Like Burgundy, Piedmont’s Barolo is divided into villages/communes, each of which imparts a different expression of Nebbiolo. The villages are then further divided into “cru,” a term which refers to a specific vineyard site. Today’s offer is derived from three distinct crus: the crus of Villero and Valleti within the central commune of Castiglione Falletto and the cru of Gallinotto in the commune of La Morra. Barolo shows distinct styles of wine from from village to village. The commune of La Morra, in the northwest, is known for finesse, elegance and approachability in as few as five to seven years; travel southeast towards Serralunge and Monforte d’Alba and the wines reveal a more powerful and structured expression, which can take as long as thirty years to reach maturity. The vineyards of Cascina Fontana fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. The two crus of centrally located Castiglione Falletto possess elements of each distinct face of Barolo, the finesse and the structure, while the cru in La Morra offers a softer elegance. Thanks to this particular locale, Cascina Fontana’s Barolo is on the cusp of ideal drinkability and with enough air the wine the wine is stellar now, although it will only begin to reveal its true beauty in about five years.
The Fontana family has been crafting Nebbiolo in Barolo for at least six generations. Mario Fontana serves as winemaker and steward of his family estate’s four hectares. True to family legacy, Mario’s philosophy is best expressed in his own words, “I am a traditional wine producer. My aim is to express in my wines the full gusto della mia terra – to convey as purely and directly as possible the tastes and flavors of my land. I do this by tending my grapes as carefully as I can, for they are the vehicle by which I am able to achieve this expression.” His grapes are hand-harvested before undergoing a slow, laborious tenure in the cellar. The bounty undergoes a slow fermentation then is aged, segregated according to cru, for two years in incredibly large, neutral Slavonian oak botti (casks). The wines are then combined and aged in stainless for one more year before they are bottled unfiltered and laid to rest in the cellar for an additional year. This patience and dedication results in a serious wine of immense elegance and formidable structure.
The 2010 Cascina Fontana has a translucent, dark ruby core that quickly moves to light colors of garnet and orange reflections on the rim. The classic nose explodes with wild strawberries, sour cherry, freshly-picked red plums, which are laced with rose petals, wild fennel, herbs, trademark tar and finely crushed white rock. The palate confirms the fruit and rose petals from the nose but also lends additional nuanced layers of tree bark, dried orange zest, pu-erh tea, a touch of chalk and clay then a kiss of baking spice. The structured palate reveals finesse, freshness, crisp acidity and persistent tannins that delight the front of the lips as only Nebbiolo can. I would wait at least another year to consume this wine; although with patience, this wine will enter nirvana around 2020. Whenever you choose to enjoy this beauty, decant it for at least 90 minutes and serve at 60-65 degrees in a Burgundy stem. If you drink this wine soon, you will notice an intense amount of fruit upon opening which will quickly evolve into classic aromas of Barolo with enough air. A wine of this caliber begs for a meal of equal note and requisite patience. So, give
Cascina Fontana’s Brasato al Barolo dish a try; I guarantee you will not be disappointed with the results.
