Barolo 2017

The fruit for this Barolo mostly comes from the Berri Vineyard,as well as Cru Capalot in the northeast part of La Morra, and a small amount from Rocche dell’Annunziata. The vines are a bit older than those in Berri, and the tannins are a little softer. While there is much evidence of ancient winemaking activity on the fringes of Berri, the area was all but abandoned in the 1960s. The beginning of the 21st century brought renewed interest from growers like Mauro Molino and Renato Ratti, who recognized Berri’s perfect exposure, elevation and cooling breezes. Less than a mile from the Tanaro River, and the soil reflects that with pebbles, limestone and sandstone outcroppings.

Maceration lasts about three weeks, and the ferment happens in concrete with indigenous yeasts. Trediberri uses special barrels crafted for them by Garbellotto – the outstanding cooper about an hour north of Venice. After aging for 21 months in a combination of 52 and 25 HL vessels, the wine is returned to concrete to rest for a few months before release.

2017 will be remembered for being one of the driest vintages ever, with only 370 mm of rainfall from February to October. Summer was hot, but the lack of water obliged the vines to protect themselves and hence, right after summer, they somehow stopped their vegetative cycle. Around mid September, there was no reason to wait longer (looking for the perfect phenolic ripeness) and harvested began in a trying effort to save freshness and acidity. This was the earliest harvest ever in both Rocche dell’Annunziata and Berri. Despite the extreme conditions and the expectations, wines fermented well and during the aging, they were able to develop a great juiciness and to achieve a very good balance; in fact, 2017 Barolos from Trediberri are surprisingly not heavy or over extracted at all, rather particularly juicy and easy. And that is not bad !!

2017 Barolo shows the characteristics of this extreme vintage: the lack of water made it difficult to achieve the perfect ripeness, as the vines started to shut down at the end of summer. Henceforth the wine, although macerated from smaller/thicker berries, couldn’t achieve the complexity of other vintages and results easier and more approachable. Surprisingly, not big/heavy at all. The small percentage of whole bunch provided a lovely aromatic lift and we think it contributed to make 2017 Barolo more appealing and interesting. Despite its approachability, 2017 Barolo can easily be stored for many years, although we believe it will always maintain its main feature of juiciness. 2021-2040.

All Nebbiolo is food friendly, but the accessible purity of this wine allows it to thrive with so many dishes. It’s just as happy with a plate of cheese and salumi, as it is with a powerful Osso Bucco or fresh pasta dish.