The Cavallotto family has been growing grapes on the treasured slope of Bricco Boschis in Barolo since they purchased the property in 1928. Before World War II, they were vignerons and sold their grapes to brokers in Alba. When the roads and bridges in were destroyed during the war, the family was unable to deliver grapes to their usual broker. As a result, they made wine on their own and aged it in their family cellar. Unable to sell their homemade wine to their broker afterwards, they made the best of what they had once more and sold their wine in demijohns to local restaurants. Following the passing of their father and the conclusion of the war, the two brothers, Olivio and Gildo, started crafting, aging and bottling their wine from their Bricco Boschis estate in 1948. At just 17 and 18 years of age, they were decades ahead of future grower-turned-producers in the region. Olivio’s kids, Giuseppe, Laura and Alfio, were passed the torch in the 1990s. Although the over-the-top highly extracted and heavily oaked style of Barolo was in vogue at the time, the new generation of Cavallotto chose to stay true to tradition. They’ve been using the same recipe since 1948 and classic Barolos, having stood the test of time, are in favor once again.

 

Barolo, the magnificent landscape of green, steep and undulating Langhe Hills in the foreground of the distant Alps, is mainly comprised of five important villages, which vary in expression and personality as widely as the famous villages of Burgundy. The Cavallotto Estate’s charmed hill, Bricco Boschis, has been said to be the gateway to Castiglione Falletto. The village of Castiglione Falletto is nestled right in the center of the villages and enjoys Tortonian soil (compact calcareous marl) from the west and Serravallian (calcareous marl with sandstone - also referred to as Helvetian) from the east. These two soils run right through Bricco Boschis as well, which offers the wines of this favored cru the best of both worlds, yielding polish and softness to ample tannins along with structure and major aging capability. Most places in Barolo can only achieve one or the other.

 

The Cavallottos know what they have and they take care of it accordingly. The family’s 24-hectare Bricco Boschis, along with all their holdings, are farmed organically. In 1975, Gildo and Olivio were actually the first in the growing zone of Barolo to plant grass between the vines and leave clippings in the rows in an effort to reduce and concentrate yields as well as decrease erosion. They also introduced predatory insects in the vineyards to avoid using chemical herbicides and insecticides. Organic viticulture has been the way for the family, long before it came into vogue. Today, Guiseppe and Alfio, both enologists, consider themselves, “non-interventionists.” They have continued organic farming practices, which allows them to ferment with entirely indigenous yeast; the wine is then aged in massive Slovenian oak botti. This particular wine, the 2009 Bricco Boschis, is derived entirely from the Bricco Boschis vineyard and was aged for three years before bottling. The 2009 vintage enjoyed a bit more sunshine; as a result, these wines boast more glycerol, a touch more fruit, lots of density and are approachable now though they will age as long as you can possibly stand to wait.  

 

This 2009 Bricco Boschis has a dark ruby core, quickly moving to intense orange and garnet reflections on the rim. The elegant nose is soft and powerful simultaneously, offering aromatics of freshly picked, ripe black plums, dried cherry, red currant, strawberry, dried rose petal, dried fig, along with fresh leather and tar. The palate delivers even more complexity with notes of wild red berries and pomegranates, laced with black tea, dried fennel bulb, a kiss of exotic spice, leather and dried tobacco leaf, elevated by crushed white stones. This richly textured Barolo enjoys high acidity, abundant tannins that are incredibly polished along with extraordinary structure. If you are going to drink this wine now, decant it for 90 minutes and serve between 55-60 degrees in Burgundy stems and watch the wine evolve as the temperature rises. I highly recommend drinking one now, as it is delicious. However, forget about a couple bottles at least; you will be rewarded a decade from now.  To enjoy a Nebbiolo of this class and quality for this price is a rarity and an incredible value. However, this lot will not last long. If you are lucky enough to purchase a few bottles, try this recipe for Corzetti Pasta with Dried Mushroom Ragu.