Like Burgundy, Barolo is a patchwork of singular vineyard sites, or crus, which are associated with unique styles of wine. This is seen at the broader “village” level as well: Different towns have their signature styles. When I think of wines from communes on the western side of the Barolo DOCG zone—including the town of Barolo itself—I think of silkier, more delicate, more brightly perfumed wines. And no one delivers that more consistently than Brezza.
It’s always dangerous to generalize about “house style” in a vintage-sensitive, vineyard-specific region like Barolo, but Brezza’s wines are some of the prettiest, most ‘Burgundian’ bottles out there. Barolo’s Nebbiolo grape is an aromatic red, but as I’ve repeated here
ad nauseum, comparisons to Burgundy Pinot Noir tend to stop there: Barolo Nebbiolo is almost always more tannic, powerful, and earthy. But in today’s 2015 from the legendary “Cannubi” cru, Brezza finds the finesse and fruit of Nebbiolo and makes me think of—you guessed it—Burgundy. Like many ’15s, it is approachable and silken in a way most young Barolos are not. Producer, vintage, and vineyard are all in perfect alignment, so do your cellar a favor and grab some!
We’ve celebrated the 2015 vintage in Barolo in numerous offers this year, and the arrival of Brezza’s “Cannubi” kept the party going in style: The Brezzas are one of the great “Barolo di Barolo” families, with holdings not just in the iconic Cannubi vineyard but also “Sarmassa” and “Castellero,” both also in the village of Barolo. As in neighboring La Morra, most of the cru vineyards in Barolo are oriented to the southeast, in silty/sandy marl soils that contain a slightly higher percentage of clay compared to the vineyards found in communes further east. The combination of morning-sun exposures and marginally richer soils has traditionally brought out more of Nebbiolo’s bright red fruit while also taking a little of the sting out of its tannins. The perfect southeastern exposure of Cannubi produces Nebbiolo of generous proportions, and as Barolo-lovers know, this 20-hectare vineyard is shared by a who’s-who of Barolo big names: Sandrone, Altare, Scavino, Ceretto…the list is a long one.
Fourth-generation Enzo Brezza is the man now in charge at his family estate, which has been estate-bottling Barolo since 1910. His gloriously mustachioed father, Oreste, is a constant presence as well, helping in the vineyards and winery or holding court in the family’s restaurant. Their 18 hectares of vineyards, farmed organically, are mostly in the commune of Barolo, and their winemaking style is resolutely traditional: fermentations are begun spontaneously with native yeasts, and the Barolo wines are aged only in large-capacity Slavonian oak casks before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The 2015 “Cannubi” Barolo is exceptionally refined on the palate—firm, but no sharp edges at all. Its garnet-red core moves to pink and a slight hint of orange at the rim. The aromas are bright and floral, with lots of juicy red raspberry, cherry, wild strawberry, blood orange peel, rose petals, black pepper, leather, and underbrush. On the Barolo body scale, it falls squarely in the “medium” category, with a very fine-grained, filigree texture and a persistent, aromatic finish. The snappy acidity, more so than the tannic structure, is what will give this wine longevity, but it is also in a nice place already: Give it 45 minutes in a decanter, serve it at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems, and you’ll be a very happy Barolo drinker (in 5-7 years, even more so). Showcase its earthy elegance with some beautifully cooked fresh mushrooms of one sort or another over fresh pasta. And while it’s still a little early to be talking about it, this would be a showstopper with Thanksgiving dinner. Just saying. Enjoy!
