A Nifty Barolo and Barbaresco Round Up
The first thing that comes to mind when the three words - wine, red, Piedmont - are spoken is the Nebbiolo-based duo of Barolo and Barbaresco. They are way more than just wines. The hills have been honoured with the UNESCO World Heritage tag for their history, cultural importance, and their wines shaping civilisation into what we know it as today.
Nebbiolo is a fussy grape that demands certain sites and a specific set of climatic conditions. Though a cold climate varietal, its thick skin delivers a punch of tannins, and adds to the body and longevity of the wine. Thicker skin also makes it a slow-ripening varietal, making its flavours and acidity more concentrated and complex than the Dolcettos and Barberas of the region.
The basic divide between Barolo and Barbaresco starts from the soils itself. While Barolo has the heavy Tortonian soils, Barbaresco enjoys the lighter Helvetica sites. The simple logic goes - heavier the soils, heavier the wines, the longer they age. That’s why the general idea is to age a Barolo for 7-10 years before relishing it, while a Barbaresco is ready to go after 6-8. However, in wines, nothing is written in stone.
If you’re chasing the finer nuances of dried violets and a more intense concentration of tar, crushed rose petals, truffles, forest floor, cedar, and tobacco, you're seeking a bottle of a good Barolo, preferably around its 10th birthday. Barbaresco would boast of more vivacious sweet and ripe red fruits, and though it would develop to be a gastronomic delight as well, it may be a bit shy in the masculinity and machoism department if pitted against a Barolo.
Vintages play a very important role in the region. Some of the recently marked vintages are 2008-2017, with and exception of a very rainy and wet 2012. They aren’t bad wines, just that they are meant for early drinking. Amongst the older ones, 2006, 2001, 1999, 1995+1996, and 1990 were the most bankable ones. Of course knowing the crus and the producer’s styles may be painstakingly detailed but definitely pays off on the palate and justifies the extra few Euros you may put in.
When putting besides plates, go for dishes with rich flavours, often game or heavier meats are used. Truffles, morels, mushrooms, and hazelnuts can also stand their own, and realise what is the delivery of matches made in heaven. A good pork roast definitely deserves a well settled and decanted Barolo. Yes, the vegetarian section feels bit lacking in the department for the moment but given the right chef with a limitless imagination, nothing is impossible.
But if you are feeling a tad shy about investing the big bucks a good Barolo or Barbaresco deserve, do start by trying a few Nebbiolos from the Alba region just so to get a hang of what this grape can deliver even at a basic or intermediate level. For only then will you feel that inner conviction to go that extra few yards, and then, with time, you can see for yourself what those few extra notes bought you.
