I also find myself longing to return to Spain so that I can see these locations, meet these people and taste new vintages for myself.

So yes, I have officially been bitten by the Spanish wine bug, and I don’t think there’s any going back. The best I can do now is to share some of my findings with you, because in the end, anyone who’s made it this far through today’s blog truly deserves to know what’s out there.

Daniel Gomez Jimenez Landi

So I’m starting with one of the most interesting projects that I’ve had the fortune of stumbling upon, Daniel Gomez Jimenez Landi.  Daniel is a partner of another project that’s turned my head, yet is even more limited: Comando G.  The best part about these wines is that the word is already out about Comando G, and allocations disappear quickly.  However, very few people realize that these vineyards are managed, the grapes vinified and the wine finished, by the exact same team.  They aren’t cheap, but if you’re looking to better understand what the region of Gredos is capable of, then this is the best way to get informed.  What’s more, I remember when first starting to explore this range that I read that the main inspiration for these wines was Chateau Rayas, and I will say--they have nailed it.  This is a Spanish Garnacha like you have never tasted before and worthy of the tariff. 

2015 Daniel Gómez Jiménez Landi Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León Las Iruelas El Tiemblo - The '15 Las Iruelas pulled me in with its gorgeous and beguiling bouquet of dried flowers, exotic spices, stone dust, moist undergrowth, licorice, hints of pepper and spicy black fruits. On the palate, I found soft yet lifted textures with a sensation of dry fruit and floral extract that immediately coated the senses in a violet-infused menagerie of wild berry, raspberry and blueberry fruits, with savory minerals, saturating spice and a cheek-puckering tug of acidity; all while remaining warm, savory, seductively textural and truly unique. The finish was long... and I mean long... spicy, and with a note of fine tannin. (95 points)

2016 Daniel Gómez Jiménez Landi Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León Las Iruelas El Tiemblo - The nose opened with a mix of savory wild herbs and spicy floral tones, as notes of white pepper, crushed stone, animal musk, dried orange, and bright strawberry developed in the glass. On the palate, I found enveloping textures like pure silk, which were quickly offset by layers of wild red berry, saturating minerals, savory smokiness, masses of inner red florals and a tart twang of acidity. The finish was long, grippy, mineral-laden and promising, as tart wild berry lingered among exotic spices. A note of hard red candies could still be recognized on the palate over a full minute later. There’s a wild and exotic persona here, deserving of a good deal of time to truly absorb what is going on in the glass. (95 points)

2016 Daniel Gómez Jiménez Landi Vino de la Tierra de Castilla El Reventón RV - The nose was slightly restrained yet very, very pretty, showing fresh, ripe strawberries off the vine, moist earth, dusty sweet spices, a mix of exotic florals, stone dust, and hints of white pepper. On the palate, I found silky-soft textures, with an almost creamy feel, delivering a sweet yet peppery display of ripe yet also savory cherry, raspberry sauce, confectionary spices, minerals and wonderfully balancing acidity. The finish was long yet subtle, with pretty red fruits, red licorice, spice, and masses of tactile inner florals, as I felt a warming yet pleasing sensation of heat going down. What a crazy wine, and it’s so easy to like already. (96 points)

2016 Daniel Gómez Jiménez Landi Vino de la Tierra de Castilla El Reventón RVL - The nose was darker, moodier as well, then the RV, displaying peppery-spiced, black cherry, strawberry, dusty dried florals, and savory herbs. On the palate, I found a finessed expression with silky textures lifted by cool-toned acids, as the RVL coasted effortlessly across the senses with pretty strawberry and cherry tones, followed by filigree sweet spices, saturating minerals and inner florals. It was feminine and caressing, as the finish evolved more toward mounting structure than fruit, with a twang of zesty spices, lingering acids and minerals. The RVL really comes to life about an hour or two after opening, and it hints at serious cellar potential. (94 points)

Comando G

The word is out on Comando G, and all we can do now is hope to grab an allocation.  I’ve had the pleasure of tasting these with the distributor over the last few years, yet there is something about the last two vintages that have totally made me a believer.  The 2015s and 2016s show a whole new level that Garnacha can reach on the high altitude vineyards of Sierra de Gredos.  The inspiration behind these wines comes from Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia, who are entirely responsible for putting the region on the map.  Having tasted the wines of Landi alone, I would say that Comando G adds a dark, animal nature to the exotic florals and spice. They are inspiring to say the least.

2015 Comando G Las Umbrias Las Rozas de Puerto Real - What an incredible bouquet on the 2015 Las Umbrias. I would think I was visiting a mix of a florist shop and confectionary boutique before thinking that I was nosing a wine. A gorgeous mix of florals, both fresh and dried, were joined together with exotic spices (clove, cinnamon, ginger... on and on), a sweet dusting of powdered sugar, crushed strawberry, green olive and saline minerality. On the palate, I found a wonderfully fresh, silky expression, as it glided effortlessly across the senses, showing notes of ripe strawberry, with floral and mineral hints, as fine tannin and brisk acid tugged slightly and pretty inner florals developed. The finish was long, showing the first hint of promising structure, along with dried cherries, clove and sweet lingering florals. Wow. (96 points)

Familia Nin-Ortiz 

I’ve sung the praises of Ester Nin in the past, and so I won’t go too deep here.  However, what Nin Ortiz has accomplished in Priorat is nothing short of remarkable.  Today they spend much of their time teaching biodynamics and vineyard management to producers throughout the region. They have, without a doubt, reinvented the region of Priorat.  If you thought it was all about power, oak influence and overripe wines, then it’s time to check out Nin Ortiz.  They will bring you back to Priorat. 

2016 Familia Nin-Ortiz Priorat Planetes de Nin - Amfora - Sitting with the 2016 Amfora really put this wine into perspective. The bouquet was a dark and savory mix of crushed stone and smoke, with brown spices, blackberry, raspberry, hints of animal musk, savory herbs and floral undergrowth. On the palate, I found soft textures with medium-weight, offset by zesty acidity and spice, displaying dried cherry, herbs, saturating minerality and slow mounting tannins. The finish was medium-long and incredibly fresh, resonating on tart red fruits and spice, with lingering acids that made the mouth water. (93 points)

2015 Familia Nin-Ortiz Garnacha Priorat Nit de Nin Coma D'en Romeu - So maybe I don't get it, but this comes off to me as a very, very good, yet not the 98-point experience that The Wine Advocate has attached to it. The nose was dark and intense yet fresh, showing a mix of crushed blackberry, black cherry and plum, with crushed stone, hints of provencal herbs, smoke and exotic spice. On the palate, I found silky textures, showing violet-floral infused black fruits, saturated with saline-minerals and spice with zesty acids adding a mouthwatering contrast. The finish was long, as youthful tannin tugged at the senses and crunchy, mineral-encased black fruits slowly tapered off. (94 points)

Descendientes de José Palacios

Now we’re walking off the beaten path. Descendientes is probably the most exciting project in Spain today (maybe tying Comando G).  It all started with Alvaro Palacios, a name you should know if you’ve ever delved into the top wines of Priorat. The fact is that Alvaro was in no small part responsible for the region’s rise to fame. He spent years in the region, seeking out the perfect vineyard locations to create his dream wine, before ultimately setting to work. The result was the creation of L'Ermita and Finca Dofi--to this day, two of the most iconic wines of the region.

However, during the time that he spent surveying vineyards and seeking that perfect location, there was another region that he fell in love with, even though Priorat won out in the end, and that was Bierzo. It was the combination of steep hillside vineyards, complex schist-dominated soils, and ancient Mencia vines that intrigued him, but the opportunity had been missed until his nephew, Ricardo Perez, took interest. Ricardo had been cutting his teeth in Bordeaux, at the likes of Chateau Margaux, when his uncle’s desire to explore Bierzo piqued his interests. Together, they formed Descendientes de J. Palacios and began to buy up the best parcels they could find around the town of Corullon.

Today, Descendientes de J. Palacios creates a mix of single-vineyard expressions that garner stratospheric scores from the press, but also demand Stratospheric prices. Yet, this isn’t where the savvy collector should focus. In my opinion, it’s the Villa de Corullon that communicates the terroir of the region mixed with the house style. It’s essentially a village-level wine, sourced from old Mencia and Palomino vines from around the town of Corullon, and vinified in a similar fashion to the single-vineyard expressions that win critics’ hearts.  Also of serious note is the Petalos, their “entry” level wine that punches well above its price point.

2016 Descendientes de José Palacios Bierzo Pétalos - The nose showed a mix of dusty cherry and strawberry fruits, with savory smokiness and admirable richness, as notes of sage and floral undergrowth developed.  On the palate, I found soft yet vibrant textures giving way to zesty acids,  with spicy red and black berries, violot-tinged inner florals and saturating minerality.  The finish was long, spicy, and staining to the senses, with notes of mineral-soaked raspberry and hints of fine tannin. To think that this is their entry-level wine is amazing. (92 points)

2016 Descendientes de José Palacios Bierzo Villa de Corullon - The nose was spicy and pretty, opening more with time in the glass, displaying mineral-infused raspberry, strawberry, crushed violets, lavender, a dusting of clove, moist dark soil tones, and hints of animal musk. On the palate, I found creamy, silky textures which seemed to glide effortlessly across the senses, leaving pure red and hints of blueberry fruit, saline-minerals, a mix of inner rose and lingering violet florals. The finish was medium in length with a twang of zesty acidity, tart red fruits, and a coating of savory minerals. This was such an enjoyable experience, with its lively persona mixed with depths of aromatic complexity, purity and persistence. (93 points)

Dominio del Águila

This is another project that I’ve been getting excited about for a while.  The funny part is that I would hear their names spoken by some of my most trusted contemporaries, always in hushed tones.  The comments would also be similar: “Have you heard about Dominio del Aguila?”, “Do you think they are really the next big thing from the Ribera del Duero?”  I believe that we are firmly at the point where the latter can be answered with a resolute “YES”.        

My detailed piece on this exciting projected can be found at “Exposing Terroirs of Ribera del Duero,” but I will go into some small detail here to get your juices going.

Jorge Monzon of Domino del Aguila has been exposing the unique terroir and native varieties of Ribera del Duero for the last decade, while working for some of the most prestigious properties in the area. Let’s keep in mind that Tempranillo is as closely tied to the Ribera as any variety can be to a historical region. In fact, a wine can not be included in the Ribera del Duero designation without being at least 75% Tempranillo. The problem is that much of the recent plantings are using high-production clones, plus adding more Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot in the place of old-vine, less productive, Tempranillo.

These are vineyards from another time, when different varieties were interplanted to create field blends. When these vines were first planted, the wines they created may have been simple, easy-drinking, farmers’ wines. However, today these ancient vines are 80-150 years old!!! What’s more, they are planted in locations that may not be ideal for modern-day farming, but perfect for the artisan who works by hand.

Jorge identified these locations and slowly acquired them over the course of ten years while working for Arzuaga-Navarro. Throughout that time, he nursed the vines and soils back to health using organic principles, while selling his production to the who’s who of the region. Jorge was basically biding his time to be able to launch Dominio del Aguila in 2010, when he was confident in the fruit he was producing and how to properly vinify them into the style of wine he envisioned.

Today, eight years later, these are officially the most exciting wines being made in Ribera del Duero.

2014 Dominio del Águila Clarete Pícaro del Águila - The nose was remarkably pretty, showing fresh crushed strawberries, with hints of dusty earth, sweet herbs and minerals. On the palate, I found soft textures with pure red fruits, a stunning mix of acid and minerals with hints of citrus. The finish was spicy and medium-long finish with lasting minerality. (91 points)

2010 Dominio del Águila Ribera del Duero Reserva - Here, I found a seductive bouquet, mixing sweet, savory and floral, with a burst of roses and violets giving way to a combination of earthy minerals and animal musks, with crushed strawberry, sweet spice, white pepper and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, silky textures gave way to depths of dark red and blue fruits, plums, sweet herbs, and tobacco, along with zesty minerals and acids to balance, as fine tannin slowly creeped in. The finish was long, lifted and structured, showing citrus-tinged red berries, with exotic spiciness, sweet florals and lingering fine tannin. Where is this wine going? I’m not sure, but I’m very excited to find out. (94 points)

2014 Dominio del Águila Viñas Viejas Blanco - The nose was incredibly spicy, with a burst of hot green peppers and curry leaf up front, giving way to wild herbs, crushed stone, lemon rind, and hints of fresh green apples. On the palate, I found silky, deep textures with minerality up front, as young pit fruits and wet stone came forward, complemented by brisk acidity adding verve and lift from the mid-palate through the finale. The finish was long with saturating minerals, wet stone, wild flowers and spice. Wow. (95 points)

2014 Dominio del Águila Ribera del Duero Gran Reserva Penas Aladas - The nose was dark and intense, showing animal musk, crushed stone, and dark soil tones backed by notes of herbal-infused blackberry, blueberry, wild flowers, and hints of tangerine. On the palate, I found silky, creamy textures with zesty spiced red fruits, lavender, inner herbal tones, saline-minerality and inner soil tones. It was as if the nose transposed perfectly to the palate. The finish was long, showing saturating black cherry and lasting minerality with a coating of fine tannin. I was amazed by how intense and layered, yet fresh the ‘13 Gran Reserva was. (96 points)

Suertes del Marques

Now it’s time to go completely off the beaten path, to a selection of wines that are truly meant for the explorer, the taster looking for an almost intellectual experience, and a portfolio of wines that are so unique that it may set the average wine drinker aback.

The subtropical climate in the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa, is something you don’t often find in a wine-producing region.  However, that’s exactly why these wines are so unique.  They are produced using a mix of lesser-known varieties, from vines that grow along sheer cliffs, with vines that are like tentacles, snaking 30 to 40 feet in each direction.  No average winemaker would tell you that this mix should work for creating a create wine, yet it does, and the results are quite special.

The two wines listed below are both what I would call, “experience wines”.  The Los Pasitos hosts a total of only 12.5% alcohol, yet it shows a depth and elegance that I would never expect, coupled with a wild bouquet that seems like something you would expect to find in a well-curated garden before a glass.  It’s produced from 100% ungrafted Baboso Negro; ungrafted, because Phylloxera never made it to the Canary Islands.  Meanwhile, the El Ciruelo, comes from old-vine (90 years old) Listán Negro.  Topping out at a whopping 13% alcohol, it is showing a structure that may well make my current score look low over time.  Keep in mind that I don’t have a baseline for wines as unique as these.  They both come from volcanic soils, farmed and produced through a hands off approach, with minimal racking and sulfur.  Like I said, these are “experience wines.”

Suertes del Marqués “Los Pasitos" 2016 - The Los Pasitos had a gorgeous perfume that wafted up from the glass with an array of spicy florals, roses and wild herbs, backed by pepper, crushed stone, sheer black rock, moist soil and hints of crushed wild berries.  On the palate, I found soft textures with energizing acidity that carried it effortlessly across the senses, leaving tart wild berry fruits, offsetting peppery spices and inner floral tones. The finish was medium-long on fruit, but lasted for minutes with spices, wild herbs, pepper and minerals. (94 points)

Suertes del Marqués “El Ciruelo” 2016 - El Ciruelo seemed to pull me into the glass, at first coy and withdrawn, but the closer I came to it, the more it blossomed, showing dusty minerals, smoke and crushed stone up front, giving way to dried flowers, bright strawberry and hints of violets.  On the palate, I found finesse, lifted textures with pure red berry fruits, wrapped in savory minerals, with spicy inner florals, hints of pepper and a slight tug of tannin.  It was so pure and almost juicy, yet with a tart twang that made it tactile and memorable, as the El Ciruelo finished clean, peppery and with a lasting tug of young tannin.  (92 points)

The Balance of the Blend

What It Takes to Make the Vietti Barolo Castiglione

What does it take for a producer of Barolo to decide that it’s more important to create one great wine to please the majority of collectors, at a tremendous price, versus creating five single-vineyard Cru Barolo that they could charge 3-4 times as much for and easily sell?

Passion? Tradition? Responsibility? Love for the region and for their family?  I’m of the opinion that when it comes to Luca Currado of the Vietti winery, each of these reasons come into play.

As Luca talks about Barolo, Piedmont and all that has come before him in this region, he speaks with such love, excitement and reverence, that it becomes easy to understand why the Vietti Barolo Castiglione continues to be produced.  To this day, it is one of the greatest examples of traditional Barolo, as well as being priced remarkably fair and able to stand proud next to many of the top wines of the region.  It’s because of this that I feel compelled to be an advocate of both the wine and the winery, to make sure that people know just how much goes into producing it.  However, there’s another reason as well, and that reason is that I also feel it’s my duty to make sure that Barolo lovers really do understand the benefit of having the Barolo Castiglione in their own cellars.

The first thing to understand is that Luca is determined to make Vietti’s flagship wine the best Barolo that he can in every vintage.  And don’t fool yourself.  The flagship of this house is not the multiple 100-point-scoring Ravera, the classic Rocche with its amazingly long track record, the Lazzarito from one of the region’s “hottest” locals, or the Brunate, with its famous location and name.  No, the flagship at Vietti is the Castiglione.

In order to make Castiglione the best that it can be, Luca looks to a collection of single vineyards,  He could easily vinify and bottle each of these on their own, however, he chooses to instead blend into one Barolo, the Castiglione.  This doesn’t mean that all of the fruit is picked and added to massive tanks and barrels, like many other producers would do.  Instead, Luca chooses to raise the fruit from each of these parcels like it would one day be a single-vineyard bottling of Barolo.  Each one receives unique care and upbringing through the aging process.  It is only after the refinement in large neutral barrels that Vietti begins the blending process and completes the Castiglione.

Recently, I was granted an amazing opportunity to taste through the different vineyards that will produce the 2016 Barolo Castiglione--hold onto your seats, because 2016 is going to blow your minds.

The 2016 Barolo Vintage

Just to provide a bit of background on the year, as I’ve been tasting 2016s from barrel now for the past two years, it’s a vintage that may outperform the best of the last three decades.  The vintage doesn’t require a producer to express their own excitement over it as you taste, because from the moment you put your nose to the glass, or take that first sip, the importance of 2016 becomes apparent.  

The 2016 vintage was one of the longest growing seasons on record, with an early start in the late winter due to drier and warmer conditions than usual.  Budbreak took place in early March, yet as the season continued, it became cooler that usual, hence slowing down the maturation.  Summer brought long dry days with moderate temperatures, which was followed by a mild and dry September.  The result was that picking for Barolo began late on October 5th (in Brunate) and ended on the 25th in Ravera.  The fruit was healthy and abundant with ripe tannins and balanced acidities.  As for Luca Currado, he believes it may be the greatest collection of wines he’s ever produced, including the Castiglione.

Back to the Castiglione

As I’ve mentioned, the Castiglione is a traditional blend of vineyards. In 2016, those vineyards included Ravera (Novello), Teodoro (Serralunga), Scaronne (Castiglione), Rocchettevino (La Morra), Bricco Fiasco (Castiglione), and a mix (due to the small size of the parcels) of Mosconi and Le Coste (Monforte).  In each year, Luca will use as much or as little of these barrels that’s necessary to create the perfect blend of the Barolo Castiglione.

However, before today, I was never been able to taste each of these wines separately, all while hearing Luca’s comments on each of them.  Of course, with Ravera, I’ve had the chance to taste this when barrel-tasting with Luca.  Keep in mind that Vietti is able to fill three large, neutral botti with their production from Ravera; it’s one of their largest holdings.  From those three barrels, only one makes the cut for the single-vineyard, while the rest can go on to be added to the Castiglione.  While visiting with Luca in Piedmont, I’ve been able to taste from all three of those barrels, and I can’t tell you how hard it must be for the Vietti winery to decide which one will be the “Cru” and which will go into the blend, because they are all sublime. 

That said, one of the most eye-opening bottles on this day came from a little-known vineyard in Serralunga, named Teodoro.  It was the vibrancy of the fruit, remarkably pretty florals and exotic nature of the wine that first caught my attention.  However, what sealed the deal was Luca’s explanation of how the wine is made.  Apparently, Teodoro is one of the few vineyards in Barolo that produces fruit that benefits from whole-cluster fermentation.  This is a practice that isn’t often used in the region, simply because the character of the grape and terroir doesn’t lend well to it.  Most of us know that one of the region’s most highly regarded wines today (Burlotto Monvigliero) is made with whole-clusters.  However, that location, with its sandy soils and cool climate, is a perfect example of one terroir that does benefit from it.  Apparently, so does Teodoro, and since Luca is always willing to experiment, he found the perfect mix by leaving 60% of the stems intact.  What’s more, we were able to taste two different bottlings of Teodoro, one made “traditionally” and one left in barrel for only 18 months, which is a much older tradition from the early 20th century.  Comparing these two wines was fascinating.

Granted, this is just the tip of the iceberg, as the completed 2016 Castiglione is not assembled and ready to taste, but I can tell you that I’d be happy with a Barolo made from any one of the components we tasted.  That said, with the blending prowess of Luca Currado to make the final decisions, I’m extremely excited to see what the end result will be.

The Blend Component Tasting

All wines were barrel samples that had been bottled for this event.  Also, my opinions of what each component lends to the blend are my own, and I’m sure Luca has his own thoughts on the matter.

L35 Ravera di Novello - This is a wine that I have tasted from barrel and loved each time. Here I found a dark and exotic expression, showing wildberry fruit with notes of purple florals, crushed stone minerality and sweet spice. On the palate, it was smooth, showing pure red berry fruit in a lifted expression with saline-minerals, showing a tactile mix of acid and tannin that saturated the senses all the way through its dark fruit finish, leaving hints of balsamic spice. I see this as the core of the blend, and the soul. (94-96 points)

L44 Teodoro (Serralunga) - The 2016 Teodoro was absolutely gorgeous on the nose, with an array of wild red berries, rosy florals, earth, and hints of savory herbs, as the wine continued to open in the glass, becoming more Burgundian, lifted and refined.  On the palate, I found a soft expression, with tantalizing acidity paving the way for fresh red fruits, inner florals and grippy tannins.  The finish was medium in length, resonating on red fruits and florals. The Teodoro is a relatively recent acquisition, and likely what has given the Castiglione its recent boost of aromatic complexity. (92-94 points)

L20 Scarrone (Castiglione) - This is another wine that I’ve tasted in the past, and as before, one I wish that Luca would consider bottling one day on its own.  The nose was remarkably pretty, bursting with an intense expression of red fruits.  Raspberry, strawberry and cranberry seemed to all come together as a sweet dusting of spice, minerals and red florals filled the senses.  On the palate, I found silky textures, which were offset by saturating red berry and sweet spices, kept in check by a wash of grippy young tannin, which lasted throughout the long finish.  I can only imagine what this might taste like in twenty years, and I doubt I will ever find out. That said, the Castiglione would miss the addition of Scaronne, as I see this as the spice in the blend. (93-95 points)

L41 Rocchettevino (La Morra) - Here I found a floral expression with rosy red berry fruit complemented by dusty sweet spice, and minerality, creating an exotic and feminine expression.  On the palate, soft, enveloping textures gave way to seductive dark, ripe red fruits with a grounding wash of brisk acidity to balance them out beautifully.  Hints of tannin emerged on the long, dark fruit finish, yet all in all, this is a wine of texture and very easy to like.  I think it goes without saying that the Rocchettevino levels out the structure, giving Castiglione its silky presence on the palate.  (91-94 points)

L39 Mosconi and Le Coste (Monforte) - The nose was dark and woodsy, showing a mix of sweet herbal and floral tones, offset by woodland berries and hints of moist earth.  On the palate, I found silky textures, yet restrained by a web of complex tannin with mineral underpinnings, as dark red fruits fought to make an appearance.  The finish was medium in length, showing the wine’s power and drying its dark red fruits.  This is certainly the backbone of Castiglione, and it is sure to lend the structure necessary to mature. (90-93 points)

L43 Bricco Fiasco (Castiglione) - The nose was dark and rich, with a mix of brown spices, crushed red berries, and earthy minerality, yet with time, it became prettier, more floral and gained a note of sweet spice.  On the palate, I found a feminine expression, with silky, lifted textures giving way to mineral-encased, crunchy black fruits, echos of dark florals and spice.  The finish was long, as fine tannin mounted, slowly drying the wine’s fruit and leaving an expression of power.  I find this to be the iron fist that comfortably fits into the Castiglione’s velvet glove.  Gorgeous. (93-95 points)

On a side note, and a bit of a treat

As Luca had explained, the Teodoro vineyard is one of the few locations within Barolo where the harvested Nebbiolo benefits from whole-cluster fermentation.  He also went on the explain that what we all consider traditional only depends on how far back into history that we are looking, and that he is often looking further back to consider everything that came before.  Thinking along these lines, Luca looked to a time before the first World War, a time when your average Barolo producer would only have one large barrel in their cellar, which was used to collect all of their fruit, ferment it, and age it.  What this meant is that with the next harvest, the barrel would have to be emptied so that they could use it for the next harvest--meaning that Barolo of the early 20th century was only aged 12 months before being bottled.

As time went on and the region began to recover from the second World War, producers began to add more barrels to their cellars when possible, but at the time, the region was still quite poor.  It was during this period that the aging of Barolo in barrel moved from 12 to 18 months.  With this in mind, and while tasting his whole-cluster feremented Teodoro, Luca decided that he would experiment by aging part of his Teodoro fruit for only 18 months, to see if it would benefit the wine.  Luca’s thought is that, one day, we may see more Barolo aged for less time in wood.  Sort of a “what was old is new again” approach.  Luckily for all of us at this tasting, he brought a sample.

L1861 Teodoro (Whole-cluster 60%, aged in Neutral barrels 18 months) - The nose was remarkably pretty and spicy, showing intense layers of sweet herbs, rosy florals, and crushed stone minerality, before giving way to dark red berry tones with hints of pepper, dried orange peel and hints of new leather.  On the palate, I found silky textures offset by a vibrant wave of acidity, as zesty red berry fruits with floral and peppery underpinnings washed across the senses, leaving hints of tannin and spice in their wake.  The finish was long with a twang of acid tapering off to reveal dried red fruits and hints of fine tannin.  This is something like I’ve never tasted before from Barolo, and it’s an expression of Nebbiolo that I would absolutely seek out if available on the market. (92-94 points)